Newlywed + Newly Engaged Fashionably Fit
Aka, Ashley, please don’t leave me!!!
Hey guys! Tonight, Ryan and I hosted Ashley from Fashionably Fit for a comforting chili dinner. Ashley recently got engaged down in Florida, and will soon be moving there permanently to be with her fiance. I’m so happy for her…but it makes me sad that she’s leaving right when we were able to meet! Ashley is super fun and nice, so I’m sad that she’s moving away…but, I know we’ll stay friends—thus is the beauty of the blog world, right?
As I mentioned in my previous post, I cooked up some cocoa coconut chili from Eat, Drink and Be Vegan. It was just as good as it sounds! The coconut flavor was mild, but present. It gave the chili a slightly sweet, mildly tropical flavor. It was just enough to tickle the taste buds and give the chili a little switcheroo from your average, everyday bowl of vegetarian chili.
While we waited for the cornbread to finish cooking, we gossiped over wine and homemade guac + tortilla chips. Sorry, no pic—I only took one, and it’s super blurry!
The table was set in an LSU theme of purple and gold, I later noticed:
Gotta represent the homeland, right?
Cocoa Coconut Chili:
+ cornbread:
+ good company:
= a fun night for all!
Ashley was a very fun dinner guest…and she didn’t even complain when Baxter crawled into her lap to steal her (gluten free) dessert:
After dinner, we sat on the couch for another couple of hours, chatting and drinking the delicious Cupcake Chardonnay that she brought us!
Thanks for coming, Ashley! So sad that you’re moving… 
Hope you’re having a great Saturday—tomorrow I’ll unveil my March challenge, plus I’ll have a sugar challenge announcement.
Night, kids!
i’ve gotta get my hands on that recipe – i’ve heard so many great things about it!
Honestly, just imagine making a vegetarian chili, but adding 3 big tablespoons of cocoa powder and some coconut milk!
cant wait to hear the challenge..yaya!
what a great night-i love the pics girl!
LOL– okay, you crack me up! My friends and I always yell YAYA at one another when we see each other, and that’s also how we end e-mails, etc. Too funny!
Aww, looks like a great night and the chili looks wonderful! Can’t wait to read tomorrow!
FUN night! Yummy chili.
Thank you so much for your comment, although Im takin a break, Ill be keeping up with your blog.. I really enjoy it
That is one gorgeous lookinh chilli! I made a chocolate chicken recipe the other week – chocolate/cocoa goes so well in savoury cooking!
Looks like a fun night, and that chili looks awesome!
Hi Anna,
I am new to your site. I LOVE your design. Love all the green.
That looks delicious and your table setting is beautiful! Looked like a fun night!
I am excited to hear your challenge, love challenges.
- Christina
Welcome to the blog, Christina!
Aw that is so sweet you had her for dinner!
I am excited to see your March challenge!
That chili is definitely on my list of things to make! It looks like you gals had a wonderful evening!
Love the picture of two beautiful bloggers! Congrats to Ashley! And I can understand why you’d be sad for her to leave. If I had a blogger friend in my area, it want her to stay too!
Sounds like it was a fun night – and the food looks fantastic! Such a cute picture of you and Ashley – too bad that she’s moving right when you just met her – but congratulations to Ashley! Where in Florida?
Jacksonville! And I love your original artworks!
I made that chili a few weeks ago…so freaking good! Glad you had a good time with Ashley. Have a great Sunday!
That chili sounds great! Your table setting is beautiful!!
Cocoa coconut chili!!?!?!?! I want that!
Bummer that your “what could be a great” girlfriend is now moving away… You’re right about that being the hardest part about getting older. sigh..
so nice that you had her over for dinner. you know how to set a table! And make some damn good looking food for that matter.
dying to know your new challenge!
LOVE the table setting!! Howe were the brownies? I’ve had gluten free cookies, which I thought were fantastic but have yet to try brownies. They look so moist and chocolatey…YUM!
They were good…the batter didn’t taste NEARLY as good as regular batter, but I guess that wasn’t a bad thing because it kept me from eating half of it like I normally do
The mix was arrowhead mills!
Hmmm, coconut chili. Very interesting! Glad you guys had fun.
Mmmm I’ve made that chili before and it was so good. I didn’t even put coconut milk in it (none on hand) and it was still great! Those brownies look good too!!
My bf (who went to LSU) just got really excited from you table settings!! haha.
Cant wait to hear all about the challenge!
Alright!!! Is he from LA, or did he just go to school there?
Yay to engagements, boo to moving! But now you have a reason to escape the snow and hit the beach in FL — right? I love the napkins — where did you find them? My mom loves Cupcake wine, too — I might pick some up today!
Pier one!
It was such a great night! And my friend Melissa who lives in our neighborhood was talking about having a get-together at her place, too, so I will take her up on it! I’ll keep you posted!
how fun that you guys got to hang out while she stayed over! i LOVE the place settings at your table, very nice! everything looks delish, and you two are gorgeous ladies! i am on a major cornbread kick lately, i need to make them in muffin form
I want to lick the computer screen. Everything looks so yummy!!! I made chili last night too!
Beautiful table setting!
Can’t wait to hear what the March challenge is going to be!!
Oh wow, I soooo wish I coulda been there for the drinks, brownies, girl talk, and fun times…looooooks tooo fun!!!! xoxo
That chilli looks awesome! Actually, all of it does!
I really need to cut back on sugar so I’ll be interested to see what your march challenge is. Great blog btw. x
I made chili and cornbread for another blogger today too! Ha ha. How cool that Ashley visited and is moving there!
No, she’s FROM here and she’s MOVING to Florida!