Fat Busting Recipe from the Ashram

Here is Will. Him and his wife own the property on which the ashram sits. Here he is resting on the deck after making us an amazing lunch. As promised, here is the tofu recipe that he created.

If you are saying, "ooh, where's the chicken!", wait till you taste this nutty and chewy pure protein energizer.

Cube a package of extra firm, organic tofu into small chunks. Dry. Place on foil covered cookie sheet and toss with 1 tbsp oil. Bake at 450 degrees for about 10 minutes, tossing a few times. Tofu should be browned and crispy on the outside. While tofu is baking, toss 2 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce), 1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste - or you could use peanut butter) and 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (sold in the health food section and adds tons of nutrition) and enough lime juice to create a spreadable consistency. Remove tofu from oven and toss with sauce. Return to oven for another five minutes or so to heat through. Serve with rice and veggies for an amazing low fat meal.

So what did we learn today? Ayurvedic theory. I can't wait to share with you all the way that this sister science to yoga can help you find balanced health by respecting the natural flows of your body and nature.

Fast fact: Did you know that it takes 20 days for fat to form in your body? So, if you're like me, you eat really carefully & exercise more for about a week, then get discouraged that the fat is not budging. That's because you are still storing the fat calories that you consumed almost 3 weeks ago! We truly have to be aware of everything we eat. Think of your food as medicine. That's how ayurveda sees diet. Slow down and remember that a special occasion calls for even more attention to what crosses your lips.

Ashram Life

Well, here I am. After a long, brutalizing day of travel, I have arrived at the Ananda Seva ashram in Santa Rosa, California. I hope to have some pictures to share with you soon. We are located on a hill dotted with oaks and palm trees (an unusual combination for the Canadian eyes!). Our daily schedule involves rising at 6 am to rinse with cold water (our hot water heater is acting up) quickly, as there are 20 of us sharing 2 bathrooms! Meditation starts at 6:30, followed by asana practice on the deck overlooking the valley below. Meals are cooked by the ashram owner himself and are plentiful, fresh, vegetarian, following a sattvic diet (I'll share more about that later). William made some tofu at lunch today that was to die for, and I have the recipe! Our afternoon was spent in class... today's topic was yoga history and philosophy. Whew! I miss home terribly, but a few weeks of this fresh air, wholesome food, meditation twice daily and rubbing elbows with these amazing people should propel my own practice, and therefore my teaching, into a whole new realm!

Here's something we learned in asana practice this morning that I would love you to try. It's so simple, but it really felt wonderful. It is beneficial for digestion and lower back tension in particular, but all will appreciate its benefits.

Lie down. Relax. Inhale, then hug the right knee to your chest as you exhale. Hold the knee and try to rest with no breath in your body. We rested for 8 counts, but that might be too stress inducing for some or on some days. As you inhale, stretch out fully; then exhale as you draw the left knee into the chest. Again, pause as long as you can, experiencing the stillness in the body with no breath. Inhale, stretch out fully again; exhale, draw both knees into the chest. Again, rest for several counts. Inhale, stretch out. Repeat up to 8 rounds. When you have completed knee to chest pose in this manner, allow yourself to come to stillness and look for areas in the body that are still experiencing the pose.

And for those of you that want a big physical challenge today, try coming into tree pose with your standing leg on a block! We did this today, and held each side for 4 minutes! Luckily, our carpeting at the studio produces such a challenge in balancing poses that the block was nothing.

Om shanti!

The Best New Mechanic in Ontario!

Looking for the best up & coming mechanic around? My son, Adam Vendromin, placed silver at the national Skills Canada competition this past weekend in Waterloo. He won the provincial round then went directly on to compete during two gruelling days; tearing apart engines, ripping out suspension systems and troubleshooting complicated wiring problems. The competitors weren't allowed to mingle with family... they even had to go pee as a group to prevent any potential violations! Mike Holmes showed up to award the final medals (that was exciting to this fan!) and we were on tenterhooks as they announced the winners in each category. The brightest young stars in everything from culinary to fashion design to information technology to brick laying were there. It was certainly invigorating to see so many deeply talented young people doing what they obviously loved to do and getting glory for it.

So if you are looking for the best young mechanic in Ontario... check out Adam's facebook page!

Calm Amidst the Chaos

The theme of our yoga classes in the last few days has been following the breath deep within ourselves. As you inhale through the nose, feel the breath travel down through the back of the throat and enter the chest. Keep following the breath until it leads you to that place of constancy and peace. Everyone has that centred place, deep within the body. This place is one of inherent wisdom, where all answers are available. This place stays calm amidst the chaos. This place intimately trusts that we are all connected and part of a universal ebb & flow. This place knows that all is just exactly as it should be and we can release our constant need to control and plan.

When on the yoga mat, we get ourselves into some pretty challenging physical positions. And we stop, and we breathe, and we surrender to the body's own intuition and wisdom. This practice teaches us to utilize the breath to steady us under all sorts of challenging circumstances.

So as you venture out today into that chaotic world of ours, and inevitably the crises hit... remember our practice. It doesn't only happen on the mat. It happens every breath of our lives. Breathe.

Gentle Dosha-Balancing Dal

When working with a client this morning, we were discussing a common situation for many of us... heartburn. Typically a signal that your "fire element" or pitta is out of balance, it can be darn painful. Try making up a batch of this gentle lentil & rice stew. It is the "chicken soup" for Indian moms and very gentle on the digestive system. Although spicy foods are fun to eat, they are to be avoided if pitta is overheated already. Since the warm weather is coming, all of us need to be aware that the heat and humidity of high summer can aggravate pitta.

In a 4 quart dutch oven or saucepan, head ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds. Toast for a minute or so, until they start to pop. Don't leave the stove, cause things can go from toasty to burnt in a snap.

Add 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup rinsed green lentils and 1 cup rinsed brown basmati rice. Stir until the spices become quite fragrant. Add 5 cups water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer about 40 minutes, until rice & lentils are tender.

This recipe can easily be adapted to your rice cooker. Just toast the spices then add everything to the bowl of the cooker and use the normal rice setting.