Tuesday, March 27, 2007

The Big 2-8

Well, today was my birthday. I thought I'd share some of it with you in the form of photos...



Early this morning, Daiku brought me breakfast in bed: soy yogurt and granola parfaits, bananas, juice, coffee for him, Teecino for me.



Don't these blueberries make the yogurt look like it's smiling? It's a good thing we ate breakfast, too. It's a tradition for Daiku and me to go to the gym together on my birthday, and today I wanted to try a spinning class for the first time. The workout was *wow*. But now, we're in severe pain, including some of our unmentionable spots! In any case, we needed the energy that our breakfast gave us!



It's a spring miracle! I love this time of year so much. My real name, in Farsi, means "spring" so I've always felt a connection to this time. First, the new year, then, my birthday. And, surprises like seeing our flower bulbs peek out for the first time!



I only noticed these a few days ago- in a matter of days, we went from snow and ice to budding flowers. I think as much as I complain about the snow in Syracuse, it is undeniably responsible for bringing on a lush, beautiful spring. (These are the bulbs we planted way back when...)



The cats got to celebrate spring, too! Here they are coming back into the house after their first field trip to the backyard to munch on some grass. They loved it.



Daiku works very late on Tuesdays, and often grabs a late lunch at work. This gives me the perfect excuse to have my kind of dinner on these nights- light and fresh. Tonight's birthday dinner was some potatoes and chard cooked with garlic and red pepper flakes, topped with some truffle oil. Behind it, you can see a simple spring salad. I know it's still not exactly the right time for them, but when I saw vine-ripened tomatoes at the supermarket, I couldn't resist buying some.



I also decided to bake myself a birthday cake- a vegan pound cake!! Pre-veg, Sara Lee pound cakes were my absolute favorites, but I'd never tried my hand at a vegan version until I came upon this recipe. Thanks to Tracy's blog, because this cake was kickass. I let it bake a little too long (60 minutes instead of the suggested 50- I didn't realize it would keep baking a bit even after it came out of the oven.) I also used both vanilla and lemon extract, instead of choosing between the two.



The results were very very good anyway. Here's the cake right after I'd blown out my candle- no way was I going to try and fit (and light) 28 candles on there! I didn't want so many holes in my perfect little pound cake!



To serve it, I made a sauce using frozen mixed berries, lemon juice and zest, a drop of orange juice, and sugar. I finished it off with a dollop of soy yogurt.

All in all, a pretty good day. I received some nice gifts (I'll post about them later) and we are planning on getting out and celebrating some more this weekend. Stay tuned!


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36 comments:

KleoPatra said...

H
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B
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This is a great blog about your day. Very nice. Lookin' forward to hearing about your gifts. I got some really awesome ones a few weeks ago myself, including a VACUUM from my pal Peter. Not the most romantic of presents, but i can't tell you how needed one was!!! :o)

I used to be a HUGE Sara Lee pound cake fan, by the way. Nice that you made one that's animal friendly and a lot healthier. I would LOVE a slice of that... Especially with those toppings. Wow, talk about gorgeous colour there. You really capture it well. I'm drooling, please excuse me, Bazu!

Your kitties are so cute, love the stair climb there as well. Very nice they got to go out and bring in Spring in their own special way! The flowers-to-be are looking gorgeous already!

Your yogurt IS smiling. How cute! Nice that you got in a workout, too. Great tradition, goin' to the gym together w/Daiku. How cool!

May your year ahead be very, very happy, healthy and filled with the best of everything!

Vicki's Vegan Vice said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you, BAZU!!! What a lovely breakfast tray - even the yogurt smiles. :o) Beautiful Spring blossoms & kitties up the steps photos. Yum-ee on your delicious looking poundcake w/berries.

Amey said...

Happy Birthday Bazu!
Sounds like you had a nice day. Wow, 28! Get yourself geared up for Saturn Return! I'm not a big believer in astrology, but I have to say, the age 28-29 has proven to be very important for almost everyone I know.

What a lovely time of year to be born. Spring is the most magical of all seasons. The snow-to-blossoms is such an irrepressible message from mother nature, to shed off our old crud and let something new emerge.

