Gwen Keannelly – Skip Jennings

The Lotus Kitchen – Vegan Recipe – Roasted Veggie Panini

Roasted Veggie Panini – Vegan Recipe
Comfort food like panini’s really hit the spot when you need something quick and delicious. This roasted veggie panini is from my latest book, The Lotus Kitchen, a collaboration with Gwen Kenneally. Plus, the Veggie Panini is the perfect example of yoga: all the goodness of the practice is sandwiched between two physical anchoring points, the warm-up/sun salutation, and the final corpse pose later below.

Ingredients:

1 red onion, sliced
2 red peppers, halved
2 green peppers, halved
2 yellow peppers, halved
1 eggplant, sliced in rounds
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste
2 large very ripe avocados
2 cups alfalfa sprouts
8 slices multigrain or pita bread
2 tablespoons olive oil for
coating pan

Directions:

To roast the vegetables: Gently toss the garlic, onions, peppers and eggplant in olive oil. Season with sea salt and pepper. Place vegetables in a roasting pan in a single layer. Roast for 45 minutes in a preheated oven.

To assemble: Spread avocado on each slice of bread. Place 2 slices of onion, 1 each of the halved peppers and 1 eggplant round on bread. Add 1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts. Close the sandwich and give it a good press.

To Panini: Have a large and slightly smaller skillet ready. Place the large skillet over medium heat. Coat the pan with a half-tablespoon of olive oil. Place the panini in the pan and press down with the bottom of the smaller pan. Once golden brown, flip the sandwich and place the bottom of the smaller pan over it. When it is golden brown, remove from pan, cut in half and serve. Continue with the other 3 sandwiches. Serves 4.

The Practice:

Panini and yoga it’s all the body and spiritual goodness sandwiched into two poses. Poses are always practiced starting with intentions and finished with achievements. The asana or pose begins with the willingness, and is finished with an insight. When beginning the pose there is always a sense of struggle until we find peace. Remember that yoga is a yoking or natural expression of bringing or connecting the many delectable pieces of goodness together into one.

Chair Pose (Utkatasana Fierce) Instruction:

Stand tall on your mat and spread the legs at hip-distance apart. Anchor your feet by spreading your toes. Sit your hips back as if you are sitting in a chair. Reach your arms long toward the sky and lengthen the torso diagonally while spreading the fingers or the hands. Look toward the hand and contemplate awareness of the body.

The Lotus Kitchen – Vegan Recipe – Baked Spinach Cakes

Vegan Recipe – Baked Spinach Cakes
These special cakes are from my latest book, The Lotus Kitchen, a collaboration with Gwen Kenneally. They were created for a cooking segment and were a big hit with the crew. They can also be served as an appetizer and are equally delicious the next day. It’s imperative that the spinach is well drained to avoid a runny cake.

Ingredients:
16 ounces fresh spinach (1 bag or 1 large bunch), washed well and chopped fine OR

16 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and well squeezed, drained of as much liquid as possible

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

2 large eggs, beaten

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a medium bowl add spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper; stir to combine. Coat a 12-cup standard-size muffin pan with cooking spray. Divide the spinach mixture among the 12 cups; they will be very full and very dense. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake the spinach cakes until set, about 30 minutes. Let stand in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges with a knife and place on a large serving platter. Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of sour cream or almond yogurt. Serves 6.

The Practice: The Sat Nam “Truth is my reality” — Sat Nam is a mantra commonly used in Kundalini Yoga and amongst its practitioners. It is frequently repeated three times at the end of a yoga session. But the importance of Sat Nam is the meaning. Sat Nam has been interpreted as: Truth is my identity, truth is my reality, and truth is my authentic self. The mantra is also a recognition that God, goodness, or truth is in all things and heaven is present in this very moment. The practice is to recognize truth in every bite of the baked spinach pie. Goodness and love is the truth of everything. Sat Nam can be used in every pose to remind you of the truth as a way to focus the mind before meditation.

The Lotus Kitchen
East meets zest as Hollywood caterer/food writer Gwen Kenneally (Sweet and Savory Cookbook) and yogi/transformational coach Skip Jennings (The Shift With Skip) present a boldly flavored and inspired recipe collection to nurture yoga practice and nourish mindful eating.

The Lotus Kitchen-Black Bean and Corn Salad

Welcome to The Lotus Kitchen, the title of my upcoming book with co-author Gwen Keannelly and a place where yoga and vegetarian cooking entwine. This week’s recipe is Black Bean and Corn Salad. This salad has the perfect balance of everything flavorful. You will feel the love and gratitude from each ingredient.

