A is for April, Asana, And, Awesomeness...

I know ignorance is something to stray far from, but is it OK to "ignore" April? Welllllll, no. You would miss too much Awesomeness! This breathy Adrenaline is a by produce of the workshop Emily and I held at Studio Zenith last night. We had to greatest number of people doing Ashtanga in the studio thus far and the air in there was completely electric. So thank you to everyone who came out, we can not wait to see you again soon, and thank you to Anyone who does yoga Anytime, Anywhere.

A very different part of my weekend was spent cleaning out the "other" room in the upstairs of our apartment. Since we moved in (a year and a half ago) the room has Accumulated a wealth of stuff, and in an effort to begin the inevitable Springtime cleanse Jayson and I went to work. Luckily we've decided to remove the weight bench and desk we never use and there is actually space in there! I've put my herb starts in the window and vacuumed and voila:

An in-home studio space! An April miracle! I'm excited!

Another April must-do is celebrate Jayson's birthday, which is tomorrow. We went out on Friday starting with an afternoon at the Stoweflake spa and evening massages. It was my second visit to the spa last week, Emma and I spent an afternoon there on Tuesday getting aromatherapy body wraps and pedicures. The spa offers service for 50% off one week in the spring and fall each year. I highly recommend checking it out! Friday evening we ate out at Crop Bistro & Brewery just across the street and had an Amazing meal. The weather was sleeting and blowing all day but the mild temperatures allowed us to brave the night out. It was well worth the free birthday dessert and spectacular service, we will definitely return to Crop.

Alongside busy days and lush behavior, we've been eating out of the freezer at home! No more lentil soup, but there is still pie crust, pizza dough, homemade bread and plenty of other soups to choose from. I think a may start a soup-making-binge tradition every winter, it's especially nice for these drizzly and dark spring days. The black bean burgers I made months ago are almost used up and have become one of my faves. And yes, those are leftover fiesta fries and HLBs....


I can't resist posting this photo, Lola and her seven-toed paws...

46. sthira sukhamasanam
asana is a steady, comfortable posture (or asana is a stable, happy presence)

47. prayatna saithilyananta samapattibhyam
by lessening the natural tendency for restlessness and by meditating on the infinite, posture is mastered

48. tato dvandvanabhigatah
thereafter, one is not disturbed by dualities

Yoga Sutras: Book Two by Sri Swami Satchidananda

Smells like Spring! Cilantro, Snowmelt and More...

It's April 1st and the weather has been mild and forgiving in Vermont. All except for the massive snow meltage that has turned the back roads into a continuum of swirling mud. Last night Jayson and I dined at my mom's house for Easter with her boyfriend, Wayne, and my brother! The road was so nutty we parked my beetle at the elementary school and my brother shuttle us to the homestead, yeehaw! We had ham, baked pineapple (!!!), scalloped potatoes, roasted asparagus, cheddar popovers and pink bubbly.... wow. My mom also presented me with an Easter bag full of treats and love. Spring time is a great time to be reminded of family and abundance with the new life it brings. It also presents looming days of rain. Today remains dark even at noon with heavy clouds and showers in the forecast, a perfect day to spend in practice, both in the studio and out.

With Intermediate Series calling me I am trying to reshape my weekly yoga routine. Last Friday I went to the Friday morning class at YVT to start training towards the next series in the Ashtanga tradition. It's nice to be learning new transitions and movements along with the seasons, sometimes things just start to click. Today I teach Kids Yoga, attendance has been low but the kids really love to do yoga, so that's great! I've also been obsessed with watching videos of Pattabi Jois teaching the Primary and Intermediate Series. I warn you that the videos are lengthy, extremely inspiring and intensely powerful. Anyways, practicing everyday in the studio(s) feels excellent.

And beside that I've got a regular busy life at the restaurant and in my kitchen. This morning I made hummus with fresh cilantro, lime and garlic. I've been into buying fresh herbs so CILANTRO has been the pick of the week. Yum. Tacos, I even put it in the meatballs I made with mushrooms and onions, and there is still some left to be used! Keeping it fresh and waiting for spring!

A newer obsession has been unearthed in baking my own bread. I find it therapeutic and exhilarating all at once, very much like my physical yoga practice. There are such subtle changes in the recipes of breads that amount to very substantial disparities in the finished product! Now I'm not trying tog et all philosophical and yogic about bread making, but I do recommend giving it a try if you've got the time and capacity to make it happen. Here are a few ideas:

Free Form Sundried Tomato-Garlic-Basil Loaf

Pumpkin Oat Raisin Quickbread (in background of bagel boiling photo!)

Hand Rolled Onion (Mini)Bagels w/ Rosemary

And perhaps one of the more exciting things, mild temperatures have warranted OPEN WINDOWS! This is great for keeping things fresh AND entertaining the kitty who has never had such awesome exposure to fresh airs, smells, sounds, sights and squirrels! These pictures are mostly for you Laura!

Ending with a quick shout out to my and Emily's upcoming Ashtanga Workshop!

Namaste, may spring come in waves of sunshine, xo

Like a Lion...

Once a week? Once a month? Who cares!? I knew February would be a quick month but to already be a week deep in March is a bit of a surprise. Jayson was gone for a week due to an awesome conference in Syracuse and I seized the moment to spend time in the kitchen, a wild-woman I've become... I did spend a night out with my brother the The Black Krim in Randolph, a much loved place by the both of us. And Emma Sanford joined me for a much needed evening of wine and nachos, so I haven't been a COMPLETE dud.

Firstly, I thawed the rest of the fiddleheads we picked last Spring and made fiddlehead quiche, YUM! Next up was a classic, homemade macaroni and cheese. My mom's favorite recipe involves smoked gouda and is topped with freshly cut apples and it is to DIE for. I've added bacon and peas before but this time I tried something new, oven-roasted mushrooms. Even though they were a bit over roasted (crispy, for sure) I think it is my new guilty pleasure. And on a much healthier note, soup! First up was a loose recreation of Sarducci's own spicy black bean that I finished off with organic coconut milk rather than heavy cream. Another score from the freezer was mashed pumpkin from my brothers garden that I pureed with carrots, celery and onion, seasoned with thyme and serve with either a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt. Finally chili, not vegetarian but grass fed beef, tons of veggies and BEER. Needless to say the freezer is restocked and I've been eating chili for three days straight.

This mac & cheese is good with red or white wine, so I tried both!









Here are some photos from what may possibly be my last snowshoe of the season:

I have been starting to re-pot my indoor plants and plant some herbs in hopes of freshness and life and in anticipation of spring. I now have a baby tangerine tree standing at about two inches and my thyme, dill and basil have all begun to sprout! Where does she find the time? Besides feeling slightly under the weather there have been many people in my life telling me to take a day or two off, so I listened. Somehow I've managed to survive financially with a full week off from work at the restaurant, but I'll be back to the grind tomorrow....

Thankfully part of the reason for my "time off" is the fact that I am teaching seven classes a week at the studio now. They are condensed into 4 days and I love each one of them. I am also planning an Ashtanga workshop with Emily (fellow instructor and teacher trainee) which will be a three hour evening event exploring the Primary Series. We would love for the workshop to grow into something we can hold a few times a year, constantly bringing in new material and revisiting basics! I've eased up on my trips to Burlington in lieu of not spending enough time at home with Jayson and Lola, exhausting my gasoline funds and hoping to attend one of the two David Swenson workshops this summer. The problem is that I miss Yoga Vermont immensely once I haven't visited for over a week :)

And MOST IMPORTANTLY, I just bought tickets to New Orleans to visit Emma S-E and Laura is planning to come at the same time. Isham St reunion in NOLA! I'm feeling incredibly grateful for the richness each day brings to life and the opportunities that lay ahead.

Om purnamidah purnamidan
purnaat purnamudachyate
purnasya purnamudaya
purnameva vashishate

This is full
that is full
from fullness, fullness comes,
when fullness removes itself, fullness still remains

Dinner for Breakfast

In the wake of my recent bout of cabin fever, I find myself slowly potting plants and seedlings around my house and placing them in sunny windowsills. Waiting for spring has always been one of the biggest challenges for me as a small-scale gardener with limited space and time. Only 24 years old I find myself already challenged by the balance of life; friends, family, work, boyfriend, writing, garden? Prioritizing doesn't get any easier the older I get because it seems that the number of things on the priority list only continues to grow. I believe more than ever that the more you expect out of life, the more you are likely to find lying in every opportunity. In short, there is no excuse to stop writing, because even if I have to write about what I had for breakfast yesterday, it's always better than nothing. Each time I put something on a page it's an opportunity to share.

And so I present to you, Breakfast Carbonara! Spring time makes me awfully stir crazy and nostalgic of those days in school when all you wanted to do was play outdoors. Digging in the dirt and plating seeds is about as close as I get these days, but with the onset of an early heatwave, I find myself tricked into believing Springtime was actually here to stay. SO I resorted to the kitchen...

In my nostalgia I remembered the shear joy of having breakfast for dinner and began to wonder why it wasn't the other way around. Quiche is as close as it gets, but still, I've had quiche for dinner more times than I've had pie for breakfast... Always a fan of leftovers and their innate potential I created a brunch dish to thrill and satiate everyone:

1 box pasta (cooked)- I use whole wheat spaghetti but anything will work!
1 lb breakfast meat (cooked) bacon, sausage, or meatless sausage all  taste great, esp. the maple
3 eggs (whisked well with salt, pepper, shredded cheese, and seasoning to taste)
1 bag frozen peas (or equivalent fresh peas once in season!)

I cook the meat in a large, deep skillet then drain the fat. Adding a few tablespoons to the same cooled skillet I heat all of the prepared ingredients over medium heat. By first adding the egg mixture (I prefer Romano or Parmesan cheese, BTW) it gives it time to set, then add the meat and epase to coat them lightly in the same flavor. I keep the recipe simple to accommodate whatever may lie in your fridge. Ham would be a fine and economical substitute for bacon or sausage, as I'm sure turkey bacon would be a very healthy choice. I think adding a hint of maple and a fresh garnish of basil, cheese or parsley is a great touch for a potluck brunch or just to feed the family!

Be sure to accompany this with fresh fruit or crispy fried hash browns. Mimosas and juice are a must for any complete breakfast as well... Cheers!