Words to Live By

"Happiness lies not in finding what is missing,
but in finding what is present."

- Tara Brach

Onion Enthusiast.

I've already mentioned how much I love onions. Sometimes I go through phases with food when I just can't get enough of that one seasonal vegetable... For instance, in the past two weeks I've eaten 2 entire onions by myself. Literally. I put them on everything: hummus wraps, in orzo, on veggie burgers, in soup, on homemade pizza... I could go on.

Tonight I made some quinoa with fresh garlic, a bit of olive oil, about a cup of white button and baby bella mushrooms, and of course about 1/2 cup of fresh, mouth-watering, crisp, delectable red onion. Yes, this may sound random. But sometimes the best meals are made of pretty random pairings. Plus, sometimes I just like to throw all of my faves into one dish when I'm cooking for just myself.

As a vegan, quinoa is one of my favorite non-legume sources of protein. Did you know that quinoa has the highest protein content of all grains? True story. If you've never tried quinoa, give it a shot. It's not as scary as it's spelled.

PS Did you know that there is a National Onion Association? As an "onion enthusiast" I was this close to joining their mailing list.

Half Moon Pose

Lately I have really been struggling with Ardha Chandrasana, also known as half moon pose. I've done the pose before. In fact, I used to think I had "mastered" it (as if that's such a thing). But for the past few months I've lost my balance, and out of nowhere I found myself scared to try to balance in the full posture; scared I would fall on my face.

Tonight I found myself struggling yet again to turn out my hip and find balance in my spine and shoulders. I was losing my focus and started holding my breath.

Then, I made my mind up to focus on my breathing, use my standing leg's muscles as a firm base, like the strong base of a tree, and made the decision to let go and trust my body. Before I knew it, I was in the full pose. I just had to make up my mind to focus on the moment, on my breath.

Yoga can be so much more than exercise. Personally, it is a way of life. Tonight I taught myself a lesson that deep down I already knew: Sometimes in life we are scared to let go. We get scared of the possibilities of failure, embarassment, pain, self-judgement. When a moment such as this arises, we can actually change our minds to handle things differently; to focus on our life force --our breath -- and just let go to find strength, clarity, and peace with ourselves.

Semi-healthy sweet treats.

Hard to believe Thanksgiving has come and gone already. I hope you enjoyed the holiday and had the opportunity to spend time with friends and loved ones.

One of my favorite aspects of the yearly Thanksgiving festivities is getting the opportunity to share a new vegan/vegetarian recipe with the non-vegan people in my life. Usually, all of the "big ticket meal items" are taken care of by others, and I end up offering to take dessert. This year was no exception.

I learned that there would already be other desserts at dinner. Instead of getting fancy and rather than giving everyone the option of having a sugar overload, I made cupcakes. Simple, delish and small portioned. I'm a fan of Vegetarian Times, and their awesome online compilation of recipes. I am not keen on sweets (especially chocolate), but did enjoy this dessert.

Rather than eggs and milk, this cupcake recipe called for a whole avocado, which kept the cupcakes moist and replaced the saturated fat that eggs, excessive oil, and milk would bring to the table. (Also, I only added a tablespoon of oil, rather than 1/3 of a cup. You could probably use apple sauce or another substitute for the oil enirely.) Yes, the batter looked strange (green), but in the end I couldn't taste the avocado, the color was normal, and no one could tell they weren't made with dairy.

Glazed Chocolate-Avocado Cupcakes

Ingredient List
Makes 12 Cupcakes Cupcakes
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
1 avocado, pitted and peeled
1 cup pure maple syrup
¾ cup plain soymilk
¹⁄3 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract Glaze
¼ block soft silken tofu (from 14-oz. container), drained and patted dry
3 Tbs. pure maple syrup
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¹⁄8 tsp. salt
4 oz. semisweet vegan chocolate, melted

Directions

1. To make Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Purée avocado in food processor until smooth. Add maple syrup, soymilk, oil, and vanilla, and blend until creamy. Whisk avocado mixture into flour mixture.

2. Spoon batter into prepared cupcake cups. Bake 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out with some crumbs attached. Cool.

3. To make Glaze: Blend tofu, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in food processor until smooth. Add chocolate to tofu mixture and blend until smooth. Transfer to bowl. Dip tops of Cupcakes into Glaze, pulling straight up from Glaze to form peaks.

