This Must Be the Place: Magic in Yoga, Recipes and Heart

Sometimes magic happens.  Sometimes it's music.  Sometimes it's yoga.  Sometimes it's gluten free Pumpkin Cider.  Sometimes it's rainy festivals.  Sometimes it's an email from a friend. Sometimes it's a hug.  Sometimes (most of the time), it's breakfast potatoes heavily salted and covered in maple syrup and hot sauce.  Whatever the magic is, I've decided to make more of an effort to embrace it.  

I like this advice.

I went to Pennsylvania again for ten more days of yoga teacher training.  I'm all trained up to become an RYT200 (registered yoga teacher with 200hrs).  My favorite part of training was this philosophy homework assignment we had.  The Yoga Teacher Alliance dictates that 20% of an instructor's training is to be yoga philosophy, so over the course of the ten days, I listened to maybe four or five philosophy lectures.  I generally find them quite interesting - knowing the history of the yoga really matters, I think.  I don't agree with everything, but I like that with yoga, you're able to sort of embrace what applies to you, and consider those things that may not.  

My set up-3 zeds and a roll.  Woo!

My favorite of Patanjali's sutras: Tada drastuh svarupe vasthanam - once stillness enters your mind, the bliss within you will release.

I know it doesn't look especially impressive, but the Warrior Poses are challenging to properly align and maintain!

So anyway, one night we learned about the five yamas of yoga.  I think of them as principles to live by.  They don't all apply to me, but they are all quite interesting to think about, at least to me.  So one night we had the task of choosing a yama and keeping it in mind for the next 48 hours until we had another philosophy discussion.  I chose ahimsa, which means non-harming.  It can mean non-harming in a variety of ways-to yourself, to others, to animals, to the environment, etc.  Well, I just tried to function with this notion of non-harming in mind towards a difficult situation.  I knew that I was feeling really negative about it and it wasn't helping me, or anyone else involved; I decided to make an effort to think about it positively, to realize that dwelling on the complications would just make it more complicated.  Once I applied this mindset to this one situation, I realized that my demeanor shifted.  Something sort of magical happened.  I stopped compulsively checking my phone, facebook, my inbox and instagram and felt a weight lift off my shoulders.  I was kinder to myself, and as a result, kinder to others.  I can't stress enough how meaningful this one tiny assignment was to me. 

Well, I'm home now and trying to maintain that approach to every day.  I'm back to reality, and making soup...

one pound of carrots

Collard Greens - I did the prep work ahead of time

Root Vegetable Chowder (from Vegetarian Times)

3 Tbs orange juice

1 Tbs pure maple syrup

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

4 oz. collard greens (1/2 small bunch)

5 tbs. olive oil, divided

3 cups (14 oz) medium-diced onions

1 1/2 Tbs minced fresh ginger

3/4 tsp salt

2 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and diced (I used more like six because I omitted the Rutabaga-I forgot to buy it, I also don't care for it and I LOVE potatoes) 

1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into medium dice

1/2 large rutabaga (or not!)

1. Combine orange juice, maple syrup, and vinegar in glass measuring cup.  Set aside.

2. Remove stems from collard leaves.  Stack 5 or 6 leaves at a time, roll up lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-wide ribbons.  Chop ribbons into 2- to 3-inch lengths.  Set aside.

3. Heat 2 Tbs. oil in Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onions, and season with salt, if desired.  (I desired).  Cover, and cook 6 to 7 minutes.  Uncover, and cook 15 minutes more, or until onions are lightly golden.  Add ginger, and cook 30 seconds.  Add 7 cups water and the salt, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and cook 15 minutes.  Remove from heat.

4. Heat 1 Tbs. oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add potatoes, and season with salt, if desired.  (I always desire salt).  Cook 6 to 8 minutes, or until potatoes are well-browned on at least 2 sides, stirring occasionally.  Transfer to bowl. 

5. Add 1 Tbs oil to same skillet.  Add carrots and cook 6 to 8 minutes, or until well browned on at least 2 sides.  Transfer to bowl with potatoes.

6.  Repeat step 5 with rutabaga, if desired.

7. Add vegetables to onion broth, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 9 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.  Add collard greens, and cook 5 minutes.  Stir in 1-2 Tbs of orange juice mixture.

8. Enjoy!

Okay, side note, the potatoes I browned were the VERY BEST BREAKFAST once I added 1/2 can of rinsed black beans and a tablespoon of salsa.  Heaven.  

Minus the Bear at the Royale in Boston=So, so, so good

Third Eye Blind in Brooklyn, CT

Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band in Brooklyn, CT

Oh, the real magic of the last month was seeing David Byrne and St. Vincent.  The most amazing concert I've ever been to, and the greatest night.  <3 <3 <3  

"it's true, i am a shaky ladder"

 

Long Time Gone

Chef Glenn made me this stunning Chocolate Peppermint Birthday Cake!

