Ingredients:

4 large potatoes

3 eggs

1 onion (red onion is better)

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1/3 cup chopped parsley

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon vinegar (optional)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Sumac (optional)

Method:

Cook the potatoes (until just tender) and eggs in gently boiling salted water.  Peel the potatoes and eggs, cut into smallish cubes and set aside in a bowl and dress while warm, with olive oil vinegar, fresh lemon juice, salt, sumac and pepper to taste, and Chop up the onion, green onions, parsley and add them to the bowl and mix gently.

Dont be an Egg!  Get started with meditation using this super relaxing, guided meditation!  

Meditation for Happiness – Dhyana

Benefits: This meditation will help you to come alive within your physical heart by deeply feeling the life force pumping vitality and life around your body. Transform emotions that do not serve you and open up to a deeper vibration of happiness within your body/mind. At an even deeper level, more fully realize how your practice is aligning your heart and your soul so that you are happier, healthier and more joyful with each day. Through meditation, visualization and affirmations uncover your truth, connect to your inner truth and shine as the co creator that you truly are.

For Step by Step Instructions, Visit here. 

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Yogic Eating

• Avoid headaches!  Inversions after over indulging in food or alcohol could send the toxins rushing to your head.  Stay clean for a painless vacation.

• Staying near as possible to your regular mindful, healthy eating and you won’t be as vulnerable to ingesting as many toxic sugary foods and alcohol at parties.

• You get to share and inspire others with healthy, hearty meals. Stuck for ideas? How about this tasty 13 minute side dish Vegetable Quinoa 

Physical

• Be ready to keep building on your practice in 2014 without needing to regain what you lost over the holidays.

• Keep Energized!  Even if you burn the candle at both ends during the silly season, your yoga practice can uplift you in minutes.  Sun salutes anyone?

• Strength moves like planks, soak up excess blood glucose from sugary treats and alcohol.  Try crocodile pose to increase your insulin sensitivity (that’s a good thing;) 

• Dare to be different! -Get healthier instead of bloated and lethargic over Christmas.

• Brrrrrr if you live in a wintry Christmas climate then keep moving with flows to keep your internal heating boosted!

Mental

• Why undo good habits and cause a struggle for you to get back into routine? Just stick with it!  Try this super feel good morning practice to keep things going

• Look forward to the well-deserved sense of pride and achievement that comes from sticking to what you know’s best for you.

• Yoga gives you a clear and strong mind when socializing with people that may not share your healthy lifestyle choices.

Emotional

• Be Happy!  Yogic breathe to stay calm and centered. 

• Yoga is a great excuse for some ‘me’ time during the chaos!  Treat yourself and easily squeeze in an express practice to soothe your soul.

• Be less reactive to unavoidable visitors when irritation arises.

• Hanging out with your Yoga pals during the festive period is a great way to ground yourself. Stay in touch,  inspire others whilst sharing your joys and frustrations on our Facebook page

• Whilst the holiday experiences and elated emotions come and go, yoga is your friend for life.  Don’t neglect your constant companion these holidays!

Spiritual

•  With all the external stimuli it would be easy to lose focus of your true nature over the holidays.  Keep your practice, and use online guided meditations to treat yourself to an internal holiday sanctuary every day of the year.

• Share the gift of Yoga.  Treat enthusiastic friends or family to a shared practice and contribute to their health and the global spread of Yoga and expansion of consciousness J

• Why throw away the full benefits of your established practice?  Patanjali writes of spiritual maturity being reached when you have a practice that remains uninterrupted,  that you do not stray from, no matter what life brings (Sutras 13 and 14, Four Chapters on Freedom, Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Yoga Publications Trust)

Not everybody celebrates Christmas and New Year.  We can all treat each and every day as sacred and celebratory by remaining true to our Yoga Journeys, showing compassion towards ourselves and others and remaining unaffected by all the hype.  Yoga.  Not just for Christmas.

Yogasync Me!  Commit to gift yourself this yoga class three times a week and see how you breeze through the festivities!

