Skip Jennings & Gwen Keannelly

Welcome to The Lotus Kitchen, a place of being and a space of the mind where yoga and vegetarian cooking entwine. This book intends to offer more than a gingerly curated collection of healthy and boldly flavored recipes; it’s a beacon that shines light toward an awakened way of life. A journey that encourages you to explore an engaged and meaningful pathway to empowerment through yoga and enhance your existing practice with thoughtful food preparation and mindful eating.

Look for more Lotus Kitchen Recipes soon online and in stores.

Sweet Beet Soup

Beets are a gift for the body temple. They provide an energy boost, purify the blood, offer tryptophan to nurture mental health and contain vitamins A and C and niacin. They’re available year round and this soup is a colorful way to nourish guests and self.

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium red onions
1 (4 inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled
6 cloves garlic, peeled
8 cups vegetable stock
2 pounds beets
2 pounds carrots
Pinch of kosher salt
½ teaspoon white pepper

Roughly chop the carrots, beets, red onions, peeled ginger and garlic. Toss with olive oil and place on sheet pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for about one hour until tender. Move to soup pot and add the stock. Simmer over medium heat until the carrots are tender. Puree and season with salt and pepper. Serves 6

The Practice: Beets are also a top source of nitrates, which when converted to nitric oxide actually expands veins and arteries, allowing more blood to flow and carry oxygen to the brain. This makes beets a perfect wisdom food. Yoga stimulates the mind that creates clarity in one’s life.  The Hatha yoga pose shoulder stand or any inverted pose is for brain health.   The upside down poses allows oxygen to flow to the brain, while releasing pressure from the legs.  Shoulder stand is an excellent yoga pose. Like the beets it nourishes the brain with well-needed oxygen and rich blood flow.

Shoulder Stand Pose (Salamba Sarvangasana) Instruction: Lie flat on your mat and breathe easy.  Place both feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart with toes facing forward.  Tuck your chin towards the chest and place your hands to the side of the body on the floor.  Lift your hips and knees to the sky; raise your hands to your lumbar spine.  Steady your body by placing the weight of your body onto the elbows and shoulders.  When ready, extend the leg toward the sky.  While practicing the shoulder stand, visualize the oxygen flowing to the brain with ease and grace.  Create a mantra that incorporates the affirmations that the brain is full of oxygen; therefore thoughts are clear.