Good to see new people in class / Facebook Post by an old friend.

My current home studio expanded to a second site that is only 5 (really) minutes from me.   This makes going back and forth much easier  (versus 15 minutes for the original one).  While I like the Karma of the first studio much more and many of the teachers I liked are still in the first studio, it is nice to not have an excuse to drive over if I do not plan on practicing at home.

Over the last week,  there has been 4 people in the three classes I took who were new to Yoga.   For two of them,  it was their first class.   This kind of makes it hard on the teacher (and they tend to hold back on the class is my observation), but it is good to see people getting out and trying.    One woman I saw two days later and she came out of the class (I was going in) smiling and happy.   She said she had a great class.  That is a good sign.   I hope she sticks with it.  

I posted this blog on facebook.  One of the comments was as follows ;

"Looks like so much fun - not! Was considering it but you just put me off it."

There is no doubt that a solid Yoga practice is hard work.    You sweat, you strain, you are uncomfortable,  you are sore the next day.    The results of strength, flexibility, stamina and good feelings are worth it.    Once you are past the first trials of learning about Yoga,  the basic asanas ,  breathing and learning your own strengths and limitations,  it is a wonderful thing.      You do not have to be 100 pounds an an ex gymnast.      You have to be committed to improving yourself as the practice is within yourself.  

Well good day and Namaste.

How Sick can this get.. Pill that increases up to 100X in your stomach.

  I heard this about 5 times on the radio the other day while on a long drive.    It was an ad for a pill that expands up to 100x its size in your stomach.    This way you eat less.    I find this hard to swallow (pun intended) .  Have we  gotten so low that we cannot control our weight without something like this?        Oh well.   Rant for the day over..

Chocolate Peanut Butter - Banana Smoothie ala Leigh Ann (Vegan)

Inspired by one of my Yoga teachers who gave me the base recipe that I tweaked a bit.

1 cup of soy milk
1/4 cup raspberries
1 banana
1 tbs unsweetened cocoa (or hot chocolate mix but then it is not vegan and sweeter)
1 tsp flax seeds
1 tbs  peanut butter  -  either smooth or crunchy.  With crunchy you get nice PB bombs :)


Sort of like a fine wine with great hints of peanut butter.  

The raspberries make it a nice purple color but you do get seeds from them.

Spicy Zucchini and Tomato Curry and Raijta Recipes - Vegetarian and/or Vegan

Spicy from chillies, sweet from raisins, protein from nuts., lots of good veggies..   takes about 30 minutes to prepare.

Raijta  (let sit for 1 hour before eating)

½ Cup of Non Fat Greek Yogurt  (or plain soy yogurt if vegan)

4 inches of cucumber cut into small pieces

¼ of a pepper cut into small Pieces

1 baby carrot sliced very thin

A little cilantro

Mix above with a pinch of salt.  
 

Curry

Use a heavy somewhat deep frying pan 

1 Medium Onion

1 Large Tomato

2 medium zucchinis

1 inch Fresh Ginger or equivalent Powder

2 Cloves Garlic

1 Tsp. – Cumin Seeds

1 Tsp. – Coriander Seeds crushed

1 tsp. – Turmeric   (bright yellow)

1 tsp. -  Mustard Seeds  (tiny black ones) 

5 cloves

1 tsp. – Garam Masala  (red powder that looks smells a bit like cinnamon)

1/4 cup raisins

1/3 cup cashews or peanuts 

Jalapeno or other chili pepper  to suit 

Salt to suit 

1 cup water or veggie stock

Olive Oil

Cut onion and tomato up into small pieces

Mince Garlic, Chili Pepper and Ginger

Cut up  zucchini into quarter then about 1 inch in lengths so they are chunks and not slices

Put oil into pan coating bottom and heat on medium

Add Cumin,  Cloves, Coriander and Mustard. 

When Mustard Starts Popping  add in Onions,  Garlic, Chili and Ginger

Fry until onions are somewhat translucent

Add tomatoes and salt and cook for 3 minutes

Add in zucchini,   water (or stock) and turmeric.   Mix well

Cook until zucchini are almost done

Add in Raisins and Cashews/Peanuts

Cook another 3 minutes

Add in Garam Masala

Service with Basmati Rice and Raijta

Yummy and Quick and Easy Pasta Primavera (Vegan or Vegetarian)

Good for a dinner and a next day lunch for one.   Takes 20 minutes to make.

Lots of protein,  iron, vitamin c,  carbohydrates.   

5 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes
1/2 pound pasta/ spaghetti   (regular or whole wheat or rice if gluten free)
2 tbs of virgin olive oil
2 cups of Broccoli
1 cup raw spinach
1 cup of tomatoes cut up into bite sized pieces  (cherries,  grape,  etc.)
1 cup of tofu cubed
1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds
Grated cheese  (if not vegan)


Cut up tomatoes and broccoli

Add tomatoes to serving bowl along with spinach.

Cut garlic into small pieces
Cook in olive oil until brown in a small frying pan or pot.
Turn off gas and add crushed peppers
Put tofu in and stir but do not cook anymore. 

