the lotus kitchen – Page 2

The Lotus Kitchen – Party Miso Soup

My latest recipe from my upcoming book, The Lotus Kitchen is Miso Soup. New Years seems to be a perfect time to make this great meal. For over 2,500 years miso has been a staple in Chinese and Japanese diets, where most people greet their day with a warm bowl of miso for breakfast to energize their bodies and stimulate digestion. Miso is a powerful detoxifier containing essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. You can make this soup for a crowd or you can store it in the refrigerator and enjoy a hot cup in the morning before you begin your yoga practice.

8 cups water
1 inch fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 cup Shiro miso (a fermented soybean paste)
Bunch of scallions, thinly sliced
1-cup firm tofu, chopped 1/4 of an inch

Bring 7 ½ cups of water and ginger to a boil. Whisk miso and 1/2 cup water in a small bowl until smooth and whisk into soup. Add tofu and scallions and simmer for a few minutes before serving. Serves 8-10

The Practice: The healing properties of Miso bring you back to a state of equilibrium as does the classic yoga pose Downward Facing Dog. It is a perfect pose to rest, so we may begin again. When the practice brings you to fatigue, remember Downward Facing Dog and the perfect equilibrium.

Downward Facing Dog Pose(Adho Mukha Svanasana) Instruction: From a kneeling position place hands and feet on the mat and lift the hips toward the sky to create the perfect upside down V shape. Hands should be shoulder width apart and feet hip width apart, spreading fingers and toes to create a strong base. While practicing Downward Facing Dog, create a mantra or chant that states that you are whole and renewed. Create an affirmation that affirms your healing is taking place now. For example: “My body knows how to heal itself and I am open and will allow it to be.”

Christmas Radio Podcast, Meditating On The Light, Vegan Spring Rolls

Mani-pedi

Meditating on the light plus taking the shot
Vegan Spring Rolls a la Zen via my cookbook, “The Lotus Kitchen“
My Christmas Radio Podcast Special available now On-demand
Disappearing when you lose weight?
My Equinox Holiday Schedule This Week – Wed, Thursday and Friday classes are canceled.

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 – Sweet Beet Soup

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.

Vegan Recipes – Lotus Kitchen – Blueberry Mango Salad

Skip Jennings & Gwen Keannelly

Today’s Vegan recipe, Blueberry Mango Salad, is from my upcoming book, The Lotus Kitchen with Gwen Kenneally. Blueberries have some of the highest amounts of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in nature. Coupled with mangos, agave nectar and finished with crystallized ginger it’s absolutely delicious.

In addition, this and most of the recipes in the book are paired with a practice and yoga balance piece and this week’s pose, savasana, is at the bottom.

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

Enjoy,

-Skip

Blueberry Mango Salad

4 limes
1 cup water
¼ cup agave nectar
2 large mangos, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 cups blueberries
1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

Remove zest from one lime in strips with a vegetable peeler and cut any white pith from strips with a sharp knife. Squeeze juice from limes. Bring zest, water, and agave to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice. Let syrup stand 20 minutes, then remove zest with a slotted spoon and discard. Toss together mangoes, blueberries and syrup in a large bowl and sprinkle with ginger. Serves 4

The Practice: The nectar and sweetness of the fruit in this salad reminds us that the practice of yoga is sweet nectar as well. When we finish our daily practice of yoga we are reminded of how sweet life is. Physical practice brings us to a place of surrender and final relaxation called Shavasana, the corpse pose. “Life is Good.” To get to the nectar of yoga, we must work through the practice. The journey, in this experience, is to recognize the preparation of the salad is very much like the practice of yoga. Once the salad is complete, sit and is still; enjoy every bite. “Life is God.”
Corpse Pose (Savasana) Instruction: We lay on our backs in full rest experiencing the pleasures of the breath and moment. It is also the final meditation of the practice where we remember that life is really really good.

Vegan Recipes – Lotus Kitchen – Curried Quinoa

Skip Jennings & Gwen Keannelly

Today’s Vegan recipe, Curried Quinoa, is from my upcoming book, The Lotus Kitchen with Gwen Kenneally. Curry powder is famously known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In addition to the health benefits this dish is a textural delight. The crunch of slivered almonds, the chewy raisins, the snap of green peppers and the sweetness of the peas offer a pleasing and harmonious dance on the palate while the protein in the quinoa satisfies the need for protein.

In addition, 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.

Curried Quinoa

• 2 cups quinoa
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• ½ cup raisins
• 2 large tomatoes
• 4 carrots, grated
• 1 cup sweet peas
• 1 green bell pepper
• 4 teaspoons curry powder
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped
• Kosher Salt

In a good sized pot sauté quinoa kernels in a little bit of olive oil for 4 minutes, then pour in water, cover and let boil 15 minutes until absorbed. Cut up vegetables while you wait. When water is absorbed, fluff with a fork and add spices, vegetables (except for shredded carrots and cilantro), almonds and raisins. After stirring a good 30 seconds on heat, remove, dish into bowls, and garnish with carrots and cilantro. Serves 4-6

The Practice:

Quinoa is a fairly mild and bland grain until it’s seasoned. Curry is a hot spicy powder that you would likely not eat on its own. Separately they don’t work, but together they are the culinary Yin-Yang, balancing each other perfectly. Yoga is all about recognizing the balance. In a twisting lunge, you can feel the battle between stretching and strengthening. While one side is stretching the other side is releasing into a deep stretch until finally there is a realization that there is no battle at all, just the expression of pure balance.

Twisting Side-angle Pose (Parsvakonasana) Instruction: Coming from Warrior 1, place the hands into Namaste also knows and Anjali mudra (AHN-jah-lee MOO-dra) the praying hand position (hand over the heart). Lift the torso and twist towards the opposite side of the body, crossing the elbow over the knee, continuing to expand the twist by looking toward the sky.

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 – Vegan Paleo Cookie

Celebrate this weekend with a cookie recipe from my upcoming cookbook, The Lotus Kitchen with Gwen Kenneally.

Skip Jennings & Gwen Keannelly

The Lotus Kitchen, combines delicious and easy to make vegetarian cooking entwined with yoga. 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.

Vegan Paleo Cookie

4 cups almond meal
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup coconut oil, melted
½ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup chopped dark chocolate or 1 cup dried cranberries
½ cup candied ginger

Preheat the oven to 350. Mix the almond meal, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir in the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir in the chopped chocolate (or cranberry) and ginger. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. For a variation, sprinkle a little sea salt before baking. Bake for 10-12 minutes on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet until the edges are golden. Let them rest on the pan for 5-10 minutes to firm up before removing. Makes 3 dozen.

The practice:

Each yoga class ends with the practice of Namaste. The Lotus Kitchen Namaste is performed by placing your hands on your third eye and allowing your hands to drift to Anjali Mudra in front of the heart chakra. Close the eyes and bow down to show deep respect for self, others and our practice.