Pick Me Up Yoga!

Join The Conversation:  How do you sneak your Yoga into the Holidays?

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With worries of cold and flu season fading with the summer breeze, most of have not given a lot of thought to keeping our immune systems strong.  Increased sunshine during the summer months gives us a natural boost of vitamin D, but our immune system still needs upkeep! Summer comes with allergies and viruses and bacteria are still present in our environment.  A nutrient rich diet paired with the right types of exercise can help us enjoy a healthy summer and prepare our bodies for the next cold season.

Yoga is excellent for the immune system

Yoga stretches and flexes the muscles, helping to circulate the lymph throughout the body. Inverted poses and supported poses such as the ones shown below are most beneficial because when the head is below the heart, the lymph circulates through the respiratory system which is where most germs enter the body.  Poses that open the chest such as the bridge pose help stimulate the thymus gland, a key organ in the immune system. Exercise in general helps increase blood flow, oxygenate the blood and detoxify the body.

Movement works hand-in-hand with a nutritious diet

Smoothies are a fun and delicious way to give your body the vitamins it needs to thrive during every season. The smoothie recipes below feature fruits and vegetables that are especially important to immune function.  Antioxidants such as vitamin C and zinc help fight free-radicals that cause damage to cells. Foods with anti-inflammatory properties help to reduce the inflammation that causes disease and damage in the body.  Lycopene protects against cardiovascular disease. Some fruits are even known for having anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.

The key ingredients in a tasty smoothie

Ice, fresh or frozen fruit and something to add a smooth, creamy texture such as almond, coconut or soy milk, yogurt or avocado. If you add greens to your smoothie, you can easily cover up a slightly bitter taste by adding a dash of honey and cinnamon. Ground nuts or flax seed are a healthy addition to any smoothie and contain a good amount of omega-3 fatty-acid (great for heart and brain health). Recipe amounts can be modified according to the size of your blender.

Try these smooth yoga moves coupled with fresh smoothie recipes and say cheers to year-round health!

Yogasync Me!  Don’t Wait to Get Sick –  Get to Know Immunity Yoga now!

Boost My Immunity With Yoga

 THE ULTIMATE Green Breakfast Smoothie!  Click here for Al’s exclusive recipe and health tips!  You’ve never seen this recipe before.

Super-est Smoothie Ever!

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Adonic avocado – the origins

Avocado, Persea americana, is the green superstar of our today’s topic. It is a tree-growing fruit originating from Mexico and the areas of South America, being cultivated by the indigenous people already in the prehistoric era. The avocado itself, along with similar sister species, was found spreading across Southern climates from Peru to California, from Jamaica to New Zealand and tropical Africa.

In these and many more locations, our astounding avocado is commonly cultivated also nowadays, the Spanish conquistadors being the first to introduce this creamy, tasty treat in Europe.

Avocado is sometimes called an alligator pear, perhaps owing to its somewhat scruffy skin. Curiously, the original name of the avocado in the Aztec vocabulary refers to a testicle – this due to its shape and, it may be, due to its potency as an aphrodisiac. In any case,  it was considered a kingly delicacy of precious value by the Aztecs, deserving great merit in trade and cuisine equally today.

Adonic avocado – the vitamin essence

The lavish, luxurious substance of avocado boasts the alphabetic of vitamins such as A, B, C , D and E, all vital in maintaining a healthy skin complexion, high levels of yogic energy and a keen eyesight. Of course, cardiovascular benefits follow as well, due to the to nutritious consistency of good fatty acids. Not to mention, the fibers of avocado will work wonders for that tremendously trim yoga belly!

Avocado is excellent consumed internally, and equally beneficial as an enriching vitamin boost for the external ectoderm – that is, it has magnificent moisturizing properties as a facial treatment, and mashed avocado can be safely applied, regardless of the skin type, as a nourishing mask by itself or mixed with honey.

