38th Birthday Eats!

I celebrated 38 years around the sun on Tuesday! Since I'm doing Health Made Simple (and it was only the second day of the full mean plan), I tried to stay within its parameters for the first half of the day. The HMS meal planner website allows you move meals around and delete meals you're not eating. I was scheduled to have a blueberry peach smoothie, but who wants a smoothie on their birthday? Instead, I moved last weekend's Whole Grain Pancakes recipe (which I wasn't able to eat since I went out to brunch with friends) to Tuesday. I took the day off work because I don't believe in working on birthdays, so this was a fun treat on a week day.

These were gluten-free and made with almond, oat, and chickpea flour. They were also oil-free and low sugar (with just a teaspoon of maple in the batter). I mixed frozen blueberries into the batter and topped with a peanut butter-maple sauce, fresh strawberries, and banana. Enjoyed while catching up on Game of Thrones!

After breakfast, I went to a lunchtime yoga class at my gym downtown. It's a class I used to always go to when I worked at my old job downtown. But I haven't been able to go since starting at Crosstown Arts since it's too far away for a lunch break class. After yoga, I went home and heated up my leftovers of Hearty Chickpea Pasta Soup. Every day on HMS, the lunch is leftovers of the previous night's dinner.

I deleted my two snacks for the day because I had a late breakfast and knew I'd be snacking on birthday cake later! So about that cake ...

This gorgeous slice of Birthday Cake Oreo Cake was gifted to me at Imagine Vegan Cafe by owner Kristie on Sunday. I knew I wanted to save it for my actual birthday, so I wrapped it and froze it until Tuesday afternoon! It thawed beautifully. I tried to eat the whole thing, but this was essentially two slices, and I just couldn't finish it. I got close though!

At 6 pm, I had plans to meet my friends at Today & Always, the plant-based restaurant at Crosstown Arts (where I work). Even though I took off work that day, I still wanted to hang out there! Ha! I just can't stay away.

I ordered my very favorite menu item — Chicken Fried Tofu. Two thick slabs of tofu are breaded and fried and served atop spicy grits and greens. I'd say half the table ordered this same thing. It's too good not to eat!

After dinner, the group migrated to Art Bar (the bar at Crosstown Arts, which is located across the lobby from Today & Always). There, I had two Old Fashioneds (pictured, my new drink of choice) and a cocktail called Caught in a Maize of Silk & Paradise (gin with homemade cornsilk liqueur).

And here are a couple fun group shots. I LOVE the space in Art Bar so much.