Mexican Chocolate

If you enjoy celebrating Valentine's Day, it is imperative that you celebrate with chocolate. However, too much chocolate may cause you to feel super full and heavy. Luckily, there IS a way you can eat your chocolate without feeling the guilt and that is exactly how Marshall and I started our Valentine's Day Celebration! Last weekend, we ran a 5k and ate some chocolate in the Hot Chocolate 5k! This race was incredibly fun and the chocolate was darn tasty as well! The only negative aspect of the race was the starting time... 7:30 AM!!!! 

I'm not a morning person, so this whole, have-to-get-up-early-to-run-outside thing was not my favorite. Especially since that Saturday was the ONLY day this year Dallas decided it wanted to have winter. READ: it was around 32 degrees at race time. Early and Cold are NO fun in my book. And combined with the slight fiasco of leaving too late and then getting stuck in traffic only to get to the race at 8:00 am, was a slightly problem. But we layered up, ran the 5k, and consumed our victory chocolate. 

with the victory chocolate

After the race, they had hot chocolate and chocolate fondue complete with a banana, pretzel, marshmallow, rice krispie treat, and apples for dipping items. I'd say it was a perfect Valentine's breakfast!

thanks Cara!

After cleaning up a bit it we were both hungry. When in Texas, Mexican food is a must, so we hopped in the car for a few miles down the road and when to a semi-hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant called Avila's. On my first visit to Dallas, my mom and I ate here and the food was so delicious, I had always wanted to go again! 

This place has been featured on Food Network multiple times and for good reason! The food was fresh and authentic. They consider their food to be "traditional dishes with a homestyle flair!" Marshall and I got a sampling of everything to share.

 We sampled a pork tamale, brisket gordita, a cup of pozole soup, and a simple chicken taco. Homemade Tortillas really are the best things in the world. And the homemade salsa was an excellent accompaniment.

The random plate with spices and a lime were condiments that you put in the Pozole soup. The soup was interesting and full of beans and chickpeas. It wasn't my favorite (but I'm not a soup person). But Marshall thought the soup was the best thing of the entire meal! So if you like soup, you should probably try the Pozole. 

But our day was not over at lunch-time....