This week’s yoga pairing is Easy Pose Meditation which will open your mind and body.

Looking forward to your comments.

-Skip

The Lotus Kitchen Black Bean and Corn Salad

Ingredients:

3 cups black beans (drained and cooked al dente)
3 cups roasted white corn (cooked al dente)
1 red onion (raw)
1 red pepper (raw)
1 cup cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
2 chopped avocados (firm, not overly ripe)
½ cup olive oil
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup of lime juice
Arugula lettuce

Instructions:

Combine black beans, corn, red pepper, cilantro, jalapeno, and avocado. Add olive oil, vinegar, and lime juice and mix together. Place on a bed of lettuce and serve. Serves 4-6

The Practice:

Beans and corn sprout goodness. Like a long planting season, after practicing Yoga for a while we begin to see the harvest from our hard work. The sprouts from a practice can be: good eating habits, better perception of one’s self, and a better awareness of the body. These are all fruits of the labor. Part of crop harvest is the practice of gratitude. Gratitude is the highest appreciation for what is good in your life. After a strong and powerful session of yoga, endorphins are released, which can cause a feeling of euphoria or a sense of gratitude. The practice is to maintain gratitude, while preparing this salad. Recognize the harvest of the fruits in your life, and when you sit and partake, be grateful for your life.

The Easy Pose Meditation Instruction:

Sitting with your buttocks on the mat, cross your legs with your ankles under your thighs. Rest your hands on your knees, pressing both hips towards the floor. Close your eyes and breathe. Allow your thoughts to open to knowledge and learning. Set the intention to know and feel gratitude.

The Lotus Kitchen- Harmonious Lentil Salad

Welcome to The Lotus Kitchen, the title of my upcoming book with co-author Gwen Keannelly, and a place of being and a space of the mind where yoga and vegetarian cooking entwine. This week we visit the lentil, full of fiber, protein, iron, and vitamin B and also focus on Camel Pose.

Lentils are inexpensive and make a great meat substitute or side dish. lentils can be; soups, curries, salads, fritters, and more. Today’s recipe we’ll make a Lentil Salad.

Enjoy,

-Skip

Ingredients:

1 cup lentils, cooked and chilled
1 cup brown rice, cooked and chilled
1 pint golden raspberries
2 blood oranges, peeled and roughly chopped
¼ cup parsley
½ cup green onions

In a large salad bowl toss together and chill for at least one hour before serving. Dress with Blood Orange Garlic Vinaigrette. Four servings.

Blood Orange Garlic Vinaigrette

Great with the lentil salad, and equally harmonious with a big salad of mixed greens and any vegetables that you have on hand.

Directions:

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
¼ cup blood orange juice
Zest from one blood orange
2/3-cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives
Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together vigorously. Keeps in the refrigerator for 1 month.

The Practice: Because our life is so much about going forward and sitting hunched over, the yoga practice is used to bring the body into harmony with itself. The backbend creates balance and harmony within the body, by opening the front, which is naturally forward. The camel pose activates harmony within the body by expanding the anterior part of the body. It is a pose that helps fully stretch the front of the body.

Camel Pose (Ustrasana) Instruction: Begin in a kneeling position with knees at hip distance apart. Place the back of your hands on the top of the buttocks. Drop your head back with out straining the neck, and lift your chest to the sky. Option is to place your hand on the heels of the feet to expand the chest.

The Lotus Kitchen – Vegetable Stock

Skip Jennings & Gwen Keannelly

My latest recipe, a vegetable stock is from my upcoming book, The Lotus Kitchen, with Gwen Keannelly. It’s a vegan cook book that combines good eats with a yoga practice. The beauty of a good vegetable stock is that you can really use any combination of vegetables and herbs that you like. Some strict vegetable stocks can lack the “richness” of a traditional stock, so we lovingly lace this one with seasoning. You can also modify and add ginger, lemon grass and dried Chinese or shitake mushrooms for an Asian flair. For a Southwest/Mexican feel, add diced jalapeno or Serrano chilies and lots of fresh cilantro.

Peace and blessings,

– Skip

The Lotus Kitchen Vegetable Stock

Ingredients:

4 carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped (including leaves)
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 scallion, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
Juice of one lemon
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup white wine
10 cups water

In a large soup pot combine all ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and cover and simmer for one hour. Strain the stock and toss the solids. You should get about 10 cups of vegetable stock. You can freeze half for use at a later time. Or you can freeze in ice cube trays and pop out single servings as needed for sauces.

