A run-down of delicious things we’re enjoying this month.

Winter vibes and snow days have had us hunkering down in cozy places around town. Here’s a very eclectic list of some of the best things we’ve eaten so far in 2019:

• Challah pretzel buns (the dreamiest!) at Queen Anne Coffee co., a joyful, light-filled space with a soon-to-come heated patio.
• Dungeness crab cakes and “Roasted Black Cod” (with lemon chile spinach, hen of the woods mushroom, smoked pepper sauce)​ at Aerlume, a sleek new restaurant neighboring Pike Place Market.
• Brunch-time caramelized apple ricotta beignets and grilled shrimp bánh mì at Rockcreek, a welcoming spot for weekend morning magic (or any meal of the week!).
• Wild caught prawns (with spicy sài gòn yellow curry) and to-die-for “Crispy Washington Grown Drunken Chicken” at friendly neighborhood hub Monsoon (on 19th Avenue E).
• Pork belly steam buns, wild boar ribs, and “Wood-Grilled Black Cod Thai” (with green curry, root veg, ember-roasted pineapple, peanuts, & mint) at Sawyer, the soaring restaurant with a bustling vibe in the heart of Ballard.

And here are some fairly health-conscious treats we’ve been sampling at home this season, too:

To stay hydrated: Icelandic Glacial sparkling water. Try their refreshingly delicious flavors like sparkling lemon and elderflower. The water, sourced from Iceland’s legendary Ölfus Spring—one of the world’s most pristine ecosystems, boasts an uncommonly high pH of 8.4, making the water naturally alkaline.

For your morning smoothies: BetterBody Foods PBfit®. Although this wonderful brand sells delicious items ranging from Avocdao Oil Mayo to ancient grains offerings, we find the PBfit® peanut butter and peanut-butter-chocolate powders especially delicious when thrown into rejuvenating smoothie mixes.

 

To sate your sweet tooth: Once Again Nut Butter’s Amoré Spreads. Made with 30% less sugar than leading brands and completely free of cholesterol and trans fat, these indulgent nut butters come in tasty hazelnut and almond flavors. Try baking them into brownie balls, cooking into cheesecake, or mixing into cookie batter—or simply dip your spoon into the jar for a guilt-free treat.

To throw in your hiking pack: On the Go Fusion Snacks. Dig into these healthy, ready-to-eat packets that mix dried fruits, nuts, seeds and welcomed added ingredients like chocolate drops and cherries. These portable snack packs are naturally gluten and cholesterol-free, and low in sodium, as well.

And on a totally different note, here’s a self-care discovery that’s making us feel good, too:

Mantra Mask, CBD-infused facial masks. These home treatment masks feature high-quality, all-natural ingredients and are full of peptides and all the good stuff that hydrates, plumps and firms. Topical CBD’s most enticing attributes are its anti- inflammatory and analgesic properties, and we’re loving finally exploring this buzzed-about trend for ourselves!