Tarts, Shrimp and Dirty Bananas

Hey guys! HAPPY FRIDAY! What are you up to this weekend?? I’m looking forward to getting some work done and hanging out with my pilot love 🙂

tart

Last night’s girls night was a blasty:

vino

Riesling for the chef 😉

vino (2)

I had a small glass while I set the appetizers out and started cooking- I fiercely believe that the food comes out better when I sip a little vino as I cook 😉

Appetizers:

appetizers

Plates and napkins bearing the philosophy of life:

plates

Cheese and olives:

cheese

Raw calamari, inspired by a recipe in Living Raw Food

calamari

(I sliced up button mushrooms, then dunked them in water and a flaxseed/herb “breadcrumb” mixture and then dehydrated, served with marinara)

Hummus + pita

hummus

Veggggg

veg

Vegan artichoke dip (from Eat, Drink and Be Vegan)

art dip

For our meal, we had roasted garlic and lemon asparagus

asparagus

And brown rice penne pasta, with shrimp and an Italian cream sauce (that I Gina-fied using goat gouda, almond milk and spices)

pasta

Pasta is a tricky dish to make for company, because if it comes out wrong, there’s not an easy way to fix it. I’m stoked to say that it was kind of ridiculous- so creamy, shrimpy and flavorful 😉

+ bread and Garlic Gold olive oil for drizzling

bread

My plate:

my plate

(+ a little more pasta)

with salad and homemade balsamic that Jeni brought, and the cocktails she made for us (Dirty Bananas– she used almond milk for mine)

salad

Ahhhhmazin’.

The best part?

tart (2)

Raw strawberry tart from Everyday Raw 😀

I drizzled some strawberry-agave sauce on each plate (strawberries, agave and vanilla) and topped with crumbled macaroon and a slice of tart.

tart (3)

Face ——> Rocked.  😀

There were 6 of us girls, and we chilled, feasted and chatted until early this morning 😉 It was a lovely night.

I’m off to make some bfast and head to the office (aka Bizzle) to get some computer work done before I go train clients.

Have a great day and I’ll see you this afternoon! <3

xoxo,

G$

Today’s tip: When throwing a dinner party, make or prep anything you can in advance. All of the appetizers and dessert were done before people came over, and I had the asparagus in the fridge (in the pan, ready to be baked) and the tomatoes chopped, goat gouda grated and garlic peeled for the pasta. It took me a while to learn how to make things in advance, but the worst feeling is having people over watching you prep and peel everything. This way, you can enjoy the party a little more 🙂

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89 Comments

  1. Little Bookworm on June 4, 2010 at 9:48 am

    Sounds like a great night – the raw strawberry tart looks amazing! Yum. 🙂

  2. cjrymommy on June 4, 2010 at 9:51 am

    Hi Gina! I’ve been reading your blog for a month or so now but I mostly lurk and don’t comment but today I had to. That pasta looks amazing! Pasta + shrimp + white sauce = my weakness. Can you post your recipe? If you already have it on the blog somewhere just point me to it!

    Thanks!

    Jocelyn in the STL

    • Fitnessista on June 4, 2010 at 10:00 am

      hey jocelyn,
      i can’t post the recipe (i’m saving that one…) but if you want to make it, send me an email and i’ll email it to you 🙂

  3. Nichole on June 4, 2010 at 9:51 am

    Are you kidding me?! This looks like a properly catered party. I mean every single dish looks perfectly yummy. Great sampling of a variety of good foods.

    Cute napkins and nice outfit:) I love the cutesy saying napkins.

    Your tip is so true about doing things in advance. For showers my gals and I would all go to Costco and see what we could make early, like pasta salads or fruit bowls.

