Mixed Drinks, Muppets, and Mouth-Wateringly Good Food

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and that your week is off to a great start! I loved hearing about your Do-It-Up December goals, I know you’re gonna rock them.

This weekend was an awesome one, because I got to spend it with Josh! He’s been home for the Holidays with his family in Connecticut and I’ve really missed him. It felt so good to be spending the weekend together. We celebrated with lots of food, a movie, and some drinks!

When I got there Friday night we stopped at Wegmans to pick up their $6 meals. Eggplant roulette, squash spinach salad, and coconut kale salad for me.

Cheese lasagna, kale salad, and squash salad for Josh. These are the most incredible meals that are delicious, healthy, and cheap. The food trifecta! 😀

Saturday afternoon we headed to Zenos, a local bar Josh raves about that I had never been to before. I’m not a big fan of most beers, I don’t really like hops, but Josh said they had a beer he knew I would love so I was excited to try it!

Josh enjoying his beer.

And me with my sour Duchess beer. Josh knows me so well, a beer without hops is my kind of beer! The sour cherry tasted so good, I actually finished a beer and wanted more! The atmosphere was also great, the bartenders were friendly, the mood relaxed and happy. It was such a fun time!

We were hanging out at a table enjoying our beers when Josh told me they had a backroom game room. They have Pac Man, Pinball, pool, and an awards wall. Zenos makes a passport that you can get stamped every time you order a beer. If you fill a passport you get a plaque with your name on the wall. My boyfriend’s famous! ;D

After Zenos we were feeling a little tipsy and very hungry. We decided to head over to Inferno (The first place I had a legal drink on my 21st birthday!) and get some lunch.

We split a vegetable panini.

And a veggie pizza topped with mushrooms, red peppers, artichoke hearts and cheese. Both were absolutely delicious.

For dinner that night we decided to pick up Indian from a great restaurant called Kaarma. I got the vegetable panneer kadai. Words can not describe how amazing this was.

And Josh got the Baigan Bharta. Along with the most amazing coconut naan bread that I could have ate my weight in.

Sunday morning I opted for a filling but light breakfast after a day full of amazing food. I had old fashiond oats with sour cherry jam and a scoop of peanut butter. They were great.

After breakfast we headed out to a matinee to see the Muppets! I didn’t really watch the Muppets growing up, I was a Sesame Street, Barney, and Blues Clues kid, but I’ve always loved Kermie and Miss Piggy. I had no idea what to expect from the movie and was blown away by its cuteness, humor, and how much I enjoyed it. It was such a feel good movie that just made you want to smile.

I love Amy Adams! There were so many singing celebs. This was my favorite song, it was nominated for a Grammy for best movie score and I really hope it wins! 😀

After the movies we headed to the grocery store to get the ingredients for falafel sandwiches.  Spinach + onions + tomatoes + hummus + falafel = yum!

Another exciting thing we did this weekend was try out Old Orchard’s new Very Cherre Juice. I was so excited when Old Orchard contacted me to sample it. As you guys know, I am a big water drinker. I try not drink my calories but the truth of the matter is I love juice. If I could drink unlimited quantities of it, I would. I love sweet things. Since the world is not perfect and calories in drinks still exist I have it as an occasional treat. And when I do enjoy it, I make sure I’m making those calories count. Made out of cherries, grapes, and pomegranates Very Cherre Juice is 100% juice with no added sugar, artificial ingredients, preservatives or artificial coloring. Its high in antioxidants and absolutely delicious. Josh and I each enjoyed a glass and marveled over how it was a great blend of sweet and tart without being overpowering either way.

Another great way to enjoy juice is in a mixed drink! Josh could moonlight as a bartender, he whips up the best concoctions. I love sweet drinks, so he created the Gin and Ginger Pom Juice for me.

Gin and Ginger Pom Juice

Makes 1 Serving

1 oz gin

1/2 oz triple sec

2 1/2 oz Very Cherre juice

Mix the three ingredients, shake over ice, strain, and top with ginger ale.

It was so good and so pretty! Please ignore my  red nose and chin. Allergies are not kind to me.

Josh decided to whip himself up a more manly drink. He calls it the Cherry Old Fashioned.

Cherry Old Fashioned

Makes 1 Serving

Pinch of sugar

2 dashes of bitters

1 1/2 oz bourbon

3/4 oz Very Cherre juice

Stir and top with ginger ale.

We love this juice. And you can enjoy it too! Very Cherre was so sweet to provide me with coupons for free 64 fl oz bottles of Very Cherre to share with my readers. I have five free coupons to give away. All you have to do is leave a comment, tell me about your weekend, or just say hello! I’ll be emailing the first five commenters from [email protected] to get your address to send a free coupon your way!