Pre-Run Yoga Warm Up

The weather is doing crazy things right now.  Last week felt like fall, and today feels like high summer without the humidity.  It seems like summer overstays its welcome more and more each year.  Regardless, this is the perfect time of year to go for a run.  It's not too hot, and it's too early to worry about slipping on an icy patch.  Running is the perfect cardio too because the only equipment you really need is a pair of shoes.

This yoga sequence was inspired by all the runners in my life.  Running (I am including sprinting and jogging here too!) can take a toll on your joints, and can cause imbalances and injuries in the body when done improperly.  A good warmup can make all the difference in your run and can prevent common injuries.  Yoga is the perfect way to cross train and complements running perfectly.

Consider this "Part 1."  Part 2 will be a runner's cool down for after your run.  In this workout, we loosen up the body from top to bottom, strengthen the core, and stretch out the hips.  It is appropriate for all levels but feel free free to modify as necessary.  Do this before your run, go run, then do a brief cool down, and you'll have a full and complete workout.

HERE is the workout

Pumpkin Protein Pancakes!

I thought I'd gained five pounds this week.  As soon as there was a below-seventy-degrees day in September, I jumped wholeheartedly into the idea of fall, breaking out the sweaters (way too early) and the pumpkin-spice-everything.  I bought a few cans of pumpkin and got to work experimenting with its autumnal deliciousness, expecting to create dizzyingly beautiful pumpkin creations for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

In reality, most of those experiments were utter failures, and instead of being doled out to family and friends in a frenzy of autumnal good cheer, they went straight to me, and my waistline.  Better than letting it go to waste, right?  Hence why I thought I gained five pounds.  I finally gathered up the courage to weigh myself and it turned out I gained 0.5, not 5.  And, since I'm technically bulking in the gym and have increased my strength gains recently, I'm going to assume that was a half-pound of muscle I gained, and say "go me."  So yeah.

The one thing that came out pretty good was my pumpkin protein pancakes.  Of course, I've already admitted to being obsessed with pancakes so it was pretty hard to fuck them up.  But still.

So I'm going to keep experimenting with pumpkin and hope to come up with some healthy recipes to share here.  Until then, enjoy this recipe for pumpkin protein pancakes.  They are super easy and super healthy and really hit that pumpkin spice craving.  They are made with protein powder, but if you don't have any lying around, I've found that you can get single-serving packets of protein powder at most health food stores.

These pancakes are grain free, high in protein and beta carotene (Vitamin A) and chock-full of trendy superfoods like chia seeds and flax.  They are high in protein and fat and low carb, at least until you add syrup.  Which you totally don't have to do.

Mine might've been high fat because I used waaaay too much butter in the pan too.

Recipe (for 1 person):

1 scoop your choice of protein powder
2 (free range, organic) large eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1 TBSP chia seeds (optional)
dash of cinnamon
dash of nutmeg (or pumpkin pie spice)
milk as needed

Mix the first 7 ingredients, then add the milk little by little until you have a good pancake batter consistency.  Drop into hot greased skillet, and flip when bubbles form.  Serve with real maple syrup, grass-fed butter, and maybe some walnuts.  Perfect fall breakfast!

I'm not going to post the nutrition info here because a lot depends on your choice of protein powder (a lot contain added sweetener and amounts of total protein vary wildly), the kind of milk you use (almond milk has 60 calories per cup, whole cow's milk has 148), and whether you use the chia seeds or butter your skillet.  Suffice it to say, this recipe is great for when you want something sweet and seasonal but don't want the carbs.

Enjoy!  Let me know if there is any fall food you'd like me to try to health-ify and I'll try to do it!

Grain-Free Decadent Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last week I visited a friend in Brooklyn and stumbled into a little health-food store.  Since I hadn't planned on shopping I didn't have a plan and just grabbed some things off the shelf that looked interesting, including some coconut flour, which I've been really curious about trying, and this awesome flax/cocoa/blueberry/strawberry blend.  Seriously, how healthy does that sound??

What did I decide to make with it?  Chocolate chip cookies, of course!  Cookies are something I can make without a recipe out of almost anything, so why not?  It took a few failed tries to get the recipe right, but I think they came out great.  These cookies are in no wise low-calorie.  Sorry.  A cookie is basically a ball of sugar and fat and that's what these are.  However, they are still relatively healthy.  They carry a lower glycemic load than regular cookies, are full of healthy fats (yes, including saturated fat) and antioxidants, and one cookie contains 25% of your DV for fiber.  If you use the flax/cocoa blend, these cookies will contain a hefty dose of iron, B vitamins, magnesium, selenium, and calcium.

Coconut flour is made from the dried, defatted meat of coconuts and is high in fiber and a good source of protein.  It is much lower in carbohydrates than normal flour and is gluten free.  I did my research online and estimates vary wildly about just how much coconut flour should be used to substitute for wheat flour, but the bottom line is that you cannot just substitute coconut flour for wheat in a 1:1 ratio because it doesn't behave like regular flour.  For one thing, coconut flour absorbs a lot of liquid, something which ruined my first two attempts at these cookies.  If you're going to use coconut flour you should up the liquid accordingly.  Another thing is that it tastes like coconut, which can be good or bad depending on your tastes, but to my mind the subtle coconut flavor takes these cookies to the next level.  So good!  Use virgin, unrefined coconut oil for the most health benefits and coconut flavor.

