I said I wasn’t really in the mood to go out to dinner, so Ryan took control in the kitchen and made us a delicious meal!
The star of the show was his amazing pork tenderloin.
Ryan made the pork using a delicious cut of meat sent to us to try from U.S. Wellness Meats, a company whose animals are 100 percent grass-fed, and raised with all the principles of holistic land management and sustainability.
He prepared the pork by coating it in a dry rub he made by following Ellie Krieger’s recipe.
The meat was absolutely fantastic. I couldn’t get enough! We both loved the dry rub and the pork itself was lean, yet moist and so flavorful.
Sides for the evening weren’t homemade, but they were great!
Ryan stopped by The Artisanal Dish, the restaurant/grocer we fell in love with last weekend and picked up zucchini boats stuffed with farro, carrots, onions, red onion, tomato and Parmesan cheese and a homemade crab cake for us to share.
I loved every last bite!
Ryan also brought home slices of chocolate cake from The Artisanal Dish for each of us for dessert.
We had no problem finishing off our respective portions.
The remainder of our Valentine’s Day was spent hanging out at home, reading the final book in The Maze Runner series and eating a second round of dessert (milkshakes!) before bed. Perfect!
Breakfast
This morning, we awoke a little after 7 a.m. and I had grand plans to make a delicious Sunday morning breakfast.
What are those?
Yesterday I stumbled upon a box mix for Archer Farms’ cinnamon pecan swirl pancakes and just had to buy it.
Oh goodness these pancakes were like little pockets of sugar.
Healthy? No. Delicious? You betcha.
With a sugar-filled breakfast in our bellies, we headed off to church before stopping by the grocery store on our way home.
And now it’s lunchtime!
This Sunday is flyin’ by and needs to s-l-o-w down!
I love your $20 Valentine idea. I might have to steal that from you.
Linsay Jackson
What a fantastic meal! I was just watching an old episode of Iron Chef the other night, and one of the contestants made zucchini boats that looked so good!
Lena @Fit on the Rocks
That was so nice of Ryan to make dinner! Sometimes staying in for dinner can be way more romantic than going out since no one else is around
that cake looks amazing! I would have had a hard time sharing! Lol
Jana @ Newly Wife Healthy Life
All of that looks amazing! Yum!
We took coco for a walk today, we didn’t head into the woods- didn’t want to run into a bear! Haha
Brittney Denman
…what is on those pancakes…?
Krystina (Krystina Zena)
Love juice…kidding. I’m a perv
Diana@mymarblerye
Haha, i was thinking the same thing
Debbie
ha! it was a glaze that came with the box mix made with powdered sugar (i believe). i added butter and milk to it, as instructed.
peanutbutterfingers
Those zucchini boats look delicious!!
Liz @ Tip Top Shape
I want your whole meal- dinner, dessert, and um, breakfast!
Blog is the New Black
Ohhh those pancakes look delicious!!
Enjoy your day:)
Lindsey
The cake… The pancakes… YUM! Dinner looks might tasty too. Glad you had a great Valentine’s dinner.
We’re hitting an overnight at the casino for V day. Lucky in live an hopely luckiy in winnigs!
Christine @ Oatmeal in my Bowl
ummmmmmmmm
perhaps you should have skipped posting the pictures of the pork….
katrina
I’ve been thinking about going vegetarian recently, or at least switching over to more sustainable and humane meat meals. I haven’t completely made the switch yet, since I’m still a grad student and the meat is more expensive. I’ll have to check out the company! Everything looks delicious!
Catherine
Looks like a fun night that you and Ryan had! John and I went out for our V-day dinner last night.. it was AWESOME! Have you ever been to Carnivale? I know you moved when you were in high school, but if you’re ever in the city visiting, you have to go there.
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey
no, i wish! i’m so glad it was such a great experience!
peanutbutterfingers
Your husband is quite the chef! Those cakes look divine…very apt for V-Day!
khushboo
Wow, what a good man you have … the only thing my husband has ever cooked me was a frozen Stouffer’s lasagna haha!
But honestly, I would be a little nervous to eat anything else he cooked!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Kristen @ notsodomesticated
I love that Ryan made you Valentine’s Dinner!! So sweet!
Nicole
The tenderloin looks delicious! I wish I could have some, or maybe make something that good! I’m probably gonna be stuck eating pizza for the rest of the week, though (veggie delite from Papa Murphy’s) because I had a sleepover yesterday, and my parents ordered 5 pizzas. For 9 girls? Uhh… Bad math, lol.
Katie
Looks like a sweet and delicious valentines day celebration
The cake looks really yummy!
Joss
i’m sorry but that is the most disgusting pork loin ever. what a terrible way to show off a company’s meat that they generously gave you. i’m sure it tasted fine, but there must have been a better way to photograph it. didn’t you recently post about photography? you should probably take that post down; you have no right to offer advice on photography with this digusting picture on your blog.
mischa
I admit, the meat does look a little gross before its cut up (and kinda brought out the 12 yr old in me), but how can meat really look delicious not cut up? Julie said it was amazing…what better review could it have gotten!!
mel
Whoa there, Tiger. Quite the hostile and emotional response to a picture of a pork loin. Surely there is something in the world more deserving of that kind of attention.
Kristin
Haha well said!
Debbie
Hahahah I’m sorry I’m laughing out loud because that hunk of meat just looks so wrong in so many ways. I will never look at a pork tenderloin the same way!
M
Those Archer Farms pancake mixes are delicious! Definitely not healthy, as you said, but worth it every now & then. I love the Monster Mix!
Erica @ For the Sake of Cake
Happy early Valentine’s Day! Your meal looks DELISH!
Racheal @ Running with Racheal
That sounds like a great valentine’s day celebration! And yes, those pancakes look insanely delicious! As does that cake…
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats
Awesome Valentines dinner! I have to admit- probably wouldnt crave the pork loin due to it resembling a big piece of poo; HOWEVER, in sure it was delicious. Maybe it was just the picture? Haha!
Whitney
Saw this little gem on Groupon today and thought, ohh “PBFingers would love this!” Soo I’m sharing in case you don’t already know about it!
Ok, so I don’t know how to post it–but go check ok Groupon! 
)
http://www.groupon.com/deals/ragin-warrior-gainesville?c=image&sid=11098895&s=body&utm_source=newsletter&p=1&division=gainesville&date=20120212&utm_medium=email&utm_content=all-deals_gainesville&utm_campaign=ragin-warrior-gainesville&addxe=a2dsYXppZXJAdWZsLmVkdQ==&user=2b1466295422aee1aca12be9836afef74b25da748ba0914b46a56d7f45e5d996
Keri
oh, awesome!! thanks for sharing, keri!
peanutbutterfingers
Those pancakes look amazing!!!
Kelly
wow those pancakes look like cinnamon rolls in pancake form! YUM!!!!
Mallory @ Have your cake And Eat It
What a fun night together! AND boy do those pancakes look amazing! Might just need to stop by the store soon…….
Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife
I get all of my meat and my protein shakes come from us wellness meats! They ahve the best bison and turkey meat!
Tricia
Those pancakes look deadly! But amazing, nonetheless…
It looks like you guys had such a fun night! Happy (early) Valentines Day to you lovebirds!
Emily
Sounds like a great Valentine’s Day celebration! That cake looks delicious and so do the pancakes!
Hope @ With A Side Of Hope
YUM those pancakes look delish! i love stuffed zucchini boats!
Kelsey
What a great Valentine’s meal!
Gen
I have two Ellie Krieger recipe books and they are both really good! I really want to try the rub you posted. Sounds delicious!
Rachelle