The Practice: When a recipe requires a lot of chopping we have to stand tall with a strong core. Mountain pose delivers the core strength to face many of life’s challenges. Harness the qualities of the pose while prepping your soup stock. Strength. Power. Longevity. Height. These are the qualities of your divine self. As you stand tall and prepare this dish, connect with the mountain strength that is your life.

Mountain Pose (Tadasana) Instruction: Stand tall at the top of your mat, feet hip distance apart, spread the toes to create a strong base. Draw the shoulders away from the ears and open the arms while spreading your fingers.

Vegan Recipes – The Lotus Kitchen – Fresh Zen Spring Rolls

Skip Jennings & Gwen Keannelly

This week’s Fresh Zen Spring Rolls recipe comes from my upcoming book with Gwen Keannelly, “The Lotus Kitchen”. This book intends to offer more than just a gingerly curated collection of healthy and boldly flavored recipes; it’s a culinary journey fused with a spiritual component 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. Who doesn’t like spring rolls? They are the perfect finger food that satisfies that hunger pang or main course companion.

Fresh Zen Spring Rolls

8 sheets rice paper (6 inch rounds)
1 bunch cilantro
32 basil leaves
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced to long ribbons
16 ounces cooked tofu, thinly sliced
1 small head red cabbage, thinly sliced to long ribbons
½ cup peanuts, chopped

Arrange equal amounts of tofu and vegetables in eight separate piles. You will follow this procedure with each of the eight wraps. Moisten the rice paper either by brushing a thin layer of water or simply sprinkling a little water with your fingers. The key is to make the stiff rice paper more malleable. Place the cilantro and basil leaves in the center of the circle. Add the cabbage, red pepper, green onion, carrots and tofu. Sprinkle the chopped peanuts over the vegetables. Fold rice paper in half, then fold over the sides and roll tightly from the bottom up. Slice the roll in half on the diagonal and serve with peanut sauce. Serves 8.

Peanut Sauce

2 cups crunchy peanut butter
½ cup fresh lime juice
½ cup fresh orange juice
¼ cup soy sauce
1/2 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons crushed red pepper
2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
5 cloves garlic
½ cup fresh cilantro

Mince the garlic and ginger. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. You can add less pepper if you are shy about the kick. Taste the sauce and add more soy and peppers to suit your taste. Add more orange juice for desired consistency. Add the fresh cilantro just before serving. You can either serve it warm or at room temperature.

The Practice: Like the Fresh Spring Roll creation, there are many unique parts of the body temple. In yoga we begin our practice by becoming aware of our body temple. We gently awaken our body as we invite all parts of self to participate in and benefit from the experience. Ginger, citrus, soy and cilantro all subtly awaken the palate while the peppers startle with power. There are over 1,400 varieties of ginger and its healing properties are legendary. Welcome ginger to quiet rumbly stomachs, thwart a summer cold or even ease the discomfort of osteoarthritis. Red peppers are high in Vitamin A and stimulate circulation.

Mind Awareness Mediation Instruction: meditation

The body awareness meditation can be done two ways:

1. In a seated or standing position connect your mind and thoughts to one body part. As you think about the body part, breath deeply and become aware of how it feels. Send thoughts of healing and loving energy to that particular area and continue the body is feeling whole and complete.

2. The meditation can also be done by taking a moment to contract or squeeze each body part, starting with the hands, moving up the arms and then moving to the thighs and legs, repeating until the body is alive and awake. Like the first option, empowering thought and mantras, along with breathing, will enhance the meditative practice.

Vegan Recipes – Lotus Kitchen – Minestrone

Skip Jennings & Gwen Keannelly

Today’s crowd pleasing Vegan recipe is minestrone from my upcoming book, The Lotus Kitchen with Gwen Kenneally.

In addition, this and most of the recipes in the book are paired with a practice and yoga balance piece and this one has one at the bottom of the recipe.

Enjoy,

-Skip

P.S. Liked a recipe, let me know via my facebook page.

Crowd-Pleasing Minestrone

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 yellow onions, diced
6 stalks celery (including leaves), thinly sliced
3 carrots, chopped
1 tablespoon Italian herbs (dried blend of oregano, parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme)
Serves 12

Sautee above ingredients over medium heat in large soup pot, then cover to sweat for five minutes.

