Tag Archives: spring

Illness as Meditation 

My little bear is quite sick, it seems he’s saved a whole winter’s worth of sickies for right now. Being a little one’s everything can give someone quite a lot of time to think.

It’s hard being still. I’m not good at it. I don’t think most Americans are.


Last week we spied our tulips peeking out. Oh no! I thought, it’s quite possible we will get a frost or snow. So I gathered stray leaves and made blankets for all the sproutlings confused about this mild winter. Why don’t I extend that same level of compassion to myself? Nothing in nature is always blooming and yet we skimp on restoration for ourselves and then wonder why we are always so tired. 

Spring is a becoming. Hardy plants grow deep, strong roots. Illness is not comfortable but it happens. Perhaps running from pain and unpleasantries makes us weaker and more frail. Like the hardy plants, leaning into it makes us stronger. 

Join me Friday in Crystal Lake for Yogapuncture for Spring. We will be working on keeping strong roots in the spring, working with the emotion of anger and talking about what it means to cleanse. There a few spots left just for you 🙂 

What’s For Dinner Week 5

Am I the only one walking around in redundant awe of how warm and sunny it is in the middle of February?! Wow, its seriously blowing my mind in the best way. In tribute to this spring like weather I’ve included some springy dinners for this week balanced with some slow cooked shredded chicken burritos and pulled pork sandwiches. Enjoy that sunshine!

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What’s for dinner this week?

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with shredded cabbage

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Fish Tacos with Mango Kiwi Salsa

Chicken Burritos with Cilantro Lime Rice

lasagna

Spinach Artichoke Lasagna

 

 

 

Preparing for Spring, Seasonal Self Care Class Sneak Peak

We do yogapuncture with the seasons but there is always something happening in the body and our environment. If you’ve been curious about what yogapuncture is (a self care class!) read on and get a tiny peak in. If you’ve been coming to yogapuncture here is a tiny peak in what is going on as we look forward to spring. 🙂

February is the time of preparation for Spring! Even if it doesn’t feel like it. The energy that has been deep in the Kidneys all winter is starting to make its way back. The kidneys store our congenital qi or energy. This the energy given to us by our parents and could be considered the genetics of your body.

The Spleen/Stomach system which is active in periods of transition is continuously supplying the Kidney qi with new energy. Recall the old equation da qi + gu qi = zhen qi What this means is that the air we breathe and the food we eat gives us available energy to use. Any surplus is given to the kidneys for storage in times of need. Now is the time to fill the savings account so to speak so the body is prepared for the transition to spring. It is very common to get sick, worn down, allergies etc in spring because of depletion.

Ways to nourish the spleen: eating yellow foods, especially root veggies. Start to incorporate more veggies and meatless meals to give the spleen/stomach a break from the rich, heavy foods of winter.

Here is an almost perfect meal for the transition from winter to spring. Don’t worry it tastes pretty good too! Mung Bean Stew with Eggplant and Mushrooms

mungbean

Chinese Medicine believes that colds and other sickness can “attack” the body from wind, especially blowing on the back of the neck. It’s especially important to keep your neck protected while you sleep, so avoid fans blowing directly on you or sleeping with a window open when its windy out. Its tempting when the weather breaks (and it will!) to change from winter to spring clothes quickly. Make sure that if you do go out in an open shirt to wear a scarf to protect your neck.

Here is a fun way to wear a scarf. 

One way to strengthen your neck to keep the wind out is to practice this exercise throughout the day especially if you sit in front of a computer for an extended period of time or while driving. You can do it at each stop light as you get good at remembering.

In Chinese Medicine the kidneys control the bones and the spleen controls the muscles. A misconception is that muscles should do all the work. The foundation of proper health, movement etc is stacking the bones of the body first. Healthy muscles contract when working and relax at rest. When the bones are properly aligned the muscles simply hug the bones in support without effort.

To avoid injury don’t lengthen or strengthen muscles if the bones are not properly lined up.

Stay healthy friends and I’ll see you at the Spring Yogapuncture(s) in March!

Crystal Lake Bonnie Ricica March 3rd,

West Dundee OhmMother Yoga March 18th

Antioch Blu Rain Yoga March 25th!

 

 

Spring/Summer Zucchini Lasagna

I came across this recipe for spring greens zucchini lasagna in Experience L!fe magazine. I finally had a chance to try it last night. It came out pretty good and I was particularly excited about the roasted carrot sauce instead of the usual tomato sauce. Let me know what you think, here are my adaptations.

carrots

What you need:

  • 4 large, whole carrots, washed and trimmed
  • 1 red pepper
  • 5 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
  • Salt and black pepper (I used pink salt and peppercorns)
  • 1 bag power greens (baby spinach, baby red chard, baby kale)
  • 11/2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 4 cloves garlic, (1 pressed 3 roasted)
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 cups vegetable stock
  • 2 tbs. chopped fresh dill
  • 1/4 cup shredded quattro formaggio cheese (or any shredded cheese you like)
  • 8 lasagna noodles (optional)

zucchini lasagna

What you do for sauce:

Preheat oven to 375.

