Well, Bethanne & Kenny did it again! Today we held our 4th ever Eating Healthy seminar and it was a smashing, sumptuous success. We had a full house (18) for the event – a mix of Renaissance Yoga yoginis and Bethanne groupies.
The seminar was smooth & seamless throughout with plenty of tasty dishes for all to try, savor, and take home. We started off with “breakfast” and enjoyed donut holes (vegan of course!) that were tasty, sweet & moist. And there was much more such as energy bars, and other treats to give your morning a GO.
Lunch featured great salads including “fall slaw” with maple tahini dressing (shown here), a colorful herb and kale tabouli / tabbouleh, Marrakesh red lenil soup over fresh organic chard, and more.
Of course the great thing with Bethanne is that along the way you learn all about the properties of the foods, their healing qualities, where to get them, how to prepare the dish, and how to enjoy it. So each dish becomes a whole presentation & experience unto itself – and the entire time Kenny is quietly plugging away as the sous-chef par extraordinaire making sure everything is ready and on track.
After a great “lunch” we had a few snacks – what else!?! How about 2 kinds of popcorn that was really cauliflower: One style raw and seasoned to perfection and another dehydrated. Everyone got to pick their favorite.
So after breakfast, lunch, and snacks (of which there were multiple of everything), we had dinner.
Here is a wonderful asian noodle dish with kelp noodles and I believe this is also the dish where we used the spiralizer with a wonderful daikon radish. And of course the sesame-everything sauce was out of this world.
Here is what it looked like when it was completed – a perfect presentation as always!
Then we had a stuffed butternut squash casserole which was baked magnificently – and tasted even better!
Here you have to understand that the array of ingredients, the meticulous preparation and the tasting experience is unparalleled. Top of all we learned the secret to making this at home – and it is easier than you think.
Finally, after breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner we had – dessert. And there was a great selection!!
We had desserts like superfood brownie bites, chocolate chip cherry bites, cookies, and an incredible raw pumpkin parfait with cranberries and ginger “whipped cream” made from soaked cashews, coconut oil and more. The parfait was built in layers and everyone made their own. It was truly a work of art and tasted even better!
But to be honest, no matter what I write and how many pictures I post – you really had to be there to experience it. And it was that – AN EXPERIENCE!!!
Last but not least, we had such a great community of people present who shared, learned, and took delight in the whole program. Special thanks also to Frannie for running such a tidy ship.
Everyone left with a recipe book, plenty of food for tomorrow, and a warm feeling inside. All in all a great experience – see you at the next one!!! It is not to be missed…
Herbs nurture the body’s innate healing capacity; they gently allow your body to heal itself and regain strength and vitality. Herbal medicine is the art and science of skillfully collecting, preparing and using herbs.
In this seminar you will learn about a variety of common, easy to grow herbs and their medicinal value, as well as the basics for growing, harvesting and drying your own herbs. Return home with calendula salve made in class and an herbal tea blend you put together yourself.
The yogis have long depended upon herbal treatments – along with asanas (postures), diet, and other natural remedies – to heal the body & mind of common maladies. In that spirit, this seminar will also feature a short gentle yoga and meditation session.
Sharon Brewer is a clinical herbalist with a masters degree in herbal medicine from the Tai Sophia Institute (Laurel). Sharon also runs a small business, Green Violet Herbs, in Fairhaven, and is a regular attendee of our yoga classes.
With our own fasting seminar coming up this Sunday (July 24), I could not help but share the trailer about a film I first heard about last Wednesday after Community Yoga. While the yogic approach to food and fasting stands on its own unique pillars, the below film (which I have not seen but is offered on Netflix) seems to offer a compelling and much needed voice to this great practice…
Constipation is a fairly pervasive issue – most at some point in their lives have suffered from it. Yogis take this as a very serious condition as it adversely affects major glands like the kidneys, liver, spleen, and heart and has a detrimental affect on the mind, making one irritable, short-tempered, and distracted.
In the west, some medical professionals define constipation as having 3 or less bowel movements a week.
Yogis have an entirely different perspective. They feel a person must clear the bowels within 15 minutes of rising from the bed each and every day, and best is if one has a strong impetus to go upon waking.
In my many years of living with my teacher in India, if for some reason I did not clear the system upon rising, he would take the matter very seriously and would not allow me to engage in any other work or eat food. Full attention was paid to righting the system.
If one is constipated here are some simple steps one can take:
(1) Drink 1 or 2 liters of warm lemon/salt water in the morning. Squeeze 1/4 or 1/2 a lemon or lime in your empty container, add a pinch of salt, mix them, and then add warm water. Drink the solution within 10 -20 minutes, or more quickly so long as you feel comfortable. Then be sure to walk around the house and do standing side-bends.
(2) Some foods are a natural purgative. Spinach is one such food. If constipated then eat upwards of a 1/2 pound or even a full pound of fresh, raw, frozen or lightly steamed spinach with your meal. The greater the percentage of spinach in your meal the better. 100% spinach is fine.
(3) Here are some further do’s and don’ts: (a) Only eat when you feel strong hunger; (b) Do not eat when you are not hungry; (c) Try to minimize snacking; (d) Refrain from eating packaged and processed foods; (e) Drink plenty of lemon water (see #1) all morning long – wait some time – and then eat juicy fruit like pears, oranges, etc. Refrain from eating bananas until one is regular again; (f) Avoid oily foods; (g) Do not overeat; (h) Drink plenty of water in-between meals (3 liters or more over the course of the day) and refrain from drinking with your meal as it dilutes your body’s natural digestive enzymes in the mouth (saliva) and stomach (acid); (i) Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables with your meals and take a high-fibre diet; (j) Avoid constipating foods like meat, dairy (yogurt & cheese), potatoes, and other “heavy” & oily foods like avocado.
