blog #91: Lululemon’s complimentary yoga class

This past weekend I finally made it to a free yoga class at Lululemon on E. 66th and Third Ave. This isn’t just a one-time free class -- it’s offered every weekend, so I encourage anyone who lives near a Lululemon location to check out the schedule at their local store.

What is Lululemon?

Lululemon’s first studio, a store offering athletic apparel, opened in 1998 in Vancouver. There are now more than 100 locations in the U.S., Canada, Australia, China, and more.

Check out their manifesto. 

The Yoga Class

The class was offered inside the clothing store, and the space was neat and tidy. Mats were laid out among the clothing displays. The class was overcrowded (it’s free, after all), but the instructor was great . The class was a level 1 vinyasa class so beginners were welcome as well as more advanced yogis. The instructor did a good job at demonstrating various levels of the poses.  The room was packed with practitioners of all levels from beginners to. There were also a handful of men in attendance. Overall, it was a good experience.

Read more about yoga on Lululemn’s site or check this out

blog # 90 Hummus anyone?

yum!

Every day while in Israel I ate hummus, as it was offered at every meal. I was even served a cup on the plane. A cup?? (That’s a lot of hummus!)

kcal info

I cup= 435 calories

190 calories from fat 

1 tablespoon= 27 calories 

12 calories from fat 

Hummus has to be one of my favorite things to eat. You can eat it with pretty much anything. Of course, Israel had the best hummus that I have ever tasted, so I did some research that I want to share.

You can purchase hummus at most stores, but why not make it at home? Here is an at-home recipe

Although recipes vary, hummus basically consists of chickpeas, olive oil, and tahini paste. Some of my readers may wonder, what is tahini?

Tahini is sesame-seed paste that can either be purchased fresh or hydrated.

There are two types of tahini: light and dark. The light version is said to have a better flavor. 

Although I’ve never tried, I’ve been told that if you are making hummus at home and you don’t have tahini, you can use peanut butter instead. Anyone tried that?

What do you eat with hummus?

I like:

Raw veggies

Pitas

Salads (as a suppliment of the dressing)

I like this brand because there is such a wide variety of flavors like roasted pepper, roasted garlic, plain, spicy, and roasted pine nuts. 

About six months ago I went to the Hummus Kitchen here in NYC which i really liked. Check it out!

Want to learn more? Read up on the hummus blog

blog #89 What do you know about the date fruit in Israel?

I recently returned from my amazing birthright trip to Israel.


Israel is described as having “one of the most dynamic, fascinating -- and delicious -- food scenes in the world.” 

Staple foods:

Hummus

Falafel

Olive oil

Olives

Various cheeses

Kabobs (chicken being a popular choice)

Fresh oranges

Tahini sauce

Israeli salad (cucumbers and tomatoes)

Dried fruits, such as dates

I want to talk about the dates in Israel. The date fruit is a product of a date palm, which is a tree native to northern Africa and the Middle East. A date fruit can be eaten dried or fresh. While fresh dates are offered only seasonality and at special markets, dried dates are available at most markets year-round.

Dates are loaded with fiber as well as oil, calcium, sulfur, iron, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, and magnesium. There are many different types of dates. 

Hadiklaim founded in 1983, is Israel’s largest and most advanced date producer located in Tel Aviv. I had the opportunity to try its brand -- King Solomon’s dates -- and they were the best dates that I have ever tasted in my life.

Check out their company overview 

Hadiklaim has a reputation for delivering the highest quality dates because the geography and location is ideal for optimal date production.

Nutritional Info of Dates

All values are based per 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of dates

A typical date is said to be around 23 calories (read the label)

Carbohydrates - 73.5 g

Total dietary fiber - 7.5 g
Sugars - 66 g

Proteins - 2 g

Total fat - 0.45 g

Minerals:

Calcium - 32 mg

Magnesium - 35 mg

Phosphorus - 40 mg

Potassium - 652 mg

Although a typical date has only 23, calories, different types of dates vary in calories. Dates are a great choice, but in small portions.  

NOT ALL DATES ARE EQUAL!