fifty-nine

59

Fifty-nine is the age my parents turned last week. And as a reminder that the're only that much closer to the big six-oh, they came to me seeking healthful guidance. Of course I told them to exercise; take small walks around the neighborhood, and stretch while watching TV. I even bought my mom a cute little set of bright pink 3lb hand weights. But their diet needed an overhaul and that was clear. Here are some pictures I took of their fridge and cabinets. 

If you want to drop some lbs after 50, the refined sugar in sodas, juices, and sugary cereals, are not going to help. Neither are sweet "weight loss" drinks or pre-packaged smoothies. I formulated some small changes for my parents to start transitioning away from these processed foods, and try to intake more whole, natural, and even raw foods as a part of their daily diet. 

A complete overhaul of their fridge was done. I moved everything I didn't want readily available to them, out to the fridge they have in their garage. This way, if they want to cheat, they have to hunt down that bad food first. Then I replaced the majority of their everyday foods with healthier options. Here's a look at my purchase from Whole Foods. 

I focused on less processed, dairy-free, & gluten free items like: dressings, bread, butter, fresh almond butter, beer, and hummus. And of course RAW VEGETABLES. But I know my parents also like convenience, so I even got some frozen pizzas, mac and cheese, and a few vegan desserts I like. But I didn't want to leave them with a bunch of pieces to assemble and no instruction booklet, like an IKEA nightmare. So I drafted a plan, discussed taking small steps towards a healthier diet, and said I'd be checking in regularly (5 days in and they're not annoyed yet). I also made them a set of my vegan burgers, a huge batch of coconut lemongrass soup, and THIS recipe for Curried Quinoa & Vegetables.

This dish reminds me so much of my favorite Thai fried rice. I'm thinking about adding raisins and pineapple to my next batch. Kimberly puts cayenne pepper in her recipe. It's great to make a big batch and eat throughout the week.

Curried Quinoa & Vegetables

(Modified from The Beauty Detox Solution by Kimberly Snyder)

Ingredients:

• 1-2 Tbs. coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cups broccoli, chopped into small pieces
• High quality sea salt (adjust to personal taste)
• 1 Tbs. curry
• ½ tsp. turmeric
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced or thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup coconut milk 
• ¾ cup dry quinoa

Optional Prep: soak the quinoa in water for a few hours, or overnight.

Instructions:

Step One. In a saucepan place 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the quinoa to the hot water, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the grains become translucent soft (about 10-15 minutes). Pour through a fine strainer and set to the side in a bowl.

Step Two.Heat the coconut oil in a skillet pan. Add the diced onions, and lightly sauté for a few minutes, adding the Celtic sea salt, curry, turmeric, and black pepper. I also like to add some minced garlic here. 

Step Three.Add the other vegetables and lightly sauté for 5-6 minutes, until they become softened (but not overcooked).Add the cooked quinoa, and the coconut milk and stir everything together. Adjust flavoring as needed.

The Buddha Bowls

What's a yoga retreat without buddha bowls? 

    This endearing term for what is essentially a healthy, cruelty-free bowl of taste explosions, was proposed by my best friend, Hayley. She undoubtedly saw this on a menu or blog somewhere so I am not claiming that either of us came up with the term. But a "buddha bowl" can really be anything you want it to be. Choose a whole grain like brown rice or quinoa, and top it with veggies and sauce. 

 

 

Cafe gratitude specializes in what I would qualify as buddha bowls. My favorite being: 

I AM GRACIOUS Hemp seed pesto bowl with brown rice or quinoa, shredded  kale, tomatoes  and brazil nut parmesan drizzled with olive oil and topped with sprouts 

Hayley said she usually makes hers with "all kinds of veggies, steamed or raw", a chipotle cashew sauce, and tops it with avocado. Or sometimes she just pours her famous vegetarian chili over some quinoa for a "Mex version".

For the yoga retreat, this dish was Saturday dinner, and I made the "bowls" with toasted quinoa, roasted butternut squash, sauteed kale, and drizzled over some hot and spicy red curry. 

It's safe to say that this dish was the number one favorite of the yogis. They were literally scrounging for more even after second helpings had been served. This recipe may be so loaded with deliciousness, it will have you believing the old expression, "never enough of a good thing," So on that note, let me remind you of the fourth Yama from the 8 limbed path:

Bramacharya

Describing the eight limbs of yoga is a long discussion in itself, all you need to understand, for the purpose of this post, is that the ancient practitioners of yoga compiled a system about how to practice their craft, as a way of reaching a truly deep meditative state called Samadhi, a sort suspension of the mind and what some believe to be a 'holy' type of experience. Samedhi is the eighth limb, but before that are 7 steps, one of which is breath, another is postures, but the first being a code of ethics to ensure that the yogi interacts harmoniously with their surrounding community. Among this list of ethics we find our word, bramacharya.

Some interpret this word as "sexual purity," or "celebacy," but these days, most interpret this ethical precept as "moderation" or "self restraint."

I encourage you to look for ways that you can observe bramacharya in your daily life. For me, it's not always getting dessert, or sometimes it means skipping a day of exercise because my body would do better with rest. Moderation doesn't always mean cutting back on the things you enjoy however, sometimes it can mean allowing yourself to have a little fun when you find yourself taking things too seriously.

 

I haven't done this in a while, so I'm pairing this recipe with Toe Stand. A pose that requires great balance. It's not often that a teacher calls this pose out in class, but it always takes me back to my Bikram days. Great for the fascia in your feat, and the steadiness of your mind.

Starting from a standing tree, or figure-four pose, bend your standing leg and rise up on the tips of your toes. You may need to balance on your fingers at first, but eventually your hands release the earth and you find balance.

"Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship."
-Buddha  

The Catalina Island Buddha Bowl

For yogis who attended the retreat and want to recreate this exactly, I've even provided the type of curry sauce that I used. Happy cooking.

Ingredients: 

• 1 Butternut squash, peeled & cubed
• 2 cups dry quinoa 
• 4 cups water
• 1 bunch tuscan or cavolo nero kale, chopped
• 1 can curry paste
• 2 cans of coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

step 1.
    Get your squash in the oven, as this will take the longest. Roast for about an hour with a little olive oil and salt @ 375 or until tender. 

step 2.
   Toast your quinoa over medium high heat in a large sautee pan until most of it has obtained a little golden color. This adds a nutty flavor and keeps the quinoa from getting mushy. Add the water and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat until the little spirals of the grain start to show. Test for consistency.

Maesri Brand Curry Paste

step 3.
   While your quinoa is simmering, begin your curry. Follow the directions for whichever curry paste you prefer. I like Maesri, and the direction say to warm it in a small pan and slowly stir in about 1/4 cup coconut milk at a time. I always use a little more coconut milk than the recipe calls for. With Maesri, I use 2 cans of coconut milk to 1 can of paste. Keep warm until ready to serve.

step 4.
   Drizzle some olive oil in a skillet and saute kale until it reaches a dark green color or a favorable consistency.

step 5.
   Build your bowl. Start with a few scoops of quinoa, toss in some kale and squash, and spoon over that tasty curry sauce. 

enjoy....

....in moderation.