≡ Menu

Weekend Wrap-Up: Birthdays in Omaha

in Other

Remember a couple of weeks back when I posted about my weekend back home to celebrate my dad’s birthday and my birthday?  I’m doing the same thing again, but this time we are talking about my birthday and Jeremy’s birthday!  Somehow I got lucky and was able to celebrate my birthday twice.  I’m not quite sure how that worked out, but I rolled with it.

My birthday was on March 24th and Jeremy’s is coming up this Friday.  It is pretty fun having birthdays so close together so that we can make a whole weekend out of celebrating.  This past weekend was extra fun because Jeremy took Friday off of work so he was here for two and a half days instead of the usual one and a half days.  More days = more good food, drinks, and quality time… which also = more fun!

Weekend Wrap-Up: Birthdays in Omaha

VitamixMy second birthday celebration actually started off early on Wednesday evening when my brand new Vitamix arrived to my doorstep.  I pooled some of my money, birthday money from my parents, and birthday money from Jeremy to purchase it.  You know it’s an expensive item when it becomes a group gift.  I cannot wait to hopefully use this for years and years to come!

Jeremy Beer CakeThursday night involved lots of cleaning my apartment and a little bit of craftiness.  Jeremy did not tell me anything specific that he wanted for his birthday, so I thought it would be fun to center his present around one of his favorite things: craft beer!  I wanted to do a bit more than simply give him beer, so I made him a cake out of beer bottles and cans!  I’ll be sharing more about this on Friday.

IMG_0874I went to work for four hours on Friday morning.  After I left at noon, I took Jeremy to Chipotle so that he could experience the goodness for the first time… I know, so wrong.  I ordered a vegetarian burrito bowl with brown rice, pinto beans, veggies, lettuce, salsa, and lots of guac.  It was delicious!  Jeremy really enjoyed his burrito.

Hannah and JeremyAfter Chipotle, Jeremy and I ran some errands to Target, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s for groceries and the essentials.  We also may or may not have taken some selfies.

Then it was time for my birthday dinner at Modern Love.  We each chose a nice restaurant in Omaha to eat out at, and I instantly knew Modern Love was going to be it!  It was Jeremy’s first time there, but he loved it as much as I do.  It is also proof that a meat-eater can 100% enjoy eating at an all vegan restaurant!

Modern Love Jackfruit PasoleNot only is Modern Love all vegan, but they have several gluten-free options, which was great for me!  Jeremy and I decided to split two main dishes so that we could enjoy two different things.  And they were very different, at that!

I chose the Jackfruit Posole, which was made with jackfruit, hominy, black beans, New Mexico chiles, white corn tortillas, radishes, and an avocado salad.  It was so delicious, so flavorful, and perfectly spicy.  This was our first time eating jackfruit, and now I really want to cook with it myself!

Modern Love Mac and ShewsJeremy selected the Mac & Shews as our second entrée.  This dish consisted of macaroni and cheese made with brown rice pasta and a creamy cashew cheese sauce.  It was served alongside pecan crusted tofu, barbecue cauliflower, and braised kale.  We loved every aspect of this dish, and both agreed that the tofu was perfectly cooked.

Modern Love PB Chocolate CheesecakeWe could not leave Modern Love without indulging in one of their desserts.  It was a special occasion, after all.  We selected the Peanut Butter Cheesecake, which had a chocolate cookie crust, chocolate sauce, maple roasted pecans, and a coconut whipped topping.  Did I mention this was vegan and gluten-free?  Pretty cool, right?  It also tasted like the biggest slice of heaven I have ever tasted.  I hope this one sticks around for a while.

Breakfast in BedWe were exhausted by the time we got home from dinner, so we ended up in bed before 10:00.  That is how you know you are old.  Since we were early to bed, we were also early to rise.  We woke up at 7:00 and ate breakfast in bed.  I cooked up gluten-free toast topped with nut butter and fruit + a side of scrambled eggs.  It completely satisfied all of my weekend breakfast cravings.

