OMG! RECIPES!

Vegetarian Taco Salad

Vegetarian TaCo Salad
INGREDIENTS

·         2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

·         1 large onion, chopped

·         1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels frozen, thawed

·         4 large tomatoes

·         1 1/2 cups cooked preferred rice

·         1 15-ounce can black, kidney or pinto beans, rinsed (We used chili beans)

·         1 tablespoon chili powder

·         1 1/2 teaspoons Taco Seasoning

·         1/4 teaspoon salt

·         1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

·         1/3 cup prepared salsa

·         2 cups shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce

·         1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese

·         2 1/2 cups coarsely crumbled tortilla chips

·         Lime wedges for garnish

PREPARATION

1.     Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and corn; cook, stirring, until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Coarsely chop 1 tomato. Add it to the pan along with rice, beans, chili powder, 1 teaspoon oregano and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tomato cooks down, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.

2.     Coarsely chop the remaining 3 tomatoes. Combine with cilantro, salsa and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon oregano in a medium bowl.

3.     Toss lettuce in a large bowl with the bean mixture, half the fresh salsa and 2/3 cup cheese. Serve sprinkled with tortilla chips and the remaining cheese, passing lime wedges and the remaining fresh salsa at the table.

TIPS & NOTES

·         Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 1, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days; reheat slightly before serving.

·         Kitchen Tips: To remove corn kernels from the cob, stand an ear of corn on its stem end and slice the kernels off with a sharp, knife.

·         To cook rice, bring 1 cup water and 1/2 cup long-grain brown rice to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer at the lowest bubble until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 40 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 395 calories; 17 g fat ( 5 g sat , 5 g mono ); 20 mg cholesterol; 52 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 14 g protein; 9 g fiber; 459 mg sodium; 774 mg potassium.

Vegetarian Reubens with Russian Dressing

Vegetarian Reubens with Russian Dressing

INGREDIENTS

RUSSIAN DRESSING

·         2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise

·         2 teaspoons ketchup

·         2 teaspoons chopped capers

·         1 teaspoon chopped pickle, or relish

SANDWICHES

·         3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

·         1 small red onion, thinly sliced

·         1 cup sliced mushrooms

·         5 cups baby spinach

·         Freshly ground pepper, to taste

·         4 slices rye bread

·         1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese, such as Jarlsberg Lite or Alpine Lace (2 ounces)

·         1/2 cup sauerkraut

PREPARATION

1.     Prepare Russian dressing: Whisk mayonnaise and ketchup in a small bowl until smooth. Stir in capers and pickle (or relish).

2.     To prepare sandwiches: Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms; cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 4 minutes. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until it has wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a plate.

3.     Coat the pan with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and return to medium heat. Add the bread; divide cheese equally among the slices. Divide sauerkraut between 2 slices and divide the spinach mixture between the other 2 slices; cook until the cheese has melted and the bread is golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer sandwich halves to a cutting board. Divide the dressing between the spinach halves. Carefully place the sauerkraut halves on top. Cut sandwiches in half and serve.

TIPS & NOTES

·         Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the dressing (Step 1) for up to 2 days.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 380 calories; 16 g fat ( 3 g sat , 7 g mono ); 15 mg cholesterol; 44 g carbohydrates; 16 gprotein; 7 g fiber; 931 mg sodium; 364 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (80% daily value), Vitamin C (45% dv), Calcium (40% dv), Iron (25% dv).

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable, 1 lean protein, 2 1/2 fat

Love Your Body Week Video 2011 (University of Utah)

Ugh.

I am so behind. But, I promise I will be posting VERY soon!

"

Choreography!

• Posted by Lotus on February 27, 2011 at 2:17pm
• Send Message   View Lotus's journal

Ok so the universe is finally pointing me in the right direction...  It has been a major goal of mine to understand the elements of dance well enough to choreograph beautiful pieces.  The "rules" are fairly universal, but there are a few tweaks for hoop/prop dance. 

1) Week one-

                a) Pick out a song.

                      i) I think the audience’s attention tends to wander after 3 minutes or so.... 

                b) Write down any descriptive words that come to mind when listening to the song.

                      i) Mood, speed, story, feelings, etc.

