Valentine’s Day Fun!
(I know it’s been a few days since Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, we had a bit of sickness run through our family during V’Day week(end), so the post ended up being postponed. However, I didn’t want to omit it all together, so here it is……)
We don’t do a lot of lovey-dovey stuff in our house around Valentine’s Day. As a couple we have decided that it is more important to show our love for each other on a daily basis, through the little things, rather than spend a lot of money on each other to show our love one day each year. (This is not to say that it is bad to celebrate Valentine’s Day…we have nothing against it…it’s just not our chosen way of showing love to each other.)
However, I (Shannon) have grown to love every holiday just a little bit more since having children. I enjoy doing fun little things with the children around various holidays throughout the year. One of the things I remember my mom doing for me growing up was having a Valentine’s Day tea ready for me when I came home from school. It was such a nice, special surprise, and a way of her showing love to me through something we both enjoyed.
So….last year, I put together a Valentine’s tea for my daughter. And this year, I asked her if she would like to invite 3 friends to join her at our home for a Valentine’s Day Tea Party. (Incidentally, I made enough tea sandwiches and goodies to share at lunch with Chad and our little boy as well.)
I had such fun putting the party together. I planned it for at least a month…putting together the menu, making little trips to the dollar store here and there to put goody bags together for the girls, and then searching Pinterest for ideas for a craft for them to do.
Valentine’s Day Tea Party!
For the food, I prepared two different type of heart-shaped tea sandwiches (cucumber with herbed vegan cream cheese, and sunbutter and raspberry jelly), heart shaped brownies, and a coconut yogurt parfait with strawberries and raspberries and topped with unsweetened coconut shavings.
sandwiches and brownies
parfait
In addition to the food, the girls had a selection of berry teas to choose from: raspberry tea or a mixed berry tea. These teas were differentiated by the color of the heart tag on the tea bag. Raspberry tea had a pink heart tag and mixed berry had a red heart tag. The tags were attached by sewing them to the tea bag.
tea bags with sparkly heart tags
Each girl received a crown and a goody bag filled with stickers, bubbles (the kind used at weddings), a ring pop, and 2 heart-shaped bracelets of varying colors.
goody bags
In my research for the tea party, I came across a fun craft idea for the girls to do after the tea party. Each girl received 2 smooth stones (from my personal collection), along with glue and a variety of colorful glitter with which to decorate their stones.
glitter rock valentines
The end result of the craft and the tea party was a table full of glue and glitter and lots of smiles.
Herbed Cream Cheese and Cucumber Sandwiches
1 pkg Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
dried dill
Spike seasoning
Combine ingredients to taste and spread on pre-cut bread. Add 1-2 thin slices of cucumber for small sandwiches or more slices for larger sandwiches. Serve.
German Chocolate Brownies
- 3/4 cup pitted dates
- 1/2 tsp coconut extract
- 1/16 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder (or raw cacao powder)
- 2 tbsp shredded coconut
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 2 Tbsp non-dairy milk (almond, soy, coconut)
Combine ingredient in food processor and process until well mixed. Press into small square pan and cut into squares or with cookie cutter.
Frosting
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon raw agave or maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons cacao powder
Combine ingredients in bowl and spread on top of brownies. Enjoy!
Our Vegan Life 