(4) A regular yoga practice, walking and other low-impact exercises are extremely beneficial. Poses to relive constipation and stomach disorders include: Uddayana mudra, agnisara mudra, utksepa mudra, yoga asana, bhujaungasana (cobra pose), trikonasana (triangle pose) among others. For more information about this write me.
(5) For the long-term, switching to a plant based diet will bring a wonderful result. Some excellent medical and cookbooks have been published by Dr Neal Barnard and Dr John McDougall.
(6) The topic of proper digestion is a vast topic in the world of yoga and considered absolutely critical to cultivating a healthy body and positive mind. There are many, many more aspects to this matter and anyone is welcome to write me if they have questions.
(7) The western and eastern worlds have quite divergent views on this topic. I personally have found the teachings of yoga and ayurveda to be far more beneficial and insightful. Here is one website (Ayushveda) that I feel offers good information – no doubt there are others as well.
Yesterday at a yoga outing, I learned of a refreshing drink. Sarah David (Mon Nite NECC) let me in on one of her tasty specials. And that is what I share with you today! Thanks Sarah!
Cucumber Water: Fill a pitcher with water. Thinly slice 1/2 or 3/4 of a large cucumber and add to your water pitcher. Cut a few lemon or lime wedges and add to the water mixture. Refrigerate and let sit overnight.
Voila! You now have a very refreshing drink that carries a very subtle taste.
We all know that best is to drink a minimum of 2 liters of water every day. Drinking 3 or 4 is even better. Sometimes we may desire something other than just plain water. Store-bought fruit juices are not good options as they are highly acidic and filled with sugar, artificial flavors, and preservatives. And soda is obviously out.
The above cucumber water drink is an excellent alternative. It is highly alkaline, easy to make, inexpensive, and offers a subtle taste sensation that is quite refreshing.
Keep in mind that using an organic cucumber is probably best. If this is not an option, then at least peel the cucumber to remove that layer of wax that invariably is applied to today’s cucumbers. The same applies to the lemon / lime wedges.
Hope you all enjoy! And do write in with your favorite drink recipes as well, or any variation along this theme!!
This seminar is now full – email us to get put on the waiting list – Thank you.
EATING HEALTHY:
For The Holidays
& Always
Sun, Dec 13, 2009
2:30pm – 5:30pm
Experience food at its freshest- tasty and healthy! In this dynamic cooking and tasting experience, learn the essentials of healthy eating. Learn tips for “transitioning” from your current diet, learn to eat with the seasons, try new ingredients, take home easy recipes, explore “super foods”, eat heartily, knowing that it’s all good for you. No one will go home hungry…we’ll have soup, salad, main dishes and dessert. This is a hands-on, taste-bud sensation. Along the way we’ll review some fundamentals of vegetarian/vegan nutrition. Join in and take the principles of yoga off the mat, into your kitchen, onto your plate, and into your heart and stomach!
This seminar is now full – email us to get put on the waiting list – Thank you.
About our Chef:
Bethanne Kashkett is a vegetarian/vegan cook who specializes in creating simple, healthy dishes. She does culinary demonstrations at MOM’s Organic Market. She also works part time as a personal chef, teaches culinary courses at community colleges, and caters small retreats and gatherings. In addition, she is the founder of the Quaker project: “Cooking for Peace”, which raises money and awareness for social causes through cooking classes.
Eating Healthy:For the Holidays & Always
Sun, Dec 13, 2:30p – 5:30p
Galesville Memorial Hall
$35.00 by Nov 24 / $40.00 by Dec 4 / $45 after Dec 4
This seminar is now full – email us to get put on the waiting list – Thank you.
This weekend, top doctors and chefs will gather at New York’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center to offer health and cooking advice for people with diabetes.
1. The doctor being interviewed is clearly not the yoga type thus giving more credence to his report (I feel). Though I do believe his comments at the end about men and yoga were unnecessary and could have been better framed.
2. Please excuse the commercial before the report. Sorry
For those interested in learning about the wonderful benefits of plant based foods check out these two great medically renowned websites on health and diet.
Well, Bethanne & Kenny did it again! Today we held our 4th ever Eating Healthy seminar and it was a smashing, sumptuous success. We had a full house (18) for the event – a mix of Renaissance Yoga yoginis and Bethanne groupies.
Lunch featured great salads including “fall slaw” with maple tahini dressing (shown here), a colorful herb and kale tabouli / tabbouleh, Marrakesh red lenil soup over fresh organic chard, and more.
So after breakfast, lunch, and snacks (of which there were multiple of everything), we had dinner.
Here is what it looked like when it was completed – a perfect presentation as always!
We had desserts like superfood brownie bites, chocolate chip cherry bites, cookies, and an incredible raw pumpkin parfait with cranberries and ginger “whipped cream” made from soaked cashews, coconut oil and more. The parfait was built in layers and everyone made their own. It was truly a work of art and tasted even better!
Herbal Remedies & Healing
(4) A regular yoga practice, walking and other low-impact exercises are extremely beneficial. Poses to relive constipation and stomach disorders include: Uddayana mudra, agnisara mudra, utksepa mudra, yoga asana, bhujaungasana (cobra pose), trikonasana (triangle pose) among others. For more information about this write me.
Yesterday at a yoga outing, I learned of a refreshing drink. Sarah David (Mon Nite NECC) let me in on one of her tasty specials. And that is what I share with you today! Thanks Sarah!