Nutritional Information (*Healthier than regular cupcakes, but still not health food!)
Per : Calories: 287, Protein: 4g, Total fat: 12.5g, Saturated fat: 3g, Carbs: 44g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 304mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugars: 24g

Words to Live By

"We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world. "

- The Buddha

Words to Live By

"Let me respectfully remind you,
Life and Death are of Supreme Importance.
Time swiftly passes by and opportunity is lost.
Let us strive to awaken, Awaken.
Take heed, do not squander your life."

- chant of the jukido (time keeper) at the evening zazen

Focusing on Food

It's easy to completely undo any hard workouts or dieting done during the first 10 months of the year during the winter holidays, in a span of 60 days. We make excuses about why we should have that third piece of pie or eat an astonishing amount of food in one sitting. It's easy to do, too, with so much great food and fun. I can't say I haven't been there before myself.

I received an appropriately timed email from Yoga Journal today (best newsletters ever!), and loved the daily insight so much, I just had to share it with you, too. Well, in case you're interested.

"Have you ever heard the saying: 'Calories don't count when you're with friends.'? While that might be a wonderful reminder to let loose and have fun while you're visiting with old friends, unfortunately, the calories, fat, and sugar you take in during that time count just the same as your lonely digressions.

A little indulgence is natural at friendly gatherings and holiday parties. But get carried away and you'll end up bloated, tired, and bummed out. According to Ayurvedic principles, there's a physiological reason for this: When you eat in moderation, your body and mind are happy. But when you eat too much, you overwhelm your agni (the digestive fire), creating chaos in your belly and inviting unpleasant imbalances such as gas, weight gain, and depression.

The key to making sure you're not eating too much in the company of friends—or anywhere else you may be easily distracted—is to bring your awareness back to the task at hand, your food. As a rule of thumb, anytime you're ready to sit down to eat, remove yourself from distractions. Turn off the television, step away from your computer, hang up the phone, or step away from your friends so you can really focus on what you're taking into your body. That way you'll be able to savor the flavors and you'll be able to tell when you've had enough. When you're done, you can re-join the party feeling nourished, but not weighed down."

Thanks to Yoga Journal for the great insight! For more fabulous articles, tips, insight, and information about yoga, be sure to visit www.YogaJournal.com. It's addictive. You have been warned!

Take a deep breath.

One of my favorite yoga teachers at North Main Yoga said this past summer in class, "Choose to breathe deeply." This simple statement has resonated with me every single day since he said it. If you really think about it, the breath is involuntary. Did you know that of all of the muscles in our body, the diaphragm is the only muscle that moves involuntarily throughout the day? The breath is a constant motion in our bodies that happens without our control. Without the breath, there would be no life.

People say all the time, "Just take a deep breath." These people may intend to say, "chill out," but in actuality when we are stressed, having a bad day, feeling angry, or even tired, taking a deep breath really does make a difference. When negative feelings arise, instead of lashing out or reacting poorly to the situation, focus on your breath. Face what you are feeling, let it go, and move on.

Some times you feel like a nut..

As a vegan, my main source of protein comes from legumes (beans) and nuts/seeds. Almonds tend to be the nut I eat the most of, and definitely my favorite tasting nut.


What makes almonds so great?

• Almonds can be ground and turned into flour, which is great for baking and use in all kinds of recipes. Since almonds are not full of carbohydrates, almond flower is safe for people with a gluten intolerance.
• Almonds are a great source of Vitamin E.
• Research has suggested that almonds help raise HDL (healthy) cholesterol levels, and lower LDL (lousy/bad) cholesterol levels.
• Almonds are low in saturated fat, which makes them a much healthier snack than not-so-nutritious vending machine snacks. Grab a handful of almonds before you head to work for the day, or keep a jar in your desk. Just be sure you don't eat the entire container in one sitting!
• One ounce of almonds (not very much!) contains 12% of your daily protein allowance.
• One ounce of almonds contains as much calcium as 1/4 cup of milk. Even more evidence that dairy products don't have to be your one and only source of calcium.
• Almonds are also a great source of folic acid.

PS Did you know that almonds come from beautiful, pink flowering trees? True story. -->

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been an avid supporter of our environment. Fortunately I realized at an early age that “saving the planet” starts with me.