    Another tip, never go thirsty:)

    • Fitnessista on June 4, 2010 at 9:58 am

      thank you!
      and amen 🙂 hahah

  4. Jessica @ Dairy Free Bety on June 4, 2010 at 9:52 am

    Sounds amazing!! whenever you want me to come over for dinner, just let me know 😉

  5. Raya @ Raya Runs on June 4, 2010 at 9:58 am

    That pasta looks heavenly. Question: Whenever I cook for guests, I worry that they won’t want/like the healthier foods that I tend to eat, so I always fall back to some not-so-healthy options. I know that my taste buds are slightly “conditioned” to different tastes because it’s what I’m used to eating. What are your thoughts on that? Because I would love for my family and friends to see that “healthy” doesn’t equal “gross” food. =)

    • Fitnessista on June 4, 2010 at 10:02 am

      i know what you mean.
      i say make it healthy, but make it delicious and don’t tell anyone it’s healthy. like last night, no one knew i used goat gouda or almond milk, but i don’t think it would matter anyway because it tasted SO good 🙂 they thought the brown rice pasta was white pasta and jeni asked which kind i used, they were all surprised that it was so healthy. i think as long as it tastes amazing, it doesn’t matter 🙂

  6. Ilana on June 4, 2010 at 10:01 am

    WHERE DID YOU GET THOSE NAPKINS. I NEED THEM. NOW.

    (Yes, that was worth all caps)

    Everything looks absolutely fabulous! I might have to try to replicate the “calamari”!!

    • Fitnessista on June 4, 2010 at 10:03 am

      pier 1 🙂

      • Ilana on June 4, 2010 at 10:04 am

        I am planning a girls night now JUST so I can use those napkins.

  7. Hailey S. (Adventures in Health) on June 4, 2010 at 10:02 am

    OMG your strawberry torte looks amazing!!! Totally drooling!!

  8. Annie D. from Annie'sSimpleLife on June 4, 2010 at 10:02 am

    YUM YUM YUM!!!!!!

  9. Stacy (StacyGrowsHealthy) on June 4, 2010 at 10:07 am

    Yumm – that shrimp pasta sounds tasty! I love the raw ‘calamari’ idea.

  10. Fueling for Fitness on June 4, 2010 at 10:12 am

    Everything looks… so…. amazing……………… want to eat all of it now!! 😀

    Have a great Friday!

    -Alison

  11. allison @ livingoneday on June 4, 2010 at 10:37 am

    is jeni by any chance originally from maryland?? dirty bananas are my FAVE at a bar in ocean city, md called seacrets. IN OTHER NEWS, i need your entire dinner. the pasta looks amazing and im starving, so im literally drooling at my desk. arghhhhh!!! sounds like such a fun night!

    • Fitnessista on June 4, 2010 at 11:34 am

      no, she’s from south carolina 🙂

  12. A Teenage Gourmet on June 4, 2010 at 10:37 am

    Strawberry tarts must be IN because I just posted about one on my blog too! Mine isn’t raw, but it sure is tasty! I’m pretty new to your blog, but I’ve tried the breakfast cookie before. I’ll definitely be coming back for more now.

    If anyone is interested, my strawberry tart is at my very new blog, http://ateenagegourmet.wordpress.com. Thank you!

  13. VeggieGirl on June 4, 2010 at 10:45 am

    Seriously, I need to have you cater a party. Period.

    • Fitnessista on June 4, 2010 at 11:34 am

      i would love to! i just need to make it out to your neck of the woods 🙂

  14. Jessica @ How Sweet on June 4, 2010 at 10:47 am

    The tart looks absolutely perfect. I want a slice, please!

  15. Andrea (Sweet N Green) on June 4, 2010 at 10:47 am

    The strawberry tart looks absolutely decadent! Everything looks delicous and I love those napkins, so cute!

  16. Jenny on June 4, 2010 at 10:48 am

    I want to come to your next dinner party!

  17. Michelle @ Give Me the Almond Butter on June 4, 2010 at 10:48 am

    Can I come over for one of these nights?! Haha, your dinner looks absolutely fantastic. You are just such a great hostess 🙂

    • Fitnessista on June 4, 2010 at 11:33 am

      of course!