Since I am certainly no expert in cooking with coconut flour, all I can say is what worked for me in this particular recipe.  I tweaked the recipe several times and the end result was delicious.  The other secret ingredient was that flax/cocoa/berry blend.  I must admit I was skeptical of this at first because I really don't like fruit.

What?!

Yes, even though I am a vegetarian and try to eat healthy, I hate fruit.  Of course, that doesn't stop me from eating fruit, because I need my antioxidants, but it helps if it's hidden in a delicious chocolatey powder like this.  Fortunately, a combination of this magical powder with the coconut flour created a workable flour for baking that, as a bonus, tasted like chocolate and coconut (and NOT like berries, thank God.).  If you can't get your hands on this, ground flaxseed makes a perfect substitute.

Lastly, one time when making chocolate chip cookies I made the exact opposite mistake than that of Ruth Wakefield, infamous inventor of the chocolate chip cookie.  According to legend, Ms. Wakefield  intended to make chocolate cookies and had hoped the chocolate chips would melt and permeate the cookies.  They didn't melt and thus the chocolate chip cookie was born.  WELL.  I intended to make chocolate chip cookies once but in a fit of impatience melted the butter I was using, which in turn melted the chocolate chips.  The result was fantastic.  The chocolate chips melted into the batter but still maintained some shape, meaning the resulting cookies were chocolatey in the crumb but also punctuated by misshapen chocolate chips.  I did the same thing when making these cookies and OMG.  So good.  "Is there ganache in this?" "What is that chocolate you used?"  Were some questions I was asked.  You don't have to melt the chocolate like I did, but why wouldn't you?  The chocolate melts into the sponginess of the coconut flour, leaving the finished cookie with a unique crumbly, rich texture.

Yes, they look like meatballs.  They're cookies, I swear!

So here is the recipe.  It is a slightly smaller batch than your typical Tollhouse Cookie recipe and makes about 16 cookies.  These cookies are decadent and chocolatey, but also flourless, gluten free, high in antioxidants, fiber, and MCT oils.

Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup ground flaxseed or flax/cocoa blend
2/3 cup coconut palm sugar
2 large organic, free-range eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 tsp baking soda
optional: shredded coconut or chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Mix the dry ingredients and chocolate chips.  Pop the coconut oil in the microwave (in a microwave-safe cup or bowl please!) for a few seconds until mostly liquid, then quickly incorporate into the dry mix.  The chocolate chips should melt slightly (you don't want it so hot that they liquify entirely).  Finally add the eggs.  Drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for about 12 minutes.  Enjoy!

Nutrition Info for 1 cookie:
calories: 170, protein: 3.3 grams, fat: 11.33 grams (8 grams saturated, 2 grams monounsaturated, 1.3 grams polyunsaturated), carbohydrates: 25 grams (7.5 grams fiber)

Backbend Sequence

When creating a yoga practice, we want to focus on moving the spine in all the ways possible: bending forward, backward, laterally, and twisting.  Today's sequence focuses on back bending, and the good news is that unlike my last few sequences, this one is appropriate for all levels.  I personally love strengthening my lower back, as it's an oft-neglected part of the core that protects the spine.  With that in mind we begin here with some back strengthening backbends, that may seem deceptively simple, before moving on to the more impressive looking backbends that work more on stretching out the front of the body.  With the more stretchy backbends, the key is to lengthen out of the lower back, keeping the spine as long as possible and not compressed.

While I was recording, my cat BooBoo decided that was the perfect time to play with me, so you can hear her a bit in the background.  I don't know what it is about cats and yoga, but they love it!  I like to think they attracted to the calm energy we emit from the mat.  When we first got my cat Roxy she pulled one of these on me.

My cat Monkey is fond of what we call "yoga mat attention." He is a connoisseur of every kind of attention possible: good attention (pets), bad attention (yeah right.  He just gets more pets.), on-top-of-the-refigerator attention, etc.  But his favorite is yoga mat attention.  He won't let me do yoga without first petting him on the mat for at least fifteen minutes.  

Here he is about to get "on the stairs" attention.

BooBoo loves yoga too, but she loves when I work out in general.  I swear she pretends to spar when I put on kickboxing dvds.  When I recorded this she was all over me, and you can hear her knocking things over and trying to knock me over on the recording.  Whoops.  You can also hear planes in the background, which I tried to get rid of but that messed with the audio so in the end I left it in.  

This is the kind of sequence I like to include in my "open level" classes.  Usually in these classes there are at least one or two yogis who add extra vinyasas between each pose as well as one or two yogis who have no idea what the hell the word "vinyasa" even means.  I like teaching those classes.  It's a challenge to try to, well,  challenge everyone.  This backbending sequence is challenging because it requires strength more than flexibility.  It is challenging because it strengthens the posterior muscles, muscles we tend to ignore because we can't see them.  It is challenging because we have to stay completely present in these poses; if your attention wanes your body loses the pose. The deepest bend we attempt is Camel Pose:

HERE is the audio.

