5 Simple Winter Intentions

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Christmas yoga, clean eating, daily yoga, holiday survival tips, well-being, winter fitness, winter yoga, yoga intentions, Yoga With Paul

We are on the cusp of December which brings winter proper, and the buzz and busy-ness of the holiday season. While the holidays can be glorious fun. They can also lead to stress if we let healthy habits slide, or give in to the pressure to buy the perfect gift, wear the perfect outfit, host the perfect party, etc.

Setting our intentions is a way to help us navigate winter with balance and energy. These five simple winter intentions are a foundation you can build on for a joyous season.

Photo by Filip Bunkens on Unsplash

Prioritise your well-being

It is easy to prioritise other people’s expectations and needs, especially during a season where there are often a lot of social and familial expectations. However, you can’t be a jolly host or happy guest if you are frazzled and unwell. Taking care of your own well-being actually gives you more energy for others.

Do (a little) yoga every day

Even something as simple as sun-salutations, or a spine-stretching sequence can relax and invigorate your body and mind, keeping you on track. Better still, make time for your favourite yoga class and enjoy the added benefits of collective energy!

Remember, love doesn’t have a price tag

Shopping can be a major source of holiday stress. Instead of obsessing over gadgets or gifts, take time to think about what the recipient means to you and how you can best express your love. Maybe the best gift is a home-cooked meal, or an uninterrupted afternoon together, or watching old movies with a bowl of popcorn.

Eat for real comfort

As I’ve written before, comfort food doesn’t have to be greasy, sugary, or heavy. Real comfort food is what makes you feel good inside and out. Think hearty soups, warm salads, and stir-fries packed with vegetables. When you eat well you will feel well — and have a better chance of fighting off the colds and flu!

Reach out

The holidays can be a hard time for people, adding extra pressure to difficult situations like grief, poverty, or being far from home. Taking the time to reach out to a friend or acquaintance, or volunteer with a local community group, is an important way we can share the true spirit of the season.

What are your winter intentions? Share in the comments!

 

 

 

 

Warm Roasted Cauliflower Salad

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clean eating, holiday detox, roasted cauliflower, roasted cauliflower salad recipe, vegan recipes, vegetarian recipes, veggie warm salad recipe, warm salad recipe, Yoga With Paul

Breathe deep. It’s the holidays! If you’re anything like me, you’ve been busy — and busy indulging. The delights of Christmas can leave you feeling lethargic. And New Year’s eve is yet to come!

What you need is delicious, hearty, clean food to energise your body and get you ready to dance your way into the new year. This recipe for warm, turmeric-roasted cauliflower salad ticks all the boxes: seasonal veg, warming spices, simple preparation.

The recipe is from Olive magazine. Check out the original feature for 21 more fantastic veggie recipes that will get you right for 2019.

Photo by Jennifer Schmidt on Unsplash

Ingredients

• cauliflower 1 large head,
  broken into small florets
• ground turmeric 1 tsp
• groundnut oil
• brown basmati rice 200g
• frozen edamame beans,
  or chickpeas 150g
• frozen petit pois 150g
• lemon 1, juiced
• cucumber 1/4, peeled and diced
• mint a small bunch, chopped
• flat-leaf parsley a small bunch, chopped
• cashews 50g, toasted and chopped
• pomegranate seeds to garnish (optional)

TERIYAKI DRESSING

• balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp
• shaoxing rice wine 2 tbsp
• mirin 2 tbsp
• soy sauce 2 tbsp
• caster sugar 3 tsp

Method

• STEP 1

  Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the cauliflower in an ovenproof dish or tin, add the turmeric, some seasoning and 2 tbsp oil, and toss together. Roast for
  20-25 minutes until tender. Tip onto a plate and cool.

   

• STEP 2

  Meanwhile boil the rice in salted water until tender, adding the edamame and peas for the last minute of cooking, then drain well. Leave to cool, then tip into a large bowl. Add the roasted cauliflower, lemon juice, cucumber and some seasoning, and toss together. Add the herbs and toss again.