I've been away and it's been a while since I've written.  Here are a few reasons:

1. ICFA (Best conference ever!!)

2. Disney trip with friends

3. Reunion with Chelsea

4. John Green - have you read The Fault in Our Stars yet?  Brilliant!

page 75 (obviously) of The Fault in Our Stars

While I took my blog hiatus, I turned 25.  This morning while packing for Yoga Teacher Training, it sunk in that I'm 25 years old.  That 1/4 life crisis John Mayer sings about in "Why Georgia" suddenly doesn't feel so far fetched.  So I had this brief moment of panic - I'm not exactly where I'd imagined, but I think that's a good thing in most ways.  For instance, I never imagined I'd be going to yoga teacher training and I hit the road tomorrow morning.

Last time I wrote, I shared the sad version of an Extraordinary Activity.  Since I wasn't feeling especially joyous earlier, I think today's the right day to share the Joyous Version:

(Joyous Version)

Hand-written (Joyous Version)

Chocolate. Yoga. Glistening.  Spark. Satisfying. Bliss. Enthusiasm. Laughter. Music. Desire. Wind. Sunshine. Thunderstorm. Aching-Sides. Pleasure. Unkempt. Ecstasy. Inspiration. Freedom. Openness. Shavasana. Enlightenment. Peace. Solitude. Writing. Cinnamon. Tuck. Elegant. Slender. Blondies. Soup. Grinning. Drop-in. Elevate. Marinade. Ponder. Happiness. Dream. Travel. Beauty. Precision. Strength. Rhythm. Bravery. Sing. Crisp. Reflection. Consideration. Pearl. Wisdom. Locket. Wall. Vegetation. Illuminate. Anthem. Intoxication. Envelop. Cozy. Comfort. Lounge. Thought. Grip. Exploration. Nostalgia. Giggle. Squirm. Tease. Caroling. Wreath. Ocean. Moonlight. Encouragement. Rolling Waves. Connection. Miles. Glory. Honor. Soul. Pastry. Grace. French. Paris. Zurich. Introspection. Frosting. Silky. Cataclysmic. Bloom. Melt. Sing. Cape Cod. J. R. M. D. Family. Fireworks. Friendship. Halo. Echo. Hush. Blanket. Grasp. Lips. Hands. Toes. Elongate. Cupcake. Stretch. Commitment. Engage. Rapture. P. High heels. Lululemon. History. Relaxation. Traveling. Letters. Love. Infatuation. Envelope. Curiosity. Smile. Tangled. Embrace. Christmas. Literature. Bless.

Sadly, I have zero recipes from my trip, but here are some photos of meals I had in Florida - yummm.  It was probably the most delicious trip I've ever been on. 

 

Allison, Christine and I went to  Dandelion CommuniTea, the most magical place I've ever been.  Picture this: artwork with children's lit quotes, gluten free and vegan menu options and...BAKED GOODS:

Vanilla Apricot Cupcake. Heaven. All it needed to be 100% perfect was a yoga studio upstairs.

 Chels and I ate at Chefs de France and I had this incredible ratatouille dish.  It was so flavorful!

My amazing, amazing, amazing friends Amanda and Nick sent me this gorgeous and unbelievably delicious birthday cake after Chels and I had dinner at Chefs de France.

Can you tell from this photo how super surprised and excited I was?!

We went to bluezoo at the Dolphin where I had this stunning drink.

 Chels had a pretty stunning Oyster.

My favorite chef on the planet made me delicious pancakes!  Check out my bday pin!

 We walked up to the California Grill check-in counter without reservations and were whisked up to the lounge where we sipped delicious drinks, I ate this extraordinary meal and we watched the Magic Kingdom fireworks.  

Chef Glenn made me extraordinary gluten free/vegan Mickey waffles.  Waffles are better when shaped like Mickey's head!

 

We wrapped up our delicious adventure with dinner at Jiko.  Amazing evening thanks to the great company, Amanda, Nick and Geir and the brilliant chefs. 

Now it's time to put on some Mumford & Sons and finish packing. Next time I write I'll have learned so much about yoga!

Rocky Neck State Park, April 16, 2012.  Woo hoo!

Oh, one more thing...I know cataclysmic isn't general associated with joy, but it's one of my favorite words, so it made the list!

Comfort Foods Turned Vegan: Veggie Tempura

Veggie Tempura may not be a comfort food for you, but it definitely is for me.  Japanese food is my favorite.  We ate it in my house a lot when I was a kid.  My Aunt Mickey used to come stay with us for several weeks at a time.  She was Japanese and though I don't have too many memories of her, I do remember that she seemed like magic and I have a few vivid kitchen memories.  For instance, she was the first person to let me use a steak knife.  I made a veggie sandwich so tall I could hardly eat it.  I sliced all those veggies myself, though, so I had to eat them even though it wasn't the best sandwich ever...

