An apple a day keeps the....

 

Never heard of a RAW carmel apple?? well read below and enjoy! HAPPY(healthy)HALLOWEEN!

First start with your favorite apple - I love the honey crisp so that is what I have used here

THE GOODS:

• 1C of dates (soaked in water)
• 1/4 - 1/2 C Raw almond milk
• 1tsp coconut oil
• 1tsp mila (ground chia seed - protien packed!)
• 1tsp vanilla flavor ( no alcohol)
• dash o' sea salt
• popsicle sticks
• Almonds ( or nut of choice) - chopped 

*Starting with the almond milk - add everything to a high speed blender or food processor using a spatula to scrape down the sides and keep things moving. Add a touch more almond milk if you need to but the idea is to keep this mixture thick and sticky. If the mixture becomes too thin you can always dip the apples - so you really can not mess this up. Insert your popsicle sticks to the apples and Just go for it! Once you have spread the mixture on the apples or dipped them roll your apples in all kinds of goodness... my favorite being soaked, dried, and chopped - the crunchiest almonds or pecans!!! YA, YOU GOT IT!



Hurricane Sandy is whippin it up outside...so we

...started to whip it up in here

COCONUT WHIP CREAM 

and what -

Vegan (nearly raw) Punkin' Cheesecake

*practice now and it will be perfect by THANKSGIVING!

COCO WHIP

2/3 C coconut meat

1/2C coconut water

1/4C soaked macadamia nuts

2T coconut syrup or maple syrup

1t lemon juice

1/2t vanilla flavor ( not extract) or vanilla bean

pinch of salt

1/2 coconut oil

* Blend everything leaving the coconut oil until last - and blend inn

*Chill for at least six hours until it firms. Use a spoon to dollop on (or just put in your mouth!) your desserts or if you want to get fancy use a pastry bag!

PUNKIN' CHEESECAKE

Crust:

3/4C pecans

1/4 C dates

1 drop of vanilla flavor

pinch of sea salt

*various sized spring form pans for your pie(s)

*pulse the pecans in a food processor adding dates until the mixture starts to clump together

If your dates are not super moist add a drop of water.

The Cake:

1C pumpkin (cooked) pumpkin puree

1C cashews

1C water

4T lucima powder (info on this see below)

6T maple syrup (grade B)

2t vanilla flavor or vanilla bean

1t cinnamon

1t psyllium

1/2C + 2T coconut butter (liquefied)

5t liquid cacao 'butter'

*Blend the first group of ingredients in a high speed blender until creamy - do it in batches or what your blender can handle

*Add the last three items and puree completely. Pour into your crust and refrigerate or freeze for up to 8 hrs or until firm

ENJOY!

** what is lucima powder you say?

Lucima powder is a sweet and edible fruit from the lucima tree. Resembling a pursimmon in appearance it is loaded with beta-caroten, nacin (vitamin B) and Iron. it has a sweet and distinctive flavor - much like maple syrup. You can find it in your health food stores next to the cacao!

Everyone enjoys a good massage now and again. As it turns out, so does kale.
Thats right - all it takes is a little... rub down! The stiff, bitter leaves relax into buttery-soft ribbons that keep in the fridge for days. It was a revelation, all from just a little attention ;).

When kale is massaged, its cellulose structure breaks down and wilts, so the leaves that were once tough and fibrous become silky. The kale reduces in volume by over half and the leaves take on a subtle sweetness.

The massage itself is simple. Once you wash and stem the kale, dress it and start rubbing the leaves together. Vigorously. Think of yourself as Sven the Swedish deep-tissue masseur BOOM! and go to town on those leaves. After a couple minutes the kale should have submitted to your brutal, bone-breaking power and will have turned into delicate, dark green and tender foliage.

Massaged kale obviously makes a great base for salad, but you can also add some to sandwiches, stir-fries, even pesto.

Massaged Kale Salad and Grapes with Poppy Seed Dressing

For the massaged kale:

1 bunch kale, stemmed and sliced into ribbons
1 lemon
Cold-pressed olive oil
Sea salt

1. In a large bowl, dress kale with lemon juice and olive oil onto kale leaves and add a pinch or two of sea salt. Roll up your sleeves and massage kale until it’s deep dark green, soft, and tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Add anything you like: fruits, veggies, cooked or sprouted grains and legumes, nuts and seeds. Get creative. Once you’ve massaged your kale, store it in a tightly sealed container for up to 4 days in the fridge.