  18. Erin @ A Girl & Her Mutt on June 4, 2010 at 10:49 am

    Everything looks so good! The tart looks perfect and now I’m craving asparagus!

  19. Kristin (Cook, Bake and Nibble) on June 4, 2010 at 10:50 am

    WOW that looks like a wonderful girls’ night!!

    xo
    K

  20. Tracey @ I'm Not Superhuman on June 4, 2010 at 10:55 am

    Everything looks so tasty! You’re a great hostess.

  21. Courtney @ Sweet Tooth, Sweet Life on June 4, 2010 at 10:58 am

    Ok, there are numerous things that I absolutely LOVE from this post:
    -Those NAPKINS…perfectly said 😉
    -Your outfit…love that you get dressed up for Girls Night! My girls and I usually go low key, but it’s so fun to be fancy.
    -The raw calamari…makes me want to try mushrooms again!
    -That pasta dish…looks flippin’ phenomenal!
    -You drink Riesling…I LOVE Riesling!
    -The strawberry tart…nothin’ better than summertime strawberries!
    -The Dirty Bananas drink recipe came from Sandals resort, which I just went to on my honeymoon!
    Your post totally made me smile, thanks! 🙂

    • Fitnessista on June 4, 2010 at 11:33 am

      yes! that was jeni’s drink of choice in the bahamas -we were there a few weeks ago 🙂

  22. Erin on June 4, 2010 at 11:01 am

    You’re making me hungry! What a fun party. 😀

  23. Tracey on June 4, 2010 at 11:01 am

    Everything looks fantastic. I SO want to make that tart!!! I think I would devour the entire thing!

  24. gigi on June 4, 2010 at 11:02 am

    I love not telling people its healthy untill after they eat! Especially desserts!

  25. Evelyn @ cheers2healthy on June 4, 2010 at 11:04 am

    The dirty banana sounds kinda awesome!

  26. Ryane on June 4, 2010 at 11:04 am

    Jeez, that all looks so delicious! Quite the little hostess with the mostest!

  27. Melissa (MelissaLikesToEat) on June 4, 2010 at 11:07 am

    Yes…I’ve learned my lesson in the past….doing things in advance is KEY!!! Great looking spread Gina!

  28. jenny in new york on June 4, 2010 at 11:19 am

    Oh so many healthy options! Most girls nights I’ve been to are lots of chips and sweets!

  29. Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday on June 4, 2010 at 11:20 am

    I LOVE YOUR HUMMUS AND PITA SERVING TRAY!

    • Fitnessista on June 4, 2010 at 11:32 am

      thank you! jeni got that for me as a birthday gift 🙂

  30. Alycia @ Fit n Fresh on June 4, 2010 at 11:23 am

    YUM!! I need to throw a girls night just so I can eat all that great food!! lol the tart turned out awesome – if it tasted anything near as good as it looked, you’ve got a winner

  31. Brittany on June 4, 2010 at 11:29 am

    Wow Gina. Everything looks amazing – especially the strawberry tart and raw calamari! I seriously want to come to one of your parties sometime. 😉

    xoxo. Have a great weekend.

    • Fitnessista on June 4, 2010 at 11:32 am

      seriously, if you ever come to vtown, i will throw a party 🙂

  32. Cassie @ A Very Busy Mind on June 4, 2010 at 11:30 am

    Your girls night feasts seriously amaze me. It looks like that food took an entire WEEK to prepare!

  33. Amy on June 4, 2010 at 11:44 am

    Everything looks amazing and delicious. I need to learn to prep before a dinner party because half the time, my guests are lucky that I’ve had a chance to shower before the come over.

    I just sent that Dirty Banana link to my fiance. He has a secret love affair with “Girly drinks”

  34. Shannon @ Before Sunrise on June 4, 2010 at 11:51 am

    Everything looks amazing! Great job! 🙂

  35. Courtney on June 4, 2010 at 11:59 am

    Those napkins are so cute! I miss girl’s nights from undergrad. In graduate school it’s just too busy to make time for things like that. 🙁

  36. Charlie@CharlieGirlBlog on June 4, 2010 at 12:04 pm

    Your tart looks amazing! I’m sure your guests were wow’d! I was reading back to when you went to 105 degrees — did you make crazy good stuff like this before, or is that where you learned?