Can you see how magical she was?  I think she'd like my vegan tempura!  Jill still has excellent posture and as for me?  Hands on the hips is still my signature pose for photos.

 I've made veggie tempura before.  Back when I ate meat I used to make chicken tempura with a sweet honey sauce.  Now I make it for friends if they want it, but I cook the veggies first.  I went about two years without tempura because, well, it's sort of time consuming, and the recipe I used to use called for egg white.  Well, last week J and I decided we should make tempura and eggroll wraps for the non-vegans, (everyone but me!), and I started looking for a new recipe.  Oddly, the one I used was from about.com - I've never used their recipes before, but this one was quite delicious!  

Veggie Tempura 

I altered it to make it gluten free, so I'm writing the version I used

1 cup rice flour 

1/2 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp sugar 

1 tsp baking powder 

1 cup water 

3 tbsp vegetable oil 

oil for frying 

mixed veggies, any kind (I used broccoli, snap peas, green peppers and carrots)

Preparation:

Combine the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder. Slowly add the oil and water until smooth and creamy. Chill for at least 15 minutes. 

Heat several inches of vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Dip the vegetables in the batter, then drop in the oil. Allow to cook for about 3 minutes, until crisp and lightly golden brown. Drain on paper towels. (I tossed them in a large frying pan with my Agave Sauce.

My Agave Sauce

1/4 cup agave nectar

1/8 cup ketchup

pinch of salt

1tbs rice vinegar

Combine everything together in a large frying pan or wok and heat on medium until boiling. Stir frequently and adjust measurements according to your own desires.  

I added bean sprouts on top to make it look lovely, and I think it did!

May Your Days Be Merry & Bright All Year Long

Table set for Velija

My family is quite large.  On my Dad's side of the family, I have something like 24 first cousins, lots of aunts and uncles, and now many of my cousins have children of their own.  My Mom's side is considerably smaller, but we added a new family member this year when my cousin Christopher got married and I imagine it'll continue to grow, but probably slowly.  Because of how close we all are, our Christmas celebrations often have stages.  But stage 1 is always our Slovak Christmas Eve dinner: Velija.  It's a vegetarian meal with seven to twelve dishes served.  There is always an open seat should anyone need a meal, hay rests under our plates and we start the meal by breaking Oplatek and a prayer. We celebrate Velija with my mom's side of the family - attendance shifts over the years, but Grams always celebrates it.  Christmas Eve Day is my favorite day of the year, largely because of the anticipation of our Christmas Eve dinner.  Velija is probably my favorite meal all year long.

My first attempt at gluten free/vegan Pierogies!

 Our menu was out of this world.  My mom made risotto, I made peirogies.  We had butternut squash soup, gluten free rolls, a variety of pickles and olives, candied carrots, salad, and the non-vegan gluten loving folks (everyone but me!) enjoyed traditional pierogies and lobster.  We were full, but all had a few peppermint patties anyway!

Surprisingly small portion of my family

From our very quiet Velija, we go to my Aunt Debbie's house.  It's wonderful chaos.  So many people everywhere!  We do a great Yankee Swap with gift certificates - I ended up with Bed, Bath & Beyond this year but there were so many Chiles and Olive Gardens!  

Christmas Day Feast

Christmas Day we all get together at Grandma's house for a buffet-style meal that includes meat to make up for the vegetarian meal the night prior.  Here's a glimpse of our table-loads of cookies, risotto, ham, pickles, clam chowder, pierogies....so much food.  I enjoyed a few Coconut Nogs with Kahlua so food wasn't my priority.  But can you blame me?  

Pastry Cream and Pastry Shells

Back when I ate all kinds of foods, I baked everything, all the time, so I still do special orders when I get requests.  My friend's mom ordered a platter from me this year that included Cream Puffs, Eclairs, Lemon Bars, Magic Cookie Bars and Peanut Butter Bars.  Oh man, it's fun to bake with butter, sugar, flour and eggs sometimes even though I don't eat them.  I loved how silky the pastry cream turned out.

Wildwood, When You Reach Me, The Miraculous of Edward Tulane & The Magician's Elephant

One Day (wrapped), Peter Pan, Winnie-the-Pooh, Looking for Alaska, Octavian Nothing, Awkward Family Pet Photos, The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, The Maze Runner....happy reading, folks!

And finally....gifts.  I gave a whole bunch of books this year.  I forgot to add a few to the stack, but as you can see, it was a YA Christmas.  Peter Pan and Winnie-the-Pooh are two of my all time favorites, so it seemed appropriate to share them with others.  Both copies of Octavian Nothing are signed, John Green just rules, The Hunger Games Series is addictive and fantastic and Awkward Family Pet Photos is for my 14 year old cousin who insists she doesn't like to read.