Here’s what I added to my massaged kale:

A couple handfuls each red and green grapes
1 ripe avocado
¼ cup toasted pine nuts

Poppy Seed Dressing

¼ cup cold-pressed olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ shallot, diced
1 tablespoon poppyseeds
Pinch sea salt
1 teaspoon honey

Whisk all ingredients together. Store leftovers in a glass jar for up to one week.

Head here for more meatless recipe ideas.

Bikram Retreat - it's not just for professionals!!

Hey did you guys know that Bikram Rereat (next location on tap: PUERTO RICO!)  are a ton of fun? and for every age group and yoga ability level!!

(first timers to teachers & seasoned practitioners we all have something to learn - we all just want to feel great and have fun doing it right?!)

Thats right! You are on vacation - and bonus!! you get to do and learn about Bikram yoga from one of the best - Lynn Whitlow AND dine on the most mouthwatering food with raw/vegan chef Liz Cotter!!!  I always go crazy when I go on vacation or have to travel. The first thing I do is look for the nearest Bikram Yoga studio, where is the healthfood store  & plan how I can fit it into my trip so that when I come home I feel as good or BETTER than when I left. With Bikram Rereat we do that for you! Come for a yoga immersion ( 2 classes offered daily plus posture clinics & valuable practice insight through q&a session) , come to meet new friends, come to simply escape the city and relax in an over stuffed couch or to get a tan while we feed you great farm to table foods. No rules except you just need to show up. Once you get here, getting you to go home may be a different story ;).

Sign up today (so easy click here for details: http://www.scribd.com/doc/111359013 ) or e-mail us for more info.lizcotterevents@gmail.com.  One day, two days or the whole retreat we can not wait to have you!

February 9-16 2013 & the best time ever - is right around the corner so contact us today! Do not delay and soon you will be saying what so many have said before you...
 "That was THE perfect vacation!"

CLICK HERE :
http://www.scribd.com/doc/111359013

Kale chips to die for!

Well - home from a great yoga class and nothing but rain rain rain outside --- I am fantasizing about our RETREAT  in February to Puerto Rico and my scouting trip in two weeks - what to do?? light a fire, put on some tunes & start cooking - Today I made kale crisps!!

Yes, The Amee Farm is going nuts with this stuff and I just can not eat it fast enough - in salads, in juices and now finally I found a chip recipe that actually is great.  Although they may appear a little freaky (you try making baked kale look appetizing), I guarantee that these crisps are every bit as addictive as potato chips! Light, lacey, and crispy, with a hint of whatever kind of seasoning you can throw at ‘em, you will be fighting over every last crumb and wondering how you ever hated kale in the first place. Seriously.
Fine. But I feel the need to make a case for this under-appreciated leaf, because it really is all it’s cracked up to be. First of all, it packs more nutritional punch per calorie than almost any other food on the planet. Seriously. It is crazy-loaded with vitamin K, an essential vitamin for preventing bone fractures, postmenopausal bone loss, calcification of your arteries, and has even been shown to protect against liver and prostate cancer. And because kale is a member of the brassica family (think broccoli, cabbage, collards, and Brussels sprouts) it contains the organo - sulfur compounds that appear able to lessen the occurrence of a wide variety of cancers, including breast and ovarian cancers.
Kale is also excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and manganese. It is also a very good source of dietary fiber, calcium, copper, vitamin B6, and potassium. This combination of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients makes kale a health superstar, for real.