   

• STEP 3

  Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Divide the cauli rice between plates, scatter over the cashews and drizzle with the dressing.

   

  Share your favourite post-Christmas recipe in the comments!

Easy Organic Christmas

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clean eating, Farmdrop, food for yoga, healthy holiday food, organic food, yoga diet, yoga holiday food, yoga nutrition, Yoga With Paul

Dreaming of an effortless, organic Christmas? I am… but I’m not sure how to fit it in around work, Christmas parties, gift shopping and spending time with loved ones.

One idea is to use online delivery services to help keep the fridge and pantry full of good, healthy, clean, seasonal food.

Photo: Farmdrop

I did a bit of poking around (read an Independent article) and found Farmdrop, a site that lets you buy from local farmers.

“Local” is a relative term, but most products are sourced in a 100 mile radius — making it a lot more local than South American strawberries, or what have you.

Farmdrop covers all categories of food — including booze! — but what I really like is the fruit & veg category. Eating plenty of fresh, seasonal produce is difficult this time of year. Especially when you don’t have much time to shop.

Buying a veg box is a great way to ensure you have delicious organic ingredients on hand, when you need them. Having good food available is one of the best ways to avoid overindulging. Give it a try!

Know a great organic/local food supplier? Share in the comments!

Seasonal Food: Leeks

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clean eating, eat the seasons, mujadara recipes, seasonal food, seasonal recipes, vegan recipes, vegetarian recipes, Yoga With Paul

Eating fresh food not only brings more nutrients to your diet, it helps you tune in to the rhythms of the seasons. This time of year, leeks are in season and they are a great addition to many dishes.

According to Eat The Seasons, leeks are related to garlic and onions but have a much subtler, sweeter and more sophisticated flavour. They are great in soups and stews, and partner with potato and with cheese to form tasty side-dishes and suppers that comfort and satisfy. They have been cultivated at least since the time of the Ancient Egyptians and are depicted in surviving tomb paintings from that period!

Leek-and-potato soup is a comforting classic but if you’re looking for something with a bit more spice, you should try this one-pot mujadara recipe. This Lebanese dish combines leeks with lentils, basmati rice, seasonal greens, herbs and spices.

For the full recipe visit HolyCowVegan.net. Here’s your ingredient list to get started:

• Leeks
• Brown lentils
• Basmati rice
• Cumin powder
• Allspice powder
• Garlic
• Cayenne pepper
• Bay leaves
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Leafy greens

 

Have a favourite leek dish? Please share in the comments!

 

 

#YWP December Newsletter

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London yoga, new years yoga, Yoga Holiday With Paul, yoga news, yoga newsletter, yoga postures, yoga teacher, Yoga With Paul

Last one of the year, friends! The #YWP December newsletter is here. Enjoy & share.

Namaste

Yoga With Paul newsletter DEC 2017

Photo by Urban Decay Visuals

 

Vegan New Years Recipes

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clean eating, clean food, detox foods, healthy foods, holiday food, New Year's Eve 2017, vegan New Years Eve, vegan recipes, Yoga With Paul

Clean eating at a party? Is that possible? I love to indulge at New Year’s Eve parties. But I also enjoy eating things that make my body feel good. Luckily, those two things are not mutually exclusive.

There are loads of recipes out there for vegan party food, ranging from dips like spinach & artichoke to more involved creations like raw vegan mini-cheesecakes. The point is, whether your tastes run to simple snacks or elaborate spreads, there are definitely healthful options that will ensure you start the New Year feeling great, inside and out.

Here are two recipes to get the party started. Click here for 48 more recipes via Bustle.

Easy Sangria

Ingredients

• 1/2 apple, cored, skin on, chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 orange, rind on, sliced into small pieces, large seeds removed (plus more for garnish)
• 3-4 Tbsp (41-55 g) organic brown sugar (or 3 Tbsp (37.5 g) organic cane sugar)
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) orange juice, plus more to taste
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) brandy, plus more to taste
• 1 750 ml bottle dry Spanish red wine*
• Ice to chill (~1 cup)

Click here for full instructions

 

Pumpkin & Black Bean Quesadillas

Ingredients

• 400g pureed cooked pumpkin
• 400g tin black beans, drained and lightly mashed
• 150g tin diced green chilles
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 8 soft taco sized flour tortillas (whole wheat preferred)
• Hot sauce

Click here for full instructions

Share your favourite clean eating party food recipe in the comments!

