Have a Happy, Healthy Birthday, Neopets!

     For most of my pets, a stroll through the Neopian Bazaar necessitates a stop at just about every shop imaginable. My baby pets all want to go to the Toy Shop, and I end up running after my Baby Blumaroo as he tries to chase down everything springy that he cannot find on Roo Island. My Unis both want to go to the Grooming Parlor to buy Mane Conditioner Hoof Polish. My JubJub wants to go to Uni’s Clothing because he loves his Shop Wizard outfit and cannot wait to see if anything new is in stock for him (he is especially fond of socks, shoes, and gloves, which all effectively serve the same purpose for him). My Mallow Grundo likes to go to the Chocolate Factory to see his eatable counterparts, which is a little weird if you ask me, but he is an alien after all. My Usuls want to go to Usuki Land, because of course they do. And my Peophin always leads the charge, tail over hooves, to the Bakery—my pets love the Bakery.

     Well, almost all of my pets love the Bakery.

     Of all my pets, my Pea Chia alone has no taste for the Bakery. And of all my pets, my Pea Chia alone wants to go to Neopian Health Foods.

     Do you have a pet that likes to eat healthy? Up until I got my Pea Chia, I was convinced that the only way to get my pets to eat carrots was to disguise them in cake. But my Pea Chia absolutely loves his fruits and veggies. He has an odd fondness for peas, sort of like my Mallow Grundo with marshmallows without the excuse of being an alien, but who knows what sort of magic those famed Magical Chia Pops contain? I just give him a heaping helping of peas and try to keep my other pets from sneaking their peas onto his plate.

     But on the occasion of Neopets’ 23rd birthday, when most of my pets are busily shoving frosting and sprinkles into their mouths, what am I to do with my fruit-and-veggie-loving Pea Chia who won’t even touch carrot cake? Well, it turns out that healthy food can be fun food too! (Who knew?)

     For anyone who happens to own a fruit or veggie Chia who refuses to eat anything other than the healthiest of foods, allow me to recommend the following healthy, celebratory foods for your consideration this birthday season:

     Affordable Treats

     Berry Topped Frozen Yogurt

     Think we’re too far from summer for you to enjoy a frozen treat—think again and treat yourself to some fro-yo! The berry topping is a bit of a mystery, depending upon the day or the proprietor’s mood (if you want to pick your toppings, you’ll need to pay a little more), but it is guaranteed to be yummy!

     Gooseberry Cupcake

     Have you ever wondered what a gooseberry is? Buy this cupcake and find out! There are gooseberries on top and even gooseberries in the icing, so you’ll find no shortage of gooseberries here. (Note: There is no goose in a gooseberry—vegetarians need not fear.)

     Caramel Baby Cabbage, Chocolate Baby Cabbage, and White Chocolate Baby Cabbage

     With three toppings to try, there is no excuse not to dip a baby cabbage in something sweet! The baby cabbage is boiled to perfection and you can have one slathered in caramel, chocolate, or white chocolate (which isn’t technically chocolate because it doesn’t have cocoa particles, but it does have cocoa butter and is every bit as good in its own way). There is a rumour that you can pay a little extra to have a baby cabbage dipped in all three toppings, but I can neither confirm nor deny that this is the case.

     Mid-Tier Treats

     Baked Apple with Cream and Jam

     What better way to enjoy the taste of fall than with a lovely baked apple? I would recommend the one with cream a jam, as it tastes like an apple scone (without all of those pesky carbohydrates). And you even get to pick which flavour of jam you want!

     Chocolate Stuffed Orange

     You know those chocolate oranges that are sold in stores during the holidays? Well, imagine that instead of chocolate with the flavour and shape of an orange you have a fresh orange stuffed to the brim with chocolate. You lose a little of the orange in the stuffing process, but the end result is well worth it.

     Healthy Apple Cake

     Don’t like carrot cake? Try a fruity alternative to a veggie staple and have a slice of Healthy Apple Cake! My Pea Chia won’t touch carrot cake, but he goes absolutely crazy for this tasty treat. And health is right there in the name!

     Gourmet Treats

     Asparagus Pie

     Think you’ve had enough asparagus—think again! This lovely slice of pie has six layers of tender asparagus, baked to perfection. Asparagus is high in Vitamin E and Vitamin C, so if your pet is low on either, feed them a heaping helping of this pie.

     Broccoli with Sprinkles

     Just when I thought that my Pea Chia would never eat sprinkles, some genius decided to cover a stalk of broccoli with them. The broccoli is totally organic! I am not sure about the sprinkles…

     Luxury Cabbage Cake

     The luxury is right there in the name! Two layers, one for cabbage and one for baby cabbage. You’d think the baby cabbage layer would be the smaller layer on the top, but this cake is all about subverting expectations—including the expectation that cabbage couldn’t make a good cake!

     Carrot Cake

     (Just because my Pea Chia won’t touch carrot cake doesn’t mean that it isn’t worthy of your consideration. He just has a thing about carrot cake.)

     Four Layer Carrot Cake

     Four glorious layers of carrot cake! This cake is so chock-full of carroty goodness that it has full carrots, tops and all, sticking out of each and every layer. The Bakery may have less expensive alternatives, but do those cakes have carrots sticking out of them? I think not.