Adonic avocado – choose & store

To choose your perfect, rich and ripe avocado, be sure to look for those that feel firm, yet soft upon a gentle squeeze. Steer clear from overly soft avocados, as they are past their optimal stage already, while looking for an unbruised and non-blemished, evenly colored sample to best treat your taste buds. There are several species of avocados, and the darkness of color is not a direct indicator of ripeness, as for example Hass avocados have a more darkly colored skin compared to for example Reed, a more glossy and bright species.

Avocados available in the colder climates are usually brought in the earlier stage of ripening, as actually avocados begin their ripening whilst being taken off from the tree, and thus buying stone-hard avocados is also fine – letting them to ripen and soften for a couple of days in room temperature, where they are best kept, will reveal their smooth, silky texture. Of course, if wanting to postpone the ripening process, one can place the avocados to the fridge for extended conservation. The skin of a ripe avocado will actually peel off quite easily, and using a cheese cutter for cutting off the skin of an avocado is a surprisingly nifty method.

Adonic avocado – eat & enjoy!

Guacamole, a creamy avocado dip constructed of mashed avocado, lime juice and olive oil, is an age-old classic that never loses it charm. Try mixing mashed avocado with natural yoghurt and, pineapple and fresh berries for an excellent post-yogic treat, or have sliced avocado accompany matured  white cheese and strawberries.

It tastes wondrous in sushi, and carries a great culinary delight as a surprisingly sound companion for an omelette, not to mention its power as a secret smoothie weapon. Armed with avocado, towards the sunshine of a new dawn!

Yogasync me!  Join Ram, Internationally traveled vegetarian chef, yogi and Dad to make his delicious recipes in the World of Cuisine Video Classes:

Yummy Apple Avocado Apple Salad!

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Crunchy carrots – the origins

Our orange rocket, the carrot, lat. carōta, is a root vegetable that belongs to the parsley family, related to dill and fennel. It was not always the orange – in fact, the carrot as we know and love it, was systematically developed by the carrot-breeding Dutch during the 17th century for the sweeter and juicier orange version. It is estimated to have first entered Europe on the 8th century, believed to have traveled into the Mediterranean shores on the boats of the Spanish conquistadors.

Prior to this, its seeds and leaves were used as a seasoning herb and a natural medicine by for example the ancient Egyptians, the root itself being thin, forked, bitter in taste and purple in color – not considered very appetizing and lacking in terms of value for actual cuisine. Agricultural carrot cultivation originates from China, and in addition to the domesticated carrot, wild carrot can be found for example in Afghanistan, very likely being a direct progenitor of the cultivated carrot we today munch.

Crunchy carrots – the vitamin essence

The carrot is rich in many minerals and has plenty of fibers, and its most vivid vitamin includes the beta-carotene, also boasting high levels of potassium and biotin. According to a longitudinal study observing the effects of health effects in color-categorized food, Colors of fruit and vegetables and 10-year incidence of stroke, as published in the British Journal of Nutrition in September 2011,the results show orange-colored foods as preventative inhibitors against cancer cells, reducing the risk of coronary heart decease as a part of a wholesome, healthy diet.

Carrot is also beneficial for the immune system and eyesight, the latter owing to its high concentration of vitamin A and lutein. According to a myth,  it can even encourage the ability for cat-like night vision – an optimistic assumption perhaps, yet carrot does indeed help the visual virtue.

Carrot is good for the skin and encourages digestive function, which translates into an accelerated consumptive circulation, aiding digestion and thus promoting a flat, fresh belly and in overall a glowy, boyant being. The glow can, upon the massive consumption of carrots, turn into carotenosis, where the skin will develop an orangy tan – this is harmless and temporary, though.

Crunchy carrots – grow your own, choose & store

You can grow carrots in the garden planting them in the spring, in colder climates whilst the last frost is drawing near. In fact, you can choose your favorite carrot color from varieties ranging between orange, white, yellow or purple. The types have differing characteristics and cultivation preferences.