Gone Girl DVDWhile eating breakfast in bed, we finally got to watch Gone Girl.  I had read the book, so I knew what to expect, but it was fun to see Jeremy’s reactions throughout the movie.  He agreed that the ending was certainly not anything to be thrilled about.

Hilary's Eat Well Burger SaladAfter we got ready for the day, I made us salads for lunch.  With the warmer weather around, I have been craving salads more and more.  Our’s consisted of butter lettuce, broccoli slaw, onions, carrots, grape tomatoes, sunflower seeds, vegan ranch dressing, and Hilary’s Eat Well veggie burgers.

weekend beer flightAfter lunch, we made our way downtown to Brickway Brewery & Distillery.  I had purchased a Living Social deal for the two of us at the end of last year, and it was set to expire within a couple of weeks.  Our visit didn’t exactly go how I had originally planned.  Since I am trying out a gluten-free diet, I was not able to partake in the beer goodness.  Instead,  Jeremy enjoyed two flights of beer all on his own!

Louie's Wine Dive Cheese CurdsAfter the beer tasting, a much-needed nap was in order.  Then we got ready for dinner at Louie’s Wine Dive.  This was my first visit to Louie’s, but once I found out how gluten-free-friendly they are (they have a separate GF frier), Jeremy and I knew it would be perfect for his birthday dinner.  We started with gluten-free cheese curds dipped in marinara sauce.  They were unreal!

Louie's Wine Dive Fish and FritesJeremy chose a truffle mac & cheese with steak, while I selected the fish and chips.  The fish was American cod that was breaded in brown rice flour.  It was delicious, especially dipped in the housemade tartar sauce.  I also thoroughly enjoyed both the coleslaw and the fries.  The coleslaw had the perfect amount of sweetness and creaminess, and the fries were well-seasoned and crispy.  Because it can be so difficult to find restaurants with a specified gluten-free frier, I will definitely be back to Louie’s.

Hannah WineAfter dinner, I had high hopes of finding us gluten-free cupcakes to cap off our second birthday dinner.  Unfortunately, Jones Bros. Cupcakes was all out (they tend to sell out early), so we headed home empty-handed.  We did, however, enjoy a couple of glasses of red wine, some popcorn, and a few card games of war and crazy eights.  Now that I cannot drink most beers, I have made it my mission to learn to become a wine drinker!  I have to say that it wasn’t half bad.  I can do this!

Sunday consisted of another lazy morning, eating leftovers for lunch, and a sad goodbye between the two of us.  Whenever Jeremy heads back home, it is never a fun time.  It is not easy, but we make it work.

This past weekend was pretty close to perfect.  I sure as heck am sad that Monday is here, but that means I’m that much closer to seeing Jeremy again.  I hope your weekend was great too, and that your week is off to a good start!

Have you ever eaten at an all vegan restaurant?
What are your favorite semi-sweet red wines?