Uncover and add:
4 cloves garlic, minced

Sauté 5 more minutes, then add:
12 cups vegetable stock
1 box chopped tomatoes or 3 cups canned chop tomatoes
2 Yukon gold potatoes, diced
2 cans (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained
1 small head Savoy cabbage, quartered and sliced

Bring to boil and simmer 30 minutes. Then add:
8 ounces pasta of your choice
6 more cups of vegetable broth
2 cups green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

Simmer 15 minutes. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

The Practice:

The Karma Yoga practice is the act of serving others. This crowd- pleasing soup serves many. When serving this dish focus on how you may serve the universe and others to better the planet. Like a breathing meditation that helps one to connect with the universe, Karma yoga serves as reminder that we are all connected.
Breathing Meditation Instruction: Sit in a comfortable position. Relax and place the hands lightly on the knees. Close your eyes and begin to breathe. Be mindful of your inhale and your exhale. Begin to count each breath. As you breathe create a mantra that incorporates your intention. “I breathe this breath for the preparation of this meal. I am aware of the Universe. This food and breath are one.”

Vegan Recipes – Lotus Kitchen – Raw Thai Coconut Soup

lotus-kitchen-book-300x300 Today’s Vegan recipe, Raw Thai Coconut Soup continues focusing on “Raw” theme. Organically grown raw and living foods provide high-quality nutrition while naturally supporting both proper digestion and a well-functioning immune system. Eating these life-giving foods helps to alkalize the body, a key factor in building excellent health. Today’s recipe is from my upcoming book, The Lotus Kitchen with Gwen Kenneally. Almost all of the recipes in the book are paired with a practice and yoga balance piece and this one has one at the bottom of the recipe.

Raw Thai Coconut Soup

Thai cooking is lively and aromatic and this soup is no exception. The coconut, ginger and garlic play nicely off the heat of the peppers. It’s at once complex and simple, not unlike a vibrant yoga practice.

Ingredients
2 young coconuts
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 avocado
1 clove garlic, peeled
½ inch fresh ginger, peeled
1 teaspoon mustard powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Juice of two limes
3 Red Thai Chili Peppers

Garnish:

1 cup cilantro, chopped
2 cups of tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup of red onion, diced

Slice the coconuts in half and pour the juice into a large bowl. Scoop out the flesh and place in the bowl. Liquefy all ingredients with an emersions blender. Pour into bowl and garnish with cilantro, tomato and onion before serving. You can also use a traditional blender by placing all of the ingredients and liquefying. Serve room temperature. Serves 4

The Practice: Soup that is cool to the touch but heats presents opposition; once you taste it you will know true balance.

Yoga Balance: Some think our mind and body are separate, but as we practice yoga we learn to yolk our body and mind together. That is the main intention of the yoga practice. Recognize that you are one with your mind and body in all of your practice

Vegan Recipes – Lotus Kitchen – Okra Gazpacho

Today’s Vegan recipe, Raw Fresh Okra Gazpacho is a great fusion of Spanish and Africa and is from my upcoming book, The Lotus Kitchen with Gwen Kenneally.

Okra brings a lovely sheen to dishes where it’s front and center and it also is known for its role in healthy digestion. High in fiber and vitamin C, okra is also a fine source of calcium and potassium. Plus, the addition of Thai chilies brings a nice heat to the chilled gazpacho, a lovely juxtaposition that awakens the senses.

Raw Fresh Okra Gazpacho
2 cups fresh okra
2 cups fresh tomatoes
1 cup onions
1 cup cucumber
1 large garlic clove
1/3 olive oil
Juice of two lemons
½ teaspoon Thai chilies, minced
½ cup cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
4 cups tomato juice

Place first five ingredients into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Turn to chop and dice setting and begin to puree. While processing, pour in the olive oil and lemon juice. Then add the cilantro and parsley. Lastly add tomato juice and puree briefly to leave a chunky consistency. Refrigerate and serve chilled. Serves 4

The Practice:
Like the tomato, said to heal all of our sufferings and maladies, yoga is a healing practice. We must think of our practice as healing for the mind, body, and spirit. As you eat the tomatoes in the gazpacho, feel the vibration of healing. Upward Facing Dog Pose is the posture that opens the heart chakra, allowing the heart to heal. The ability to love and receive love is magnified.

Upward Facing Dog Pose Upward Facing Dog Pose-urdhva-mukha-svanasana
(Urdvha Mukha Svanasana) Instruction: Lay flat on the mat, stomach down in prone position. Place hands flat on the floor under the arms. Press the hand into the floor and straighten the arms. Drop the shoulders from the ears, and lift the hip off the floor, keeping the legs straight, keeping the feet flat connected to the mat.