For choosing your crispy carrot, look for firm and fresh-looking, deep and vivid in orange color – the deeper the shade of orange, the more beta-carotene. The tops, if still attached, should be fluffy, feathery and of bright green. Smaller carrots are quicker to cook and good to choose especially if you look for boiling and steaming them. Big chunky carrots, on the other hand, can be sweeter as the sweetness is centered on the core.

Store your carrots in dark and cool, and keep them separated from vegetables and fruits such as the potato and pear – not because the carrot is a bully, but because it is easily affected and more quickly aging by the ethylene they ooze.

Crunchy carrots – eat & enjoy!

Munch your carrot raw after peeling, or grade it and combine with orange slices to make that tangy, healthy salad with festive shades of orange. Steaming is a good method of cooking to preserve the veggie vitamins, you can add a light touch of melted butter and fresh basil on the surface to complete this ravishing side dish. Dip them in natural spiced yoghurt!

Also, why not try the divinely delicious creamy carrot soup, and, well, who in the world could ever resist a carrot cake?

Yogasync Me!  Healthy recipes in PDF or Video!

World of Cuisine – Carrot Recipes and More

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Triumphant tofu – the origins

Tofu, a word that is actually Japanese and referred to the Chinese as “doufu“, is an invention dating back over 2000 years to China, where, as the legend goes, a chef invented tofu by mixing soy milk with crystallized salt. According to another source, the glory of inventing tofu belongs to  prince Liu An of the Han Dynasty.  Tofu  earns one of its first mentions in a Chinese document from 965 A.D. in a story of a ”vice mayor’s mutton”, where a local mayor would buy a daily dose of tofu to be eaten with rice, instead of the more expensive meats. Tofu was a common ingredient in the monastery diet, as well as amongst those of power in the military rule. Today, tofu is celebrated in an annual festival taking place in Los Angeles.

Tofu belongs to the most wide-spread soy products in the globe, and for centuries provided the importance of meat and link in several parts of Asia, where it originally spread also as a part of Buddhism, as Buddhists follow a vegetetarian diet. Tofu, also known as bean curd, is made by curding soy milk and thus made of soy beans, pressing the product into dense white blocks, very often used as a replacement of meat in the vegetarian diet. The varieties of tofu include soft or otherwise known as silken tofu, as well as firm and extra-firm tofu.

Triumphant tofu – the vitamin essence & controversy

The original, good-quality tofu boasts several health benefits: it is low in calories and high in protein while containing a lot of iron and calcium, all important ingredients for the development and maintenance of bones and teeth, as well as acting as the mineral sources for resilient immune system functions and an agile brain.

Recent studies argue, that the health benefits of tofu are related its fermentation time, and the longer this is, the more the micro-organisms born through fermentation get to work their magic. As an added point of attention, it is important to recognize the possibility of harmful chemicals in an industrially prepared tofu, that can contain remains of pesticides and may even be genetically altered. This in mind, the safest choice is to choose natural, organic tofu.

Triumphant tofu – choose & store

Find your triumphant tofu in a regular grocery store shelf, most likely amongst the milk products, and add that tofu twist into your wok or any other fried or raw culinary composition. Soft tofu contains the highest moisture rate, and is considered very suitable for smoothies and desserts, as well as other recipes requiring a more liquid consistency. In fact, one can prepare soft tofu as a healthy dip by draining it and then mixing it with herbs of choice, along with a touch of rose salt and olive oil. Firm and extra-firm tofu are, according to their names, more composed and hard. They do well chopped into salad ingredients as well as potent parts of an Asian-influenced wok.

Tofu can be stored in a sealed container the fridge, where it remains edible for a week. One can also place tofu into the freezer, as frozen tofu remains in top-notch shape for three months.

Triumphant tofu – eat & enjoy!

As tofu is very subtle in its natural taste, fear not of generous spicing – one can try preserving the firm tofu as chopped pieces in olive oil along with sundried tomatoes, olives and garlic, to add that secret ingredient after a few days into a salad or a sandwich. Of course, the adventurous can always try what is called the ’stinky tofu’, a fermented tofu with an extremely persistent odour – this delicacy is common in China, often served with a chilli or soy sauce in the street stalls.

