Alaska Cruise: 7 Days, 4 Ports & 3 Excursions

Bald eagles, salmon, totem poles, seals, otters, glaciers, deer, and gorgeous flowers—our seven-day Alaska cruise was filled with amazing scenery and wildlife. Everywhere we looked, there was something exciting and new to see.

Our journey began with a flight from Newark, New Jersey to Seattle, Washington. The six-hour flight went by fairly quickly. I kept myself entertained with a movie and a book. I watched The Devil Wears Prada 2 ( I liked the first one better than the sequel) and read I Should Talk to Someone ( an interesting book about a therapist and her own advice).

 I wrote about our time in Seattle in my previous post, so if you're interested in what we did before the cruise, you can read that post here.

When it was time to board the Celebrity Edge cruise ship, we begin our Alaska adventure. We sailed into the Pacific Ocean and spent our first day at sea before arriving at our first port, Ketchikan.

Ketchikan, Alaska

The rain was off and on. Here it was off but very cloudy and chilly

Known as the “Salmon Capital of the World,” Ketchikan is also famous for its waterfront, Native * see notes- totem poles, lush forests, and abundant wildlife. We were warned that it rains a lot in Alaska and to bring raincoats. Sure enough it was raining off and on in Ketchikan. We walked around the port area and then took a trolly and guide excursion to show us the sights. Our first stop was to see the salmon swimming upstream. They were king salmon, grey in color that kind of blended into the stream. This is what we learned: 

 

Fun Facts About King Salmon: 

•  King salmon return to Alaska's rivers and streams after spending several years in the ocean. 
• They swim upstream to the very same freshwater areas where they were born to spawn (lay their eggs). 
• This incredible journey can take them hundreds of miles and requires them to battle strong currents and waterfalls.
• After spawning, the salmon die, completing their natural life cycle. 
• Their bodies line the river and then provide important nutrients to the river and surrounding ecosystem. 
• We were told that by the next month, many of the streams would be lined with dead salmon. 

Why Don't the native tribes call themselves Native Americans? 

The National Park Service says,

"Ketchikan is in Southeast Alaska, in the traditional homeland of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian peoples. The Tlingit have lived throughout much of Southeast Alaska for thousands of years, with sophisticated communities, trade routes, fishing systems and clan structures long before Europeans arrived."  The United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867. Therefore the Native tribes of Alaska do not refer to themselves as "Native Americans". 

Salmon swimming and spawning in the stream in Ketchikan

We took an excursion tour that had 3 outdoor stops. First to see the salmon, next to a nature spot to see bald eagles, seals, and otters, next to the totem pole museum. 

Bald Eagle in Flight 

This photo above is a teenage bald eagle in the tree. They are entirely grey.

A sea otter swimming across the lake. Can't really see him.

At the Totem Pole Museum- it was raining

My bear encounter; This is the closest I got to a bear

              Next Stop and Next Post Juneau, Alaska

A dear friend brought these salad bear claws back from Alaska for me many years ago.  I have always loved them. I never imagined that I would go to Alaska one day. I used them to toss my Mason Jar Salad Post.  

 

Chickpea "Tuna" Salad ; A Plant-Based Alternative to Traditional Tuna Salad

If you enjoy traditional tuna salad but are looking for a healthier plant-based alternative, mashed chickpeas are hard to beat. Not only are they delicious, but they also offer one important advantage: you don't have to worry about mercury.

Mercury in Fish

Mercury is a metal that is caused by pollution in our oceans and can build up in fish over time. It is definitely not good for us. Larger, longer-lived fish tend to accumulate more mercury than smaller fish. That's why canned white (albacore) tuna contains significantly more mercury than chunk light tuna, which is usually made from skipjack tuna. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), white albacore tuna contains nearly three times more mercury than canned light tuna.