Practice this sequence as part of your daily practice or on its own.  And let me know what you think on Twitter and in the comments!

Happy Hips: An Advanced Yoga Sequence

Do you experience tight hips or back pain?  You may simply need to stretch out your hips more.  Add some Pigeon Pose to your life.  This 13 minute sequence is designed to progressively stretch out the legs while opening up the hips and low back.  I created this sequence for people who already have good flexibility in the legs and are familiar with pose terminology.   I will do a sequence for beginners at a later date.

In this sequence, we move from Downward Dog to a split-leg Downward Dog to a high lunge, arms upraisedto a low lunge, to Lizard Pose (Utthan Pristhasana), to Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajkapotasana), to the variation of Pigeon that I call Mermaid Pose to Intense Side Stretch (Parsvottanasana), back to Downward Dog.

I don't do a very good job of explaining the transition between Pigeon and Intense Side Stretch in the audio so let me attempt to rectify that here.  From Pigeon, take the front leg into a low lunge by rolling onto the foot and lifting the knee, tuck the back toes under and push up into a low lunge, lining up the feet, then slowly straighten the legs and square the hips.  You may need to stand up to reposition yourself before folding back over the legs.  In this version the arms are dangling, but if you're feeling adventurous you can try Eagle arms, Yoga Mudra, or reverse-Anjali Mudra.

PLEASE be warmed up before attempting this sequence.  I suggest my 14 Sun Salutations audio or some more yoga before doing this.  Or just do 50 jumping jacks and 20 squats first.  Seriously.  These are pretty intense stretches.  What are we stretching?  Mostly the hamstrings and hip flexors.  Tight hip flexors are extremely common due to a high prevalence of desk jobs and long commutes, and can lead to lumbar compression, resulting in low back pain.  Keeping the hip flexors long and supple can potentially improve your run times, so this sequence is perfect for runners, especially if you have tight hamstrings.  Follow with a few twists and you'll have stretched out the whole core from every angle.

Here is the audio.

LINK

Let me know in the comments what you think, and what my next yoga sequence should be!

Broccoli Slaw Pasta Revisited

This was a revelation that literally woke me up in the middle of the night: while broccoli slaw made kind of meh Italian-style pasta, it would probably be fucking bangin in a Chinese-style pasta-ish dish.    I could add snap peas and broccoli and make an amazing stir fry!  I have really stupid, mundane revelations that keep me up at night.  And it turned out some companies had already thought of this.

So this recipe isn't exactly rocket science.  But once you learn to make a decent stir fry, you can mix it up and add anything.  This is the perfect easy weeknight meal.

When I get Chinese food I usually get vegetable lo mein, or steamed tofu with mixed vegetables if I'm trying to lose weight.  The steamed tofu and vegetable dish that most takeout Chinese places have is absolutely flavorless and akin to eating steamed cardboard but it's low carb.  I've tried in this dish to combine the flavor of a lo mein with the nutrition and lack of carbs in the tofu dish.  It came out fabulous!

This is what I did.
First you heat some garlic in sesame oil and add your cubed tofu.

Then add in the mushrooms and stir fry mix.

Finally, add your secret ingredient.

Seaweed snacks!  They add a great umami element and the perfect amount of salt (especially if you use low-sodium soy sauce).  

This is so good and really reminiscent of Chinese takeout, only you save all that grease and unnecessary carbohydrates.  The seaweed and mushrooms add crucial micronutrients to this easy veggie dish so it is super good for you.

Here's the recipe for 2 people, or 2 to 4 servings:

1/2 package broccoli slaw stir fry mix
4 oz cubed extra firm tofu
1 cup chopped button or baby bella mushrooms
4 sheets of seaweed snacks
1 TBSP sesame oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
soy sauce to taste

Sautee the garlic and tofu for about 4 minutes, then add the other vegetables.  Add soy sauce a little at a time, and stir frequently.  Once the mushrooms and broccoli are cooked to your taste, crumble the seaweed on top.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

Throwback Thursday: Downward Dog

Today's TBT is all about the basics.  It's always good to revisit the classics.  Proper form is essential for Downward Dog, and we use it a lot in yoga.  

Do you have any of these common problems in Downward Dog?  I'm talking about tight shoulders, a rounded back, too much pressure on the wrists?  Check out the video and let me know in the comments if this video helps!

Healthier Nutella Cheesecakes

Guys, listen up.  I know you think you're God's gift to women, but I've got news for you: you're not.  I know what God's gift to women is, and it's Nutella.  Whoever first realized what a great team chocolate and hazelnuts are should have gotten a reward or something.

Now there are plenty of reasons not to eat Nutella.  It is not healthy.  The company lost a lawsuit in 2012 and had to pay out $3 million for false nutrition claims in their advertising.  It also has a rep for being pretty bad for the environment.  Palm oil, the second freaking ingredient listed in Nutella, is hardly sustainable, as rain forests are routinely cleared out to make way for palm plantations.  That said, Nutella has has made a commitment to improve sustainability and make a point on their website that they don't use Indonesian palm oil.  So they are making progress and that should be celebrated.