Try tofu as a classical component of a miso soup, paired together with shiitake mushrooms. Or, wrap it into a delicious seaweed roll accompanied with slice of chili and cucumber if you’re up for it – in any case, you’ll feel the tofu thunder roam your way!

Yogasync Me!  Video Cooking Class

Rice Noodle and Tofu Stir Fry

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Asparagus – the origins

Asparagus Racemosus belongs into a family of lilies, sprouting from the sandy ground and growing a leafy crown of bell-shaped stems, referred to as ”tips of love” owing to their subtle and delicate flavor. Our leafy superhero has a long history, tickling the taste buds of the ancient Egyptians as well as the Greeks, who greatly valued its medicinal properties. In these ancient times, in addition of consuming this triumphant treat fresh, as it undeniably most compels the senses, it could also be frozen or dried for prolonged preservation.

The Romans would greatly indeed appreciate asparagus as well – the oldest surviving collection of recipes, Apicius, would compliment the great qualities of our velvety-tasting vegetable that comes in fashionable shades of spring: white, green and purple.

Asparagus – the vitamin essence

Asparagus is a glorious green full of folic acid, a vitamin that protects from us cell damage, helps keeping the mind sharp and the bones strong, thus will help preventing osteoporosis and keeping those joints flexed for astonishing asanas. The word for folic acid originates from the Latin phrase folium, referring to a leaf, found in leafy greens such as our featured astounding asparagus, that contains no fat and is equally devoid of cholesterol as well. Rich in fibers, an essential element in aiding the frisky function of our digestive system, ensuring the metabolism is to remain active for the bodily renewal.

Asparagus – grow your own, choose & store

Come spring, sprout asparagus! The season for asparagus availability extends from April to July, with the variety of these flourishing, spectacular sticks filling the store shelves. In many parts of the world the fresh asparagus harvest prompts an annual festive period to honor this treat, and for example the German city of Schwetzingen would crown their own Asparagus Queen. You can also grow your own asparagus in a light and clean bed of well-drained soil outdoors, keeping in mind this fellow enjoys the plentiful sun. The virtue of patience comes in handy with the cultivation of asparagus, as it takes up to two years for the first buds to emerge, after that the long wait will reward you with an annual sprout of delicacies for up to three decades to come.

In order to choose the finest and most succulent specimens, look for the brightly colored with dark green tips – in the case of diameter bigger is better, but most important is to choose a bunch of those fresh and firm, ready to be consumed as fresh as possible.

Asparagus – eat & enjoy!

This delicacy is easy to approach, and albeit the acclaimed and prestigious culinary image it cultivates, is not difficult to prepare at all. Here, the art of simplicity is at its finest, and all you need are a few mindfully chosen ingredients: of course, a beautiful bunch of asparagus, some round good butter, freshly grated lemon zest, Parmesan cheese and a crispy white wine will make for an unforgettable ensemble.

Cooking asparagus requires keen attendance and a timer, as they should be submersed into slightly boiling water for about five minutes, after which they are placed to a kitchen towel to absorb the extra moisture before serving. Prior to boiling, remember to rinse and peel the asparagus gently, cutting a few centimeters from the hard end. As a finishing touch, pour some of melted butter on top of the plated delicacies, along with the gently sprinkled lemon zest and cheese. Bon appetit, a little piece of green heaven – enjoying the flamboyant food finesse!

Yogasync Me!  Cooking with nutrition just got easier with the World of Cuisine World Class Cooking Lessons!  See Them Here:

Yes, I like to Cook Yum, Easy, Nutritious Recipes!

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Ingredients:

Fresh baby Spinach                100gr
Scallion                                  100gr
Olives without core                8
Cucumber                               1
Cooked peas                           4 spoon

Sauce:

Salt                                          optional
Black pepper                           optional
Olive oil                                  2tablespoons
Lemon                                       1.2
Yogurt                                     2 tablespoons
Mayonnaise                             optional

Garlic                                      1 clove

Chop all of the ingredients, put in the bowl.  Mix all of the sauce ingredients. You could add some pasta, lettuce and baked corn, or whatever your favorites are!