Plant-Based Protein Contains Valuable Fiber

Chickpeas offer nutritional benefits that traditional tuna doesn't. They're an excellent source of dietary fiber -14 grams per cup  (we all need more fiber, right? ) which helps support digestive health and helps keep you feeling satisfied. Chickpeas also provide plant-based protein (12 grams/cup), iron, folate, and other essential nutrients, while being naturally cholesterol-free.

I find myself keeping meals much simpler during the summer months. I've made chickpea "tuna" salad before, but this time I changed the recipe up a bit and made it smooth instead of chunky.

The Weather Cooled Off For A Few Nights

We ate outside on the deck. There was very little humidity, the temperature was in the high 70s, and it was quite pleasant.  We enjoyed our light vegan "tuna" dinner with slices of cucumber and rice cakes. Since then, we have had continuous rain!!

I Over Ate On The Cruise

After all the rich meals we enjoyed on our Alaska cruise, I'm ready to get back to lighter, healthier eating and lose the few extra pounds we brought home with us.

When I was growing up, tuna sandwiches were a staple for lunches or light dinners. As a vegan, this mock chickpea "tuna" salad is the closest thing I've found to a traditional tuna sandwich. It has a similar texture and appearance, while offering its own fresh, delicious flavor. It's not the taste of tuna that I remember, it's the memories with my family.

Recipe link for chunkier mashed recipe with vegan mayo 

For this smoother recipe, I simply rinse and drain a can of chickpeas, then toss them into my food processor along with some red onion, cherry tomatoes, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. After a few quick pulses, it turns into a creamy, flavorful spread that's perfect on rice crackers or piled high on gluten-free bread for a satisfying sandwich.

I made this version a little less chunky than the recipe I made before which was mashed with a fork and added vegan mayo. The version I made in the food processor is without vegan mayo and simply blended it with veggies to give it moisture. Both were good. 

Below is a picture of the chunkier version and a link to the recipe.

I love the summer tomatoes from local farms

If you are concerned about mercury or just want to add more plant-based meals to your diet, why not try this alternative to traditional tuna salad. It's an easy meal/snack and a winner. 

Does the mercury content in fish every concern you? Would you try something like this? 

My notes: 

1. This recipe is gluten-free and vegan

2. I do love chickpeas-  they are filling, tasty, and versatile

3. You can make your own chickpeas in the Instant Pot . Make a big batch and freeze some. They freeze really well. 

Ingredients: 

1 can of chickpeas, washed and drained

1/2 medium red onion, diced large

4 cherry tomatoes

Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

optional: red pepper, parsley, dill, etc. 

Directions: 

Using the sharp blade, put everything into the food processor.Pulse a few times to blend to desired consistency. Use as a spread on GF crackers, rice cakes or (GF) bread or (GF) bagel.

Our Alaska Cruise - First Stop Seattle

Our Alaska Cruise Began with an Unexpected Surprise in Seattle

We had spent months wondering about the best time to visit Alaska. Would it be cold? Rainy? Foggy? As it turned out, we couldn't have picked a better week. Once our cruise began, we were treated to sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-60s to upper 60's  almost every day—perfect weather for exploring Alaska's beautiful ports.

This photo was taken in the Space Needle overlooking Seattle. 

Before boarding our cruise ship, we spent two nights in Seattle, Washington, giving us time to see a few of the city's famous attractions (we went with 3 other couples). What the eight of us didn't expect was to arrive in Seattle during a major heat wave.

The afternoon we landed, temperatures soared into the high 90s with high humidity. Since we had packed for Alaska's cooler weather, our suitcases were filled with jeans, sneakers, and long-sleeved shirts—not exactly ideal for a sweltering hot Seattle day- which they said was unusual for Seattle.

Despite the heat, we headed to Seattle's famous Pike Place Market. More than just a fish market, it's a lively waterfront destination filled with local artisans, flower vendors, restaurants, specialty food shops, and, of course, the fresh seafood and fish-throwing demonstrations that have made it world-famous.

