Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Take your ASS ana outside this weekend!

On August 7th from 9:00 – 10:00 AM, Salutation Nation will elevate this connection to another level as thousands of people across North America take their asana practice outside for a complimentary class to move, breathe, and connect with other like-minded people in their communities. Across the continent, mats will roll out onto grass, sand, and pavement as part of this incredible outdoor yoga experience grounded in community, elevating connections. We invite people of all different backgrounds, ages, and athletic abilities to spend one hour together with friends, teachers, neighbors, and perfect strangers connecting, being present, and most importantly having fun!


SEE YOU THERE ;)

Massachusetts:The Esplanade, Boston, MA


Salutation Nation

SUP Doc?


It's no surprise that the hobby I feel in love with last summer is rapidly making its way to the headlines on the east coast!

I love stand up paddle boarding simply because its BEAUTIFUL.  It's just you and the water.  Going out when the sun is rising is just so peaceful.
It is definitely a nice combination with those of us who LOVE YOGA because we tend to have great proprioception in our feet and ankles and thus take to the sport with ease.

I also LOVE SUP for my upper body cardio :) I am trying to put on size in my lats and shoulders and interval paddling definitely does the trick!

John Furey and Peter Sleight run Maui Standup Paddle Boarding all around Boston :)


I will soon be teaching lessons in Southie  who's in?!?!?

Thursday, July 22, 2010

It has definitely been a crazy few weeks and trying to reestablish life as I knew it before has proven difficult.  I have not been as dedicated to my yoga practice as I would like to be and it is showing in my moods.  My mind has been getting the best of me more often then usual and that as you know DOES NOT WORK IN YOUR FAVOR.
Right now I am in my hypertrophy phase of strength training and I am eating like a horse. What a mind f*ck!  I just keep telling myself that I need to eat to lift and lift for strength so that when I lean out again there is a nice surprise underneath :)
I went to my first yoga class in a long time last night, it was beyond amazing. Beyond healing, beyond exactly what I needed :)
It was interesting to observe the changes that were going on in my yoga practice as well...
 and observe is what I did.

I didn't judge...in fact I laughed about it.


Physically I felt stronger than ever, I could have held those 1/2 pushups all night ;0
My breath on the other hand was as shallow as it has ever been. My exhales were long but my inhales were stifled.  This is what I must be breathing like throughout the day....thus my wonderful moods and crazy brain.


The craziest discovery was yet to come. TWISTING. I couldn't twist for SHIT.  It was not my thoracic it was my stomach.  
YES this was me before my second show. NO this is not me now. But my stomach is definitely still feeling the effects of being so tight.

A lot of us want a 6 pack, but do we ever think that maybe its not so functional after all?

I ended up having an amazingly different experience in class because of my struggle with breath and inability to twist. I take it as a reminder of where I have been and the level I have gotten to.

For now I will keep breathing, ease into my twists and continue to backbend even though I feel like I'm being stretched on the RACK!  
My yoga practice lets me be me.  It allows me to be in my body, feel strong, and express myself and realize all that is important to me.

Perfect Quotation to explain my recent feelings:

    We can only see so much from where we sit in our particular bodies, in the midst of our particular lives. The divine is unlimited in its sight. We can only see so much from where we sit in our particular bodies, in the midst of our particular lives, rooted as we are in the continuum of space and time. The divine, on the other hand, is not limited to the constructs of either space or time, and its wisdom and workings often elude us as we try to make sense of what is happening in our lives. This is why things are not always what they seem to be and even the best-laid plans are sometimes overturned. Even when we feel we have been guided by our intuition every step of the way, we may find ourselves facing unexpected loss and disappointment. At times like these, we can find some solace in trusting that no matter how bad or just plain inexplicable things look from our perspective, they are, in fact, in divine order. Even as we take our places in this earthly realm, a part of us remains completely free of the confines we face here. Regardless of what is happening in our lives, this part of us remains infused with joy and gratitude, connected to the unbroken source from which we come. Our small self, on the other hand, who is caught up in our false identity as a being limited in space and time, regards happiness as the result of things going the way it wants them to go. It is this part of us that suffers the greatest confusion and upset when the logic of events does not compute. And it is to this self that we must extendunconditional love, forgiveness, and compassion. In order to do this, we tap into our inner divinity, holding the space of a tender authority, extendinglove and light to our ego as a mother extends her love to a troubled child. There are many ways to access our inner divinity—meditation, prayer, chanting, channeling, and conscious breathing, to name a few. It is helpful to develop a regular practice that provides us access to this all-powerful, healing presence, as it can be difficult to reach once we are in a stressful position, if we have not already established a connection. The more connected we are with this part of ourselves, the more we share its unlimited vision and the secure, knowing that all the things of our life, no matter how they appear, are in a state of divine and perfect order. 
Thanks Jeannie Parkus ;)

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Fish Paupiettes with Basil, Dijon & Almonds

THINK WHITE FISH IS BORING?