Roast carrots, red pepper and 3 cloves of garlic for 25 minutes or until tender.

Mix carrots, pepper, garlic and fresh dill in blender with 2 cups of vegetable stock and salt and pepper to taste.

*Note: I would have preferred more sauce, next time I will do 6-8 carrots and 3 cups of stock

cooked zucchini

What to do:

While carrots are roasting slice zucchinis lengthwise.

Mix ricotta cheese with egg, garlic, lemon zest and salt and pepper

Pour a layer of sauce at the bottom of a 9×12 pan and put down a layer of zucchini

Pour half of ricotta over first layer. Add half of your greens.

Put a second layer of zucchini, a layer of noodles (optional) and a layer of sauce

Pour half of ricotta and rest of greens.

Layer of zucchini and noodles. Pour rest of sauce and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 350 covered for 35-45 minutes and uncovered for 10-15 or until cheese is melted.

 

***The original recipe roasted all the veggies first before making the lasagna. If it was early spring I would probably roast everything because the weather is still cooler or more back and forth and the roasting adds a warming element to the recipe. Because it was in the 80s yesterday and we are closer to summer than spring now I did not roast the veggies except for the sauce so that it is not quite as warming in nature. Also it was less time with an oven on! 🙂

 

 

Artichoke Red Chard Lasagna

This is my go to recipe when the garden starts overflowing with red chard. I’ve converted quite a few people to love red chard and even the idea of a veggie lasagna. Today with the snow coming down chard from the garden sounds really nice but I made mine with spinach instead bought from the store. 🙁 This weather is such a tease!

What you need: 

lasagna noodles (or raw sliced eggplant)

marinara sauce (if you don’t have homemade sauce my favorite is Trader Joe’s garlic marinara sauce)

shredded cheese (Trader Joe’s quattro formaggio is best)

fresh red chard (or spinach or both!) If you are using bagged greens I usually use 2 bags 1 for each layer as it will cook down

artichoke hearts (fresh is best)

If you’ve never cooked fresh artichokes before read this  

Line bottom of 9×13 pan with a thin layer of sauce.

Layer noodles or eggplant “noodles”. sprinkle cheese lightly and half of red chard.

Add another layer of noodles. Pour sauce over noodles.

Layer the rest of red chard and all of artichokes. Sprinkle lightly with cheese.

Add another layer of noodles. Pour rest of the sauce over noodles and sprinkle with cheese. ( I find I like to use less cheese than a regular lasagna and it helps to bring out the other flavors)

Bake at 375 for 45 minutes covered. Bake addition 15 minutes uncovered or until cheese is bubbly.

We are serving with some garlic bread and arugula salad tonight. Enjoy!

April Seasonal Self Care Class ReCap

Last month we began our discussion of the Liver/Gall bladder system and how it relates to the Spring and our physical bodies. The liver system is also closely related to our emotions, especially anger, irritability and depression.

In Chinese Medicine the Kidneys control the bones, the Spleen control the muscles and the Liver controls the tendons. In yoga theory proper alignment begins with the bones. When the bones are balanced the muscles simply hug the bones in support. What happens when misalignment occurs especially over a long period of time?

The deepest layer are the bones and they relate to fear. Constant misalignment can contribute to fear. You know those irrational fears, the ones you don’t even talk about. Fear of failure, fear of success etc etc. This can be very unconscious as our posture is always present yet we rarely pay attention to it.

The second layer are the muscles and they relate to worry. Worry is sometimes easier to pay attention to as it usually is closer to the surface and found in our thoughts. Worry can also be referred to as over thinking, ruminating and being pensive.

The last layer we will talk about are the tendons and sinews. The tendons connect the muscles to bones. When misalginment occurs the tendons are pulled and stretched often passed their normal limits. The liver controls are ability to relax, especially when its time to relax. Do you have trouble with that? Your posture could be a contributing factor. When the tendons are overworked in this way irritability, anger or depression can be present or you might find that you easily “fly off the handle” so to speak. Its literally when the body has reached its breaking point.

The body is really great at making changes. Little steps build slowly into easy habits. You might find as we move through our yoga practice old thoughts, memories or emotions float up to the surface. This happens so the body can release these old patterns and make room for the new ones. As best you can simply observe what comes up and when you are ready let it go. (the oil blends chosen for this month are especially helpful at working through these emotions) Sometimes this is instantaneous and sometimes you might work with a particular thought or feeling for awhile until it releases.