May you harness the brightness of the holiday season and keep it with you all year long.

Vegan Eggplant Rollatini

About six months ago I visited Garden Grille Cafe in Pawtucket, RI and had their Eggplant Rollatini.  I've been dreaming about it ever since.  It was so incredibly satisfying-grilled eggplant rolled around a wonderfully creamy filling, flooded with tangy tomato sauce and topped with basil.  Perfection.  You can see the fork and knife going in for a first bite before I snapped my photo above.  For good reason!

So I've been thinking about this rollatini since May and last week decided that it was time to attempt to make it.  Most of what I make is soy-free, but this recipe isn't.  It is totally gluten free and vegan, though.  It has a whole bunch of steps, but they're all relatively simple and if you enjoy being in the kitchen (which I suspect you must if you're reading!) the time will fly by.  I suggest putting on She & Him Volume Two and get cooking!  If you don't have the time to make the vodka sauce, use your favorite sauce from a jar.

Tofu Ricotta Filling

 1 package of extra firm tofu

 1/4 tsp garlic salt

 1/4 tsp onion powder

 1/2 cup fresh basil 

 Pinch of salt

 Pepper, to taste

 1/3 cup vegan mozzarella - I love Daiya Cheese

The actual steps involved here are quite simple.  Just drain the tofu, add the seasonings and break it all up with a fork.  I tore my basil, but you could certainly julienne the basil-the beauty of cooking vs. baking is there are far fewer rules to follow.  Make sure everything is well incorporated-you want to have a nice even blend of basil, onion, garlic, cheese, etc in every bite you take. 

Amanda's Tomato Vodka Sauce 

 2 cans diced tomatoes - I use the no salt added tomatoes-I like to control the amount of salt I use

 Small package of mushrooms of your choice - I like sliced baby bellas best

 1 cup unflavored, gluten free vodka - I used Svedka - many online resources assured me it was gf

 1 yellow onion diced

 1 clove of garlic - or more if you love garlic

 2 tbs tomato paste 

 1/4 cup of coconut milk 

 1 tbs earth balance of your choice - I keep the soy-free one in the house

This sauce takes a bit of time, but it's worth it.  Start by melting the earth balance over medium heat in a large saucepan.  Add the diced onion and garlic.  I sprinkle a pinch of salt over them at this point.  Let the onions and garlic cook down just a bit and add the mushrooms.  Stir the onions and mushrooms.  Let the mushrooms brown just a bit.  Add the cup of vodka - it'll pick up any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan and make a wonderful sizzling sound.  Add the cans of diced tomatoes, the tomato paste and the coconut milk.  Stir together and bring to a boil.  Bring the sauce down to a simmer, cover and let it be.  Stir periodically.  It's done when it gets thick - it isn't a terribly thick sauce, though.  It is a bit chunky from the tomatoes, but you could always blend it if you want a smoother sauce.  It generally takes me about 45 minutes to get it to a consistency I like.

Grilled Eggplant

 2 Medium Eggplants sliced length-wise

 Olive Oil

I think that many people have tricks for preparing eggplant.  I don't.  I used a mandoline to slice mine-I had it on the largest setting so my eggplant wouldn't fall apart on the grill.  I set my panini press to medium heat and grilled the eggplants on each side for about three minutes.  Until there were grill marks.  While the first side grilled, I put a bit of olive oil on the other side.  It's a relatively quick process, but because you'll have so much to grill, it can take a bit of time.

Assembly   -  350 degrees for 30-40 minutes

 Vodka Sauce 

 Grilled Eggplant

 Tofu Ricotta 

 3/4 cup vegan mozzarella

 Get your favorite pyrex and set up your filling station.  I like to have the sauce off to the side, the eggplant to my left, an empty plate right in front of me, the tofu ricotta in the center and the baking dish on the right. 

Take a slice of grilled eggplant and spoon approximately 1 tbs of filling towards the center.  Roll from the skinny side in - place in dish seam-side down.  Don't roll it too tightly-you want the filling to stay in the eggplant.

Repeat the process until your dish is filled.  Cover the eggplant with your vodka sauce, sprinkle with the vegan cheese and place on the center rack of the oven.  Check on it after 30 minutes - your goal here is to get the cheese melty and the insides gooey.  I usually leave it in the oven for a little over a half hour.

Next step - wait as long as necessary to not burn your tongue and dig in!  Enjoy!

My rollatini isn't as beautiful to look at, but I promise it's delightful.  If you ever make it to Garden Grille in Pawtucket, make sure you walk down two doors and pop into Wildflour Vegan Bakery and Juice Bar - you won't be disappointed!