Wedding planning & V-Day suggestions
News & Notes
- Some of you have been curious about how my wedding planning is coming along, and today, I finally have an update. In case you didn’t see it, I am the newest monthly guest blogger for Rose Pedals Vegan Weddings, the #1 vegan wedding website on the ‘net! My Real Proposal Story (an interview of sorts), Amber & Matt’s 10-Course Proposal, went up in November, and today, my first official guest post has gone live. Click here to read Real Vegan Wedding Planning: Trouble In Paradise, Part One (uh-oh!).
- I’m still eating a smashed avocado salad for lunch every single day. I’m so proud of myself! My latest and greatest additions to the mix are chopped fresh cilantro and alfalfa sprouts, mmm.
- The last couple times I’ve eaten my cinnamon-spiced sweet potato-pumpkin purée, I’ve enjoyed it with extra coconut butter drizzled on top. Zomg, so amazing.
I can’t believe it’s already almost Valentine’s Day! Matt and I have no plans yet (that I know of), although I’m brainstorming a special treat to make for him. Meanwhile, I’ve got numerous ideas for Valentine yummies from the AV archives, so I thought I’d share a few with you today.
Italian food and pasta dishes always scream “romantic” to me, for some reason. Spaghetti and Vegan Meatballs…
…or Rotini with Walnut Sauce would make a fab main course.
Or you could turn up the heat with spicier fare, such as Tofu Makhani Curry…
…or Cuban Shredded Seitan over Black Beans and Cilantro Rice.
But who are we kidding? V-Day is really all about the SWEETS! On the baked side of the spectrum, you could make Hazelnut Cupcakes with Chocolate Mousse Filling…
…Pumpkin-Cheesecake Swirl Brownies…
…Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies…
…Dreamy-Creamy Tiramisu Cupcakes…
…Best-Ever Chocolate Cake (seriously, best EVER. Do not doubt me on this!)…
…or what is quite possibly my favorite baked dessert on this whole blog: White Chocolate-Peanut Butter Blondies.
Speaking of blondies, on the raw side of things, there’s my famous 5-Minute Raw Vegan Blondie…
…or, if you prefer chocolate, my Award-Winning Caramel-Fudge Brownies.
You could drizzle my raw Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache…
…or White Chocolate Coconut-Macadamia Nut Butter over, well, just about anything.
Finally, my raw Raspberry Cream Filled Chocolate Candies couldn’t be more perfect for Valentine’s Day!
QUESTION: Whether you’re single or taken, what are your V-Day plans? I know a lot of people hate this holiday, but for me, it’s always just been a fun excuse to make or bake sweet treats, whether I’m in a relationship or not!
3 years ago this week…
January restaurant roundup
Homestyle blueberry cobbler
2 years ago this week…
Cauliflower-chickpea tagine
Vegan Italian Valentine feast
1 year ago this week…
Review: Sacred Chocolate
P90X weeks 5-6: from cooked to raw
Almost Vegan 
Yummo! My mouth is drooling looking at the goodies 🙂
Thanks Angela! Happy early V-Day to you and Jason 🙂
Wow, love it all.
From the Best Ever Choc cake to your fave dessert on the blog (white choc blondies) to the Dreamy-Creamy Tiramisu Cupcakes….this post has my attention!
I am so NOT kidding about that cake. Everyone who’s ever tried it has called it the best they’ve ever had!
i can’t wait to read you guest post! and all of your valentine’s day suggestions look delicious!
Thanks Caitlin! Part 2 of my Rose Pedals post is coming in just a couple weeks…ooh the suspense! 😛
Love all those choices. Thanks for the reminders of your lovely recipes. I think of that Lady and the Tramp scene when I think of spaghetti and that’s pretty romantic. Maybe I’ll share a zucchini noodle with my loved one. 😉
Sorry there was some trouble with location booking, how annoying! Hope it works out.