Plus, this giant jar was a gift!

As soon as I got this bad boy (and after I'd dried my tears of joy) I set about thinking of ways to use it.  I decided to make Nutella cheesecake first, and challenged myself to healthy it up a bit.  The result was this guy:

#nofilter

Look at that cross-section.  So much graham-cracker crust.

Creamy and Nutella-y, you'd never know they were made with fat-free cream cheese and flax seeds.  One contains only 135 calories, has no trans fat, and less sugar than you'd think.  Each one is a full serving of protein, and they're high in calcium and Vitamin A. Since I liked how they came out, I am already planning to adapt the recipe for  pumpkin cheesecake in the fall!  Here is the recipe.  Enjoy!

For the crust:

8 graham crackers, crushed
2 TBSP ground flax seeds (I used a flax and chia blend)
1/3 cup melted butter
1/4 cup coconut palm sugar

For the cheesecake:

1 package fat-free cream cheese
1 small tub fat-free plain Greek yogurt
1 egg yolk
2 TBSP Nutella

To assemble, mix everything for the crust together and press into the bottom of your cupcake liners.  In a separate bowl cream together your cheesecake ingredients.  I did this manually but if you use a hand mixer you'll get a fluffier cheesecake.  Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Nutrition Info in 1 (batch makes 12)

calories: 135, fat: 9 grams (4 grams saturated), protein: 7.5 grams, 11% DV calcium, 13% DV Vitamin A

Sunday Brunch

I have a tradition of meeting with a dear friend once a month for brunch at his place.  He puts out a beautiful spread and we drink champagne and catch up all morning.  It is one of my absolute favorite things.  This month he did not disappoint.  We had cheese and antipasti from Murray's Cheese in New York City.  Murray's was my absolute favorite specialty shop when I lived in the Village so it was a real treat to get to eat their fabulous cheeses again recently.

Look how good that looks!  I walked into the apartment and he had already set up all the accoutrements-bread, New York state local apples, and red grapes.  I very rarely eat bread, so this was a special treat.  But that's the whole point.  When I'm with people I love, carbs don't matter, and that's ok.  When we are laughing and talking and gossiping as we eat, I am not scarfing down a whole loaf of bread (as I might if I tried to go low-carb and failed); I instead eat slowly, savoring every rich flavor and texture.  And this month the flavors and textures were to die for!  So good.

From left, clockwise: American cheddar, herbed chèvre, Fromage d'Affinois, charcuterie (for him!), olives, and Scharfe Maxx

Sunday brunch, for me, is about nourishing body and soul.  Being around someone so special to me, seeing the work he put into making everything so beautiful and pleasing to the eye, and getting to truly relax and be myself is invaluable.  I leave feeling refreshed and happy, and nothing is healthier than that.  I hope you and your loved ones have such beautiful food traditions, and if you don't, I suggest starting with brunch.

Yoga Challenge: 14 Sun Salutations in a Row

Here's a workout for all you advanced yogis out there.  Hopefully you've checked out my last blog post with the basics of Sun Salutations.  This workout assumes that you know how to do a Sun Salutation and are familiar with the English names of foundational poses such as "warrior 1", and the Sanskrit terms "chaturanga" (short for chaturanga dandasana of course) and "vinyasa."  When I say "go through your vinyasa," I mean that you flow quickly between a plank, half pushup (chaturanga), a backbend (upward dog or cobra), and downward dog.  This basic vinyasa is the foundation of this workout and you will do it a lot.

First we do a half Sun Salutation, followed by a full one.  Then we add in some lunges and warrior poses.

You'll go through warrior 1, 2, and 3 here, as well as reverse warrior.

By the end of the workout you'll have worked out your arms, legs, and core.  Not only that, but you're getting a cardio workout, a great stretching/flexibility routine, and you'll work on your balance.  If you combine this with my yoga for core and savasana, you'll have a complete 40 minute yoga class.  

Here is the workout (audio only, link opens in new tab): 14 Sun Salutations

Let me know in the comments if you were able to get through all 14!

Throwback Thursday- Sun Salutations!

Let's learn the basics of the Salute to the Sun, or Surya Namaskarya in Sanskrit.  I recorded these videos in 2010 when I worked at a vibrant yoga studio in Long Branch, NJ which sadly is no longer there.  Check out these videos, then for a challenge move on to my next post, which features 14 Sun Salutations in a row.

Grain-Free Mini Brownie Bites with Cookie Dough Icing

BROWNIES.  COOKIE DOUGH.  OMG.  Not only that, but triple chocolate brownies.  This is a recipe I came up with while stoned at about 2 am last night.  I make no apologies.  For, like the best stoner desserts, this one was fucking epic.  Did I mention that it's also WHEAT FREE/GLUTEN FREE/GRAIN FREE, and can easily be adapted to be dairy free or paleo?  Also, LOOK HOW CUTE THEY ARE!

