The Big E is a huge deal in New England.  All 8 New England states come together for three weeks in September and show off the best they have to offer in agriculture, food, and livestock.  It was a big day for me.  Oh, and it also happened to be my 25th birthday!

After a pretty good 20 minute Vinyasa Flow from yogadownload.com, as well as a 40 minute elliptical training session, I quickly ate a Bagel Thin smeared with Maranatha Dark Chocolate Almond Butter and Apple Butter, as well as a huge Honeycrisp and some pumpkin yogurt (1 tbsp pumpkin mixed with Fage 2% Greek Yogurt).  I was seriously considering having a Cider Donut as they were sitting on my counter, but my stomach wasn’t being nice so I ended up nixing it.

This was perfect, as it kept me full until around 1:30 when we got to the Big E!

I was really only looking for one option for lunch: The chicken pita! There’s a place that does the best ones, but after searching for a few minutes, I couldn’t find it.  Thankfully, there was another place that solely did pitas, so I got an approximate version to what I had enjoyed last year.

I had my pita plain, with chicken, onion, kalamata olives, and lettuce.  Delicious, and filling.  So filling, I didn’t even have room for anything else!

Also it should be known that about ten minutes after finishing this pita, I found the original place from last year! Bummer.

Despite filling up on that pita, I managed to enjoy a handful or two of kettle corn, as well as a few bites of cider doughnut and apple cider.  The apple cider was particularly refreshing in one building that was stiflingly hot!

I was actually pretty proud of myself.  Last year I ate so much at the Big E I got sick.  And it’s so easy to do.  There’s fried butter and fried Jelly Beans, for God’s sake.  However, I wasn’t restricting.  I nibbled when I wanted to, and didn’t overdo it.  Plus, I knew I’d be having a big dinner, so I wanted to save room.  In short, I left the Big E satisfied, but not stuffed to the gills and in pain.

Once I got home, I greeted my mom, who showed me the ‘steroid’ apples she had gotten from my grandmother on her weekend trip to Philadelphia.  This apple was SO big! I need it in my life for tomorrow morning!

After cleaning my room for a little bit (hey, can’t slack on chores just ‘cuz it’s my birthday!) I dug into my dinner: Chinese food.  I know, it’s a little weird that my mom decided to order Chinese food on my birthday, but my brother’s birthday is in a week and that’s when my Dad gets home from a business trip, so we’re having a big double birthday dinner then!

I had a big plate of steamed chicken, steamed and garlic broccoli, a teeny bit of mushu pork w/ pancake, and a bite of pork fried rice.

I must say, I really love Chinese food.  I wish I could have it once a week.

After my sister, her husband, and their baby came over, I enjoyed Shady Glen ice cream! You may remember I reviewed their famous Bernice Burger about a month ago.  Well, now I can say I’ve had their apple pie sundae! I didn’t know you could have the apple pie sundae with any of their ice cream flavors, but I wanted it with Apple Strudel so that’s what I got!

I added the hot fudge sauce.

This was so divine!!! Thick, sweet, with chunks of apple mixed in.  Absolutely delicious and perfect for a birthday dessert.  Sadly, no candles.  But maybe for my brother and I for our joint birthday dinner?

I must confess, the party didn’t stop there.  I also split a Big E Cream Puff with my sister, and enjoyed a few bites of apple crisp as well as a few small cookies.

Now, I’m laying here, tired but content, and trying to raise up the energy finish up this entry.  Today was my first entirely coffee-free day in weeks, so no wonder it’s hard to keep my eyes open!

I hope all of you had a great Sunday.  Did you know it’s National Pancake Day? I had no idea!

Ally