The birthday meals look great, and I'm sure the pound cake tasted especially good after such a hard spinning class! Sorry about the sore unmentionables though! Dang.

I did a 5 1/2 hour yoga workshop tonight, and I anticipate that I will be joining you in the ranks of the very sore tomorrow.

I hope your birthday celebrations continue with great festivity!

Anonymous said...

Hey Happy Birthday!!! Hope your day is filled with great fun and happiness...and to share some more of the birthday fun also visit my blog on Birthday Wishes and enjoy all that i've posted there!!!!

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday! :)

Susan Voisin said...

Happy Birthday, Bazu! 28 is a great age (it's when I went veg). I'm so happy to see that your Spring has finally sprung. I think the contrast between the super-cold must make it even more joyous.

And the pound cake looks delish!

Unknown said...

Happy birthday! The cake looks amazing! Your cats are really cute. I live with a calico, too, but she only gets to go out on my balcony once in a while.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday! Sounds like a nice day. Spring is definitely in the air here too.

Kati said...

Happy Happy Birthday, Bazu! Your pound cake looks delicious and so cute with that single candle. Your yogurt is indeed smiling, too!

I used to go to spinning twice a week way back when, and I loved it. Your unmentionables get less sore with practice (a gel seat doesn't hurt either ;). I wish there was a gym around here that wasn't insanely expensive - for now I have to settle for working out in the basement. :P

Your flowers are so pretty! I can't wait to see what your garden brings in the coming months. Everything has started budding here, too. Upstate NY winters may be long, and spring there is always damp and muddy, but at least everything gets green because of it!

Have fun with your to-be-continued birthday!

madeinalaska said...

Happy birthday! Love pound cake!>. might just have to try that one.
Happy spring as well.
Julee

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday!

Mikaela said...

Happy birthday to you! :D :D :D

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday! I hope you had a wonderful day.

I used to love Sara Lee pound cake too. It makes great petit fours. My family also likes to butter it and lightly toasted in pan and then spread with good jam. I'm going to have to try this pound cake sometime.

Melissa said...

Happy Birthday! Your breakfast sounds so good. I've been wanting to try spinning for some time now, I guess I'll have to look into it soon!

Jenni (aka Vegyogini) said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BAZU!!! It sounds like you had such a lovely day and that you were able to spend it exactly as you wanted. Enjoy the extended celebration this weekend! :-)

Kuntal Joisher said...

hey bazu, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO U!!!!! and hey how r u doing?

Sorry, haven't been in touch since quite some time.. but its coz I did not have your email address..

village mama said...

Tavalodet Mobarak!

Dori said...

Happy Birthday Bazu!

Jen said...

Happy Birthday!!! And Kati's right about the post-spinning pain--after another class or two, you won't even notice it anymore! Are all the seats the same in the gym? Sometimes a few of the bikes have women-friendly seats. I remember my first spinning class... I thought I'd be celebate for the rest of my life!!!

Enjoy the blooming of the spring bulbs... Your kitties sure look like they had a great time outside!

anna/village vegan said...

Happy birthday, bazu!!! It sounds like you had a great day. Your yoghurt was so cute :-) it really was smiling. And the pound cake looked really colorful and YUMMY. Potatoes with truffle oil...I've never tried truffle oil, but that sounds quite decadent.

I love your bulbs. As of yesterday, spring has finally arrived (I think!) in NYC, and it's lovely to see the bulbs starting to bloom.

Well, hope you enjoy the rest of the birthday festivities streched out over the week.

Anna

scottishvegan said...

Happy Birthday!!! Glad you had a nice day! I would never choose to go to a spinning class for my birthday!! I like lazing about on my birthday..but that’s probably cos I am lazy! :) Your birthday meal looks really good…potatoes and greens together are always a winner to me! I love your cake with one candle…very cute! It looks soooo good with the fruit on top.

runswithdog said...

Happy Birthday! The greatest people have March birthdays :-)

Pound cake was one of my favorite things and I haven't had it in 15 years! I could never find a vegan recipe. Man, I can't wait to try it - yours looks delicious.