I came up with these when I was craving chocolate, and luckily I already had several sources of chocolate on hand (stoner, remember?).  The result was TRIPLE CHOCOLATE brownies, made with a chocolate bar, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips.  So.  Much.  Chocolate.   The chocolate bar I had on hand was a Green & Black's 85% cacao.  You can easily replace this with unsweetened baking chocolate, in which case you should increase the sugar to your own tastes.

The recipe I'm posting here is a bit different from what I actually did, since it turns out Sober Me doesn't like her brownies quite so sweet, so I've reduced the amount of sugar.  Regarding sweeteners, I try to avoid regular white sugar, as well as artificial sweeteners like Splenda.  I have to admit though that I am not 100% off of white sugar.  Baking for myself allows me to control the sugar in my sweets, and the sweeteners I've found to work for me include honey, maple syrup, and coconut palm sugar.  I don't really like stevia or agave, but for others they may be appropriate sweetener choices.  Honey, maple, and palm sugar are all carbohydrates, and they have calories, so be aware of that.  Honey, maple syrup, and coconut palm sugars are lower on the glycemic index than regular white sugar, meaning they won't spike your blood sugar as much.  Having even blood sugar is crucial to maintaining or losing weight, since your energy levels will remain steady and you won't experience the insulin spikes that trigger the body to hold onto excess weight.  These sweeteners also contain trace minerals and enzymes that aren't present in regular white sugar.  If you really want a nutritious sweetener, try experimenting with blackstrap molasses.  It contains a hefty dose of iron and calcium, making it a great food for vegans looking to close the nutrient gap.

For this recipe I've used coconut palm sugar.  Its texture and malty flavor make it an excellent substitute for brown sugar.  Since it was 2 am and I didn't want to wake my roommates, I mixed the icing by hand, but had circumstances been different I would've used hand-held beaters.  The icing won't get fluffy enough to justify using a standing mixer, so I recommend a hand-held one.  If you don't eat butter, I recommend replacing the butter with 2 TBSP coconut oil plus 1 tsp butter extract.

Here's the recipe.

For the brownies:
2 eggs
3 oz dark chocolate
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
3 TBSP coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips

For the icing:
1/2 cup cashew butter
1/4 cup organic, grass-fed butter (salted is fine)
3/4 cup coconut palm sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
salt to taste
chocolate chips for topping

To make:

Break the chocolate bar into pieces and microwave until melted.  At 20 seconds, take it out, and stir, repeat for another 20 seconds, until chocolate is melted.  Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, vanilla, salt, and baking powder until frothy.  Slowly incorporate the egg mixture into the melted chocolate, adding a little at a time and stirring well so that the egg doesn't cook in the chocolate.  Once the egg mixture and chocolate are mixed well, mix in the cocoa powder.  The mixture will be thick; add the coconut oil little by little until it achieves the consistency of batter, then add in your chocolate chips.  Fill mini baking cups 2/3 full with the brownie batter, and bake at 350 F for about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, make your icing by beating together the cashew butter and butter.  Add the dry ingredients when the butters are mixed, then set aside.  Since we're dealing with saturated fats, know that if you put this in the refrigerator it may become too hard to spread.

Frost your brownies when they're cool, and top with more chocolate chips.

There are only three because I ate the rest.

SO, the question of course is "are these healthy?"  To be honest, if you ate 100% clean 100% of the time, the only dessert you'd eat would be the occasional piece of fruit.  I know I personally cannot live like that.  I also know that even when I was in the depths of my eating disorder, when I weighed 80 lbs, I still ate dessert every single night.  So it is possible to eat sweets and be thin as long as you don't over do it.  With this recipe, the goal is not a healthy dessert, but rather a healthier one.  By replacing the flour in the brownies with cocoa powder, you save a ton of carbs and calories and get a dose of antioxidants.  With most sweets, you get an insulin spike followed by a sugar crash, causing fatigue and unhealthy cravings.  By using coconut palm sugar rather than table sugar, these brownies will have less of an effect on blood sugar (than normal brownies would), meaning you won't experience that blood sugar roller coaster.  Since we are using real chocolate (and a lot of it), plenty of fat, and real-food sweetener, these brownies satisfy even the strongest chocolate cravings.  I've tried a lot of "fake" desserts, and guess what?  They always leave me wanting more.  Avoid bingeing by allowing yourself to eat REAL food, not the fat-free flavor-free packaged garbage marketed as "diet food."  The ratio of fats here is good too.  They contain mostly saturated and monounsaturated fats and very little polyunsaturated fat (which potentially causes inflammation).

Nutrition Info for 1 mini brownie with icing (recipe makes about 16)

calories: 226, protein: 4g, fat: 8g saturated, 4g monounsaturated, 1g polyunsaturated
2 grams of fiber, about 11% DV for iron

10 Minute Guided Savasana Session for Post-Yoga Bliss

The best part of yoga class is hands-down savasana.  That's where you get to lie down after your workout, completely relax, and just "integrate," allowing that mind-body connection of yoga to settle into your body.  I hope you enjoy this free ten-minute savasana session.  In it, we relax every part of the body, leaving you blissfully chilled out.  You can listen to this after your yoga practice, or use it to drift off to sleep.