Lady and the Tramp came to my mind too when I was writing that! Picturing it now with zucchini noodles and sundried tomato marinara… 😉
“Trouble” doesn’t even begin to cover it, haha. Stay tuned for part 2 in a couple weeks…
Wow, can imagine how much work it is planning a wedding…And WOW, can imagine how much work it is planning a VEGAN wedding. Is it difficult to find a vegan caterer in Kansas? Anyway GOOD LUCK to you and if there’s anything I can do to help please ask! You know I’m a freelance illustrator as well (could do invitations, seating cards or whatever). :))
Actually our wedding will be in Missouri 😉 but yeah, still, there weren’t many caterers to choose from. We hooked up with a great one though – I’ll reveal more about that soon!
Oh Malin, I haven’t even begun to think about save-the-dates (even though I better do so soon), invitations, seating cards, etc…I \don’t want something cookie-cutter, but we can’t really afford custom designs! Have you ever done wedding stuff like that before? If you think you might be able to help with that, that would be AMAZING!
Oh, good for you!! Because after the ring, perfect dress, kiss and the vows the FOOD is the most important bit ;)) I would LOVE to do the invitations! I don’t do cookie-cutter and I’m VERY cheap. Haha! Would custom design them after your taste and preferences… I have an online portfolio if you would like to have a look on “what I do” http://iloveyouportfolio.tumblr.com/
I hope it’ll all work out for you! So cool that you’re getting other blog exposure for your wedding–amplifying coverage and memories.
Gorgeous eye-candy recipes.
Never been big on V-day, but I’ll probably make something sweet…
love
Ela
You know what I think you should do for V-Day? Post the story of how Phil and you met and got together! I’m curious – or have you already posted about it before?
I love all holidays (Halmark or otherwise) that involve sweets. Plus red is my favorite color, and everything looks cute (and tastes delicious) when it’s heart shaped!
It doesn’t hurt that the hubs has surprised me the last three Valentine’s Days with my favorite yellow tulips – which he had to preorder. Major points for thinking ahead!
Sounds like V-Day is YOUR holiday, then!
Tulips are my favorite flowers too! I like purple ones.
Did you notice the curry looks like it’s smiling? 😉
Oh and let’s make some of these chocolate suggestions!
-M
Curry is happy food!
Don’t worry, you’ll be getting something chocolatey in the next few days 😉
Meatballs sound romantic to you? Why, that doesn’t make sense to me at all 😉
P.S. AAAAH I’VE BEEN MEANING TO MAKE THOSE BAKED BLONDIES FOREVER.
I KNOW, you still need to try them! DO!
Good luck with your wedding planning. Love the cupcakes. My hubby and I are going to have a night at home without the kids for Valentine’s Day 🙂
How nice! I know those can be hard to come by, so I’m glad you’re getting a date night for just the two of you. 🙂
YUM!
pretty much wanna just come over to your house & eat it all!
🙂
T
So you’re saying you want to be my Valentine? 😛 Hehe!
Yes, I’m coming over for ALL of these treats soon 🙂 YUM!!!
Which one should i start with?! EEKKK!!
xxoo
I’d have to suggest the Best-Ever Chocolate Cake 😉 Maybe we could figure out a wheat-free, if not grain-free, version!
ohmygosh! this all looks divine!
Thanks Lizzie!
These are all great ideas!
Thanks, Charissa! 🙂
Have you read Rock-n-Roll bride? http://www.rocknrollbride.com/
It is an absolutely gorgeous site full of such amazing wedding ideas that are out of the ordinary. Makes me want to get married all over again!!! Here’s to love!
Yes! I haven’t spent a ton of time on that site, but I know I’ve bookmarked it – thanks for the reminder that I should go check it out further!
Good luck with your planning!! My hubby proposed to me in the furniture section of a dept. store…we were sitting on a couch and he had said something to the effect of “wouldn’t it be cool if this was our couch and we were watching our TV?” and then he proposed!! LOL Well, we were only 18 at the time!
Haha! That is such a cool story! Clearly you two were right for each other. 😀
Stop it! Stop it right now! You temptress! Gah- all of it. I want it all. I’m thinking I’ll make the chocolate cake first, followed up with the Caramel Fudge Brownies, the PB Cookies, the Raspberry Cream Filled Chocolate Candies(!!!!), and then the spicy curry. Wow.
Happy Valentine’s Day! Good suggestions..
Now that sounds like a plan to me! You should execute that plan in, oh, say, 2.5 weeks? 😉