Hot Yoga

Hello 5 followers,



I apologize that I am so slow with updating the blog. I am continuing to be very active and my digestive system is continuing to grow stronger, I am happy to say. I got a deal on Groupon before Christmas for 10 hot yoga classes so I signed up. I have done Bikram yoga before so the experience was not too unfamiliar. I do hot yoga (alternating between power vinyasa and vinyasa) once a week and I feel fantastic after it.

Some health benefits of hot yoga include:
-releasing toxins
-boosting immune system
-weight loss
-toning muscles

For those of you that fear the heat I would really encourage you to just try it once. I probably would never have done it if I hadn't been basically tricked into my first class (my neighbor told me to try hot yoga and said they heat up the room. She of course left out just how high they heat the room up to.)

Of course you should be in pretty good physical health because the room is heated up to 80-105 degrees and I wouldn't want anyone to pass out! Here is a good link to check out before you start: http://yoga.lovetoknow.com/Hot_Yoga


For me personally, I really benefit from the heat because it does release toxins which can help my digestive system.

So if you are thinking of trying it out I suggest during the day you eat food that will digest easily and not sit in the stomach too long, and drink plenty of water. A meal of veggies and quinoa or pasta is good. I eat a regular meal about 4-5 hours before yoga and eat a piece of fruit about 1 1/2-2 hours before.

"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built." Rumi

"In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer." -Albert Camus

"If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete." Jack Kornfield

"When you inhale, you are taking the strength from God. When you exhale, it represents the service that you are giving to the world." B.K.S. Iyengar

Slow Cooker: Pasta Sauce with ground Turkey

Ingredients:
1 jar Rao's Homemade Tomato Basil Sauce (or any tomato sauce with no sugar/vinegar added)
1 lb ground Turkey
1 chopped Leek
5 scallions, chopped
1 cup chopped spinach
1 1/2 tbsp oregano
6 garlic cloves, crushed
Salt and Pepper to taste


Combine ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high about 4-5 hours. Enjoy with Trader Joe's Organic Brown Rice Penne Pasta

Nacho Dip!

Yes even those with digestive problems can enjoy a delicious nacho dip. I just whipped it up so it may need some tweaking. This dip contains no cheese or beans but it still managed to turn out very tasty!

Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
1 tomato
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup shredded chicken, turkey, or beef (whatever you prefer)
1 tbsp lime juice
1/2 6 ounce container 0% Fega greek yogurt

Chop tomato and onion and mix ingredients in a bowl and heat in microwave about 2-3 minutes on high.

Enjoy with Trader Joe's Organic White Corn Tortilla Chips

Breakfast Casserole

I made a breakfast casserole for Christmas this year and I thought I would share it with you.

Ingredients
6 large organic eggs
1 small onion
1 medium sized sweet potato
4 links Bilinski spinach & garlic chicken sausage
1 1/2 cup Almond Breeze (or Silk brand) Vanilla Almond Milk
2 cups chopped spinach
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp coconut oil
4 cloves garlic
1 tbsp coriander
1 tbsp thyme

In a greased casserole dish place peeled and chopped (1 inch cubes) sweet potatos. Layer on top chopped onion and season with oregano, coriander, and thyme. Chop chicken sausage and layer in the dish. In a pan sautee spinach in coconut oil and chopped garlic for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add spinach layer to casserole. In a bowl, mix eggs with almond milk, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mix over casserole, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 400 degrees about 30-40 minutes.

Sweet Potato Leek Soup

Ok I made a delicious soup tonight, thanks to my brother who brought up "potato leek soup" during conversation about leeks and got my brain rolling. I didn't measure anything out so I am going to give you approximations.

Ingredients:
3 small to medium sweet potatos
2 leeks
1 package boneless skinless chicken tenders
1 large yellow onion
1/2 - 1 tbsp salt*
1 tbsb coriander
1 tsp dill
1 tbsp oregano
2 cups almond milk
1/2 brown rice flour
4 cloves garlic
1 tbsp chopped ginger

*your call on how much salt you want

Saute leeks (chop up the light green part in the middle), chopped onions and garlic with olive oil in a sauce pan about 7 minutes. You want to let the flavors out but not overcook it.

Add sweet potatos (peeled, sliced, and cubed) and chicken to the pot. Then add leeks, onion and garlic. Add brown rice flour, almond milk, ginger, spices, and about a cup and a half of water and bring to a boil. Boil about 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Someone told me a trick this weekend "if the potatoes are cooked, the meat is cooked." I lso like to let it simmer a few minutes in the pot before I eat it to let it thicken up a bit.

Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving! Sweet Potato Casserole

What you will need:
4 Large Sweet Potatoes
4 Gala Apples
2 Tbsp Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Nutmeg
1 Cup Almond Milk (Vanilla)
Brown Rice Bread Crumbs
Salt and Pepper to taste

Slice Sweet potatoes and create bottom layer in a greased glass baking dish*. Add layer of apples then sprinkle brown rice bread crumbs over top to create a light coating. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg. Add second layer of sweet potatoes and apples, almond milk, salt and pepper to taste, brown rice bread crumbs, and cinnamon. Cover with foil and bake about 35 minutes at 375 degrees (or until sweet potatoes are soft).

*Baker's and Chef's 100% Canola oil non-stick cooking spray

Happy Thanksgiving! Turkey Stuffing!

This recipe is actually my Mother's. She made delicious Thanksgiving stuffing for me!

What you will need:
1 lb ground turkey browned
1 large onion, chopped
1 bunch celery, diced
1 egg (or egg replacer powder/egg substitute)
Orgran yeast free, gluten free, sugar free, casein free, soy free bread mix*

Mix together in a bowl and stuff turkey then cook. Enjoy!

*Bake bread then slice and toast in the oven. After toasted slice into 1/4 inch cubes.

Energy bars and smoothies

So I decided to try my hand at making energy bars.

What you will need:
2 cups of raw oats (Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats)
2 cups Almond Breeze milk (Vanilla)
1/3 cup Agave nectar (honey would work just as well)
1 tsp salt
3 ripe or overripe bananas
1/3 cup peanut butter (or almond butter)
2 tsp chia seeds
1 tsp cayenne pepper *totally optional

Blend ingredients together until smooth and then spread on a cookie sheet (with cooking spray). Bake for about 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees. Again, I really just use the toothpick test to check if it is done. Also, my oven is old and might be different from yours so keep checking them!

When done, leave 15 minutes to cool then cut them into bars and wrap in wax paper. Place in refrigerator for a few hours then enjoy!

As for the smoothies I used the same ingredients but you will probably have to add more almond milk and ice to the mix.



Energy and persistance alter all things -Benjamin Franklin

Stromboli Pie

Ok so I tried to make stromboli. My only problem is that instead of trying to make the correct shape on a pan I ended up making a pie because I wasn't thinking that If I put my stromboli in a pie pan, it would probably not turn out to be shaped like a stromboli. Nevertheless it was delicious.

I follow the instructions for Orgran Pizza Mix and once it is all mixed together I dust the bottom of a pie pan with brown rice flour then spread half of the dough in the bottom of the pan. Preheat the oven 400 degrees. Then add on top of the first layer of dough:

5 cloves (big) of chopped garlic
dill (1 tsp)
basil, (1 tbsp)
thai basil (1 tbsp)
salt/pepper to taste
Muir Glen Organic Pasta Sauce (1/2 cup or enough to layer the dough)
1/2 cup chopped fresh kale
1 cup chopped zuchinni

Then add second layer of pizza dough on top. Bake at 400 degress for 30-45 minutes or until top is golden (or I always just use the toothpick test!) Enjoy. This turned out really good and it lasted only a few days after making it!



"We are indeed much more than we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are." Adelle Davis

Born to Run

Through these past 3 years of dealing with my yeast problem I have learned that the best thing I can do to help myself is eat healthy, chew my food slowly, and stay active. I find myself becoming a health nut more and more each day most likely because of what I know about food now, and being more in tune to how my body functions.

Speaking of health and fitness I am reading the book "Born To Run" by Christopher McDougall. The book is about ultrarunners, who are runners that run 100 mile races for fun. The book also delves deep into the culture of the Tarahumara, a tribe living hidden in the Copper Canyons. The Tarahumara call themselves "the running people." They eat chia seeds (pinole) to give them energy and run hundreds of miles in sandals. The author also writes about a U.S. ultrarunner that refers to fatigue as "the beast." She says that during long runs she talks the beast away because she knows it is just out to break her down. Even though it may not be in all of us to run 100 mile races on a regular basis, I think we all would be surprised at what we could do if we talked the beast down.

I find myself left wondering why so many of us today don't take care of our bodies. We suffer from physical ailments, stress and anxiety but do not want to eat healthy and exercise. In this day and age, it has been made clear that human beings are meant to be active. What is keeping us from doing it? Tired? Not enought time? Working long hours? It's too hot out? It's too cold out? It's raining? Can't find an activity we enjoy? Sometimes it feels like we have more reasons to not work out.

I find that activities that involve other people, like a team or partners is great because they can be a great motivator. I play on an ultimate frisbee team and I've noticed that when other players become motivated it increases my own motivation even though I am a beginner. It is also nice to have someone cheering you on and being outdoors once in a while couldn't hurt. It's like the Boss always said, "baby we were born to run."


Christine

Avocados

Avocados are probably my new favorite food. I have been putting them in everything. My new favorite quick meal is:

Brown Rice Pasta with Avocado.

Boil Brown Rice Pasta about 8-12 minutes or until tender and drain. Place in bowl and add 1/3 of a cut up avocado. Add about 1 tbsp Olive Oil, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 2 tsp dill, and 2 tsp coriander. Add salt and pepper to taste if desired (I don't always use them). Delicious.

I have also recently tried the same recipe but with brown rice and adding scrambled egg whites to the mix. Also delicious.


A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools. (Spanish proverb).

Dandelion Tea

Dandelion Tea has become one of my best friends. It acts as an herbal detox and helps with water retention. I drink it maybe once or twice a week. I also make sure I'm drinking water all throughout the day everyday. It has been something I've gotten in the habit of doing to stay hydrated and keep my body functioning properly as well as to give my skin a healthy glow.

I just read an article that drinking tea (black, green, herbal) throughout the day might be even more beneficial than water b/c of antioxidants and other health benefits. It is the summer so if you are looking for a cold glass of iced tea then brew a pitcher of your favorite black, green or herbal tea using about 5 tea bags and let it sit in the refridgerator for a few hours. Add mint leaves for a refreshing taste!


"There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way." Thich Nhat Hanh

Pizza!

Not the usual pizza, but it works and is very healthy.

What you need: Orgran pizza/pastry mix. Organic sugar-free tomato sauce (or chopped up tomatos) whatever toppings you choose! I tend to choose from: zucchini, squash, asparagus, red, green, and yellow bell peppers and spinach as staples but you could add chicken (pre-cooked of course) fish or anchovies. Bilinksi's organic chicken sausage is very tasty for a topping!

Follow the instructions on the Orgran pizza mix box. You will need to add olive oil and sometimes I like to add rice milk as well. Once the mix is ready and spread out on a baking sheet add toppings. Bake for about 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees.



*As for an update from me, I have been feeling great these past few weeks. I continue to go to the rock climbing gym about 1-2 X per week and I play on an Ultimate frisbee team about 1-2 X per week. Aside from that I like to do pilates, yoga, african dance class, jogging or bike riding and I'm still looking for new fun activities to engage in. Climbing and frisbee have been my constants and they are two activities that I really enjoy so throughout the week I can vary up the off days and try new things. I was never a fan of just running but now that I don't depend on it as my primary means of exercise I am able to do it more often. I guess it's a mind game with me. The biggest thing that has helped me to become active again was finding sports that are fun for me and not a chore.

I went to see my allergy doctor this week for a check-up. When I walked in the door she said I looked great, which is very encouraging. I talked with her and she said that I may be able to heal and eat yeast again but it is very difficult for adults once they develop an intolerance. So I am accepting that there is a possibility I may have to deal with this for the rest of my life, but if that means I must continue to eat very healthy, go climbing and play ultimate frisbee every week, I think I'm OK with it :)

Mindfulness and Meditation...And Minus the Salt

I am trying out a very low sodium diet. I had been adding salt to most of my meals to enhance the flavor but I think that could be contributing to some of the problems, so I am backing out on my salt intake as much as I can to see if it helps. I have read that the estimated sodium level that we need per day is about 500mg a day (about 1/4 tsp salt or 1/2 cup soup broth) and the average American consumes on average between 2172-4126mg a day. Sodium is necessary for your body to function but too much of it can cause problems. My plan is to use about 1/4 tsp salt a day and keep it to that if I can (realistically some days might be higher than others.) Sodium can be found in many many processed foods. Fortunately, I don't eat too many of those kinds of foods but I still need to be careful.

