Energy Bites

Summer is here, and we are all rushing around from adventure to adventure. But what can we snack on that is tasty, healthy AND doesn't heat up the kitchen? Here's one of my favorites - coconut date balls.

The health benefits of coconut are by now well known. But did you know that dates are a superfood too? Dates are high in fiber and provide a sweet treat without resorting to refined sugar or artificial sweeteners.

I started by making recipes I found on the internet, and ended by making up my own. Now I share it with you! Make a big batch - they freeze well. Take these to a party and be the star of the show!


Coconut Date Balls
by Janara Nerone

Ingredients:

2c. dates, chopped
1/4c. Chia seeds
1/4 c. Flax seeds
½ c. Old fashioned rolled oats
2 c. Shredded unsweetened coconut
½ c. Almond flakes
Cocoa powder, generous shake or two (or cacao nibs)
1 c. Hot water

Method:

1. Soften the dates in hot water.
2. Process in a blender or food processor.
3. Mix in all other ingredients, reserving half the shredded coconut for coating.
4. Roll into balls.
5. Optional: roll to coat with finely processed coconut. (processing it makes it stick better)
6. Freeze to set.
7. Store refrigerated.

NOTE: You can substitute a pre-mixed Muesli (I like Bob’s Red Mill Old World Muesli) instead of the almonds/chia/flax as listed here. This would also be great with dried fruit added, like raisins, cranberries or figs. Serving size is 1-2 balls. They are surprisingly filling!

Universal Prayer

On this beautiful rainy morning, I felt compelled to share with you a mantra that was given to me by one of my favorite teachers, Gauri Johnson. This translation is from Valerie’dra Naiman. This is the Universal Prayer, a prayer for all beings. It is all-purpose and it lifts me up every single time I sing it.

If you'd like to learn this mantra, how the words are pronounced and how to sing it, come to class! My Tuesday 7:45p class, Meditative Yoga, includes mantra and chanting.

May it bring peace to your heart.

Many blessings,
Janara

Om

Sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ

May all the people of the world be in joy

Sarve santu nirāmayāḥ

May all be healthy and live in peace

Sarve bhadrāṇi paśyantu

May we see all creatures as equals

Mā kashchit duḥkha bhāgbhavet

May all be free from sorrow

Oṁ Shāntiḥ, Shāntiḥ, Shāntiḥ

Peace, peace, peace

Om, Om, Om

Spring Cleaning with Kitchari

During the winter months, our bodies crave substance. Warm, creamy, carb-laden food are what gets us through the cold and dark. In addition, our modern lives often do not allow us to slow down and take the rest that we also crave in winter. For many of us, that means we emerge in spring feeling tired, bloated and heavy.

Ayurvedic medicine can help! Ayurveda is big on preventing illness with good nutrition and digestion. One of the most recommended dishes in Ayurvedic cooking is kitchari. Kitchari is essentially a spiced vegetable and grain stew, and it's quite tasty, too!

This meal taken as a cleanse or monodiet will heal your body, especially your intestinal tract, as it's considered to be the most wholesome to put in the yogi’s body. I learned to make this when I studied Ayurvedic Medicine, and it has helped me immensely over the years. Here is my recipe. Feel free to adapt the ingredients to fit your needs. This is a great way to do some spring cleaning…from the inside out!

A note about choosing vegetables: Pick a few of your favorite sattvic veggies: most mild veggies are considered sattvic. Sattvic means “pure” or “balanced” in terms of Ayurvedic eating. Meaning, foods that are not aggravating, irritating, heating, or heavy and weighty. Avoid pungent veggies like hot peppers, shallots, leeks, garlic, onion, gas forming veggies such as mushrooms and/or potatoes.

Ingredients:

• 2 cup brown rice (or mix rice & quinoa, or pick your favorite whole grain)
• 1 cup red lentils
• 3 carrots
• A big bunch of kale
• 1 zucchini
• 1 head of broccoli
• 3 ribs celery
• Ghee (clarified butter) ((or coconut or olive oil))
• 2 T. powdered turmeric
• 2 T. ground cumin
• 2 T. ground coriander
• 5 cups water
• Cooking oil of your choice: coconut, olive oil or ghee
• Sea salt
• Fresh cilantro
• Golden raisins if desired

Method: 

Put rice and lentils into a big pot with the 5 c. of water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook until tender.

Wash and chop your veggies into bite sized pieces. I like to do different shapes for each, just for fun. 

Heat a big pan or wok with coconut oil, olive oil or ghee. Add your vegetables in order of how long each takes to cook. For the vegetables I have listed, I use this order: carrot, zucchini, broccoli, celery. You may need to add a bit more oil or water as you stir fry the vegetables. 

Heat a small skillet with a big spoonful of ghee or your oil of choice. Add turmeric, cumin and coriander and stir for a minute or two.