Recycling is so easy to do and really takes little effort these days. Some trash collecting companies even offer free recycling bins to customers who live within city limits. If you’re overwhelmed by the thought of recycling paper, plastic, glass, electronics, and aluminum, then start small with only one type of recycling. For instance, use a cardboard box or inexpensive trash can solely for paper items. If you don’t have the option to recycle from home, pick one or two days per month to visit a local recycling center while you’re running errands on the weekend. To find a recycling center near you, visit Earth911.com (one of my favorite websites, which also sends out fantastic weekly newsletters).

If you’re still skeptical about recycling, here are a few great reasons to make a little extra effort to hold on to that plastic bottle until you find a recycling container, rather than chunking it into the trash because it’s what is convenient in that moment.

Top 10 Reasons to Recycle

1. Good For Our Economy. American companies rely on recycling programs to provide the raw materials they need to make new products.

2. Creates Jobs. Recycling in the U.S. is a $236 billion a year industry. More than 56,000 recycling and reuse enterprises employ 1.1 million workers nationwide.

3. Reduces Waste. The average American discards seven and a half pounds of garbage every day. Most of this garbage goes into to landfills, where it's compacted and buried.

4. Good For The Environment. Recycling requires far less energy, uses fewer natural resources, and keeps waste from piling up in landfills.

5. Saves Energy. Recycling offers significant energy savings over manufacturing with virgin materials. (Manufacturing with recycled aluminum cans uses 95% less energy.)

6. Preserves Landfill Space. No one wants to live next door to a landfill. Recycling preserves existing landfill space.

7. Prevents Global Warming. In 2000, recycling of solid waste prevented the release of 32.9 million metric tons of carbon equivalent (MMTCE, the unit of measure for greenhouse gases) into the air.

8. Reduces Water Pollution. Making goods from recycled materials generates far less water pollution than manufacturing from virgin materials.

9. Protects Wildlife. Using recycled materials reduces the need to damage forests, wetlands, rivers and other places essential to wildlife.

10. Creates New Demand. Recycling and buying recycled products creates demand for more recycled products, decreasing waste and helping our economy.

Thanks to the National Recycling Coalition for the great facts.

Ginger: More than a garnish.

Pickled ginger has gained popularity over the years due to the little pink pile of it that's placed next to sushi rolls. But did you know that ginger can actually cure nausea? And it's also medicinal for those with other digestive problems and arthritis?

Ginger supports a healthy cardiovascular system by making platelets less sticky which in turn reduces circulatory problems. When turned into oil form, ginger oil used for massage can help relieve painful arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Ginger is also often included in many herbal decongestants and can help to minimize the symptoms of respiratory conditions, colds and allergies.

Personally, I feel really safe having ginger to cure nausea if I'm taking a medication that makes me sick to my stomach. Since ginger is a root/herb, it has no known drug interactions. (However, please do not take this statement as medical advice. Before using ginger consistently as part of your dietary plan, please consult your physician. EveryBODY is different. Also, those with gallstones should consult their physician before consuming ginger, as ginger increases bile flow.)

If you've never cooked with fresh ginger, it's actually quite simple. You can slice it, grate it, dice it, or put it in a spice pack to remove from recipes if you don't want whole pieces of ginger in your recipes. In addition to being great for you nutritionally, ginger is a unique and tasty addition to many recipes.

Delish.

I look forward to the day that I can visit Kripalu, a yoga & health center in Western Massachusetts. They offer so many great classes, retreats, and teacher trainings, plus the center is settled on a beautiful landscape in an area I've always wanted to travel to.

Kripalu's website also offers great recipes. Some recipes use seasonal produce, but all are healthy and use fresh, light, and nutritious ingredients. Perfect for the yoga lifestyle. I found this one last night and can't wait to make it this weekend. It's a perfect balance of carbs (quinoa is a grain [pictured right], but is also very high in protein), healthy fat (from the avocado and pumpkin seeds), and protein (from the pumkin seeds and quinoa). Also, did you know that a red bell pepper has more Vitamin C than an orange? True story.

Quinoa Avocado Salad
by Chef Deb Howard (Kripalu)

Serves four.
Prep time: 25 minutes, plus cooling time.

1 cup quinoa
1¾ cup water
½ cup red pepper, diced
2 scallions
¼ cup roasted pumpkin seeds
¼ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 fresh ripe avocado
Optional add-ins: organic raw cheddar cheese, cooked black beans, roasted asparagus

Rinse quinoa and drain. Place in a saucepan and cover with measured water. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let remain covered for another 10 minutes until all water is absorbed. Remove and fluff with fork onto a tray to cool. When quinoa is cool, add peppers, scallions, and roasted pumpkin seeds. Combine olive oil, water, lime juice, and salt. Toss with quinoa. Garnish with fresh, sliced avocado and any of the other add-ins.