2) Week two-

                a) Listen to the song, then freestyle to it.

                      i) do this at least once a day

                      ii) Note anything that really "clicked"

3) Week three-

                 a) Write out the time signatures for the song. 

                       i) Counts, beats, transitions, chorus, apex, etc.

                 b) Write what you want your dance to portray:

                       i) story- lesson- etc

                       ii) Other Primary Elements- prop use (led, fire, other toys.) overall speed and feel, how

                           much space to take up, will the dancer/s connect with the audience/ each other

                           What shapes do you want to create?

                       iii) Secondary Elements- Costume, Lighting, background, etc.

4) Week four-

                  a) Use the Transitions as opportunities to move around the stage, or stay still (in the case

                      of 2+ hoopers, this is the perfect time to make different formations, or break off into

                      duets, solos, group, etc.)

                  b) Capture the audience’s attention with something stellar within 20 seconds!!!! No

                      kidding, by then they have already formed an opinion about if they’re going to pay  

                      attention or not!

                  c) Make sure you include movement that stays still, and some that moves, some that takes

                      up a little space, and some that takes up a lot of space, some up high, some down low.

                     (This can be applied to group formations too! <3)

                  d) Include different types of tricks and dance elements (isos, on body, tosses, etc. and for

                     dance: Jumps, turns, pleas, etc.)

                  e) Choreographing group hoop dances can become tricky as they can be distracting and

                      chaotic in the wrong way... so stay on beet, create shapes, take turns, and when you’re

                      doing different things at the same time, analyze them well to make sure they are

                      complementary!

                

                 f) Write down the choreography with the counts as you go. 

                           I) Include facial expressions and energy (ex: excited and sharp) in the notes for the

                               section :)

                           ii) Nothing is final, you can always refine, so don’t be to analytical about your

                               choices.

                  g) NEVER underestimate the importance of arm, hand, feet, and head technique and that       

                      whole group doing these the same.

5) Week Five-

                  a) Learn/ teach it

                            I) take it a section at a time. Practice every section like 5 times before moving on.

                            ii) Introduce the most difficult section first so that you can practice it longer.

                  b) I like to mark where people stand/ formations and practice that before adding

                      the dance/hoop elements.

6) Week Six-

                  a) PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.

                  b) Make any adjustments necessary

                  c) Recording and reviewing is never a bad idea :)

7) Week Seven-

                  a) A couple dress/ technical (lights, stage, etc.) rehearsals.

                  b) Give group itinerary, driving directions (if, for some reason they did not get it at

                      rehearsal) and Check list of items to bring

                           i) Don’t forget to include hoops, snacks, and backup music!

                  c) Voala! From seed to fruit your dance manifested.

I hope this helps! <3 Namaste"

This was the second blog post I took from Hoop City. :D

Sarah Ann Hurwitz is a Certified Yoga Instructor and Professional Hooper that I met on facebook and she recently got me interested in Hoop City: A Place For Hoopers, an online community of hula hoopers. I wanted to share a couple of blog entries that I found profoundly interesting. 


"

Hooping meets Meditation

• Posted by Lotus on November 29, 2010 at 11:30am
• Send Message   View Lotus's journal

I would like to offer a basic technique for a hooping meditation.

Meditation reduces stress, helps put your thoughts in order, restores energy, and connects you to your higher intentions. The benefits of meditation can be felt in as little as five minutes but for the best results try to set aside thirty minutes to an hour for this practice.

Find a quiet place where you can practice undisturbed, somewhere that you can relax. If you would like, stage the meditation area a little. Straighten up, light a candle, whatever you feel will make the space special.

Lets begin...

Sit or stand in a comfortable position on the inside of your hoop. Close your eyes and breath through your nose.

Bring your attention to your breath. Not to change it. Just to observe it.

Make the decision right now to focus fully on your breath.

When your thoughts wander, which they will, gently re-direct them back to your breath.

Over and over again.

Feel the coolness of the air as it enters your nose, flows down your throat, and fills your lungs.

Feel the warmth of the breath as it leaves.

Listen to the rhythm of your breath, how long it takes. Is it smooth and strong, or broken?

What part of your lungs are receiving the breath? Do you feel the upper lungs filling? Maybe you feel the breath

draw all the way down into the belly?

Now a simple breathing practice; Three part breathing.

Inhale one third of your breath into your abdomen feeling it rise.

Pause and hold.

Continue the next third of the breath by drawing air into your rib cage expanding the ribs out in all four directions.

Pause and hold.

Draw the last third of your breath into the clavicle area/ the upper lobes of your lungs until you are completely full of air..