I have been increasing the amounts of herbs and spices when I cook. My basil, thai basil, chives, and collard greens are still doing well and all I have to do is pick some leaves off when I am cooking and add them into my meal.

On another note, youtube has become one of my best friends recently. I search for "relaxation music" and I've been loving some of the results. I listen to it at work sometimes to relieve stress and calm myself. There is also a Deepak Chopra Guided Meditation that is very helpful.


"in the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you." Deepak Chopra

Getting My Hands in the Earth

I try to eat organic food when I can not only for environmental purposes but I also don't like the idea of having pesticides and other chemicals in my stomach. I think that would just contribute to the problems. I live in an apt so I don't have outdoor garden space but I decided to try to grow some potted plants indoors anyway. Right now I am growing basil, thai basil, chives, and collard greens (plus some non edible plants :) ) I am planning on getting some mint and kale. For myself it is a good idea to try to grow herbs and greens because I use them a lot. I hear fennel is good for settling the stomach so I might try that, too.

I've recently found that being around nature and growing my own plants, herbs, and veggies has been very therapeutic for me as well. My allergy doctor, when I first started seeing her, said, "Food is your medicine." I think the whole process of growing, preparing, and eating my food as well as taking care of the environment is my medicine. Making art when I can also helps relieve the stress.

Note: for the chia seeds and sunflower/flax bread. I had been adding chia seeds to my meals and tried to make my own sunflower/pumpkin seed/flax seed "bread" with agave nectar and olive oil. I did experience stomach pain and bloating, so I think the proper procedure is to start out with small amounts of chia seeds or flax seeds and work your way up.


Food: right now I am enjoying leftovers of a meal I made. I made brown rice pasta, and I sauteed sweet potatoes, green peppers, asparagus, and chopped onions (added turmeric, dill, salt, cayenne pepper, and garlic.) It's pretty tasty.


Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds delight to play with your hair. Kahlil Gibran

Chicken and Quinoa

Tonight I basically just threw together my dinner. In fact, that's how I cook most of the time. So I cut up 3 small green peppers and threw them in a sauce pan with a little salt, garlic and ginger. I covered it and let it sit for a few minutes and then added chicken breasts (always get no added hormones and antibiotics). I cooked it at medium temperature until the chicken was almost cooked all the way through and then added the asparagus and 1 chopped zucchinni and cooked that about 5 more minutes (or until chicken is cooked and asparagus is tender). I topped the dish with chives and served with the quinoa.


Still staying active with climbing and ultimate risbee. I also just got a pair of the Vibram FiveFinger KSO shoes so I am excited to take a run and try them out. I am realizing that a lot of my energy comes from being around nature and in the sun so I'm trying to be more outdoorsy.


"How you imagine the world determines how you live in it." David Suzuki.

Sun-Flax Original

So I was in Whole Foods picking out my Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats that I like to eat for breakfast (with fruit, nuts, and cinnamon and a sprinkle of salt) when I ran across raw organic vegan bread. It is Love Force Sun-Flax Original, you can buy it online (although the price is kind of steep). It's gluten free and the only ingredients are: raw organic sunflower seeds, raw organic flax seeds, raw organic agave nectar, and raw organic celtic sea salt. It's good for a snack or to have along with a light meal like a salad.

My other recent purchase at Whole Foods (or like my brother says, whole paycheck) was Chia seeds. A friend of mine told me that they are super healthy for you and full of all sorts of vitamins and nutrients and that health nuts eat them. I couldn't wrap my head around eating a chia pet? Would a chia pet start to grow in my stomach?

I had baked a casserole of zucchini, squash, asparagus, and onions with quinoa (cooked the quinoa first) and brown rice bread crumbs (can be found at Whole Foods or Wegmans or most health food stores). The spices/herbs I added were oregano, salt, basil, rosemary, and dill. I baked it about 25 minutes on 400. I ate some leftovers for lunch today and sprinkled some chia seeds in it.