Share Good Eats
{ 23 comments… add one }
  • Heather @Fit n Cookies April 6, 2015, 6:26 am
    You can never celebrate your birthday too many times! Love that he experienced some Chipotle, haha. I haven't had it in forever! I have been wanting a Vitamix. I'm not sure if I would use it enough though. Love the gift for Jeremy! Aaron would totally love that. His birthday is coming up so I may have to look into that! Heather @Fit n Cookies recently posted...Easter Weekend 2015My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl April 6, 2015, 7:21 am
      You should definitely make Aaron one! It's a fun and easy gift to put together, and since it is semi-homemade it has a little extra special touch! Also, I think you need to eat Chipotle again soon too ;)
  • Erin @ Her Heartland Soul April 6, 2015, 7:05 am
    What an awesome weekend! If you ever need a wine drinking buddy I'm available! :D I need to go back to Modern Love! Those mac and schews are the best! And I'm so glad you liked Louie's! They have a veggie ratatouille that is incredible!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl April 6, 2015, 7:23 am
      Yes, you may have to teach me all that you know about wine! Louie's was amazing! They have the veggie ratatouille on their online menu, but not on the one in the restaurant so I was confused by that. Luckily, the dinner I chose was absolutely delicious! You'd probably even like it. The fish was very non-fishy ;)
  • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine April 6, 2015, 9:54 am
    A vitamix and good food (and family)...that's one hell of a good SECOND birthday ;)
    • ClnEatingVegGrl April 6, 2015, 12:28 pm
      I think so too!!! I am very lucky :)
  • Dana | fresh simple five April 6, 2015, 12:01 pm
    Looks like a fun weekend; I love when birthday celebrations extend over more than one day (or week!). All of your food looks delicious, but especially the cheese curds! :) Dana | fresh simple five recently posted...Avocado Black Bean Stuffed PitasMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl April 6, 2015, 12:29 pm
      They were SO good!!! I easily could have eaten about 4 more of those containters of them ;)
  • Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health April 6, 2015, 2:13 pm
    What an awesome weekend! I'm so jealous of your Vitamix. I asked for one for Christmas but Santa didn't deliver. :/ Modern Love looked awesome! I love eating out at 100% vegan/vegetarian restaurants but it takes me forever to decide what I want, lol. I'm not used to having a full menu to choose from. Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health recently posted...Morning Glory Breakfast CookiesMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl April 6, 2015, 4:19 pm
      Haha! I totally get what you are saying. Normally there are only 1-2 veg-friendly items if we are lucky. All vegan/vegetarian restaurants challenge us ;)
  • Christine Gallagher April 6, 2015, 4:16 pm
    that peanut butter cheesecake just jumped out and I missed everything else lol Christine Gallagher recently posted...Cinco De Mayo Word SearchMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl April 6, 2015, 4:20 pm
      I can see why! It's so pretty, right? And while I loved everything I hate, I'd have to say that was my favorite thing :)
  • Ashley April 6, 2015, 4:27 pm
    What a fun weekend! I can't wait to hear about that beer cake you put together - that is something my husband would absolutely LOVE! And his birthday is coming up. Totally jealous of your vitamix! And you can so do the wine thing! haha This is coming from a wine girl, but you know :) Ashley recently posted...Grapefruit Buttermilk Waffles with Toasted CoconutMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl April 6, 2015, 4:47 pm
      You should definitely make your husband a beer cake if he is a beer lover. It's a super simple way to get an awesome reaction out of him! And thank you for the confidence on the wine thing... I'm sure going to try ;)
  • Dani @ DaniCaliforniaCooks April 6, 2015, 10:29 pm
    Always appreciate your balance of eating well and enjoying life! Dani @ DaniCaliforniaCooks recently posted...Tuna Salad with Apples, Walnuts, and RaisinsMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl April 7, 2015, 8:49 am
      Thanks Dani! It did not always used to be that way. My diet looked much different two years ago. I still have "guilty days," but I have found that splurging now and then is not a BIG DEAL since it is not an everyday thing. Plus, how enjoyable would life be if I never ate some of my favorite treats? :)
  • Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes April 6, 2015, 11:52 pm
    Sounds like a fun birthday celebration!! Happy belated birthday :) Enjoy that Vitamix - so jealous!! Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes recently posted...Potato, Apple and Chicken Sausage Bake + GIVEAWAY!My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl April 7, 2015, 8:50 am
      Thanks so much Ashley! It was great :)
  • Ginny April 7, 2015, 6:28 am
    Wow, what fantastic food for a fantastic weekend.
    • ClnEatingVegGrl April 7, 2015, 8:51 am
      That is such a great way of putting it! It was truly fantastic every way you look at it :)
  • lisa April 7, 2015, 8:02 am
    Modern Love looks amazing! We may have to try that for our next date night! lisa recently posted...Cherry Coke and Jack ShakeMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl April 7, 2015, 8:52 am
      You absolutely NEED to!! It is SO good!

Leave a Comment

CommentLuv badge