All right so far.

"The optimist fell ten stories.
At each window bar,
he shouted to his friends:
'All right so far.'

‘Twixt optimist and pessimist
the difference is droll.

The optimist sees the doughnut
the pessimist sees the hole."

- Author unknown

Here comes the sun..

It's important to keep tabs on suspicious moles, especially if you have a lot of exposure to the sun. Of course, we should all visit our dermatologists, but a great way to keep an eye on moles/freckles yourself is to remember your ABC's.

Asymmetry
Border
Color
Diameter
Elevation

A - Asymmetry can be assessed by comparing one half of the growth to the other half to determine if the halves are equal in size. Unequal or asymmetric moles are suspicious.

B - If the mole's border is irregular, notched, scalloped, or indistinct, for certain people it is more likely to be cancerous (or precancerous) and is thus suspicious.

C - Variation of color (e.g., more than one color or shade) within a mole is a suspicious finding. Different shades of browns, blues, reds, whites, and blacks are all concerning.

D - Any mole that has a diameter larger than a pencil's eraser in size (> 6 mm) should be considered suspicious.

E - If a mole is elevated, or raised from of the skin, in some cases (not always) it could be considered suspicious.

Of course, sunscreen is also very important for our skin, even in the winter time and when we're not in direct sunlight. Many face and body lotions that are made for everyday use now include sunscreen, too. Clinique (my fave; smells clean and is very light) and Neutrogena have some great options for all skin types.

We care for and monitor with doctor's visits our eyes, liver, stomach, and hearts. Don't forget that your skin is your body's largest organ. And even though it regenerates, make it a priority to take care of it!

Keep Your Knees at 90 Degrees

When I played sports as a kid, wall sits were pure torture to me. Some days I still have a love-hate relationship with the exercise, but have grown to appreciate this strength-building work out. What I love most about wall sits is how much your entire lower body and abdominals are worked. Plus, you can do this work out any time of the day, in (mostly) all kinds of outfits, wherever a wall is available. If you have low-back or knee issues, this exercise is not recommended for you.

Never done a wall sit? In bare feet or athletic shoes, stand with your back straight against a wall. Slide your back down the wall until your knees are at a 90 degree angle. Keep your abs tight, like you're trying to pull your belly button to reach the wall behind you. Sink as low as possible, but not so far that your rear is lower than your knees, to avoid injury. Engage your thighs to hold yourself strong and try to stay for a full minute in this position.

Once you can stay in the wall sit position for a full minute without having to stand up, try to push yourself to staying for a minute and a half, then 2 minutes, and so on.

For an even tougher workout, try lifting your heels off of the ground while in the wall sit position. This will engage your calves more, and you'll even feel your thighs working harder for you.

I find myself doing wall sits while I brush my teeth, watch TV, wait for water to boil in the kitchen, or even for a few minutes at the office if I need a quick head break. What a great exercise that is effective, easy to do, and requires little time & no special equipment! Take a minute or two out of your day to give it a try for yourself.

Hot Hot Heat

A friend's blog encouraged me to try hot yoga, something I always meant to give a shot but never got around to. A little over a month ago I finally went to my first class, and left with a new high that I didn't get from regular (non-hot) yoga.

I was skeptical at first, having heard and read negative and cynical professional opinions about hot yoga. There are some good points: You shouldn't practice hot yoga if you have hypertension (high blood pressure), strained muscles (to keep from furthering the injury or pushing yourself more than you should), if you're dehydrated, if you're pregnant, etc. All things considered, I can't get enough.

The benefits of practicing hot yoga?

• Your cardiovascular system gets a thorough workout.
• Your muscles and connective tissue become more elastic and allow for greater flexibility with less chance of injury and improved resolution of injury Your muscles and connective tissue become more elastic and allow for greater flexibility with less chance of injury and improved resolution of injury.
• Sweating promotes detoxification and elimination through the skin - which is the body's largest eliminating organ.
• Just as when your body raises its temperature to fight infection, the raised temperature in the room will assist in improving T-cell function and the proper functioning of your immune system.
• Your body burns fat more effectively, fat may be redistributed and burned as energy during the class.