Lately I've been feeling pretty good because I've been active. I go rock climbing (my new love) about 2 or 3 times a week and play on an ultimate frisbee team. I'm trying to go running/hiking as much as I can as well. I'm trying to balance the cost of pricey foods that I eat (vegan bread, organic peanut butter, rice milk etc.) with buying fruits and veggies at the truck by my house or going to the produce junction instead of the grocery store.


Happy Friday!


I got troubles oh but not today, cause they're gonna wash away, they're gonna wash away... Joe Purdy

If you are not sick of bloat talk read on...

I work from 8:30am - 5:00pm. I eat lunch around 12, 12:15ish and before working this lifestyle I would get the mid-day bloat beginning at about 3:30/4:00. By 5:00 I was wishing so bad that I could just snap my fingers and my sweatpants would be on because all of a sudden my pants were 2 sizes too small. Since I have been eating differently and staying active I have not had nearly as many problems but I still get the bloating from time to time. Sometimes I think my stomach has been permanently damaged but I don't see myself giving up anytime soon because I am a lot better than I was.

So my new thing: the after lunch walk. A group of ladies and I go for a 15-20 minute walk around the block after lunch. Now I know the excuses "I have too much work to do, I have to make a phone call, I don't have my walking shoes" but this has been a big help for me to cut down on the mid-day bloating.

I have accepted that sometimes my stomach will bloat and sometimes I may not understand why. I am ok with that. My first reaction now is to relax, then figure out what to do to not be in pain and uncomfortable. So yesterday, when I was feeling pain and all pregnanty after work I went for a walk for about 45 minutes. I came home, put the candles on and made dinner. I am reading that cayenne pepper is good for digestion and so I'm trying that out. I put about 2 tsps in a batch of pasta I made last night. Now 2 tsps is not for the faint of heart. My mouth was totally on fire. I followed up with lots of water, an apple and then my nice walk (in perfect 60 degree weather). I have been cooking with cayenne pepper a lot (but not nearly that large of an amount) so if you are not used to spicy foods try out just a sprinkle at first. Sometimes spicy food can irritate the stomach and digestive process (as many of you know) and I think black pepper and chili pepper does it for me so I stay away from that. So far no trouble with the cayenne pepper. Right now I am feeling great! It is only 1:23pm but I have a very good feeling about today.

Namaste everyone! The weather is warm :) At least where I am....

Cinnamon Pancakes

So delicious

Ingredients:
1 c. quinoa flour (or brown rice flour)
1 T baking powder
1 c. rice milk
1 t. Orgran egg replacer powder to 2 tbsp water
1 tbsp cinnamon
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

Mix quinoa flour, baking powder, egg replacer powder, cinnamon and salt in a bowl and mix together and form a well. Slowly add oil, water and milk while mixing. Poor batter on electric skillet, heated to 325F. The size of the pancakes if up to you. Cook one side til golden brown then flip to the other side and cook until golden brown.

Steak, Pasta, and Leeks

Ingredients:
Tinkyada pasta shells
2 medium sweet potatoes
london broil (however big or small you want)
2 leeks
1 cup gourmet or cherry tomatoes
salt
pepper
olive oil
3 cloves garlic

Boil pasta 15 minutes. Chop garlic and cut sweet potatoes in half inch cubes. Put in saucepan with 2 tbsps olive oil and 1/2 cup watercover, and cook over medium heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Put the steak on the grill or I have a grill pan I put on the stovetop, and cook until desired tenderness. I like mine medium rare. It might take about 5 minutes on each side depending on the thickness. Chop and add leeks* to saucepan, cover and cook until sweet potatoes are tender. Half tomatoes and add to saucepan cook about 3 minutes. You should have a little bit of a sauce by now. If it is too watery you can drain some or cook a little longer as long as it doesn't get too mushy.

When everything is ready add it all together. I like to finish it off with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, as I do with everything, but you definitely don't have to if it is a problem. I am enjoying my meal with a bag of Terra Sweets and Beets potato chips which are made of sweet potatoes and beets (I bought them from Whole Foods, Wegman's sells them, too).

*To chop leeks: cut off each end by about 1 inch. Slice vertically down the middle so you have two long halves. Rinse thoroughly. Chop each half not including the white part Although you can throw in for the stock if you want.