Besides practicing yoga what can you do to instill proper alignment? It all begins with awareness. Pay attention to how you sit when you drive, work, eat, relax etc. How do you feel in these postures? How does your body breathe? Do you feel balanced?

We talked about this in the winter time, feel free to reference back to the winter recaps if you were in class or you can purchase the info for $15.

The foundation of our alignment is in our pelvis. Next the femur bones of the legs and humerus bones of the arms must be grounded in their sockets. This not only allows the body to be properly oxygenated but helps keeps the emotions grounded and able to be expressed in a healthy manner.

Yoga Practice

Mountain Pose

176

Difficult Pose reach back like sitting in chair, fold from hips, bend knees, knees in lined with ankles

difficult

Wood Chopper- deep breath in through the nose as you raise hands, gusty exhale as you chop wood ( keep knees bent for low back support)

wood chopper 1wood chopper 2

Mountain Pose

176

Eagle there are many modifications to eagle pose. If this seems to intense, repeat difficult post. Start with feet first, keep hips squared (don’t hike the hip that is crossed over) You can also do this pose with hips supported by wall.

eagle

Wide Legged forward fold- keep knees bent for proper alignment if hamstrings are tight,

forward fold

Rag doll- bend knees and rest upper body on thighs, reach for opposite elbow with opposite hand

rag doll

Squat- rest heels on pillow or blanket if you can’t squat with feet rooted to ground, you can also place a block or bolster under sits bones for support

squat

Reclined Bound Angle

bound angle

Constructive Rest Pose

167

Savasana

185

Acu points

LI4- in the webbing between thumb and index finger, opens circulation to the upper half of body, helps to seperate negative thoughts

LV3- in between webbing between first and second toes. Opens circulation to the lower half of the body. Helps with relieving irritability and pain in the body

165

CV17- opens the heart and build energy, helps to relieve anxiety

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GB40- helps release anger and tension in the body

Oils 

Release

release

This oil blend helps to release emotions and trauma stored in the liver. Massage 1-3 drops over the liver, soles of the feet and lower back daily or as needed. Contains ylang ylang, lavandin, geranium, sandalwood, blue tansy, olive oil.

Oola Grow

grow

Young Living and Oola have partnered together to offer this one of a kind essential oil blend Oola Grow. This blend is designed to help you reach unlimited potential and growth in many aspects of life. Whether it’s emotional, spiritual, or mental, Oola Grow gives you courage to focus on the task at hand and helps you move forward towards positive advancements and progression. Massage 1-3 drops over soles of feet, heart and crown of head daily or as needed.

Contains ylang ylang, white fir, blue tansy, cedarwood, blue cypress, jasmine, galbanum, frankincense, sandalwood, lavender, cinnamon, rose, geranium, coriander, bergamot, neroli, roman chamomile, spruce, rosewood, clary sage, juniper, idaho tansy, orange, almond oil, fractionated coconut oil.

You can order these oils here. 

 

Garlic Lime White Bean Soup with Arugula

This is a great Spring recipe. If you are looking for the benefits of a “liver detox” whithout the suffering that goes into most detoxes give this recipe a try.

What you need:

9 cloves of garlic

9 limes

5 cups of chicken or veggie broth

1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped

2 cans of white beans, rinsed

1 cup rice, optional

2 cups arugula

avocado

What you do:

Add a teaspoon of ghee to your stock pot and cook garlic until fragrant.

Add juice of limes, stock and beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cover for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile cook rice in separate pot.

Turn stove off and add rice, arugula and cilantro just before serving so that greens are just wilted.

Garnish with sliced avocado.

Serves 4.

How to Sprout Lentils

In yogapuncture for Spring we talked about how eating sprouted foods in the spring is a great idea because it mimics exactly what our environment is doing. (want more info? you can purchase March yogapuncture for $15, message me how). Sprouts are packed with nutrition and energy, just what we need in the spring time. Plus they are super easy to do yourself. You can buy a sprout-ing kit but probably have everything you need at home, you don’t need to spend much money to get started.

What you need:

A mason jar or other class container (sprouts will double in size so make sure your container is big enough)

2 cups of water

2/3 cup of lentils or other legume, seed etc

cheese cloth or paper towel (cheese cloth is preferable) I didn’t have any cheese cloth to start so I just used paper towel to cover but the cheese cloth makes it much easier to drain the water without disturbing your lentils.

What you do:

Put your lentils in your mason jar and soak in water over night. Cover with cheese cloth or paper towel don’t put in an air tight container.

After you soak the lentils over night drain the water completely first and then rinse with fresh water and drain again.

sproutlings on day 2

Do this until your lentils sprout to your desired size.

Take your lentils out of the jar and lay out on a towel to pat dry, place in a dry jar with a lid and keep refrigerated.

Eat and enjoy!