I cannot express how much we have appreciated the dinners out, cards (with cash!) from Mom + Grandmother for quick dinners, meals from (and with!) Karen and invitations over to houses.
Opening a business (especially one that starts its day at 3AM!), I imagine, isn’t all that different from having a new baby, and working long days means that we really (really!) appreciate a good meal (with vegetables!) wherever we can get it. I’m sure we’ll get back into our lifestyle groove soon, but we’re still ever-so-thankful for any help we can get putting dinner on the table (otherwise we might only be eating bread!)
So when Faith invited us over for dinner this morning, you can bet my response was “HELL YEAH!”
We’re excited to have Karen’s leftover meatloaf tomorrow night 🙂
We wrapped up work at the bakery around 7PM (finally all caught up and organized in Quickbooks! Also, Emily Eating Chalk came by today!!) and biked over to Faith + Tate’s!
Citronella candles were lit, and vegetables from the garden were picked
Some wine was poured
And we feasted!
Dinner at F+T’s is always outstanding, but Matt and I couldn’t stop raving about how much this dinner was exactly what we were craving.
Faith made mini pizzas with some fermented spelt dough and homemade mozzarella, nonetheless
Plus smoky grilled squash
And a big salad with spouted things, edamame, more spouts and an amazingly delicious cinnamon-spiced salad dressing that you’ll have to visit Gracefulfitness to find out.
It all tasted so good!
We had to wrap up in towels to keep the bugs away – but I still love outdoor dining! [Note my new bike shirt from GoodJoe.com!]
Dessert was a fresh pear and Bread Pudding Bar from the bakery!
We biked home in the dark and I can’t wait to crawl into bed for some reading! I’m still reading Redeeming Love [there hasn’t been too much free reading time in the past 3 weeks!] and am in the part of the book were I can’t wait to pick it up again.
Thanks for dinner Faith+Tate, and g’night to you all!
Monika @ Powered By Paprika says
Oh oh those mini pizzas look so good!
Have a good night!
Lauren @ What Lauren Likes says
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers? that book is AMAZING. Anything by her is really good. I wont ruin it for you 🙂 I would really suggust Mark of the Lion Series by her (so addictive).
Ashley says
The Mark of the Lion series is so good! I think I’ve read it about 3-4 times. 🙂 So interesting.
Melissa says
Mark of the Lion series is one of my favorites. LOVE all things Francine Rivers!!!
Allie (Live Laugh Eat) says
GH franchise office should send a personal chef for the first month of business! 🙂
faith says
You’re so welcome!
I know I’m risking sounding really vain but your camera hates me!! You take great pictures and I can be photogenic sometimes but never, never on your camera! Oh well…
The salad, on the other hand, looks beautiful!
Kori says
First of all, you look great!! Photogenic indeed. 🙂 I also like your star tattoo. Secondly, Kaci and I were the ones to visit Kath from Oak Ridge, TN, and we chose to dine at Rapture on Saturday night. We recognized you and Tate out eating on the patio, but since you were both enjoying your dinner, we didn’t want to interrupt. You both left right as it began to sprinkle, so unfortunately, we weren’t able to say “hello”. But it was exciting to see you both, and I just wanted to say hey now. 🙂
faith says
Small town! I wish you would have said “hi”!
Thanks for the compliment, I’m not really that bothered by it but there really is something about me and Kath’s camera. 🙁
faith says
We actually had a really bad experience with a Groupon at Rapture that night! The manager was awful to us but Groupon gave us a refund and rectified the whole situation.
KathEats says
Awww. I will try to get a good one next time I see you!
Krissy @ Shiawase Life says
Hush, Faith! you always look good!! 🙂
Jennifer says
I concur! Faith, you always look wonderful. 🙂
Cait's Plate says
Aw, what a nice night 🙂
It’s so sweet of everyone to help you guys out while you find your groove (especially Karen with those amazing dinners she’s been making!). Must feel so good to know that you have all that support – hang in there, you guys are doing something incredible and all this hard work now is going to pay off in the end when you’re so established, you can hire people to take the 3am shift for ya 😉
Alice says
Thanks for sharing the crazy ride on your blog!
Vanessa says
Yum I love mini pizzas. I also want to take a ridiculous sized bite out of those bread pudding bars. Mmhhhhhh.
