It’s Easy Being Green
Sorry, Kermit. But tonight, being green was easy and delicious!
Around 4:30, we hopped in the car and headed up to State College for our hot yoga class. I know that you’re not supposed to eat before a hot yoga class, but I couldn’t help snacking on this bad boy on the ride over:
What’s a car ride without a fun snack?
Actually, truth be told, I’ve had better. This bar was kind of dry, and had a fake icing across the top that I didn’t dig. I love Nature’s Path cereal (I would marry their pumpkin flax granola…for real.), but this bar wasn’t doing it for me.
Our hot yoga class, on the other hand, was delicious! Our instructor was really pushing us to the limits tonight. He even had us attempt headstands, to which I said…ummmmmm, no. Sorry—not there yet (nor do I foresee myself being there at any point in the near (or distant) future). But it was fun to watch from my “table pose,” haha.
After my orange lunch this afternoon, I was ready for a little green, so we headed over to Green Bowl after class—I was starving, despite having eaten that bar just a few hours earlier. Something in hot yoga has been really bringing out the hungry beast in me, which is funny, because I feel like in Seattle, the classes that we took kind of killed my appetite for a few hours afterwards.
Green Bowl was delicious as always:
My bowl contained (deeeeeep breath): broccoli, tofu, green beans, sugar snap peas, spinach, carrots, bok choy mushrooms, edamame, scallions, peanuts, pineapple, garlic, and ginger curry sauce, plus brown rice.
I think I more than made up for my lack of veggies at lunch!
I enjoyed my bowl with some nice orange tea:
And then, it was fortune cookie time. At the end of yoga, our teacher asked us to set a goal or affirmation in our minds that we could work on for the week, and I thought about how I’d like to be more kind-hearted and less judgmental towards others (a bad habit that I have). I can also be kind of *ahem* a gossip…I know, shocking, right? And that’s something that I’d like to work on. So all of this was going on in my mind, along with our teacher telling us to imagine a green burning light behind our heart that opened into an infinite field of nature (huh?).
Check out my fortune:
Touché, fortune cookie. Touché.
After dinner, because eating my weight in stir fry was not enough, we stopped at our beloved Webster’s to pick up a small dessert treat.
You know how there are people who only take a few bites of certain desserts and then push them away, saying that the dessert is too rich?
Yeah, I’m not one of those people. The desserts that most people find “too rich” are the ones that I find myself wishing I could bathe in a vat of.
This “small dessert treat” was kind of like that. It was SUPER gooey, rich, and delicious…almost to the point of making me sick. And yet, I kept eating until it was gone.
Behold the Vegan Almond Chocolate Chip bar:
This is a serious example of how not all “Vegan” food is healthy…I’m sure this bar had the sugar equivalent of a pint of Ben & Jerry’s. Oh well…it sure was delicious!
Well, that’s gonna do it over here, kids. Um, Ella just jumped on our bed and left a delightful skid mark across our white sheets (AWESOME), so we’ll be dealing with that. Fun times, fun times.
Hope your night is as thrilling as ours is turning out to be…but with less dog poop involved.
Night, dear reader!
oh my gosh that vegan bar was SO FOOD PORN!! and what a great dinner too!! i kind of liked that bar-but i think i had a different flavor when i tried it?
Oh Ella! Gotta love the pups. My favorite is when bailey scoots his butt along the rug after going number two.
I’m with you in being more kind-hearted. I was reading Yoga Journal magazine last night and there was this one quote that really stuck with me- “infuse each day, each project, each relationship with intention, focus and humor.” This statement really inspired me to treat everyone I come into contact with with respect and give them the attention they deserve. Which can be difficult, especially when someone cuts you off on your commute. But I’m trying
So first.. your dinner looks out of this world!! I love the pineapple mixed in with the veggies.. sounds like such a great combination!! Was it in some type of sauce?
And i’m sad the bar was no good.. i’ve seen those before but never tried them and I love Nature’s Path.
I agree with you on the headstands.. i completely admire those who can do them but me… not seeing that happening lol
And the dessert thing.. i’m the same. I can go to town on some cheesecake or anything rich. I can’t have just one bite. And that bar looks GOOD!
yep– it was in a pineapple ginger sauce! They have about 30 different sauces that you can choose from– it’s kind of overwhelming!
I am totally not the type that can take a bite of a dessert. I am really all or nothing. I either don’t eat it at all, or I eat the entire thing!
I’m definitely a gossiper. I should really learn to keep it under wraps. I do love the idea of a weekly goal/affirmation.
Oh man! Your dessert looks divine!
Fortune cookies are far too wise sometimes! Hope you get the poop under control!