Pour this into the pan with the veggies and mix, then mix veggies with grains in the big pot. If you cooked the grains and veggies together, just pour the ghee and spices into the pot and mix. There will be leftover ghee and spices in the pan-- take a spoonful of grains to soak it all up and place back into pot.

Serving Suggestions:

Scoop a portion onto a plate, add a dab extra ghee in for taste, sprinkle sea salt on top if you choose, garnish with freshly chopped cilantro, add raisins if you wish...and enjoy!

Once kitchari in pot cools down a bit, place in glass tupperware for future eating. If you’re doing a monodiet cleanse, eat kitchari as two meals per day (check with your physician before embarking upon any cleanse or radical dietary change). This recipe should last you about 5 to 7 days.

Golden Yogi Tea

Fresh turmeric root and turmeric powder.

The media is picking up on the many health benefits of curcumin, the active component of the common household spice, turmeric. Curcumin is a champion anti-inflammatory and unlike ibuprofen or other NSAIDS, it will not create digestive distress with long term usage.

The health benefits of turmeric are now being documented scientifically, but they have been known for millennia. I first learned about it when I was studying Ayurvedic medicine and Yoga therapy at the Metropolitan State University of Denver. While Ayurveda encompasses many modalities, healthy lifestyle and prevention are key to its philosophy. About halfway through our first year, I was surprised to be invited to a cooking class.

Fresh ginger root

Food as medicine? Count me in! We learned to make ghee and a variety of Indian dishes specifically formulated to different body constitutions and situations. Guess what ingredient was common to nearly every dish?

Turmeric. As it turns out, the ancients were right…turmeric is extremely beneficial and most easily absorbed by the body when heated and combined with a fat. Black pepper is another helpful addition. With this in mind, nearly all of Indian cuisine is naturally anti-inflammatory! Personally I love Indian food, so this is great news.

Recently, I decided to integrate more turmeric in my daily routine. I'm not always in the mood for Indian food, so I chose Golden Yogi Tea. This tea is recommended for daily intake by yoga practitioners by the Kundalini Yoga tradition. It combines the health benefits of curcumin with another powerhouse, ginger. Ginger is used for a whole host of digestive issues, to relieve pain and to reduce inflammation.

Golden Yogi Tea

Guess what? Inflammation is a major risk and causative factor for most disease! From cardiovascular issues to autoimmune conditions, it all starts with inflammation in the body. Inflammation comes in with injury, inactivity, poor diet, and unmanaged stress.

But back to Golden Yogi Tea - this is a great tool to combat inflammation as well as promoting healthy digestion. As it turns out, it's quite easily made. The medical study referenced above was performed using "powdered curcumin", but I don't know if they produced a powder from the extracted curcumin itself, or whether they used the commonly available powdered turmeric. Fresh is always best, so if you can find it, use fresh turmeric root.

Tip: Look for fresh turmeric and ginger root at your local international grocery store or Indian market. Triangle folks, Around the World Market has both fresh turmeric and ginger root for a reasonable price.  The ginger root (and most culinary spices) are much cheaper there than at your local supermarket!

Here is how I made my Golden Yogi Tea:

1. Slice up 1-2 inches each of turmeric and ginger root, leaving the skin on.
2. Place the root in a quart saucepan filled with water.
3. Bring to a boil.
4. Simmer for 30-60 minutes.
5. Cover and set aside overnight.
6. Strain out the root and store the concentrate in a glass quart jar.

When you are ready to drink your tea, dilute the concentrate to taste. I used about half concentrate and half water. You may drink it hot or cold. Sweeten with stevia or honey. 

Tip: If you use honey, be sure that you have purchased it from a reputable source. Some grocery stores stock honey from China, which can be contaminated with pesticides. Some honey on the market is also adulterated with corn syrup. The safest route is to buy it from a farmer's market or a beekeeper. 

Enjoy your Golden Yogi Tea in good health!

Breakfast Secrets

Complete breakfast - Savory Green Oats, topped with an egg!

Ever wondered what a Yoga teacher eats for breakfast? And how does one find time for a good breakfast? If you're anything like me, your week is a whirlwind. It's hard to fit everything in, from work to family to self-care…and then there's Yoga practice to squeeze in! I'm here to tell you that it can be done. Read on for my secrets to starting the day off on a healthy foot!

Secret #1: Cook in advance. I like to cook on Sundays for the week. I don't make every meal in advance, but making at least a breakfast dish keeps my week running far more smoothly.

Secret #2: Make it healthy. Choose something with whole grains, greens and protein. Skip the sugary pastries! This way, you'll have plenty of energy to power through the morning, plus you're ahead of the game with one serving of green vegetables in you before 9am!

Secret #3: Schedule breakfast in to your week. This sounds obvious, but I mean it. Sit down, take a look at your calendar and make what changes are necessary to be able to eat breakfast every day. I don't see a single client or teach any classes until I get a good night's sleep, do my morning practice and eat a good breakfast.

Back to the fun part…what does the Renegade Yogini eat for breakfast? When I don't cook in advance or in the summertime, I will often eat an egg with some avocado slices. This makes a dynamite sandwich if you eat bread! My favorite grab-and-go option is this recipe for Flourless Breakfast Muffins. It is easy to adapt to fit your taste and budget, and can be modified endlessly to avoid boredom. I also like this Kale, Mozzarella and Egg Bake. It's similar to a frittata, and you can certainly add greens to a frittata as well.

Savory Oatmeal with Greens

In the winter, I get really into savory oatmeal. Oh, did you not know that oatmeal can be eaten without sugar? IT IS SO GOOD! Seriously, try it. Oats are just another grain, so why not eat them with veggies and spices?

Important note: Don't buy the instant, pre-flavored oatmeal packets. The processing of the grain makes it a high glycemic index food, plus the packets are loaded with sugar, salt and artificial flavors. What that means is that your body will burn the instant oatmeal really quickly. This can bring on a sugar crash mid-morning, which can lead to increased caffeine intake. But that's a topic for another post!

Without further ado, I give you:

Jan's Savory Green Oats

Servings: 4-5

Ingredients:


• 2.5 cups water
• 1 cup steel-cut oats

• 1 onion
• 1 pound mushrooms
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
•  A big pile of greens (collards or kale are my favorites), thoroughly washed, stems removed and chopped
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
(liberal)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 cup Coconut milk – optional
• Splash of cooking wine
• Liberal shake of Bragg’s Sprinkle
• Liberal splash of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

Directions:
Boil water and stir in oats, reducing heat to medium. Cook for about 40 minutes. Add more water if needed and stir regularly – they have a tendency to stick. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, sautée onion in coconut oil, add garlic and then mushrooms. Add greens and stir. Add coconut milk, wine and nutritional yeast. Then season with salt and pepper, Bragg’s Sprinkle and Bragg’s Liquid Aminos. Add more than usual to offset the blandness of the oats.

Serve with an egg on top. Sriracha sauce or Korean go chee jang sauce is great with this if you like spicy food!

Buon appetito!

Happy New Year!

This morning we welcomed and blessed the New Year with a long, delicious Yoga practice. We began with a gentle asana (physical pose) practice to warm and stretch the body. Then I covered a bit of background about the practice of chanting and using mala (prayer beads) in the Yoga tradition.

Traditionally, japa mala is the practice of reciting a mantra (word or sound repeated to aid in meditation) with prayer beads. This can be done silently or out loud. Mala usually have 108 beads, so the mantra or prayer is recited 108 times. The symbolism of the number 108 in the Buddhist and Yogic traditions is complex and deep. Today, I spoke about the Sun and the Moon, both of which are an average distance away from the Earth that equals 108 times their respective diameters.

This seems especially meaningful to me as I practice and teach Hatha Yoga. Hatha means "sun and moon", and one goal of our practice is to balance the sun and moon energy within our bodies, as well as to be in harmony with the heavens. Balance and harmony…these are goals anyone can get behind.

Today, we chanted Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu. This translates to "may all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may my life contribute to that goal". What better way to begin a new year than to raise the vibration of the entire world? All of the positive things that we desire for the new year - health, love, happiness, prosperity…all of these things can come to us if we become them.

I have found that the easiest way to become more positive is to serve others. Service shifts us away from the ego. It distracts us from our internal dialogue, that running commentary that so easily ensnares us in routine and old habits. Giving also allows us to receive more readily. It is by giving to others that we learn to let go and trust that we will be provided with all that we need.

But service has a final benefit that may trump all others - making others happy. Did you know that making other people happy can make you happier? And healthier? Yes, it's a thing. The intention and energy that goes into an invocational chant such as this one has its own power. It is a form of service.

As a group, we chanted this mantra the full 108 times. It was a thing of beauty, this group chant. Steady and strong, our voices filled the room. Afterwards, we took a few minutes of silent meditation. My head felt clear and utterly empty. It was filled with the buzzing of bees, a sensation of fullness and emptiness at the same time. The thoughts that generally fill my consciousness were absent. I experienced a state of bliss that is very difficult to put into words, but that I saw on the faces of the other participants.

Lastly, we practiced some restorative Yoga. I guided the participants through a meditation in which we released things we no longer need, envisioned our desires for 2015 and then soaked in a good long gratitude bath. It was powerful. We all emerged energized and relaxed. The tulips I'd put in water bloomed beautifully. I say they bloomed more than they should have in two hours. The combined power of determined yogis and yoginis is mighty!

This year, I choose to make my actions contribute to the happiness and freedom of all beings. Join me, maybe?