Kate (What Kate is Cooking) says
I want to go to dinner at their house. Mini pizzas are so cute 🙂
Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife says
Oh I love the idea of mini pizzas! They look super delish too 🙂
Meg says
Love this post, Kath. It’s so important to be appreciative during times of change and growth. 🙂 Enjoy your evening and rock that towel woman! Ow oww!
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen says
Homemade mozzarella? wow! Looks delicious. And, I LOVE that shirt, so funny!
Ann @ Day by Day says
Dinner outside in the summer is perfect. As is a night with Redeeming Love. I need to find my copy and re-read that book. I think I read it in two straight days when I read it!
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
I’m so glad you are eating well despite all the business stuff! I’m sure it’s a lot like having a baby. I hope you two get a great nights sleep tonight though!
Ally at A Girl in her Kitchen says
Okay, I know I am totally sounding like a mom here but be careful riding home in the dark! I hope you have lots of reflectors on your bike! 🙂
Mom says
I agree!
KathEats says
I have reflectors AND lights!
Sarah Rose says
F + T are such great friends to you two!! Hope all is well in C’ville!
kaila @ healthy helper! says
That us so cool that emily came to visit you guys cause she is from my city! Glad to see Buffalo gettin’ a little representation in Cville 🙂
rumfunandsun says
Is it just me or is it weird that there is a “real” dining set outside? Is this normal in other places and I am the weird one? Ok, don’t answer the second question 😉
KathEats says
Well it’s an outdoor dining set – made of glass. Most people have some kind of picnic table or outdoor table outside here.
rumfunandsun says
OK the chairs threw me! They look like indoor chairs to me. The table though it does look very similar to my patio set, my chairs just look different, I guess. 🙂
KathEats says
Oh SORRY!! The chairs ARE indoor chairs!! The table isn’t. My bad!
Ann @ Running With Chopstix says
Those mini-pizzas look so good! And homemade mozzarella makes me daydream of owning a goat so I could make goat cheese crumbles daily…
Christine says
Hahaha- love your shirt. Must get my cycling brother one!
Emily @ One Sweet Vegan says
I started reading Redeeming Love a few months ago and was about 3/4 of the way through the book, but never finished it. I need to pick up where I left off.
Layla says
um, not sure that t-shirt’s the best idea…. “ride me” splayed across your boobs?! sorry, but that’s going to get some catcalls, lol
Kristie says
Hah, I thought the same thing when I saw it said “ride me” and was right across the chest!
Megan says
I thought that was the entire joke of the t-shirt, yeah.
Kori says
It’s definitely meant to be a play on words, and I think it’s cute! 🙂
KathEats says
Yes, it’s a joke!! Double meaning.
Amy says
LOL. I didn’t even catch on to that. Ha!
Lauri (Redheadrecipes.com) says
Ha ha, I love the title of your post 😀
Those mini pizzas look so GOOD! Homemade mozzarella?!?! I’ve always wanted to learn how to make homemade cheese!
The Bugs ALWAYS eat me alive, I’ve been told its because I’m so sweet 😉
Steph @ 321delish says
That meal sounds amazing!
And, I love Redeeming Love! I read it in March and COULDN’T stop reading!
Lauren @ Lawfully Wedded Wife says
Looks like the perfect summer dinner! Homemade mozzarella on spelt pizza sounds AMAZING. I’m actually making pizza tomorrow night, but I’ve never made it with spelt!
Jil @ Big City, Lil' Kitchen says
That meal sounds phenomenallll. Homemade mozz?? Props to Faith!
Emily @ Savory and Savage says
I love summer dinners when you get to sit outside and light candles.
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga says
I am still drooling over that bread pudding. Like it’s the best thing I’ve seen in the sphere in days and I read LOTS of blogs..:) I know you cant divulge GH recipes but omg I wish you could!
The towel as bug prevention. Good thinking.
Oh and that shirt is CLASSIC! Love it.
As well as the grillled veggies…nice!
Mai says
Looks delicious! Glad you guys got a relaxing evening, certainly looks like you deserve it!