Hmmm, never tried that bar before, I might need to check it out on the next Whole Foods trip
Don’t worry, your super healthy green bowl cancels out all the unhealthiness of the vegan almond chocolate chip bar!
Oh those fortune cookies know how to tell it like it is
I think I need to go dig out some chocolate after seeing that bar though… wow wow wow.
Anna, I totally agree with you re dessert. It should be sweet and gooey and nutty and decadent, etc., etc., etc.! Otherwise, it should not be called dessert. We picked up a delicious calorie-riddled carrot cupcake at Fox & Obel (Chicago’s answer to Dean and DeLuca) before heading to Shakespeare at the Pier.
We were separated at birth, I feel the EXACT same way: Yeah, I’m not one of those people. The desserts that most people find “too rich” are the ones that I find myself wishing I could bathe in a vat of.
TOTALLY!!!!
Yoga. Glad you had a rockin class. and glad that you knew when to say when. Respecting your limits, esp in poses like headstand..girl, you’ve got this yoga (your yoga, your path) thing down pat. Wish you could come help me explain this to others!
xoxo
Ha ha. Our neighbors think all of the food we share with them is healthy because it is vegan… we have tried explaining to them that vegan = healthy. Ha. I was thinking about writing a post on that
I need to keep working on only saying kind things as well. It’s so hard when people do one thing that makes you mad, not to go off on all the other things that bother you about them!
That green bowl looks to die for…such a veggie dream! I must stop by if I ever go visit friends at State College!
“Yeah, I’m not one of those people. The desserts that most people find “too rich” are the ones that I find myself wishing I could bathe in a vat of.” HAHAHA me too! That vegan bar looks incredible, though. I had a vegan brownie last night that probably had three times as much sugar as yours, so no worries
If you really enjoy it it’s always worth it!
Oh wow, that dinner looks fantastic. Can you please ship some to me???!! I’m so glad you made note that vegan (and vegetarian) does not always equal the epitome of health!!!
I love that orange tea!!
I love that fortune…so true! And Green Bowl looks like a fabulous restaurant!
So funny because I’m never hungry after yoga class! It always makes me super calm and wishing for healthy and clean food. Mostly veggies.
!
That dinner looks awesome though! It’s impossible to eat too many greens
I’m sorry but I had to laugh at that dog story..
Green Bowl looks like a resturaunt that would take all my money all the time if one was near me! YUM! That looked fab! And your dessert…I have no words…just a little drool coming out of my mouth as I think about eating that too! And I agree…go big or go home! I would have eaten the whole thing too!
I want that bar! I’ll take the sugar!
I won a case of those peanut butter nature path thingies. They werent terribly tasty, but at least they’re lowish on sugar.
Dinner looks fantastic! Love all the veggies and that they required a deep breath;)
Thanks for the juice suggestion! I remember reading about your experience and I totally had to hold my nose while I drank my little creation!
Oh dessert- the sweeter the better! Not good unless I feel a hint of nausea!
Your dinner looks faboosh and your dessert is definitely making my tummy growl!
That stirfry looks incredible! And it’s so funny you say the so so remarks about the NP granola bars because I just ordered a case, I LOVE THEM! I’m dying to try a hot yoga class after what everyone keeps saying about them, i’ll have to look in my area. Have a great day!
Have you tried Bikram yoga?
I’m wondering how different it is from hot yoga.
I think it’s the same?!? I’m no expert though!
Hi! Thanks for stopping by my blog! It’s great to find new, fun blogs.
You’re in central PA? I used to go to school at Bucknell — where in PA are you?
I’ve never tried hot yoga before… sounds intimidating! Oh, and just a few bites of a rich dessert? Totally not my style either
I’m in Altoona
I once applied to a summer creative writing seminar at Bucknell…but I was denied 
Where are you now?
Ooh that’s pretty far from Bucknell! PA’s pretty big I guess, even just central PA! haha
I’m from central NJ, went out to PA for undergrad, and am now back home in NJ pursuing my Master’s degree. I quickly learned that central PA is tooootally different from NJ!
Nice to “meet” you, Anna!
The bar does look very delisious…
Oh, Ella! How I miss her!!! Deborah told me about a new cookbook that she got by (I think) the Lee Brothers. Does that ring a bell? She told me about a vegetarian recipe she tried out of it that was awesome – thought I might go to Barnes and Noble and look for it. That green bowl looked so great!!! I would also like to try to make that!
You’ll have to come up here and visit if you want to go to Green Bowl
I haven’t heard of the Lee Brothers, but I’ll try to find what she’s talking about! Our B&N has the vegetarian cookbook that I wanted to get in Seattle but didn’t have room for it in my suitcase (I think it’s called “Clean Food” or something), so I think I”m going to buy it soon…I’ll bring it home with me if I get it this weekend, and we can cook from it next week!