sunday dinner out

One of my best friends, Terrell, is also from Texas, so seeing as yesterday was Mother's Day and both of us couldn't be with our families, she invited me over for dinner.  She's so thoughtful!  Normally a dinner invite out would spark nervousness about what would be served, would I want to/could I eat it...but not with Terrell.  She is hands-down one of the healthiest friends I have and a great cook.

Last night's menu?
Salad. She set it out as a build-your-own, sweet!  so I skipped on feta, blue cheese, avocado and carrot even though it all looked delish!  I also opted to dress mine with plain balsamic vinegar instead of dressing/oil.

Roasted cauliflower. I could eat an entire head of cauliflower cooked this way!

Grilled chicken. In Texas, grilled chicken is a staple, but I don't have access to a grill so this is a big deal!  I love it, and it makes me feel like I'm home.

Roasted red pepper, artichoke and almond pesto.  I brought this over since she already had wine, and I didn't want to show up empty-handed.  I pulsed together: 2 whole roasted red bell peppers, 3 artichoke hearts, 1/4c blanched almonds, garlic, shallot.  It turned out edible and was quite good mixed with the salad and roasted cauliflower all together, but I overdid it on the shallot.  Shame!  I'll get better.

I love nights like this because I really believe eating a meal together is such a bonding experience, and since I've been so careful about my intake and almost always eat alone (ok, with my computer), it was so great to get out, have a good time with friends and still stick to my way of eating.