I’ve been wanting to tell you, a few weeks ago I had to drive down to Bellingham WA, from Vancouver BC, for work, and a quick Google search told me there was a Great Harvest there, I stopped in, was given a piece of bread to sample!!! and left with a loaf of honey whole wheat and dakota. Lets just say it didn’t last long in our home. SO DELICIOUS!!! I envy your unrestricted access to amazing bread and baked goods. Now I just need a GH to open up in Vancouver….. Or start making the drive down to Bellingham every week.
KathEats says
🙂
Susan says
The BF made some homemade mozzarella tonight. I ate it with some basil leaves and it was so good.
Ashley @ Coffee Cake and Cardio says
Haha! I love the towel.
Amy says
That t-shirt made me choke on my drink–awesome 🙂
Jessica @ The Process of Healing says
HOLY cow that bread pudding looks amazing!
Hannah says
So much gorgeous green, in the garden and on the plate!
Khushboo says
Nothing beats a home-cooked meal after a long day at work! Faith seems like a wonderful cook!…and a fantastic friend 🙂
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table says
It is like having a new baby! Wow. Thank goodness for good friends! Faith is a true gourmet making her own cheese! 🙂
If you have time to read then I have absolutely no excuses. Good for you!
Namaste Gurl says
That Faith– one kind and compassionate friend indeed! Everything she makes looks SO good and I would a friend like her! 🙂
Avery says
That meal looks awesome!
I can’t believe you’re reading Redeeming Love! Seriously one of my favorite books. I made my boyfriend start it too because I’m just dying to talk about it with someone. Let us know when you finish!
J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says
Aww, that’s so awesome that you are surrounded by friends and family that are helping you with your new “baby.” 🙂 A strong, reliable support system is all anyone can ask for when faced with new challenges. Very nice to hear about!! More people need to be there for others in this way; it really does make life better for everyone involved.
lynn @ the actor's diet says
any time of transition can be really hard on the food situation. it’s great to have friends and family that understand this! (but i’d still be eating bread all the time)
Jackie @ That Deep Breath says
That’s so funny that you guys had to wrap up in towels to keep the bugs away! That’s one of my pet peeves…bugs flying around while i’m enjoying the outside.
Dinner looks fantastic & those mini pizzas sound amazing!
The Healthy Engineer says
Could you please ship some of those bars over to California? My brain hurts from too much science. 🙁
I should make a trip over to a local bakery soon and see if there is any pudding related goods!
Lenna says
I love grilled squash, it is my fave grilled veggie.
Caro says
Redeeming love is an awesome book! You’ll love it! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it.
Jumanah (Healthy Living in the Middle East) says
Wonderful looking meal! Faith can invite me over for dinner anytime 🙂 Everything looks delicious!
Kim @ Spoonful of Sass says
You are lucky to have such a good support system, especially in a town you are fairly new to!
Simply Life says
oh what a fabulous dinner – I love how fresh everything is!
Lauren says
That pizza looks so good! It’s so nice to be surrounded by supportive and loving people during the times of complete exciting chaos! 🙂
Molly @ RDexposed says
Grilled vegetables is always a good idea…and so is bread pudding!
Does Matt dream of drinking a beer by the end of his bakery day? I would be with all of that work!
Stephanie @cookinfanatic says
that dinner looks superb! i need to get my hands on the recipe for that cinnamon spiced salad dressing, it sounds so delicious… is it posted on her site? didn’t see it but i could be overlooking…
KathEats says
She’s usually a day or so behind me 🙂
faith says
Check my response to Carol’s comment under “Recipes”!
Miranda @ Working Mom Works Out says
That looks delicious! I’m sure it’s nice to have friends to do that for you guys! I can’t imagine how busy you are.
Amelia says
What great friends to have nearby! Dinner looks delicious. Cheers to finding your groove and balance soon. 🙂
cory: eat and {relish} says
i had to comment – love the name of the post!!! how true!!! and how much further from wanting something that ACTUALLY sleeps…poops…and cries are you at this very moment? don’t get me wrong – i cant wait – but viva being young and still having time to do things like this! great work so far 🙂
KathEats says
Are you asking when we’re going to start having kids? Probably in the next year or so – not sure quite yet!
Green Groats says
Sweet shirt 🙂 Love all the grilled veggies! Looks awesome.