THINK AGAIN :)




Ingredients:

16 oz white fish (cod, haddock, sea bass) thin fillets, skin and bones removed

1 cup fresh basil leaves, minced

8 tsp Dijion Mustard

1/2 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs  ( I REPLACED THIS WITH 1/2 CUP ALMONDS ground in food processor with a little water)

2 cups carrot, julienned

6 oz dry white wine

4 tbsp sliced unsalted almonds toasted ( I TOOK THIS OUT)


Instructions:


ONE: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  On a cutting board, slice fillets into 1-1 1/2 inch wide long. In a small bowl, mix together basil, Dijon and (bread crumbs/almonds puree)

TWO: Sprinkle carrots into an oven-safe casserole dish with a lid. On a cutting board, spread basil mixture over each piece of fish, leaving the thinner ends bare. Roll up pieces of fish from the end with the most filling into a spiral, cinnamon roll style. Place each roll in the casserole dish between the carrots, spiral edge on top. Pour wine around rolls, cover and bake for 20 minutes.
Uncover and top with almonds (optional)
Serve Hot.


Tuesday, July 13, 2010


STOLEN FROM THE PAGES OF ...


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This dish freezes well for future meals. Quinoa provides whole-grain goodness and a serving of protein. 


Ingredient List

Serves 8
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 2 ribs celery, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
  • 1 Tbs. ground cumin
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
  • 1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
  • 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 3/4 cup quinoa
  • 3 large carrots, grated (11/2 cups)
  • 11/2 cups grated reduced-fat pepper Jack cheese, divided (I eliminated this) Could replace with Goat Cheese if desired
  • 4 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, ribs removed

Directions

1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery, and cook 5 minutes, or until soft. Add cumin and garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in spinach and drained tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.
2. Stir in black beans, quinoa, carrots, and 2 cups water. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until quinoa is tender. Stir in 1 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour liquid from tomatoes in bottom of baking dish.
4. Fill each bell pepper half with heaping 3/4-cup quinoa mixture, and place in baking dish. Cover with foil, and bake 1 hour. Uncover, and sprinkle each pepper with 1 Tbs. remaining cheese. Bake 15 minutes more, or until tops of stuffed peppers are browned. Let stand 5 minutes. Transfer stuffed peppers to serving plates, and drizzle each with pan juices before serving. 

Nutritional Information

Per 1/2 stuffed pepper: Calories: 279, Protein: 14g, Total fat: 10g, Saturated fat: 3g, Carbs: 36g, Cholesterol



Thursday, July 1, 2010

Clean Eating with Food Allergies

Taken from Clean Eating Magazine, more to come ASAP!

Couscous with Tilapia  QUINOA with SALMON :)
Ingredients:
1 cup dry whole grain couscous or 1 cup dry quinoa (try doing half red half white it looks prettier)


Olive Oil cooking spray

1/2 lb tilapia fillets skin and bones removed
/ 3/4 lb of salmon
2 large carrots, peeled and diced

1 stalk celery, ends trimmed and finely diced
/ 5 stalks :)
I medium yellow onion, finely diced

1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced

zest and juice 1 lime

zest and juice 1/2 lemon

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp evoo

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tsp dried parsley

sea salt and fresh gr pepper to taste
Directions:
 Cook couscous/quinoa as directed and set aside to keep warm.

Heat a large skillet or cast iron skillet over high heat for one minute. 
Spritz with cooking spray and reduce heat to medium-high heat. 
Place tilapia/salmon in skillet and cook for 2 minutes per side. 
Remove fish and let cool for 5 minutes before flaking with a fork.


In a large bowl, combine couscous/quinoa, tilapia/ salmon, carrots, celery, onion and bell pepper.


In a medium bowl, whisk together lime zest and juice, lemon zest and juice, Dijon mustard, oil, garlic and parsley. 
Season with salt and black pepper. 

Pour dressing over mixture and stir until well combined. 

Garnish with additional parsley, if desired. Serve immediately  or chill for up to one day.




Stacey's Favorite Fitness Tools: