happy valentine’s day | fridays with oscar
happy Valentine’s Day! well, ladies, February 14 also marks the midway point of the month. that’s right, we are that much closer to spring and all the beauty that comes with it. is anyone else ready to don the pastels, prints and lighter fabrics of spring? in the meantime, we’ve got a healthy valentine’s dinner and cocktail.
no matter if you cook this tonight as a special Valentine’s dinner or as an easy weeknight meal, this recipe will become your new favorite comfort food!
outfit of the day
the soft, muted, blushing pink color of my blouse today is a nod to the romance of Valentines Day. keeping it casual for our meal at home, i have my grey denim back in action – a perfect complement to the muted tone of my blouse, grey denim is softer in color and in material.
popover top (J.Crew) | jeans (Talbots) | similar mule shoe | similar mule shoe 2 | scarf | earring | similar earring | bracelet | similar bracelet | similar bracelet 2 | similar bracelet 3 | similar bracelet 4
using a scarf as a tie belt is a great way to add a little color and pop. today, i went for a scarf that has some deeper pink tones as well as complimentary navy and gold, to really add some contrast. it brings together the pink of my blouse and the grey of my denim pants.
i chose a bright gold tone for my jewelry today, not only for the pop and shine it adds, but it also ties in beautifully with the gold tones in my tied-scarf belt. plus, i just love the blushing pink/bright gold combination!
neutral cap toe slides keep with my overall neutral Valentine’s outfit.
healthy valentine’s dinner: a healthier way to gnocchi
last week i tried Trader Joe’s cauliflower pizza crust. i really enjoyed their ready-made cauliflower crust and will definitely make it one of my regular purchases from Trader Joe’s. another cauliflower-based ingredient i wanted to try is the cauliflower gnocchi.
traditional Italian gnocchi is made from potatoes, wheat flour, egg and salt. while potato gnocchi dumplings are healthier than pasta, i wanted to keep my meal low in carbs, and higher in fiber. cauliflower is a less starchy vegetable and is a perfect substitute.
this recipe calls for regular potato gnocchi, to be cooked directly in the pan with the cream mixture. since i substituted the cauliflower gnocchi and i wanted it to maintain its crispiness, i cooked the gnocchi according to its skillet directions on the package and then stirred the gnocchi into my sausage, kale and cream mixture at the end before plating in my serving dish.
it turned out beautifully! the gnocchi had crispy edges and a soft, pillowy interior. just like the potato version. the flavor is light and just like potato gnocchi, the recipe possibilities are endless.
cocktail: the Aviation
the cocktail this week is the Aviation. it combines our february travel theme and its pale lavender color is perfectly romantic for Valentine’s Day. this gin-based cocktail packs a punch, but it is so lovely and light to sip.
fridays with oscar
popover top (J.Crew) | jeans (Talbots) | similar mule shoe | similar mule shoe 2 | scarf | earring | similar earring | bracelet | similar bracelet | similar bracelet 2 | similar bracelet 3 | similar bracelet 4
well gang, i hope you have a great Valentine’s (or Galentine’s!) day with your loved ones. if you haven’t yet tried the cauliflower gnocchi, i definitely recommend them! they are a perfect plant-based version of a favorite italian staple. let me know in the comments below if you’ve tried them before, and your favorite cauliflower gnocchi recipe! have a great weekend, and stay tuned to the blog as we continue travel month!
I really would like to try the recipe but I am not very talented when it comes to improvisation. Can I find the recipe, including ingredient amounts, somewhere online? Thank you, Beth.
Gorgeous outfit! And, Happy Valentine’s Day to you.
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY, BETH
love the ensemble. The dinner looks delish. Give Oscar a big hug…he looks like such a teddy bear!
Xoxo
oscar is just a big goof. so loveable and loyal. xo
I’ve tried the cauliflower gnocchi a few times – it is tricky to cook, falls apart easily, but is delicious in many different recipes – yours sounds great!
May your Valentine’s Day be filled with love!
it can be tricky, which is why we cooked it separately then folded into the recipe.
You and Oscar are giving hope for Spring
lighter clothes and sandals will be a relief
Going to try the recipe – sounds delicious for cool, rainy days
this recipes is a keeper! loved the addition of kale to give it a little oomph.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
I love the pink and gray. That color is very flattering on you. Lipstick and nail color I love!
Oscar is a fine loyal companion. I,too,am a dog(& cat) lover.
I am thinking of you on your first Valentine’s Day without your beloved Mr. Style .
May happy memories bring a smile.
Loves!
thanks so much. it’s always good to get on the other side of the ‘firsts’. but i had a wonderful day spent with friends and family. i’m truly blessed.
Aww www! Oscar is so sweet! I love the pic of him giving you his paw! We have a light colored golden retriever who is our baby! God bless our furry companions who give us unconditional love! Happy Valentine’s Day and you look stunning in that pic of you standing in front of the painting! Thanks for all your hard work!
thanks so much, Marie! i so appreciate your sweet words.
I have also used the cauliflower gnocchi and made a similar recipe only I used chicken italian sausage to hopefully lighten it up a little more. Very good and we shall make again.
sounds like a keeper! isn’t it fun to experiment with recipes?
Happy V day to you Beth, can you please share the quantities in your gnocchi recipe? I’d love to try it
Oh, how fun! Really like your pink and grey outfit. The scarf belt is a great idea, especially for traveling and keeping a suitcase light.
I keep peeking in to see what you have up your sleeve for you and your sons and daughter in law to do together next. You should have a little contest to see who can guess what it will be.
Oscar is adorable! He looks so debonair.
We took valentines gifts by to our adult daughter, who is a young widow, her two dogs and cat yesterday. Those rescued Grands like getting a new stiffed toy as well as any grandchild would. LOL
Off we go to meet the Granddogs and our daughter for the Valentines party at their pet day care center.
Have a good day,
i bet those critters loved having a new toy! i’m so happy your daughter had them and you by her side on Valentine’s Day. friends and family are so important. and they help ease the sorrow.
the recipe easily served four.
Happy Valentine’s Day to you & your family, including Oscar & Ollie!
I’m wearing pink today, too. My husband gave me a pair of pink Kate Spade heart earrings for Christmas, so I had to wear those, of course.
the pink earrings sound divine!
Love the grey and soft pink. Also like the happy pics of you and Oscar. Food looks good too!
it was a good day all around and the recipe is delicious! and healthy. now that’s a win/win.
Happy Valentine’s Day Beth and Oscar. Love the outfit. Love your handsome boy. Love the food! In fact, it’s just a love fest all round!
it was a lovefest, Ali! the best way to spend the day.
I’m wearing soft pink today too, but a sweater, with standard blue jeans. Added a red flowery scarf as I quite like a red/pink clash. With an Elsa Peretti open heart necklace from Tiffany, it is my concession to Valentines – a day I’m not hugely into, mainly because it seems so commercial these days and I believe that if you love someone, you should tell them every day and not need a prescribed day to have some special time together. But I know for some people it is an important day and don’t want to knock that – the beauty of life is that we’re all different.
Anyway, I also wanted to say hugs to you today Beth, since this is your first Valentines without Mr. Style and I imagine it is another one of those milestones that keep happening but don’t get any easier.
love, love, love the Elsa Peretti colletion! sounds like a gorgeous outfit. agree 100% about sharing our love each and every day. life is precious and our love too. thanks for thinking of me. it’s always good to get on the other side of a ‘first’.
Pretty OOTD. I will have to watch for the cauliflower gnocchi–we both really like cauliflower, and it is amazing how many carbs can creep into a day if you don’t watch them, so this sounds good. I love using pretty scarves as a belt–that one looks lovely with this combination. I had my winter scarf on today as it was in the 30s heading to our weekly Saturday breakfast today. I also thought of you on your first Valentine’s day without Mr Style. I know he was with you in spirit. If it’s any consolation, we were dog-sitting and sitting quietly in the living room, when one of the little pups gave a really loud, god-awful-sounding snort/sneeze yesterday and Joe looked at me and said, “Oh, that reminds me–happy Valentine’s Day!” Haaaaaa– not sure what exactly that came from, but it made us both laugh out loud. Have a good weekend…xo
isn’t it wonderful to have such a good relationship?! it’s so good to laugh especially with someone you love. thanks for thinking of me! xo