Baking 'n' Books says
Good friends -with good taste 🙂 I like the idea of grilling the zucchini strips whole- I always cut it up small, but that looks more “hearty” and fun.
faith says
I used to always cut small strips too but halves are SO much easier! I also always used to marinate squash before grilling but found that it’s just as yummy to spray it with olive oil and sprinkle salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
Laura Jane @ Recovering Chocoholic says
Dinner looks delicious! I can’t believe she made homemade mozzarella! All the grilled food pictures make me wish I had a grill. The George Foreman isn’t quite the same.
melissa says
Nice thing about starting with a bakery instead of a baby is that the day does eventually end and you can lock the door for the night!And you have Sundays off! Parenthood is similar,but with less sleep and less free time!
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin says
You guys are so lucky you have so many friends and family who are helping you out. I can’t even imagine how tiring your new lifestyle must be. I’m sure you’ll find your groove soon though!
Sara says
Hi Kath,
I’ve been reading your blog for a few months now (and catching up on old posts too) & just wanted to come out of lurkdom to say how much I like it. Your approach to life & food is really inspiring.
One question: do you take any vitamin supplements in addition to your balanced daily diet?
Cheers from England & happy first (official) day of summer!!
Sara
KathEats says
THanks Sara!
I take a multivitamin about 4 nights a week – I aim to take it every other day. That’s cheaper AND because I eat well I feel getting every other day is probably sufficient to cover gaps
Karen says
Terrific idea, Kath. I supplement with the couple of vits/mins. that I know are minimal in my diet and/or address my health specific health vulnerabilities, but I’m constantly waivering on the multi-vitamin issue. I think I’ll borrow your solution 🙂
Hope says
Wow! What an incredible looking dinner! 🙂 The mini pizzas and the squash look amazing! You are so lucky to have such great friends and family who can help you out during this busy time. I am so jealous of that Bread Pudding Bar! 😉
Maryea @ Happy Healthy Mama says
Nothing better than great food and great friends! What a wonderful break from all your busyness.
Abby says
I love your new shirt! 🙂 What a blessing to have so many great friends in your life!
Andrea @ Onion in My Hair says
Your new bike shirt made me LOL.
Go Kath!
Kate @ NaturaStride says
Man, those greens look awesome. I’m the same way – I crave lettuce/spinach/greens if I don’t get ’em daily. Funny how our bodies get used to and crave these things! Nothing like some greens to help the digestion too.
Have a great day!
becca (bellebottoms) says
wow, Faith has a such a gift with food! she should be a caterer!!
Marissa says
This post made me realize that I really need both a big bowl of greens and a big slice of a bready dessert in my life. Right now, lol.
Kara Watson says
I feel for you! When my husband and I opened our first restaurant (Mellow Mushroom) 11 years ago, we sometimes took a quick nap in the car in the parking lot and then went back to work. Your bakery is beautiful and our lunch today was great! My daughter especially liked the cinnamon bread so I hope to swing back in soon for a loaf. Your staff is wonderful and it was great to meet you in person after reading your blog all these months!
KathEats says
Thanks so much for coming in! And thanks for the envelope gift 😉 We’ll be in soon!
Monica says
Love love love the shirt! Thanks for posting the link to the store.
Amelia (Eating Made Easy) says
You’re so right–having a business is like having a baby in a lot of ways. I have both, and its proving to be quite a challenge! No more homemade mozzarella at my house, that’s for sure 🙂
Sonnett says
i think i should start a savings project of some sort to get my behind to that side of the world ….just to come and taste good quality baked goodies ….. and get Faith to cook me up a storm 🙂
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey says
We are complete opposites – I can’t stand outdoor dining!!
Carly says
How do you read without disturbing Matt’s sleep? I find that when I try and read before bed, my boyfriend complains about the light. Any tips?
Jennifer says
I HAVE to get that shirt! My husband is an avid cycler and he would get a great kick out of it. 🙂
Oh, and I never thought to mention this before but if you have any leftover bread (aside from donating it) have you ever thought about making bread crumbs or croutons for great harvest? I know I do that with leftover bread ends and the crust my children don’t eat. =)
KathEats says
We did croutons!! They turned out just ok – lost their crunch in the bag 🙁
Jennifer says
Oh, that’s too bad. I bet they would taste great. 🙁