You can't be a skinny bitch all the time (I'll get off this topic soon, I promise) so to drive the point home - and because we had several birthdays to celebrate - I got a gorgeous cake from The Cake Gallery in Chattanooga for book club this week.

Too bad it was devoured before I got chance to take a photo....which means you'll have to make do with this stock shot...and imagine in its place a beautiful double-chocolate round covered in chocolate icing and big, playful pink and green polka-dots! Perfect with glasses of champagne...

Fortunately, the "meal" was "balanced" by the fact that in classic book club style, most people arrived with wine (or champagne) and food was otherwise limited to an absolutely addictive quinoa tabouleh (quinoa is pronounced 'keen-wah') from Greenlife Grocery, along with humous, artichoke and crab dips with various baked pita and organic chili-lime corn chips. 

What could possibly be more fitting...
 

Quinoa Tabouleh

Diet Types: Dairy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Ingredients: 1 cup Quinoa 1 1/2 cups water 2 tablespoons freshlife veggie broth powder 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice 2 tablespoons extra virgin oliv oil 1/3 cup scallions, finely sliced with green tops included 2 medium tomatoes, seeded, diced 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped fine 2/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine

Serves: 6

Cooking Time: Under 30 minutes

Instructions:

Rinse Quinoa in fine mesh sieve. Bring water to boil in medium saucepan. Add broth powder and stir. Reduce heat, simmer until liquid is absorbed (about 15 min). Fluff with fork and allow to cool. Combine all remaining ingredients with Quinoa, tossing to blend. Cover; chill several hours or overnight. Allow to warm slightly before serving to liquify the olive oil.