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In Persia, when a child’s first tooth sets, the family cooks this delicious recipe, and distributes it between family and neighbors.  It is a super simple dish using only: Baked whole wheat, Baked white chickpeas, Almonds, Raisins, Cinnamon powder, honey (optional).

Dishlkh (=for teeth):

Baked whole wheat                        500gr

Baked white chickpeas                   200gr

Fried Onion                                    1(big)

Turmeric powder                              1teaspoon (if you like, you can add more)

Cinnamon powder                            1teaspoon

Black pepper                                    1.2teaspoon or less

Salt                                                   1.2teaspoon or less

Water                                                1 glass

Raisins                                              100gr

Almonds (or Blanched almonds)       100gr

Vegetable margarine or olive oil            the required amount

We pour all of ingredients in pot, except Raisins, Almonds, Vegetable margarine and 1.2 fried onions. After boiling, we mix them with spoon and it stays on the fire until it loses its water .In a pan, we add vegetable margarine, Almonds and Raisins, for a little time mix with spoon on the fire. Now we can put food of the pot on the plate and decorate it with rest of fried onion and the ingredients in the pan.

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When I limited our grocery budget to the insanely low $35 a week for 2, there was obviously no money for anything extra and one thing I was not prepared to go without was moisturizer, so I began making my own.

It was a pleasant surprise to discover that with little time, effort and for minimal expense, I could make my own moisturizer which worked as well or better than a bought one at a fraction of the cost and I could store it in a recycled container rather than buying another plastic thing with a lid to throw away.  In retrospect I think the containers the bought moisturizer comes in costs more than the moisturizer itself which is crazy considering we constantly throw the containers away.

Here is the recipe for the simple moisturizer I first made….

 as a lotion it can be used all over body and as a night cream

• 50g Coconut Oil
• 20g Emulsifying Wax (www.amoraromatherapy.co.nz)
• 150ml hot water
• 75ml Glycerine
• Fragrance (essential oil) and Color (Mica or food coloring) (Optional – omit if you have sensitive skin)

1. Melt oil and wax in microwave,heat water and mix with glycerine, Carefully add hot oil mixture, Mix well,Add essential oils and colour
2. Mix well,Cool for 5 minutes,Mix again and pour into jars
3. Will set over night

I have got so good at making this now that I no longer measure the ingredients and can complete the task in about 5 minutes.  If you do not have 5 minutes to make this, just buy some coconut oil and use that for moisturizing. If the home made moisturizer does not set to your liking simply re melt and add more emulsifying wax.

This can be stored in the fridge if you are afraid it may go moldy although I have never had a problem with this and simply store it on the shelf in a glass container with a lid.

I branched out and was buying kawa kawa oil, sweet almond and other exotic oils to add to my moisturizer, which was cheaper than buying moisturizer but still hard on the budget.  Then one day I drove past a kawa kawa tree on my farm and the penny dropped, I could infuse my own oil.

The oil I had in the pantry was a budget 3litre container of soya bean oil that had cost $8-99 at the supermarket.  I heated a little of this in a clean pot and gently fried off some kawa kawa leaves until they wilted.  I then put the oil and leaves in a glass jar and left it in the hotwater cupboard for 3 weeks.  Eventually I discarded the leaves and used the oil in the above recipe.  The resulting moisturizer had the fragrance, slight green colour and healing and antibiotic properties of kawa kawa, and it had only cost me a few cents for the oil.

Of course if money was no object I could infuse a higher grade of oil, sweet almond, jojoba or coconut with something, but the result I got from the cheaper oil was delightful.

I have since made moisturizer using oil infused with other natural things around me…. Feijoa, strawberries, rose and dandelion petals, all with great success and very little expense.

Visit me here for all my amazingly healthful, environment friendly, budget honoring recipes!  http://pigtitsandparsleysauce.co.nz/shop/cosmetics-recipe-sheets/

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