The music is Mystical Trance by Anugama, a great track on an album I use often in my yoga classes.

Enjoy (link opens in new tab):
10 Minute Guided Relaxation


And let me know what you think in the comments!

Eat This, Get Glowing Skin

I'm a firm believer in food as medicine.  Hippocrates famously said "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."  Proper nutrition can help prevent cancer, relieve autoimmune diseases, and possibly extend your lifespan.  On the more fun side, did you know that your food choices can also make you beautiful?

As a model, I care a lot about my skin (I probably would care if I wasn't a model, now that I think about it) and try to take care of it from a holistic perspective.  I know that when I drink a lot of alcohol my skin looks dull and my eyes get dark circles, and if I eat a lot of sugar I tend to break out.  If I'm eating a lot of leafy greens, my skin glows.

This is an easy dinner that I like to make at least once a week, particularly the night before a shoot.  Every food on the plate contains nutrients that are known to benefit the skin.  Not only that, but foods that help the skin also tend to be those same food that prevent cancer and inflammation in the body.  So even if vanity is your motivation for eating healthy, you'll still be doing your body a service.

So what are we making already?!  It's a sweet potato with blackened tofu.  The blackened tofu is so good you can serve this dinner to the most ardent meat eater and make a tofu lover out of them.  The secret?

This shit.  This shit right here.

My ex graciously gave me a shaker of this a few weeks ago after a conversation that essentially went like this: "You know what I miss about our time together?  That blackened seasoning from Omaha Steaks you used to get."  Dating a meat-eater had its perks.

Anyway, to make this lovely dinner, start to cook your sweet potato.  Since baking it would take hours, this is what I do instead:  microwave for 5 to 10 minutes depending on the size, then finish it in the toaster oven.  While the sweet potato is cooking, throw some spinach on your plate and arrange it prettily.  

SPINACH:

I used raw spinach here but you might want to try it lightly steamed or sautéed.  Why? Raw spinach contains oxalic acid, which binds with certain essential nutrients, making it harder for your body to absorb them.  If you eat it raw, you will still get plenty of potassium, Vitamin C, and folate.  BUT if you eat it cooked, you will get Vitamin A, iron, calcium, and Vitamin E.  To get the most iron, add a squeeze of lemon juice.  The extra Vitamin C increases the bioavailability of iron.  Spinach is a great beauty food because it is high in the antioxidants you've heard of (Vitamins A, C, and E) but also in flavonoids and carotenoids you may not have heard of.  Vitamin C is essential to the production of collagen, and the zinc and selenium in spinach may help prevent acne.

Split your cooked (or halfway cooked) sweet potato lengthwise and drizzle with some olive or walnut oil.  Or throw some goat cheese on there like I did (because life is too short to not put goat cheese on everything).  Our bodies need fat to absorb many of the nutrients in plants, so always eat your sweet potatoes with some fat.  Top with chopped walnuts.

WALNUTS:

The secret to smooth, supple skin?  Lots of good fats in the diet!  DO NOT BE AFRAID OF FAT!  One of the best vegetarian sources of good fats are walnuts.  Walnuts contain Omega-3 fatty acids (in particular alpha-linolenic acid, skin superstar), which are anti-inflammatory.  Inflammation in the body has been linked to everything from cancer to alzheimer's disease, and it also contributes to acne and wrinkles.  By adding walnuts to your diet you can reduce redness, acne, and dry skin.  Walnuts are a must!

Slice some extra-firm tofu into little squares, thoroughly coat both sides with the blackened seasoning, and throw the tofu and sweet potato together into the toaster oven at 375 F for about 15 minutes.  Turn the tofu halfway through and re-coat with the seasoning.  If you can't get your hands on blackened seasoning, you have my pity.  Replace it maybe with some cayenne?  

TOFU:

First of all, I plan to do a post dedicated to the pros and cons of eating soy in the near future, so I'm not going to get into all that here.  I want to focus instead on tofu's protein and isoflavones.  Protein is absolutely essential to beautiful skin.  Collagen, the framework of the face, is made of protein, and at 10g per half-cup, tofu is an excellent source of protein.  The isoflavones unique to soy are thought to prevent collagen breakdown.  A study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that mice who were fed isoflavones then exposed to ultraviolet light exhibited fewer wrinkles and smoother skin than their non-isoflavone-eating counterparts.  

SWEET POTATOES:

One medium sweet potato contains almost 400% of the DV for Vitamin A in the form of beta carotene.  Beta carotene is what gives sweet potatoes their bright orange color, and eating lots of beta carotene can actually make the skin look mildly tan?  A 2011 study at the University of Nottingham found that volunteers who ate more fruits and vegetables had more carotenoids in their skin, which led to increased pigmentation which was perceived as healthier looking.  I know for a fact that this is true because when I was a baby the only baby food I would eat was carrots, and eventually my nose turned orange!

When your sweet potato and tofu are done, arrange them on top of the spinach.  Serve with half an avocado on the side, and enjoy!

