G’evening!
^^ Afternoon snack! Greek yogurt, blueberries and Uncle Sam. I wasn’t totally hungry for this thanks to my big lunch, but it was 4:30 and dinner wasn’t till 7:30, so I knew I needed to have something in-between and wanted to eat before nausea hit!
Ironically, I felt a little sicker after eating the snack. 5:00 hour seems to be my worst time of day. But after we got to our dinner destination, things got better.
Faith and Tate invited us over to join them and some friends for lasagna, veggies, chocolate and wine.
You can guess which glass was mine and which was Matt’s 🙁 I miss the days of downing many bottles with those two!
The walk to F+T’s is about 1.5 miles, and when we arrived I was parched and starving. Luckily they had a fabulous appetizer plate out with two of my current favorites: fruit + white cheddar!!
Dinner was ready in time – lasagna made with tofu and cottage cheese that was excellent plus coconutty asparagus and a Faith Salad.
If anyone can get me to eat salad right now, it’s Faith. She made chopped greens with avocado, almonds, raisins and sesame oil that was so good I had seconds!
I didn’t do as well with the asparagus tonight. So strange.
Faith is also queen of chocolate molded desserts. And by mold I don’t mean fungi! I mean she takes melted bittersweet baking chocolate and melts it with a little coconut oil and then adds toppings and hardens it back into homemade chocolate creations. Like these After Lunch Mints that are just incredible! [The ones that taste like Thin Mint cookies!]
I watched her in action make homemade coconut butter crumbles and sprinkle them over rich melted chocolate to make coconut bark.
Later on we had this plus peppermint “fudge” bites for dessert!!
The 1.5 mile walk home was brisk and chilly, but also nice for digestion. It’s funny how we live about the same distance as we used to from their house but in a totally different direction – and a much more fun one to walk!
Same closeness yet so far away…
See you on Saturday!
I’m so jealous of Faith’s future children 🙂
HA! They will be the kids whose mom only makes sugar-free desserts, still jealous? 😉
Coconut bark?!? Yes please!!!
omg LOVE the new buttons on the side of your blog to flip through posts! I noticed them a few days ago but they just started working for me! SO RAD
woo hoo!! Glad you like ’em 🙂
That bark is amazing. I don’t even know how someone comes up with this kind of idea. I was telling my sister in law tonight that I will miss downing several bottles of wine with friends once we decide to have a baby. I guess the sacrifice is worth it when we’re ready 🙂
One word: YUM!
what a delicious dinner — and how fun that you have such great friends so close by. that bark looks just amazing. have a great night, kath!
Mmm Mmm….coconutty asparagus? YUM! I’m getting ideas for the asparagus in my fridge. Don’t worry, I won’t make you eat it! 😉
Wow, that salad combination sounds fantastic! I’ll have to attempt that sometime. And good for you guys for making the walk – I love being able to walk places, but I’m much more tempted to drive when it’s chilly and dark.
That dinner looks fabulous. Sounds like a great night 🙂
You are eating salads again, yayyyy for 2nd trimester.
I want that chocolate bark!! Gotta make some soon. Thanks to Faith 🙂
I want to eat at Faith’s house! Everything always looks sooooo yummy!!
You would get along very well 🙂
I’m always so jealous of your meals at Faith and Tate’s – everything always looks so delicious.
PS – just saw your belly pop message on twitter. I wanna see a picture!! 🙂
All in due time 🙂 I have to take one!
I need to recreate that salad- amazing combo of ingredients!
That is way cool what Faith does with chocolate! I will have to try that sometime!
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
Faith’s salad sounds superb! So does the lasagna and chocolates. She’s a fine hostess!
Funny how some days/nights certain foods are better tolerated than others…i.e. the asparagus in your case.
Well, hey, the Thin Mint copycat action is way better than asparagus anyway 🙂
What a lovely dinner party! Faith’s salad really looks amazing. I think I need to pick up my at-home salad making game!
Oh wow, I’m interested to try a cottage cheese and tofu lasagne – sounds beautiful 🙂 And that bark does look pretty awesome.. yum!
I saw your tweet about your belly popping… and I just wanted to comment that things do seem to happen overnight! I went from not showing to showing INSTANTLY it seemed like 🙂
It’s so interesting!! I can’t wait till it pops some more!
wow! what a great meal- looks like it could be at a restaurant!
I love that you are within walking distance to your bakery, downtown and friends houses! That is one thing I so wish we had here where I live. I can walk to one grocery store/TJ MAX and a Subway sandwich shop but past that I have to get in the car.
I am still amazed at how pregnancy changes preferences/cravings etc. Yesterday was not my best of days eating wise… I shared a frozen cheese pizza with the boys I nanny (usually this never sounds good) and then managed to eat ice cream 2x – opps. Oh well… all in moderation right? I keep telling myself a day or so of eating like this is OK since I eat a healthy/balanced diet 90% of the time. 🙂
That dessert looks delicious!!!! As does the whole dinner, what good friends !
Faith needs to sell that coconut bark – oh my gosh, i want some!!!
Sounds like a wonderful evening 🙂
I love Faith’s bark making method!! I want to give that a try!
Yes. More info on that coconut bark please! What type of chocolate gets melted? Tempered? Chips? Coconut butter crumbles…whaaaa? Slooooow thaaat paaart doooown plleeeeaassse with more details…
Go talk to Faith! http://gracefulfitnessblog.com/
The recipe was basically the same as my Almond Delights (http://gracefulfitnessblog.com/2012/01/09/almond-delight/) except I’ve learned that adding a little coconut oil to the chocolate results in a better texture (less dry) and I left out the chia seeds and almonds. I was a bit lazy and the dinner guest were arriving so I didn’t bother to shape and dip each one, I just sprinkled the coconut/honey mixture over the melted chocolate. Let me know if you want more details!
Oh! I love the idea of chocolate bark! Would be perfect to make for my boys! Could make fun allergy friendly chocolate treats for them!
I need to steal this chocolate idea! I’m already formaluting different variations in my head: peppermint, butterscotch, white chocolate swirl….
Ohhh…everything looks so delicious! Faith is pretty clever!
I love Faith’s coconut bark idea! It’s so simple to make, but it looks so impressive!
That meal looks right up my alley! Never would have thought of coconut asparagus. And that bark- oh my goodness, does that look good!
My stomach sure feels pokey out too. I wonder if mothers get sympathetic pregnancy (or is it too much Valentine chocolate?)
Based on your cravings I am going to predict you are having a boy. You are craving the EXACT same things I did. I didn’t know what I was having when I was pregnant but the affinity to greens, cereals, upset tummy…I’m just seeing so many similarities.
Wishing you all the best and a smooth pregnancy.