    • Fitnessista on June 4, 2010 at 12:14 pm

      thank you!
      i’ve always loved hosting parties but 105 definitely taught me a lot of awesome tricks 🙂

  37. Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin on June 4, 2010 at 12:07 pm

    I’ve always wondered how to make a healified pasta cream sauce. Yours sounds great! 🙂

  38. Jessie (Bites and Pieces) on June 4, 2010 at 12:08 pm

    You know how to throw a party! Everything looks amazing, especially the raw calamari and the tart. Yum!

  39. Emily on June 4, 2010 at 12:10 pm

    It all looks so good, Gina! I have that book and I now sense a strawberry tart in my not so distant future 😉

  40. Paige (Running Around Normal) on June 4, 2010 at 12:26 pm

    Best hostess ever!!!
    Seriously, you rock, Gina. Those appetizers – especially the “calamari” look amazing.

  41. Laury @ thefitnessriot on June 4, 2010 at 12:38 pm

    LOOOOOVE that napkin (or “lurve” it)

    The spread looks amaze! Domestic Diva! You are inspiring me to do a fun food and wine girls night soon!

  42. Carolyn @ lovinlosing.com on June 4, 2010 at 12:46 pm

    You’re an awesome hostess! 🙂

  43. Megan @ The Oatmeal Diaries on June 4, 2010 at 12:57 pm

    I love your blog! 🙂
    Your girls night sounds (and looks!) wonderful. Love those napkins! I also like the ones that say “Life is short, eat dessert first.” So true!

  44. sarah on June 4, 2010 at 1:28 pm

    Looks like a great party. I want to try that calamari!

  45. Sam on June 4, 2010 at 2:00 pm

    Why do you always make the weird pout face?! You’re so much prettier when you smile!!

    • Fitnessista on June 4, 2010 at 2:26 pm

      hahah because i’m goofy

  46. Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) on June 4, 2010 at 2:28 pm

    Raw calamari–I have seen that in the book but have never made b/c I think the longer dehydrating time scared me off. Just b/c i am impatient LOL

    Have also seen the Raw Tart in Everyday Raw but same issue, never made it.

    ED & BV artichoke dip. Still need to get on that one.

    Clearly you USE your cookbooks, I just read mine but don’t make anything..haha!

    Oh this: “but the worst feeling is having people over watching you prep and peel everything.”
    Oh girl for my yoga 500 hours, my teacher wanted me to do a little healthy raw vegan foods presentation. Well, I had prepared 80% of the way, but even the 20% I was still preparing and having 20 people watch me spiralize zucchini’s, well yeah, it sucks!

    Thanks for the well-wishes for my show and you know I will be having lots of pics taken 🙂

    Have a great weekend! And yes, cooking with a vino makes the food turn out better for sure 🙂

    xoxo

  47. mm on June 4, 2010 at 2:33 pm

    Like everyone else, I think all of your dishes look SO GOOD!! Especially the tart! And Reisling is my wine of choice, so thumbs up all around. 🙂

  48. AllieNic @ Frisky Lemon on June 4, 2010 at 2:35 pm

    That raw calamari looks awesome! Do you own a dehydrator? Or did you use some other method..? I’m looking into getting a dehydrator…if you have one, what kind do you have?

  49. lisa on June 4, 2010 at 3:10 pm

    Have you seen “PARMA” yet? I just bought it today at WF. It is vegan Parmesan cheese that you sprinkle on top of stuff. I just had it sprinkled over roasted asparagus. AMAZING. It is in the pasta aisle.
    Your dinner is beautiful!
    Lisa

  50. Kristy on June 4, 2010 at 3:25 pm

    I am so stinking jealous of your girls night.

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