AVOCADOS:

Remember I said fat is the key to healthy skin?  Avocados are one of the best sources of skin-friendly fats, and you should eat them all the time.  They have the much-touted monounsaturated fats, which most people do not get enough of in their diet.  Avocados contain the famous beauty nutrient biotin, as well as Vitamins E, C, and K.  Half a cup of avocado will provide 20% of your daily fiber requirement, making these pretty much the perfect food.  

Eat this, wake up pretty.

This is one of my favorite topics, so expect plenty of "beauty food" posts to come.  Let me know what your favorite beauty foods are in the comments!

Yoga for the Core

I'm a firm believer that strengthening "the core" should involve more than crunches.  Having taken enough Pilates classes, I'm pretty familiar with the concept of the "Powerhouse," which is the various groups of muscles responsible for keeping our bodies upright, and from which other movements should naturally derive.  In other words, when you run, your arms and legs move rapidly, but to have an efficient run your center must remain steady.  The off-centered movements in the limbs is anchored by a strong, solid center.

A strong core helps with more than running, obviously.  Being upright is a requirement of most everyday activities, and being strong in the core can prevent the back pain that often accompanies those activities.  Being strong in the core means more than strengthening the abdominals, but don't get me wrong-having a strong core means having strong abs.  We just also want a strong back, sides, and hips to go with them.  Strong muscles surrounding the spine will keep the spine in it's proper alignment, keeping your back free of pain and your stomach slim and strong.

This intermediate/advanced vinyasa routine will challenge the muscles of the entire center of the body as well as the shoulders.  You will feel this one in your shoulders.  Breathe deeply.  In general, exhale on the exertion and pull your navel in toward the spine as you do so, and inhale on the relaxation, allowing the belly to relax completely with each inhalation.  Think of the belly of a cat here-not tensed but supple and strong.  Do this sequence at the end of your yoga practice, or at least after a few Sun Salutations.  You should be warmed up first.

In this practice we will be moving back and forth between Downward Dog and a plank in several variations.  If you would like even more of a challenge for your core, repeat the sequence once, only when I say to bring the knee to the outside (spider planks), try crossing the knee underneath toward your opposite elbow.  This will challenge the abs from all angles, hitting them extra hard for an extra challenge.  Even if you choose not to repeat it, this sequence will work the core in various ways, moving the spine through a great range of motion.  Unlike crunches, which train the abdominals to pull the spine forward, these exercises will teach the spine to remain stable as the rest of the body moves away from it.

Here you go:

12 minute intermediate Yoga for Core routine

I Tried It: Broccoli slaw pasta

If you've spent as much time on Pinterest as I have (and if you have, it may be time to go outside or something) you will have seen the ubiquitous recipe for broccoli slaw "pasta."  The basic recipe, according to several websites, is just the slaw, 1/4 cup of water, in a skillet for 5-8 minutes.  Then you treat it like pasta, which for me means even more veggies and a fuckton of cheese.  The Pinterest recipe doesn't specify how much slaw to use, and since I was just cooking for myself I certainly wasn't about to use the whole bag.  This created the problem of how much water to use, so I decided instead to cook it in the sauce.  I used store-bought marinara, and way too much of it, which unfortunately watered it down.  Since I need a harmonious blend of textures in my food, I added some "baby bella" organic mushrooms and of course copious amounts of cheese.  It went...ok.


Recipe:

half a bag of broccoli slaw (this is enough for 2 bowls)
five mushrooms, quartered (button, crimini, portabella, your choice)
2 oz shredded mozzarella or smoked mozzarella (smoked tastes sooo much better with mushrooms)
olive oil for the pan (about 1 tsp)
1/3 to 1/2 cup your favorite tomato sauce

Note: Obviously if you eat vegan or paleo leave out the cheese or try it with pesto sauce

Chop the mushrooms into quarters and toss into skillet with olive oil.  Sautee the mushrooms until they release their liquid then add the broccoli slaw.  Let it simmer for a minute until some of the liquid evaporates, then add the sauce.  Simmer everything on low heat for about 5 minutes, then toss in the cheese, stir once, and cover.  Simmer another 3 to 5 minutes, remove the lid, and allow the pasta to cool for a few minutes.  Enjoy!



The reason I say this only went "ok" is that I made the mistake of using too much sauce, and the fact that shredded broccoli and carrots cannot possibly taste like real pasta.  Using too much sauce did mean though that the cheese didn't stick to the pan.  Thought I'd mention that.  Otherwise this is a fantastic low-carb alternative to pasta.  It was a good vehicle for tomato sauce and I bet it would kick ass with a good pesto.  You can omit the mushrooms, but I thought they made a good textural counterpoint to the slaw itself and recommend including them.

10 Minute Yoga: Beginner's Routine for Relaxed Energy

Don't you love that calm energy that you feel after a good yoga class?  You float back to your car, noticing how clear and focused your mind is while your body feels loose and relaxed.  This 10 minute sequence aims to recreate that feeling.  It is appropriate for complete beginners, and can be done first thing in the morning to wake up or in the evening to help you transition to bedtime.  Personally, I'd do this in the mid-afternoon as a pick-me-up.

