Yoga is one of the most powerful and consistent things in my life right now. It's always there for me when I need it. I practice 5-6 days a week. And the more I do it, the more I love it. I am so grateful for my yoga practice; it has taught me so much about myself and the world around me. It's hardly about the poses and flexibility anymore. In fact, it's actually not about those at all! It's about the breathing, quieting the mind, focusing the concentration, and staying present. Those minutes are my mat are some of the best of the day for me. I savor every moment.

Even if I can't get onto my mat, I can still "practice yoga". One thing I learned during my teacher training at Yogaworks is that you can take yoga anywhere. There are 8 limbs of yoga- including pranayama (breath work), meditation, concentration, and positive duties and observations.

What do I mean by that? What I mean is, even if you can't dedicate a full one hour to class, you can still practice yoga. Whether that be through breath retention, positive thinking, doing something nice for somebody, radiating positive thoughts, teaching peace, or just a few sun salutes on your bedroom floor while you watch TV.

For the days that I do have the time to take a yoga class, I always make sure I'm prepared with a healthy snack to eat immediately after. Normally my yoga classes are 60-90 minutes long, so I'm always looking for a little something to tide me over once class is finished.

Favorite Post-Yoga Snacks

I love for my post-yoga snacks to be plant based, have a little bit of healthy fats in them, and some protein to rebuild muscles. Below are some of my favorite post yoga snack ideas. Some are grab and go, others require just a little bit of preparation.

Kashi GoLean Bars

Most of the time, bars are the most convenient post yoga (or anytime) snack for me. Portable, delicious, and addictive, it's no wonder snack bars are one of the most popular ways to refuel. I always keep one in my car and one in my yoga bag.

However, with so many options on the market, it can be a bit intimidating to know which ones to purchase. You want a bar with some protein, whole ingredients and of course, delicious flavor. Kashi's newest line of GO LEAN bars are one of my favorite bars to bring with me to yoga. They pack a serious nutritional punch with 8g of plant based protein and 4g of fiber. Their bars are also super tasty, satisfying my sweet tooth with this much healthier alternative. I love that you can actually see the ingredients inside Kashi's bars.

With flavor combinations like Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt, Honey Pecan Baklava, and Dark Chocolate Cashew Chia, their flavor combos hit the spot. Kashi uses whole ingredients like cashews, almonds, chocolate, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and peanut butter. They truly make a perfect snack to refuel after vinyasa.

Carrots and Hummus

Carrots are probably my favorite vegetable. I love them 'cause of their taste, obviously. But more than that, I love them because they are super versatile. They go well in everything: roasted veggie salads, curries, soups, steamed in rice bowls, smoothies, juices. I also love 'em for the portability. I always end up grabbing a few carrots from the refrigerator when I'm short of time and need a quick snack. Talk about health in a hurry!

And what would carrots be without their creamy dreamy partner in crime? Hummus is a top choice for savory dips. It's creamy and delicious and full of plant based protein. There's really nothing better than a fresh batch of hummus, warmed from the blender, served with a healthy swig of olive oil atop. This recipe uses za'atar.

Photo by Stephanie Huang of High Stitched Voice

Za'atar Hummus

Ingredients

1 cup sprouted chickpeas
1/2 cup sprouted lentils
3 tbsp tahini
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
juice of 1 organic lemon
zest of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp za'atar (I got mine from Gjusta Bakery in Venica, California)

Instructions

Place your chickpeas, lentils, tahini, salt, lemon juice, half of the zest, and all of the garlic cloves into a high speed blender or a food processor.
Blend until you get clumps, then slowly add your olive oil as you continue to blend. If your blender does not have an opening, simply add the olive oil at this time with the blender off. Blend for another 1-2 minutes or until completely smooth.
Transfer to a bowl. Top with the rest of the zest and 1 tbsp of your favorite za'atar, and more olive oil if you desire.
Serve with carrots, cucumbers, radish, or cauliflower. Add to salads, sandwiches, bowls, or snack plates. Enjoy!

Apple and Peanut Butter

Oh, peanut butter. You are my love, my life, my destiny. I used to have a blog in college called "For the Love of Peanut Butter". Perhaps some of your remember it. I can't remember a day in my adult life that I haven't craved you. Your sweet, salty being is all my body asks for. I simply can't get enough of you!

A monster of an apple/peanut butter sandwich! This can also double as a lunch, or split with a friend if you're recreating this :)

An apple and peanut butter is an amazing snack- the fats from the peanut butter help slow digestion and keep you fuller longer as opposed to an apple all by itself. Lately I've been really into green apples for their lower sugar content and higher levels of antioxidants. Also, their tart flavor is really appealing these days! Variety is the spice of life, as my mother would say.

When choosing a peanut butter, make sure to always choose organic (as opposed to "natural") and check out the ingredient list. If there's added sugar, don't get it! And sometimes they disguise sugar as "palm fruit oil" or "cane juice" so be weary. Also,unless you plan on polishing off your organic peanut butter within a week (and if you do, hey, I won't judge you) then keep that peanut butter in the fridge so it does not spoil. Peanuts are known to grow mold, and can cause all sorts of reactions in our bodies.

That sums up my favorite post yoga snacks. What are some of your favorites?

This post was written in partnership with my friends over at Kashi, but all views and opinions are my own.