Also, as far as the spinning goes - I tell new students that it takes about 4 weeks to get used to the seats. If you can hang in there that long, you will have it made. Indoor cycling is great exercise. I love it.

urban vegan said...

Happy, happy b'day Bazu! How wonderful of Daiku to bring you B in B. And what a wonderful gift to see the crocuses budding, vegan yogurt smiling, and kitties content after a romp in the yard.

aTxVegn said...

Sorry I'm a day late, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!! What a wonderful day of food and flowers. The pound cake with berries is a wonderful birthday treat.

Theresa said...

Happy 28, Bazu! That cake looks WONDERFUL!!

MeloMeals said...

Happy belated Birthday! Breakfast in bed is so sweet... and I'm glad you fueled yourself for spinning..

Awesome poundcake.. My son LOVES poundcake.. so I will give that a try..

I hope this year brings you health, prosperity and happiness in all areas of you life.

JENNA said...

happy be-lated birthday!! breakfast in bed! how wonderful! your birthday pound cake looks delicious!!

JENNA

Sally JPA said...

Thank you for sharing your lovely day with us! Happy birthday!

vko said...

Happy Happy Happy Day!

Spring sprung for your birthday- it's all so perfect, the crocus, the nature kitties, the pound cake with gorgeous berry sauce...

Even your yogurt smiles on your birthday. You are blessed and I wish you a Happy Birthday!

Valerie said...

Happy Birthday Bazu! I'll agree with Runswithdogs in that the greatest people have birthdays in March. I turned 28 earlier this month and think that 28 is going to be a great year! Your birthday meals look great, and I am going to have to check out the pound cake recipe.

Teresa said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! It sounds like you had an enjoyable day. I really like the sauce that you concocted to top your pound cake. I have a question- lately I've really wanted to try teecino. What exactly does it taste like? While I don't drink coffee I do like the tast of coffee. I drink lots of tea tho.

Happy Birthday again- Here's to a great year!

-Teresa

Emmy said...

Happy Birthday Bazu!!! Awww, that's so sweet Daiku brought you breakfast in bed.

You went to a spinning class? I love spinning!!! Rob and I even went to our usual 6am spinning class on the day we got married (eloped). Rob thinks spinning is ok but he hates doing "jumps".

The spring photos are wonderful. I'm so glad the snow is finally gone by you. Your dinner sounds so good. I've never used truffle oil before. I just saw some at the Spice House and want to pick some up the next time I go there. What else do you like to use it in/on?

Your birthday pound cake sounds yummy! Glad you had a nice birthday and I'm looking forward to hearing about the presents you got.

Candi said...

Happy Happy Birthday, Bazu!! It looks like you had such a nice and peaceful day!

I love the breakfast in bed you had! :) So healthy and a great way to prepare you for spinning class! Good for you for getting to the gym together and working out!!

Your flowers are so pretty! I bet the kitties had a great time running around them and playing in the yard.

Your cake!! Oooh yum! Did you know that I loved the photo of your cake so much that I am making the same recipe you linked to right now! Yep! My birthday cake to you is baking as I type! Lol! If I don't burn it, I will blog about it. As soon as I saw your photo, I knew I had to have that. I will think of you when we have some tonight and will be sending you some birthday and some "happy spring" thoughts!

Anonymous said...

Your yogurt is so cute.. thanks for share the recipe.
Your flowers are so pretty!

I wish you the best !!
Feliz cumpleaƱos :)

laura k said...

Aww, I'm so sorry I missed your birthday... it sure looks like it was a good one! You lucky girl, getting breakfast in bed! :)

Anonymous said...

Happy (belated) birthday Bazu! I too turn 28 this year. Sounds like you had a lovely birthday and your cake looks delicious. Especially with the berries. Yum! When I was a kid, for my birthday every year (which is in July) I used to always ask for strawberry shortcake. This made all of my other siblings upset because they always wanted "real cake." So your treat is right up my alley.

Spring is also my favorite time of year. I love watching the new growth. I spent hours outside this spring just studying the trees and watching their flowers and leaves grow. We have hundreds of bearded iris' in our garden and they were starting to bloom but unfortunately we have had a cold spell and they're all dying.