And besides being SOOOOO healthy, kale actually does taste good when you know how to prepare it. For the novice, I would not suggest munching on kale leaves completely raw, but trying this crisps recipe could be a good first step. As with any new food, especially when cooking for kids, ease in slowly and try lots of different preparation methods before giving up. Kale is undoubtedly a nutritional miracle and we’d all benefit from it becoming a recurring ingredient in our cooking repertoire.
Totally Addictive Kale CrispsIngredients:
•1 bunch of kale
•1/2 lemon
•1 Tbsp. maple syrup
•1 tsp. salt
•1 tsp. tamari
•2 Tbsp. olive oil
•1/4 cup sesame seeds

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 200 F 0R your dehydrator to 118*
2. Wash kale thoroughly and spin dry, trying to remove as much water as possible.
3. Tear kale away from stem. Each kale leaf should be torn into about 6 or eight pieces
4. Place all ingredients except for the kale into a bowl, whisk together.
5. Add the kale and mix together with your hands, gently massaging the leaves with the dressing.
6. Lay kale out on a cookie sheet ( or teflex sheet if you are drying) and place in oven (dehydrator). Set timer for 30 minutes ( or if a dehydrator longer - depending on outside humidity it may take several hours...)7. At 30 minutes ( or longer if you are dehydrating), remove from oven and gently unstick kale from pan ( teflex sheet if you are dehydrating)  if it has stuck and replace for another 10-15 minutes until kale is dry and crispy.
8. Allow to cool. Can store in fridge ( or ziploc bag) for up to a week.

This recipe is very flexible and you can use any “dressing” you like to change things up if you fancy - google kale chips and go nuts with all of the variations! I hope you give this recipe a try, especially if you have kids/friends/parents/lovers/bosses/bus drivers who hate green things, because they will become kale crisp-devouring monsters, and you a pleased, kale-love purveyor.

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON YOGA....

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/quilted-science/201209/is-your-brain-yoga

Now imagine your brain on yoga .....after a Bikram Yoga Retreat with us.....WOW now that is something pretty cool!

Sign up today - Don't delay... we are on our way to Puerto RICO!

Finding True Love on Bikram Retreat??..

http://www.bikramyogavancouver.com/2010/11/12/10_reasons_to_date_a_bikram_yogi.php

Lo

FRIDAY'S 4 REMINDERS...

Seniors Bend over Backwards for Bikram...

This just makes me smile!

Click here to read about these awesome guys:
http://www.peninsulanewsreview.com/lifestyles/173327841.html

Dreaming of Puerto Rico...but this will do for today!

Pina Colada Smoothie

ingredients

makes 1

• 3 tbsp non-dairy protein powder made with pea or hemp (preferably) or with flax or rice protein (or a blend)
• 4 - 6 oz water
• 4 - 6 oz unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 cup frozen pineapple pieces
• small piece of avocado – about 1/5 of a large avocado or 1⁄4 of a small one
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut
• 2 - 4 cubes ice

preparation

1. Add all ingredients to blender.
2. Pulse until smooth and creamy.
3. Pour into a glass, enjoy.....and stop dreaming of Puerto Rico and come with us!  Registration Form:http://www.scribd.com/doc/109846515/February-2013-Bikram-Retreat-with-Lynn-Whitlow-Registration-Form-v1

‎"My yoga class is that sweltering day. It's one long, hot meditation. We put incredible pressure on you to teach you to break your attachment to external things and go within. Instead of blaming others for your own weakness, fear and depression, you will learn to take responsibility for your own life. You've got to face yourself in the mirror, every part you don't like, every mistake you make, every excuse your mind creates to limit your potential liberation--there's nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. No escape from reality. With these kinds of demands on your abilities and attention, you will soon forget that there is anyone on the next mat in the classroom, much less notice what they are wearing. After you learn to discipline your body and mind under these conditions, you will truly be able to concentrate; no external will be able to break your powerful focus. That's why I say the the darkest place in the world is under the brightest lamp. In the Torture Chamber of my class, you will find a beautiful light, and the source of that light is within you."

Bikram Choudhury

Bikram Truth - Kareem Abdul Jabar

Not a bad Friday thought...

Puerto Rico February 9-16 2013

 

Imagine you, 

in this picture, 

just after an awesome yoga class, 

sipping a green juice......

Registration is just ONE click away. 

After that click, we will do everything else for you!

TRIANGLE TIP - from Bikram

ENJOY - info from the source..

SWEET POTATO FLAFELS... bringing a little sunshine into that gloomy day out there!

I am not sure where you are in the world but we have just had a gloomy three days over shadowing the amazing Fall Foliage out there so in visiting The Amee Farm's stand yesterday looking for a bright spot I came across the SWEET POTATOES and this recipe came to mind.... I did not invent it, but what a gem! and really, who doesn't love a good falafel?!!

Sweet potatoes take center stage as the base, in place of the standard chickpeas and fava beans (which, mind you, are excellent healthy food choices until you deep fry them in questionable, oxidized oil). These falafel balls are also baked, keeping the fat content low for those watching their waistlines. Even thought they are super healthy, my taste-testers swore they were just as good (or bad?) as Mamoon in the East village! - ok, not quite as good but close ;) I mean - who can compete with Mamoon!!! Oh but we will try ;)

The other wonderful thing about this recipe is the chickpea flour content - making this treat power packed and gluten free! Read more about the power of chick pea flour: http://www.foodnavigator.com/Science-Nutrition/Chickpea-flour-plugs-nutritional-gap-in-gluten-free-products

How Sweet a Sweet Potato is?
As an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene) and a very good source of vitamin C, sweet potatoes have healing properties as an antioxidant food. Both beta-carotene and vitamin C are very powerful antioxidants that work in the body to eliminate free radicals. Free radicals are chemicals that damage cells and cell membranes and are associated with the development of conditions like atherosclerosis, diabetic heart disease, and colon cancer. This may explain why beta-carotene and vitamin C have both been shown to be helpful for preventing these conditions.
Since these nutrients are also anti-inflammatory, they can be helpful in reducing the severity of conditions where inflammation plays a role, such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. YEeeeeeeA! So here is the skinny on the recipe:

Sweet Sweet Potato Falafels
Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes (orange inside), around 700g or 1 1/2 pounds in total
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 small cloves of garlic, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 big handfuls of fresh cilantro/coriander, chopped
Juice of half a lemon
a scant cup chickpea flour
a sprinkling of sesame seeds
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425F degrees (220C) and roast the sweet potatoes whole until just tender - 30 minutes to 1 hour (depending on size). Turn off the oven, leave the potatoes to cool, then peel.

2. Make the chickpea flour by putting about 1 ½ cups of dried chickpeas into your blender and grind on high for a few minutes until the flour stops falling into the middle of the container (you will understand this once you do it). Pour blender contents out into a fine-mesh sieve and sift until the fine gram and coarse legume bits are separated. You should have just less than 1 cup of fine chickpea flour – if not, make more. 

3. Put the sweet potatoes, cumin, garlic, ground and fresh coriander, lemon juice and chickpea flour into a large bowl. Season well, and mash until smooth with no large chunks. Stick in the fridge to firm up for an hour, or the freezer for 20-30 minutes. When you take it out, your mix should be sticky rather than really wet. You can add a tablespoon or so more of chickpea flour if necessary (the water content of sweet potatoes varies enormously).

4. Reheat the oven to 400F/200C. Using a couple of soup spoons (put a well-heaped spoonful of mix in one spoon and use the concave side of the other to shape the sides) or a falafel scoop if you have one, make the mixture into falafel-y looking things and put them on a tray lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and bake in the oven for around 15 minutes, until the bases are golden brown.





Wrap it up:
To serve your falafel balls the traditional, meal-on-the-go kind of way, you can wrap them up in a whole grain tortilla or pita. Load it with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, avocado, sprouts and drizzle on some yummy tahini sauce (recipe below). Alternatively, you can plate them on top of salad greens, with brown rice or cous cous on the side. Again, drizzle the whole plate with the tahini dressing – it’s delicious!

Yummy Tahini Sauce
Ingredients:
1 cup Tahini (sesame seed paste)

½ cup lemon juice
3 ­ 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
¼ tsp. ground cumin ( optional)
1 to 1 ½ tsp. salt (to taste)
¾ to 1 ¼ cup water (depending on how thick/thin you want the sauce)

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Using a whisk beat briskly into a smooth sauce. This takes about 1 to 2 full minutes of beating (you can also use a hand-blender).
This sauce can be served at room temperature or chilled. Refrigerate leftovers. Keeps well for 5 to 7 days. Makes 1 1/2 cups (360 ml).

The recipe for the falafels makes a lot, so refrigerate them overnight and pack them in a picnic lunch for the next day! They will firm up as they cool down too, making them even more like the traditional falafel balls you get at restaurants.ENJOY!