Strawberry Yogurt Popsicles

Today I woke up early with my husband, made him breakfast and drove him to work just down the street. I read for a bit but then went back to sleep and was more tired than I thought because I slept in quite a bit.

I went for a long walk and hit up every dollar store around the area with the goal to find a beach blanket and a popsicle mold. It was 36 degrees out today so I wanted to make something for dessert that we could cool down with.

I did find a beautiful sandy beach about 5min away which I will visit tomorrow. I tried wading in the water which was cool and clear but it just felt wrong to jump right in, I prefer to lounge on the beach for awhile first before working up the courage to go swimming.

We bought some organic strawberries at Choices the first night we got here which I am excited to use. Organic fruit tastes the best but can go rotten more quickly than normal fruit so I have to use them up over the next few days. I found a very intriguing recipe for strawberry popsicles using balsamic vinegar but we did not bring any up with us so when I buy some will be able to try them out.

Strawberry Yogurt Popsicles

Ingredients:
- 1 cup washed organic strawberries
- 1 cup organic nonfat vanilla yogurt

Method:

1. Use a straw to push the stems out of the strawberries.

2. Roughly chop strawberries and place in magic bullet or blender with yogurt.

3. Quickly pulse ingredients a few times until they are blended, but chunks of strawberries still remain.

4. Spoon strawberry chunks into the bottom of a popsicle mold and fill up the remainder of the mold with the blended liquid.

5. Wipe up any spills with a napkin so the popsicles can be easily removed when frozen.

6. Place the popsicle sticks in firmly and put in a level space in your freezer for at least 1hr.

 

Welcome to Kelowna!

We arrived in Kelowna last night, went shopping, made dinner and went to sleep.

This morning I was still pretty exhausted from a fun weekend we just had in Whistler, not to mention the long drive up to Kelowna. I slept in a bit then watched TV, ate breakfast and slowly unpacked.

Finally around 1pm I put on my shorts and went for a walk outside. We are located right near the cultural district of Kelowna so I decided to stroll around and check it out. My aim was to make it to the Bikram yoga studio to pick up a schedule and hopefully even meet the owner.

As soon as I walked out the door I was stunned at how warm it was! I passed a sign that said it's 32 degrees out. I don't think it will get that warm in Vancouver until mid-August... if at all this summer. As I crossed the street I was greeted with a gorgeous park and the beautiful waterfront, something similar to English Bay but with the warm Okanagan mountains in the background.

I was surprised at how close the yoga studio is to where we are staying, less than a fifteen minute walk. I grabbed a schedule and unfortunately the owner was not there but I talked to another teacher who I had met before.

I walked around the shops and restaurants and I kept thinking of the fun things I can do with friends who come visit. I saw there is a restaurant where you can get your tarot cards read. I also saw a place I will definitely visit called the Rotten Grape. From 5-7pm they serve Apertivo, just like in Italy! You get cheap wine and they specified complimentary snacks. I can't wait to have a glass on their patio.

I went to the grassy area near the beach and sat down under a tree, reading all about Kelowna and things to do. Here are my top things to do in Kelowna this summer:

- Kelowna Farmer's Market
- Cherry Festival
- Rent a boat
- Swimming every day
- Goat Cheese Farm
- Outdoor Movie Nights
- Play at the dinner theatre
- Cafes
- Used book store

I'm really looking forward to summer in this beautiful place where we can enjoy the hot weather, relax and live the Okanagan lifestyle.

As I was walking home I realized the clouds were slowly blowing in and collecting on the mountains. My husband told me there are supposed to be thunderstorms tonight and I can't wait to get all cozy and hear about his day!

Strawberry Poppyseed Muffins

makes 1 dozen
1/2 c stevia or agave
3/4 c all-purpose flour
3/4 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1/2 c applesauce
1/2 c low fat ricotta
1 t vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c chopped fresh strawberries, excess juice drained
1 T poppy seeds
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a muffin tin, and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together sugar, flours, salt and baking soda. In a small bowl, mix together butter (allow to cool), ricotta, vanilla and eggs. Stir into flour bowl, mixing well. Gently fold in strawberries and poppy seeds, until just mixed.
Divide batter evenly among muffin tin, and transfer to the oven. Bake 25-30 minutes, until deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Yoga Lessons - First Week Back at the Studio

This week was my first full week back teaching yoga and it was more of a party than work. I was so happy to see my coworkers and students that I spent more time socializing and catching up than actual teaching but I still managed to learn from my students as I do every time I am at the studio.

One of the men I teach told me about a book he is reading which focuses on the mediation aspect of yoga and why it is so important to try to still the mind during your practice. I have noticed his postures have gotten a lot stronger, he can hold them longer and do more in class. He is a fit guy so there is no physical reason but because he has started to train his mind as well as his body he has started to overcome his challenges in class... this is a powerful way to make changes in your yoga practice.

I took class earlier this week and the teacher singled out a big strong man, asking if he was a rugby player. The man said no and the teacher told him it's good that he is doing yoga because he is already so strong that he can use that strength to gain flexibility. He mentioned that people who are more flexible have a harder time building strength in yoga class and he is so right.

As a more flexible person I love the floor series because the postures are short so you can challenge your depth and before you know it the teacher says CHANGE. The standing series kills me, I can push to my most flexible point but then there is still a bunch of time left in the pose and I have to stand there... and hold it... and grit my teeth... and breathe. I grind my jaw so hard in some postures that it has made a gouge on the left side of my teeth so I really have to learn how to relax my jaw. The best way I have found is to keep a slight smile, as Bikram says - A Happy Smiling Face.