 

Gluten Free Gingerbread

Tags

Christmas recipes, food for yoga, gluten free gingerbread recipe, gluten free holiday, gluten-free recipes, healthy Christmas treats, yoga, Yoga With Paul

This recipe from Gluten Free on a Shoestring makes soft, delicious gingerbread that you don’t have to be gluten free to love. If you’re having a holiday get-together, or taking food to a party, these are perfect: simple, comforting, tasty and suitable for all.

For the full recipe, and many more GF goodies, visit the website.

Ingredients

• 210g all purpose gluten free flour
• 3/4 tsp xanthan gum (omit if your flour blend already contains it)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 110g packed light brown sugar
• 85g unsalted butter or coconut oil, at room temperature
• 85g unsulphured molasses
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 egg at room temperature, beaten
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Royal Icing, for decorating (optional)

Preparation

For full instructions visit Gluten Free on a Shoestring

What’s your favourite Christmas biscuit? Share in the comments!

Vegan Holiday Recipes

Tags

aubergine recipes, Christmas recipes, clean eating, clean food, holiday recipes, vegan Christmas, vegan gluten free, vegan recipes, weight-loss, Yoga With Paul

Holiday indulgence should be a pleasure, not something that leaves you feeling overstuffed afterwards. One way to cut down on the heaviness is to include vegan recipes in your Christmas repertoire.

Viva! Vegan Recipe Club promises to “veganise” your holiday feast with animal-free versions of favourite seasonal recipes. They have a big batch of recipes for alternatives to traditional starters, mains, snacks and sweets and if you don’t see your favourite dish, they’ll create a recipe if you email  info@viva.org.uk with your request!

I like the idea of substituting or adding vegan versions because it lets you adapt your cooking and eating to fit with your traditions and tastes. You can keep the turkey or ham, or whatever is important, and add delicious, healthful alternatives to round out the meal.

This aubergine recipe stood out for me… click here for the full listing.

Aubergine towers with roast tomato sauce

A nice dish for a special occasion. It is made in several stages, none of which are difficult – most of the cooking time takes place in the oven, leaving you free to do other things (bar the occasional oven check!). The sauce ingredients and main course ingredients will be ready at roughly the same time – all you need to do is quickly blend the sauce and serve it with the aubergine towers.

Nut-free? Omit the cashews and replace with half a pack of plain tofu, cut into chunks, fried and flavoured with tamari (gluten-free soya sauce). If allergic to seeds, eg sesame, replace tahini with arrowroot – see recipe
Gluten-free? Replace bread crumbs with Orgran Rice Crumbs (gluten-free and vegan) – good health food shops or else online from Ocado,  Realfoods etc

Ingredients:

• 4 small aubergines
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp grated lemon rind
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 50g/2oz sultanas
• 50g/2oz cashew nuts, toasted and chopped (see above for nut-free option)
• 2 tsp tahini (sesame seed paste) – use 1 tsp arrowroot for gluten-free and nut-free option
• 50g/2oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped Salt and pepper

Roast Tomato Sauce

• 450g/1lb beef tomatoes, quartered
• 1 red pepper, roughly chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped or crushed
• 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Put an inch or two of hot water at the bottom of a steamer and bring to the boil then turn to a simmer. Meanwhile, slice off top and bottom of each aubergine and stand upright. Using a sharp knife, carefully scoop out flesh leaving skin intact. Chop the flesh and set aside. Put the aubergine ‘bodies’ on to steam – upright if possible – for about 5-7 minutes. This will tenderise them a little. Don’t let them get too soft or they will fall apart in the oven! Remove from heat and take the lid off the steamer when they are done.

2. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 and get two roasting tins ready. You need two shelves in the oven – make sure there is enough space for the aubergine towers to stand up!

3. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry onion, garlic and spices for 5 minutes. Add aubergine flesh and lemon rind and continue to cook for a further 8 minutes or until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients and season to taste.

4. While the filling is simmering, prepare the sauce. Place all the sauce ingredients in one of the roasting tins and toss everything in the oil so all the vegetables are well coated.

5. When the filling is ready, spoon it into the aubergine towers and brush with oil.

6. Add 1cm/1/2 inch of water to the second roasting tin and carefully place the aubergine towers in it. Place both roasting tins in the oven and bake everything for 40 minutes. Check occasionally to ensure nothing is sticking or burning – rotate the roasting tins if necessary or swap shelves.

7. Just before serving, remove the sauce roasting tin from the oven and blend everything for a few seconds – either in a food process or transfer ingredients to a bowl and use a hand blender. Keep warm and serve with the aubergine towers.

 Share your favourite good-for-you holiday recipe in the comments!

Fiery Avocado and Mango Salsa

Tags

clean eating, clean food, gluten-free recipes, healthy eating, mango avocado salsa recipe, summer recipes, vegan recipes, vegetarian recipes, Yoga Holiday With Paul, yoga retreat, Yoga With Paul

Avocado and Mango Salsa is a Yoga Holiday With Paul favourite and I can’t be the only one looking forward to the veggie food at the upcoming retreat!  This delicious, fresh, easy recipe means don’t have to wait to for our brilliant caterers. My version uses a fiery, slightly sweet Scotch bonnet chilli. You can tone down the heat by using a fresh jalapeño.

Ingredients

• 1 ripe mango
• 2 ripe avocado, peeled, seeded, diced
• 1/2 small sweet white onion
• 1 ripe tomato
• 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, seeds removed, minced (wear gloves!)
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp agave syrup (optional)
• Salt flakes

Preparation

1. Peel and dice the mango, avocado and onion and place in a large bowl.
2. De-seed and dice the tomato, place in a separate bowl and salt liberally.
3. De-seed and mince the chilli (if you have sensitive skin wear gloves, and whatever you do don’t rub your eyes!)
4. Combine all the fruits.
5. Mix together the fresh lime and agave. Pour over the fruit. Mix well. Taste and season.

You can make this a couple of hours in advance and refrigerate to coax out the flavours.

This is a very versatile, vitamin-packed topping for salads, wraps and cooked dishes.

Share your serving suggestions in the comments!

Clean Food: White Bean Hash

Tags

gluten-free recipes, healthy food, kale recipes, New Years detox, one pot cooking, vegetarian recipes, Yoga With Paul

Clean eating is a great way to rebalance and reset your body after the holiday indulgence. Warming food like this white bean, kale and potato hash is full of nutrients including vitamins A and C, and iron, as well as a generous dose of protein, fibre and complex carbohydrates for energy. I’d make this for dinner then have the leftovers for a snack or lunch the next day. This is simple, healthful food that is kind to your body and your budget. Recipe via Beard & Bonnet

 

White Bean, Kale and Potato Hash (Gluten-Free and Vegan)
Serves 4

1 large russet potato, scrubbed and cut into a very small dice
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1/4 white onion, thinly sliced
1 tin white beans, drained and rinsed
2.5 – 3 cups of Kale, sliced into thin ribbons
1 lemon, zested
50g Parmesan cheese, shredded (optional)
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and a generous pinch of salt, toss well to coat. Cover the skillet with a tight fitting lid and cook for 7-9 minutes, tossing or flipping occasionally to ensure that all sides of the potatoes are browning and getting crisp.

Add the onions and the white beans to the skillet with the potatoes, mix well and gently arrange the beans and onions into a single layer in the pan. Leave to cook for 3-5 minutes, flipping once or twice, to ensure that the beans are browning and getting crisp.

Add the ribbons of kale and cook briefly until the kale wilts slightly. Remove from the heat and sprinkle in lemon zest, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and additional salt to taste. Serve immediately.