Pause and hold. RELAX around the sensation of being full. Relax your face, your neck, and your shoulders. FEEL the muscles between your ribs stretching, increasing your lung capacity.

Exhale slowly and evenly.

First from the top of the chest.

Continue to empty the chest feeling the ribs draw back together.

Finally feeling the lower lobes of the lungs empty as the belly button draws inwards and up towards the spine.

Exhale completely, push the remainder of the air out of your lungs.

Pause and hold. RELAX around the sensation of being empty.

Continue this practice for at least three more rounds.

YOUR LIFE BREATH. CONSIDER THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BREATHING. IF YOU WERE UNDER WATER, IT WOULD REALLY MATTER TO YOU.

At the end of your last round, let the practice drop off.

Just observe the natural rhythm of your breath without trying to control it.

( At this point in the practice, whether you keep your eyes closed or open, but focused on the hoop. is up to you. )

Begin to hoop, Something simple...

Next, bring your attention to your senses. Taste, Touch, Feel, Hear, and See. Picture your senses as mirrors, a

way to perceive the wold around you.

Take these mirrors and turn them inward.

Allow the hoop to be included, as an extension of yourself.

As the mirrors (senses) turn inward you will Taste, Touch, Feel, Hear, and See what is inside YOU. Set an intention for your practice...

It could be anything... A good example is to focus on LOVE..... When you inhale, imagine the qualities

associated with receiving love.... When you exhale, focus on the qualities of giving or being love, etc.

Continue the breath/intention practice.

Allow yourself to be completely present with the practice.

Again, each time your mind wanders, return you're attention to your breath. Continue to link your intention to

the natural rhythm of your breath.

Feel the movement of the hoop against your body and freely follow the directions of the hoop.

Notice how the breath supports your movements.

As you inhale, the breath helps you feel lighter and expand.

As you exhale, you will feel added strength and support.

Inhale as you reach up or out.

Exhale as you contract.

Continue this for some time....

NAMASTE




Eventually, with practice you're mind will be silent. This is the goal. To be fully present in the moment without
latent impressions. You are no longer judging or creating agreements with yourself. The cessation of the fluctuations of the mind opens you up to infinite possibilities.

As with all things, find your balance between what we create and what we experience. When we meditate, our minds are still. Residing in a peaceful and universal nature. It binds us together. When we are thinking; we are creating our experience through our individual body.

Focusing on a particular task is what evolves us and strengthens our minds. Take the time to refine both dynamics of awareness separately so that together, they can be stronger. (Thinking, and creating versus simply witnessing.)

Sarah Ann Hurwitz
Certified Yoga Instructor and Professional Hooper


*Please consider proper citation for any use of this and any entry. The Karmic Universe frowns upon plagiarism."

Valentine's Day and Red Velvet Cupcakes.

The flowers Marc gave me. 

Marc and I's first Valentines Day: February 14. 2011

Valentine's Day has never been my favorite holiday, however having a relationship with someone that I truly love, does spark a random desire to go out of the way to celebrate my relationship with Marc, and our love. So, I decided to make my sweet-mister Red Velvet Cupcakes. 

I was lucky enough to have my friend, Jess' four-year-old son, Liam, with me to make the cupcakes. Liam is one of those kids that have a real genuine sweetness about him so asking Jess to kidnap him is always a joy.

Velvet Cupcakes

Servings: 26 Points: 3 pts

·                     1 1/2 cups cake flour

·                     1 cup white whole wheat flour

·                     1 cup sugar

·                     1 tbsp unsweetened dutch-process cocoa

·                     1 tsp salt

·                     1 tsp baking powder

·                     1 tsp baking soda

·                     1 tsp white vinegar

·                     1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

·                     1/4 cup butter, softened

·                     1 egg

·                     2 egg whites

·                     2 tsp vanilla

·                     1 1/3 cup light buttermilk

·                     1 tbsp red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake tins with liners.  

In a large mixing bowl, stir together flours, salt, cocoa, and baking powder.

Liam licking the applesauce out of the measuring cup.

In another large bowl beat sugar, applesauce and butter. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix baking soda and vinegar. 

Add half of the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, mix well. Addbuttermilk, red food coloring and mix well. Add the remaining dry ingredients and foldin vinegar and baking soda. .

Pour in prepared cupcake liners 3/4 of the way. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool, then frost with low fat cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting. 

FROSTING

·                     8 oz 1/3 fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese

·                     1 cup powdered sugar

·                     1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth