Monthly Archives: December 2016

Winter is NOT the time to lose weight

My husband was all set to invest in some reset program. Its that time of year, a few holidays of rich foods and a tighter waist band and we find this need to look for something outside of ourselves to look or feel a certain way. Maybe the problem isn’t us, maybe the problem is marketing.

We started talking about a better plan, instead of investing $200 into powders and bars that sounded a lot like torture (to me) into whole food, real food, the kind of food  that doesn’t last very long because its alive. I started thinking about Laura Ingalls. What would they be eating right now in the dead of winter? Vegetables that could be stored, squashes, potatoes, beans, apples and wild game that could be hunted. Winter is comfort food season. Quite honestly this is not the time to lose weight, its the time to hold on for warmth! The best we can do right now is to stay away from sugar and eat warm, slow cooked, from scratch foods. We decided to add the kind of foods into our lives that we wanted to be eating and allow the ones we want to avoid like christmas cookies to naturally fall away from our palate. There’s only so much you can eat in a day and by focusing on more plant based foods like vegetables our bodies are nourished and will be less likely to be searching for sugar fixes. I looked all over for smoothie recipes that felt balanced enough for the cold weather and everything I looked at felt too much like summer. So my plan is to make up some sipping vegetable stock and chicken stock when I’m craving a cup of tea in the afternoon to drink instead. I’ll share the recipe once I’ve gotten it down.

If you want to understand how acupuncture helps with weight loss I wrote a series awhile back if you want to take a look, just wait to use the principles until the spring when its what your body is looking to do. 😉

Acupuncture for Weight Loss Part 1

Acupuncture for Weight Loss Part 2

Acupuncture for Weight Loss Part 3

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Check back for winter recipes and join me for the next Yogapuncture for Winter if you want to learn more about connecting to the seasons. Our lunch today was inspired by this complete nourishing winter bowl, I added some green curry it was warm and delicious devoid of deprivation of any kind.

 

The Shortest Day of the Year

Happy Winter Solstice!

Today is the shortest day of the year and to me that feels like really good news. It means that everyday will become just a little bit lighter.

Like we talked about in the winter yogapuncture winter is the time of going inward, when our energy is deep and we should be resting. This can be tricky to balance with the holiday season.

Today take some time ideally somewhere between 3-7 (its when the kidney/urinary bladder the organ system of the season is most active in the body) and come into constructive rest pose. Its deeply restorative for your body and if held for 10 minutes is the equivalent of 2 hours sleep.

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For more info and how to do constructive rest pose head over here to the archives! Breathe deep and enjoy!

Want to know more about thriving in the winter season? Join me Saturday Jan 14th at OhmMother Yoga for the next Seasonal Harmony: Yogapuncture for Winter. For more information and to register visit here. 

1 Pot Three Bean Green Chili

This is a good recipe about balance. Its a hearty meal with lots of health benefits that I like to pair with tortilla chips and sour cream and shredded cheese. The warming nature of the chili itself along with the spices helps to counteract the cooling nature of the sour cream and shredded cheese. Because life is too short to skip the sour cream. 😉 Its also a quick and easy meal, 30 minutes or less to make. I’ve bolded the ingredients that especially benefit the kidney energy of winter.

  
What you need:

  • small onion
  • 1lb ground beef (preferably grassfed)
  • 1 red pepper chopped
  • 1/2 cup corn
  • 1 can red kidney beans
  • 1 can white kidney beans
  • 1 can pinto beans
  • 2 12 oz jars of salsa verde
  • sea salt (I use pink himalayan salt)
  • black pepper
  • cumin
  • shredded cheese
  • sour cream (or greek yogurt)
  • cilantro and avocado for garnish
  • tortilla chips
  1. In a stock pot brown meat and onions, season with salt, pepper, cumin. I eyeball this maybe a tsp each of salt and cumin and 1/2 tsp of pepper. Drain excess liquid.
  2. Add pepper, corn, beans and salsa. Simmer on low for 15 minutes.
  3. Pour into bowls and top with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado and cilantro. Enjoy with tortillas as a side or crumble into chili.

Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Walnut Muffins

I came across this recipe from the Minimalist Baker and thought it was a perfect treat for the winter months. I often say food is the easiest and hardest thing to change when it comes to wellness. If food doesn’t taste good why would you want to eat it? That’s why I like to share a treat at yogapuncture especially when its made with whole foods that nourish the organs of the season. 🙂 Here is my version below, the bold ingredients especially nourish the kidney/urinary bladder system of winter.
  
** It is not vegan or nut free so feel free to use the original recipe if that works better for you

What you need:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup roasted beets (if you really don’t have time for roasting, Trader Joe’s sells peeled, roasted beets all you need to do is puree yourself)
  • 1/4 cup honey (local if possible)
  • 10 dates (soak for an hour before starting to prep muffins)
  • 1/2 tsp Himalayan sea salt.
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1.5 tsp baking soda.
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1/3 cup cocoa or cacao powder
  • 1 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chunks + more for topping
  • 1/3 cup walnuts + more for topping

What you do:

  1. Preheat over to 375 and line muffin tin with liners
  2. Place beets, soaked dates (I tore into pieces before putting in), coconut milk and melted coconut oil in food processor or blender. Blend until smooth
  3. Mix wet ingredients and eggs with baking soda, salt, cocoa powder in mixer. Slowly add flour 1/3 cup at a time until all ingredients are well blended.
  4. Add chocolate chunks and walnuts and stir
  5. Pour batter evenly into 12 muffin tins. Top each muffin with a couple pieces of chocolate chunks and a walnut.
  6. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a fork comes out clean

  
Enjoy!