It is agony to hold the postures and feel the burn in my muscles, it seems to go on forever before the teacher indicates it is over. Just like my student, I have to work on controlling my mind as well as my body and acknowledge those tought thoughts or feelings that come up during class but ultimately let them pass through me. My goal would be to have no positive or negative reaction to how I perform in each posture but simply dwell in a feeling of peace for the entire class.

And finally, one of the staff at a studio I teach has just returned from teacher training. I have heard great things about his class and he is an intellegent person with a strong practice so I know he will be a wonderful teacher. He came to the studio early with hopes of going shopping nearby but the mall was closed so he waiting while I taught my classes and he told me he was listening to hear how I time my postures. Afterwards we sat down and he had so many insightful questions for me and I was touched that he wanted my advice, he made me feel like I am a good teacher too. I was so happy to see his passion for teaching and for the yoga and I remember figuring it all out when I started and would not trade that process to jump ahead to where I am today, it is fun and challenging and frustrating and enables you to grow so much.

I left the week feeling lucky to be exposed to all these people who are on their own personal yoga journey, we are all simultaneously experiencing different things but can inspire and influence each other... we are all connected.

Summer Playlist

We are driving up to the Okanagan next week and I want to make a fun summer playlist to listen to as we wind through the mountains. We drove up last weekend and I had to continually harass my husband to list out all the CD options we had and then change the one that was already in the player... I figure if there are all my favorite songs on one CD I won't need to change it the whole trip! (hehehe)

There are so many great songs on the radio lately, I don't want to forget any of them so am keeping a list...

1. Diet Mountain Dew - Lana Del Rey
2. Titanium - David Guetta ft Sia
3. Pumped up Kicks - Foster the People
4. Raise Your Weapon - Deadmau5
5. We Are Young - FUN
6. Starships - Niki Minaj
7. Good Life - Onerepublic
8. Video Games - Lana Del Rey
9. Some Nights - FUN
10. Take Care - Drake & Rihanna
11. Kids - MGMT
12. Born to Die - Lana Del Rey

And I'll keep adding, I have until the middle of next week to put everything together!

Back to Bikram

"We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to....."

BIKRAM!

Well that's not exactly what Amy Winehouse sang next but it was the reality for me today as I took my first class in about 6 weeks.

The best thing about the first class back is that I give myself permission to go at about 60% and take breaks whenever I need. My mind and body feel lazy and my competitive edge doesn't exist because I have just returned from vacation. As a result, I simply observe the class and my body, listening to my breath and being happy with whatever I can do and laughing at the many things I am now unable to do. Why can't it always be this way?

I guess the answer is that we can't always live like we are on vacation. We have to work to make money for our next vacation and we settle into a schedule that can sometimes be stressful and wear us down. I like to take a complete break from my practice when I go away so I can reflect on some of the changes my body has gone through and set new goals for when I return.

It's amazing how much my body has continued to change since teacher training. I have leaned out slowly over the past 3 1/2 years and it really has been a slow process but I can see a difference in how my body shape looks. I have also gotten stronger and it's something that has lasted which is nice. Bikram talks about the cumulative effect of yoga and each class you take stores money in the bank so if you take many classes in a row you will deposit strength and flexibility into your body's future. I can see that now; it's something you have to practice for a few years to notice. The great thing about yoga is that even though you may feel like you have reached your peak or you have become bored with your practice, look for the tiny little improvements and know that there are still massive changes your body can go through, they just take a long time.

I would like to commit to a more regular practice, just getting myself there every day would be great. I still have to let go of judging myself when I do have to take a knee or can't kick out in Standing Head to Knee but maybe that will come if I just commit to getting in there more often....

Anyways, the class was great because the teacher was relatively hands - off and let the class experience the postures for themselves. It was just what I needed and the walk back through the sunny streets of Vancouver was beautiful too. I'm looking forward to taking class tomorrow now and hope I can keep up my attitude of non-attachment and simply observe and enjoy the class.

Mushroom Tacos from Epicurious

My favorite food in the entire world is tacos. As a little kid, when my Dad made tacos I would eat about seven of them in a row.

Now that I eat vegetarian I find that portabello mushrooms are a hearty meat substitute, with the smaller baby bellas adding a contrasting texture. These tacos are delicious because of the combination of spices and fresh toppings.

Although now I can probably only eat three at the most, I make this all the time knowing that it will be a spicy and satisfying dinner.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 fresh poblano chile, halved, seeded, thinly sliced into long strips
1/2 small red onion, sliced
3 ounces crimini (baby bella) and portabello mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 corn tortillas
4 thin slices Monterey Jack cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro
Crumbled feta or Cotija cheese
Assorted toppings (such as shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and hot sauce or salsa)
Hard or soft taco shells

Preparation:

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add poblano chile, red onion, and mushrooms; sauté mixture until brown, about 5 minutes. Mix in ground cumin. Season to taste with salt. Transfer mixture to medium bowl.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add tortillas in single layer, draping up sides of skillet to fit. Divide mushroom mixture among tortillas, mounding on only 1 side. Place slice of Monterey Jack cheese atop filling in each tortilla. Fold plain tortilla halves over filling and press firmly. Cook until tortillas are brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer tacos to plates. Open tacos; sprinkle with chopped cilantro, crumbled feta or Cotija cheese, and toppings.