July Celebrations

We celebrated July events last night during our heat wave. I decided to grill out since there was no way I was going to turn on the oven or stove but felt the celebration dinner needed something a little fancier than sandwiches.



So, here's what we had, along with a nice green salad and some Food Should Taste Good brand multigrain chips (very, very, VERY yummy!):



K.C. and I enjoyed a pretty yummy vegetarian sausage (Field Roast brand Mexican Chipotle). If you've ever tasted soyrizo (the vegetarian version of chorizo), it tastes pretty similar. But, this one is a lot firmer so it can be grilled like a regular meat sausage.

The girls had Yves brand veggie hot dogs, which, in my opinion (and that of the rest of my family) tasted very mouthwashy/mediciney. NOT a big hit but definitely better than the soy hot dogs I tried several years ago (they smelled and tasted just like what dog food smells like). I think next time I'll just get the organic meat version for them (as much as it grosses me out!).

For dessert I made a raw chocolate cheesecake. This was super duper yummy but tasted more like chocolate pudding (SO not complaining!) but had the texture of cheesecake. And I love that it's good for you! Here is the ingredient list: pecans, coconut oil, agave, raw chocolate powder (I cheated a little and just used Hershey's cocoa powder, since I had it on hand and all), vanilla bean, sea salt, young Thai coconut meat (took me awhile to open that darn coconut!) avocado and cashews. Sounds like a weird combination, I know, but it tastes heavenly...or sinfully, whichever way you want to look at it;-)
Here's a view just out of the freezer. The marbled look is due to the plastic wrap that was on it.

And a big 'ol slice served up. Well, they weren't such big slices since the taste is so rich.


And this is who we are celebrating this month:

Birthdays:
- our friend Dawn
- my classmate Michelle
- our nephew Dylan
- America - of course!
- my classmate Launa
- our little friend Connor
- our friend Heather
- our friend & neighbor Evie
- my Grandpa Wake
- K.C.'s Great Grandma Genthe ( 7/25/1908 ~ 04/24/2008)
- our friend Mado
Anniversaries:
- Jeff & Kristie celebrate 1 year of marital bliss

Get Well:
- My dad is having the x-stop spacer surgery as I type. Here's to a fast recovery and a life without pain!

Milestones:
- My dad is celebrating a 0 reading on his PSA levels after having his prostate removed almost two years ago! We hope you continue to remain cancer free!