Boil Pasta Water
Before putting in pasta add broccoli and cook for 20 seconds
Add broccoli on top of spinach and tomatoes

Cook pasta

Add on top of vegetables and wait 2 - 3 minutes to heat up spinach and tomatoes

Add on garlic, oil, flax seeds and tofu  Mix and stir.

Serve with grated cheese like Romano of Parmesan or add salt if not adding cheese.

Serve with a cucumber and pepper salad with balsamic vinegar only (no oil)  to add more vitamin C to the meal.  

Vegetarian and Nutrition. What I worry about.

Some nutritional points  that I think about to make sure I get enough of as I have eliminated eggs, meat and fish and most dairy from my diet.    






If you are taking multivitamins,  make sure they have no animal or fish products if you are really committed to being a vegetarian as some do either have fish oils or gelatin from animal sources.
 
Calcium  Milk and dairy foods are highest in calcium but I think they should be limited or eliminated eventually if you can.  Dark green vegetables, greens,  kale and broccoli, are good plant sources but you have to eat enough. One thing to do is to make sure that you buy Calcium-enriched and fortified products  Things like calcium enriched OJ, cereals, soy milk, Greek yogurt and tofu.

Iron  Just switching to spinach only salads is a very smart move.  Most lettuce  (especially Iceberg) have limited nutritional value.   Beans and peas, lentils, enriched cereals, whole-grain products, dark leafy green vegetables and dried fruit are good sources of iron. Because iron isn't as easily absorbed from plant sources, the recommended intake of iron for vegetarians is almost double that recommended for non-vegetarians.  Juicing your greens makes absorption easier.   I have read that to help  absorb iron, eat foods rich in vitamin C, such as strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage and broccoli, at the same time as you're eating iron-containing foods.  I have also read that cooking in cast iron helps as well.   One thing to note is that the proportion of Iron to calories in meat  is much lower than in vegetables. For example, you would have to eat more than 1700 calories of sirloin steak to get the same amount of iron as found in 100 calories of spinach.




Omega-3 fatty acids  Diets that do not include fish and eggs are generally low in active forms of omega-3 fatty acids. Canola oil, soy oil, walnuts, ground flax seed and soybeans are good sources of essential fatty acids.   I always sprinkle a tablespoon of flax seed on salads and a few other items.   It adds a slightly nutty flavor to salads.

Protein  Dairy products are good sources, and you don't need to eat large amounts to meet your protein needs. You can also get sufficient protein from plant-based foods if you eat a variety of them throughout the day. Plant sources include soy products and meat substitutes (tofu and seitan) , legumes, beans, chick peas, lentils, nuts  , seeds and whole grains.  Avocado is a good source.
Whole grain pastas and breads are good sources.   Quinoa is the new rage grain and it is very high in protein.     Cooking with cashews in a stir fry adds lots of protein as well.

Vitamin B-12 is necessary to produce red blood cells and prevent anemia. This vitamin is found almost exclusively in animal products, so it can be difficult to get enough B-12 on a vegetarian diet. For this reason,  consider vitamin supplements, vitamin-enriched cereals and fortified soy products.

Vitamin D plays an important role in bone health. Vitamin D is added to cow's milk, some brands of soy and rice milk, and some cereals and margarine. If you don't eat enough fortified foods and have limited sun exposure, you may need a vitamin D supplement (one derived from plants)

Perspective and Frustration in Yoga

I took three hot classes in the past few days (plus some at home Yin) with three separate teachers .     Two of the classes involved teachers who were new to me and who were hands on in adjustments  (which is unusual for me and they did ask before the class started if it was OK to do so).    It is interesting to be adjusted in poses that you thought you were doing OK.   I guess the learning there is that nothing can be done perfect and that there is always an adjustment to be made.

Last night I really struggled with balance poses.   My back was tighter than normal and even though I was able to do a tree pose in the office for what seemed like forever  on each side(during a conference call with the speaker phone on it is a great thing to do) ,  I really had a hard time in tree and airplane and was not able to do a half moon at all even with a block.     Balances were just not happening.    It was frustrating in that I  I know that I can do them at other times but my body was just saying to me 
"It's 8PM,  you are hungry,  tired and hot and I am not letting you do this right now" .    This is one of the paradoxes I face in my Yoga practice.   I have always been a competitive person and not being able to do a pose can be frustrating.    I think it happens to us all.    We by nature want to see progression and in Yoga,  progress can be very slow and sometimes you body (because Yoga does tax it to its limits some times) just does not want to do what you would expect it to easily do.   I would not say it is maddening but I think it goes against our thinking that once you can do something,  you can always do it.

If I look at things in perspective and over the last 2+ years of practicing, my  Yoga capabilities  (I am struggling with the words here) has increased and I can easily do poses I never thought possible even one year ago.   What I am trying to say is that Yoga is a practice and a way of life.  It will have its ups and downs but over time,  the ups will far exceed the downs.   I have to stick with it and know that it is my practice,  no one is judging me and what I can do today I may not be able to do tomorrow and visa versa.Who knows,  I may even be able to do side crow some day..

Namaste.