(Thanks to the Bikram yoga -founder of hot yoga in America- website for the facts.)

Yes, I still practice in the privacy of my home with no space heaters or humidifiers, and love my practice all the same. But there's something about practicing yoga in a 90 degree room, sweating more than I knew I could, pushing myself to my edge, staying focused on my breath rather than the heat...I absolutely love it.

If you try hot yoga for yourself, remember to give yourself about a week to acclamate to the heat. Always take a towel with you, and clean your mat after each class to ward off germs and bacteria. Stay hydrated! Water is so important to your body, especially when practicing hot yoga.

I'd be willing to bet the professionals who don't condone hot yoga have never tried it for themselves.

Words to Live By

"It is far more useful to be aware of a single shortcoming in ourselves than it is to be aware of a thousand in somebody else. For when the fault is our own, we are in a position to correct it."

- HH The Dalai Lama, Ethics for the New Millennium

Vitamin C

I've heard countless numbers of people pushing the importance of eating cheese and drinking milk when talking about vitamin C. Yes, it's important to have vitamin C in your diet, and yes, cheese and milk both contain vitamin C. But did you know that many fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C, too?

Vitamin C should definitely be an essential part of one's diet. It's an antioxidant, is important for helping your body absorb iron, and assists in warding off colds (among other benefits).

Before rationalizing how good a big, cheesy pizza is for iron absorption, keep these fruits and veggies in mind as other sources of vitamin C:

• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cantaloupe
• Cauliflower
• Citrus fruits (and their juices), such as grapefruits, lemons, and oranges
• Green and red bell peppers
• Honeydew
• Kiwi
• Papaya
• Potatoes
• Strawberries
• Avocado
• Raspberries
• Watermelon
• Grapes
• Tomatoes

Of course, multivitamins are another good-ole reliable, but try for yourself to get all the essential nutrients your body needs from your diet, and not pills alone.

Thanks to Being Vegetarian for Dummies for the list of vitamin C-rich foods.

Great thinking.

Did you know that some of the world's greatest thinkers of all time were vegetarians?

• Charles Darwin

• Thomas Edison
• Albert Einstein
• Ben Franklin
• Mahatma Gandhi
• Sir Isaac Newton
• Plato

"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." - Albert Einstein

Think they were on to something?

Write before you bite.

I have never been a fan of food journals. I always thought people who kept them regularly were obsessed with their diet and knew I never wanted to fully commit to having one myself, for the sheer fact of annoyance.

I couldn't have been more wrong. This past summer I participated in a boot camp that required its participants to keep a food journal. At first, I was highly aggravated at the thought of having to write down every single thing I put into my body, including the nutritional facts, and add up the calories after each meal to ensure I didn't go over my calorie limit for the day.

After the first week, though, I was hooked! In my adult life, I've generally always watched what I eat, and have a healthy diet. But even healthy (and vegan) foods can be high-calorie, and one can definitely eat too many good calories, too.

My goal was a little different than other participants in the boot camp, as I didn't want to lose any weight. I was simply trying to add lean muscle to my body and get back into a regular cardio/strength training routine. But by focusing more intently on the nutritional specifics of what I was putting into my body, in 5 weeks (paired with daily cardio, strength training, and daily yoga) I lost 6% body fat and 2 inches overall. What I loved is that I stayed the exact same weight! Great stuff. And I wouldn't have been able to accomplish my goals had I not kept a food journal.

True to my prediction, I stopped with the food journal after 10 weeks, but have a new appreciation for calorie counting and thinking twice before eating, for example, two big (naturally) sugary bananas throughout the day, rather than one small banana with granola at breakfast.

To assess your own diet, keep a food diary for a week or two. Set a maximum daily calorie goal for yourself and try to stay within its limits. Keep your integrity. Don't sell yourself short by not writing about the large waffle fries you had at lunch. Seeing what you eat written on paper sheds a whole new light on things and can definitely assist in a successful weight-control/loss program.

Words to Live By

"Sometimes when our life falls apart it is because it is not held together with consciousness, it is held together by illusion, and so it crumbles, and what is left is actually a clearer vision of what is real and of value. So many have found their life path only after what they had formerly perceived as their life crumbles to dust. In other words, it is the illusion of our life which crumbles, leaving reality in its place."


- Max Strom

Words to Live By

"Every day brings a choice: to practice stress or to practice peace."

— Joan Borysenko, biologist, psychologist, and spiritual educator