The link opens to Sound Cloud in a new tab.  The plan is to eventually put these lessons on iTunes, including some full class-length sequences available for purchase.

Enjoy! Beginner's Sequence for Relaxed Energy

Sweet Potato Pancakes with Blueberries

So this is the first of many pancake recipes I have tried lately.  I've been on a pancake kick.  And of course, when I say "recipe," I mean something made up from the ingredients I already have in my fridge.  That's my usual m.o. for cooking; buy healthy ingredients first, figure out what to do with it later.  In this case I had some small sweet potatoes and fresh blueberries.

I made the blueberries into a syrup, but to be honest I cheated.  Instead of boiling them down all the way, I let the blueberries cook for a few minutes, then added a tablespoon of maple syrup and put it on the pancakes as soon as the syrup was heated through.  In the past, I once reduced some blueberries, sugar and balsamic vinegar to the hard-ball stage and made some weird-ass vinegar candy.  Loved it.  Anyway, I did not have the patience to reduce the blueberries so this was the next best thing.  Here is my recipe.

1 small sweet potato
1 small container of Greek yogurt (I used Chobani plain 0%)
1 egg (free range and organic if possible!)
2 TBSP ground flax seeds
pinch of baking powder
pinch of salt
milk (I used plain almond milk) as needed

for the topping:
2 tablespoons of toasted walnuts (optional, but delicious!)
1/2 cup blueberries, rinsed
1 to 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (let me know if someone tries this with agave!)

butter/nonstick spray/oil for the pan

You can also throw in a pinch of cinnamon, turmeric, even black pepper to up the nutrition of these pancakes.  Since we're dealing in approximates here (wtf is a small potato, anyway?) you may need to increase the amount of eggs or flax seeds.  If you need extra egg, use one whole egg and one egg white.

To make:

Poke some holes in the sweet potato with a fork and microwave it for approximately 5 minutes, or until soft.  Cut it lengthwise and scoop the inside into a bowl.  You can discard the skin for the purpose of this recipe, but of course I recommend saving it for stuffed potato skins.  Or compost it.

To the sweet potato insides, add the Greek yogurt first, then the egg (to avoid cooking the egg prematurely), then the next 3 ingredients, then slowly incorporate the milk until the mixture resembles normal pancake batter.  Drop by spoonfuls onto a hot, greased (I used unrefined coconut oil but if I'd had some good butter I'd've used that) griddle.  Usually with pancakes you wait until bubbles form before turning them, but with this recipe I found that it didn't really bubble, so keep checking to make sure the bottom doesn't burn.  Flip them only once; otherwise they get tough.  When the pancakes are done, stack them on a plate and use the skillet to make the sauce.  If you used a real griddle for the pancakes, break out your skillet at this point.

Throw the blueberries right onto the hot skillet, adding some extra coconut oil or butter if you'd like (It seems I'm always looking for ways to add fat to my recipes).  When the blueberries have begun to release their juice, reduce the heat and let them continue to simmer for 2 or 3 minutes, then add the maple syrup.  Immediately pour the mixture over the pancakes, throw some walnuts on top, and enjoy!

Nutrition Info:
Whole batch of pancakes, with walnuts and 2 TBSP maple syrup:
calories: 581, protein 30 grams, fat 25 grams, carbs 85 grams
10 grams of fiber, over 700% of your daily value of vitamin A, about 25% of your daily iron, and a hefty dose of good fats!

Brand New Blog!

This is my inaugural post of what I hope will become an information-packed blog, one that I hope to grow into a community of positive people who share an interest in health, fitness, positivity, yoga, food, and fun.  I want to share my health and fitness journey while providing useful info and links to spread what I know.  Of course, like Socrates and Jon Snow, I know that I know nothing, so I will post only things that work for me, and try to cite sources as accurately as possible.  Also, I write like I talk, and that includes plenty of swear words, so consider yourself warned.

On a personal note, I am on a personal journey that will include plenty of stumbles and missteps along the way.  I intend for this blog to be a positive place, focused on body positivity.  I must admit here though that those are things that I struggle with.  I've dealt with eating disorders and depression for years, and this blog is as much for my own recover as it is to help others.  The idea of photographing my food, of letting people actually know what I eat, terrifies me.  Which of course is why I'm going to do it (and hopefully my food photography will improve).  I am not a guru who can solve all your problems, but we can work through our problems together.

Also, I am a vegetarian.  I do not eat meat but do eat eggs and dairy.  My dietary choices are mostly ethically based; I love animals and don't want to eat them!  That said, I do believe that human beings evolved to eat meat and that meat can absolutely be part of a healthy diet so I don't judge any meat-eaters.  I am privileged to live in such a wealthy civilization as America in 2014, when I can make decisions about my diet based on personal ethics rather than scarcity and what's available.  Since I am posting mostly what I eat on this blog, there won't be too many non-vegetarian recipes, though conceivably one or two could sneak through.

Please know too that while I am a certified yoga teacher, I am not a doctor, licensed personal trainer, or nutritionist.  Any advice given here should be taken as advice, backed up with anecdotal evidence.  I just want to share what works for me.  Enjoy ; )


Melissa