I’ve been single for two years.
Sure, I’ve gone on dates, and even a blind date.
But it’s been quite a while since my last serious relationship. I kinda like being single! (Not that I want to be single forever, but it’s fun for now.) My roommate is single at the moment, too, and so we were each others’ date for Valentine’s Day—for breakfast, at least.
I made us each a bowl of this: Hot Fudge Oatmeal.
It was a very low-key Valentine’s Day. Emily cleaned around the house, and I did blog work (including dealing with a giant tech-issue headache. Running this blog takes a lot more work than it might seem!) I also tested a few recipe experiments. The best one of the day was peanut butter maple fudge. Yummmmm…
Later, I incorporated the leftover strawberries into my lunch:
Double-Decker Coconut Berry Sandwich
(Really more of a concept than a recipe.)
- Fresh strawberries, sliced
- Soft coconut butter or Homemade Coconut Butter
- Bread of choice
- optional: jam, chocolate chips, etc.
To assemble the sandwich: Spread a layer of coconut butter on one or both slices of the bread (or pita, sandwich thin, etc. Optional: layer on some jam and/or chocolate chips. (You can also opt for a sprinkle of sugar or stevia if you have an extreme sweet tooth and want more of a cake-like sandwich.) Slice the strawberries on top and close up your sandwich. Eat!
For this particular sandwich, I used a Mrs. Bairds whole-grain grillin thin. They’re vegan, and they’re really good! (I’d originally bought the package so I could have a bun for my Amy’s Bistro burger at a party last week.)
That’s my giant salad in the background, with a boring (but delicious) olive-oil vinaigrette. Not the prettiest background choice for a photoshoot, but when I am hungry I don’t want to bother with a photoshoot. I just want to eat! (It’s one of the reasons I rarely post about my savory meals. Who wants to stop and take photos while your dinner gets cold?)
Question of the Day:
Would you rather be single or in a relationship?
Being single is definitely easier, but I don’t want to be single forever… I’ve set such high standards that sometimes I worry I will be! The things you have to work for are the most rewarding, and I guess it depends on the other person in the relationship. I’ve had some really fun, meaningful relationships and one that was not-so-great from the very beginning. (It was a high school fling, though, so maybe it shouldn’t even count!)
My favorite Valentine’s Day was when my boyfriend surprised me.
But this year, my single friends and I had a “girls-only” night, and that was pretty fun too. I made a chocolate truffle pie for the night… the recipe will be in tomorrow’s post!
“Old” married lady here, been with my sweetie for 16 years. I always thought I’d be single til I met him, he was my destiny.
I am loving the idea of the strawberry sandwich, maybe even with a lil bit of that chocolate shaved on it.
Thanks for a sweet and chocolatey giveaway!
That strawberry sandwich also looks like a delicious breakfast!
Single is the best thing for me right now and whether I love it or not I make the most of it. 🙂
I took the time to read these comments because it makes me happy to see the relationship ones that are with their best friends and really happy. That would be worth striving for.
Not sure what the future holds for me, but I work hard to make the most of it…even if I am single for life. 🙂
I know! I feel the same way as you :). Reading these comments is giving me hope making me feel much less cynical. Especially when you look around America and see so many divorces, it’s nice to hear all these comments from people who are in great relationships.
I know, there is some beautiful stories here. I came back to get caught up and read more. 🙂
That looks like the best, healthiest strawberry shortcake ever! Love it! I’m married now, and love it, but being single was fun. I actually LOVED dating, and always had so much fun. Especially in group dates. But marriage really is the best. Hope you continue to enjoy all the great things about being single! And hope you find someone special when you’re ready. 🙂
I had been single for a LONG time but have been dating the same guy for two years. When you’re perpetually single, I think you fixate on what you don’t have and not what you do. As a single gal, you do have so much more freedom to do what you want, just worry about your own schedule, etc, etc… Of course, I’m really happy in my relationship so I wouldn’t want to go back, but I think the key takeaway is to remember there are good and bad things to both! Focus on the good, enjoy it, there is a LOT less drama being single too. 🙂
Yum!
These both look great.
I’m with you. You have to embrace your stage. I enjoyed my single Valentine’s before I was married and now I LOVE my forever Valentine.
Coconut butter and strawberries? Yes, please!
I LOVE your blog. You make my mouth water every day! Not to mention, I get a giggle out of fooling my kids into eating healthy. 🙂 Thanks for the ammunition!
Random Question — I want to make the fudge, and I’ll need to make my own coconut butter as I’ve never seen it anywhere before!
2 questions:
1.) Where can you find already made coconut butter?
2.) If I make my own, how do I store it?
Oh! And I prefer being in a relationship ONLY if it is a happy one. Otherwise, I’d rather be single.
No settling!
I buy Artisana brand, which I find at Whole Foods. You can buy it online too… or go to premierorganics.com and contact them and they’ll tell you places in your area where you can get the coconut butter :).
Oh, and you can store it in a glass jar, unfridged.
I’ll check Whole Foods this weekend…maybe Mom’s Organic has it…thanks!
I’ve been in a relationship on Valentine’s Day for the past few years (although with different guys haha), but one of my favourite Valentine’s Days has to be the last year I was single and made up a poem about who needs a guy when we have chocolate, ice cream and each other 😀 I probably haven’t put that much thought into a Valentine’s card since that year! If In won the chocolate, I’d have to share it with her too! 😀
I would LOVE that chocolate…. but can you send me some of that Coconut Sandwich, too? Your meals and photos never cease to amaze. 🙂
I’m married – and it’s absolutely the way to go for me! Of course, it stinks for everyone else because I found Mr. Right and there was only one…j/k But, he’s absolutely the right one for me and though it’s not perfect, we grow together, and that’s what makes it a true love story I think :).
end here’s my email 🙂
LOL!
Well, maybe there’s a Mr. Almost Right left ;).
I’m in a relationship so I have to say I’d rather be in a relationship. 🙂 Honestly, I love being in a relationship.
I mentor a college student, and somehow during one of our sessions, she said that she was jealous that I’m engaged because she’s single, especially on Valentine’s Day. I told her that I didn’t meet “the one” until way after college. And that she has enough to deal with, more opportunities to explore to become a more well-rounded person so she’d have more to offer when she inevitably finds “the one” someday! Being in a relationship is great, but it shouldn’t mean that your life is any less full without one, just different.
That sandwich looks so good I may ALMOST trade my wonderful husband.. well…. almost…. I wouldn’t, in all reality, trade him for the all of the tea (or money, these days) in China, even if he is bad for my vegan diet! Thank you for this blog, so that I can take him down this road with me even though he doesn’t know it (what he doesn’t know is good for him 🙂
Both are great! Beware of “the grass is always greener” way of thinking…there are pros and cons to being single and being in a relationship! Somehow though, the more men I meet, the more I like my dog.
Also, the frosting shots were a HIT last night!