Normally, we would have loved wandering through the market. Instead, the combination of the oppressive heat and no air conditioning made our visit there much shorter than we had  originally planned. 

Feeling overheated and exhausted, we decided to call it a day and returned to our hotel to cool off. Dinner was a simple meal at a popular local hotspot. It was crowded but we still were able to get a table for 8 with no prior reservations.

Fortunately, our second day in Seattle was much more enjoyable. The temperature dropped into the  70s, making it comfortable to explore on foot. We visited two of Seattle's iconic attractions—the Space Needle and the spectacular Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit. Both were worth seeing. The Space Needle offered spectacular views of the city and the Chihuly exhibit was exceptional glass art!

Both were within easy walking distance of our hotel, making for a relaxed and enjoyable day. Dinner was in a nearby food court with lots of choices for everyone. Since we knew we would be eating fancy meals on the cruise, we did some simple eating in Seattle. 

The Chihuly Glass Art was exquisite. Here is a small sampling.

Hot Spot for locals for dinner: Walking distance from our hotel.

When we were leaving the grounds surrounding the Space Needle in the late afternoon, vendors were busy setting up booths for what looked like a large outdoor arts and crafts festivity. We were disappointed to learn it wouldn't begin until the next morning.

Ransom Shooting

The next morning we boarded our cruise for Alaska. Later, we learned there had been a random shooting at that very vendor event we passed through the day before and 3 people were killed. It was heartbreaking and frightening and to think that, had our schedule been just one day different, we might have been there when it happened.

In fron to ehe entrance to the Space Needle

 As we boarded our ship to sail north toward our first stop in Alaska, we were happy to leave the heat and humidity behind and begin what would become a wonderful cruise. My next post will be about our stops in Alaska. I got home late Friday night and I am exhausted. 

Have you been to Seattle? How about Alaska? 

Alaska Vacation

I'm on vacation in Alaska on a cruise. I'll have lots of photos to share when I return, which should be any day since I left well over a week ago.

 Hope you are enjoying your summer. 

Cat Sitting and Photos of Our Adventures

Cat Sitting 

My sister-in-law lives about 15 minutes away from us. She went to California for 10 days. We made a trip daily to her house to feed, clean litter boxes, and play with her two cats. We usually spent about an hour there.

They were a lot of fun and we had a good time with them . 

The black and white cat is named Cookie ; the brownish colored cat is named Maple. They are great company for each other, but they still enjoyed our visits. 

I made sure to give them a "Churo" treat each time I came. They went wild over the treat and warmed up to me. 

I'm sharing some photos I took of them over the course of the week. 

Maple liked to go high up on her cat playground to give herself some space away from everyone.

Cookie is the quieter of the two. She is not as playful

Cookie likes to lay on her back

Maple loves her round tunnel. She often zips right through it in a flash!!

Maple looks like she posed for this picture. What a beauty.

Cookie on her scratch pad .

We had fun with them but- we and I am sure that they -were glad when their mommy came home. 

Do you have cats? We don't have any of our own- but most of our local family members have cats. 

We have a grand-cat named LuLu that I have shared about before. Lulu does not like other cats!!!

LULU 

My Notes: 

Please consider purchasing my cookbook on Amazon!  plant-based soups cookbook (affiliate link)

My Soups Cookbook contains over 80 healthy soup recipes and 80 inspirational quotes and time saving cooking tips to help encourage, guide, and inspire readers to reach a greater level of wellness. Plant-based soups cookbook (affiliate link)  on Amazon with a "look inside" option to see all the recipe titles and introduction.

Red Lentil Potato Dal | An Easy Plant-Based Indian Dinner

Do you enjoy Indian cuisine? It's one of our favorites, and last night I made a simple, comforting red lentil potato dal that was relatively quick and easy- as vegetarian cooking goes. You gotta chop!

We're still hosting our cousin from Los Angeles, who is in the area for work. He's a film producer and spends most of the day working remotely, making him an easy houseguest. (His latest film is called "Monument" with John Voight). Since he only eats two meals a day, I like to make sure dinner is something filling. He is not a vegetarian, but he likes ethnic food.

Asian Summer Rolls- no cooking needed

Vegetable filling for Summer Rolls along with sliced pickles, mint, cilantro etc.

To start, I served fresh Asian summer rolls filled with grated raw vegetables, fragrant herbs from my garden, and a few unexpected additions like sliced pickles for extra crunch and flavor. I paired them with a gluten-free peanut dipping sauce that I found at Wegmans, and it was a perfect match.

No Lettuce Salad- no cooking needed

For the dinner, I made a delightful salad without lettuce using canned hearts of palm, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and chunks of avocado. It's one of my favorite combinations because it's fresh, colorful, and the slight juice from the hearts of palm and the creamy avocado kind of make its own dressing.

Rice and Red Lentil Potato Dal-25-30 minutes cooking

For the main course, I served my hearty red lentil potato dal over fluffy white rice. The simple dal was flavored with cumin seeds, ground cumin, turmeric, freshly grated ginger, cracked black pepper, and garlic powder (I had run out of fresh garlic). As it simmered, the kitchen filled with the warm aroma of Indian spices, making it hard to wait until dinner was ready.

The dal (and the rice cooked separately) cooked in pots on low rather quickly (about 30 minutes) so the kitchen didn't heat up too much.

Corn on cob- eaten raw- no cooking needed

Oh, I almost forgot ! I also served fresh corn on the cob from a local farmer who says his corn is Non GMO. It was so sweet, we ate it raw without cooking it. Corn is fabulous eaten right off the cob without cooking. It is sweet, crunchy, and delicious.

Yes, it was a filling meal; we were all so full that dessert wasn't even a consideration. We were stuffed!

The weather here has been brutal—104°F yesterday! It's definitely the kind of heat that makes me crave simple, nourishing meals that don't require hours in the kitchen.

How's the weather where you are? And what's been on your dinner table lately? I'd love to hear what you're cooking this summer.

Ingredients for the Red Lentil Potato Dal:  

1 tablespoon of cumin seeds

1 medium onion, diced

1 cloves of garlic, pressed or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon of grated fresh ginger

2 cups of diced potatoes, or chopped how you like it

1 cup of red lentils, washed and drained

1 teaspoon of salt

cracked pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon of ground cumin powder

1/8 teaspoon of curry powder 

4 cups of water 

2 tablespoons vegetable bouillon powder

Optional: hot pepper of your choice

Directions: 

Sauté onion, ginger, cumin seeds in a wide rimmed skillet in a little water, or oil if you prefer, for 5 minutes stirring. Add chopped potatoes and coat and stir for 1 minute. Add red lentils, turmeric, pepper, cumin powder, curry powder, salt, water and bouillon. Stir, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover and cook for 25 minutes until potatoes are soft. Serve over cooked quinoa or rice.

My Notes: 

1. You could add jalapeño peppers or any hot pepper while cooking if you like it hot!! I don't... 

2. Use vegetable broth instead of water and bouillon powder.

3. Everything in this meal is gluten-free

I used a julienne peeler to grate the vegetables in a jiffy. 

It was called ReNext Multifunction Stainless... and it works great. 

Disclaimer: I am an affiliate for Amazon. If you click on a link and go to Amazon and you make a qualified purchase on Amazon- I will get a small commission. 

One Pot Tofu Recipe | Easy Vegan Skillet Dinner

                                                                                        

This one-pot tofu skillet dinner has become a favorite in our house because it's simple, hearty, and incredibly versatile. You can make it with rice or quinoa, depending on what you have on hand, and it's also an easy way to use up whatever vegetables are in your refrigerator. It's not the prettiest or most photogenic dish I'll admit.