Simply Yoga

What a Looker!!

2010-04-12T14:01:00.000-07:00

So, I have been on the look out for a nice, inexpensive, sturdy t.v. stand to replace the decrepit over-sized t.v. stand we have been using. Once again Knock Off Wood to the rescue! I absolutely LOVE this site!
The picture above from Pottery Barn is what I had in mind. I like this set up, first of all, because it is just BEAUTIFUL, also because it is modular, so I can add on to the look as I have the space/ need for it (this would be a perfect way to store family board games, children's toys, extra family room items, etc.), and I fell in love with the rustic hardware. I tried very hard to imitate the hardware as closely as I could....

And here is my end result! I will add on as I can, but I started first with the closed-door style. We really needed to keep the curious, do-it-by-myself fingers of our two-year-old away from our expensive electronic items. And I really loved the big rustic lock originally used to close the doors. I like what I was able to come up with for the lock, but I remain on the hunt for one that more closely resembles the original Pottery Barn picture.

Just look at all that storage!! Perfect!

Fast, easy, economical (way less to make it on my own than to buy it from even Wal-Mart, let alone Pottery Barn!).

I am very pleased with the results. I have loved the savings and personalizing of building my own furniture so much that I told my husband that all I want for Mother's day is a nail gun or a chop saw.... ;)

2010-04-12T10:45:00.000-07:00

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." - Mahatma Gandhi

Great Entertainment For Next To Nothing!

2010-03-29T03:24:00.000-07:00

Here at Simply Yoga, we LOVE to save money! These days there are so many ways to get things done at a lower cost than the conventional way, and renting movies is no different.

We have been members of Netflix for about a year and a half now. My husband and I have never had any complaints. We feel the price is great as long as we stay on top of sending our movies back in a timely manner so we are able to get as many movies back in a month as possible to really push our $9.00 / per month membership as far as possible. Once Netflix started their "Play Now" feature, we were even more impressed. Our lap tops became a great source for even more Friday night "Date Nights" at home while the children slept, and our children were always eager to be able to pick a movie to watch as a reward or fun family night.

Well, move over lap tops -- here comes the Wii Netflix Disc! Another home run for Netflix! The Wii Netflix disc is free. If you have a Wii, a high speed internet connection for your Wii, and at least the $9.00 / per month membership to Netflix, all you have to do is sign up through your Netflix account to have them send the disc to you and you will be able to stream Netflix straight to your TV through your Wii in no time!

We received our disc this weekend and have LOVED it! Watching movies with this free disc is costing us dimes and nickels instead of renting movies for several dollars a pop. Such a great and inexpensive alternative!

Mexican Slow Cooked Carnitas

2010-03-20T11:44:00.000-07:00

This will be our dinner tonight. Doesn't it make your mouth water just looking at it!?! This recipe, along with many other great weight loss recipes can be found here. I especially like the fact that this recipe is made before hand in the crock pot, with minimal preparation just before serving. I love meals that let you get in, get it done, and get out. Can't beat it!
The recipes is below:
** Once again, make sure you look for tortilla wraps that are low in calories and low in carbs. Tortillas can be deceptively high in calories, usually with about 200 or more calories per serving. The lower below 200 calories, the better. Usually whole wheat, low carb tortillas are your best bet***

Mexican Slow Cooked Carnitas
Serving Size: 4 oz (1/2 cup) • Points: 4 pts Calories: 176 • Fat: 7.7g • Protein: 25.8 g • Carb: 1.3 g • Fiber: 0.1 g
2.5 lb pork shoulder blade roast, lean, all fat removed (I used Smithfield)
6 cloves garlic, cut into sliver
cumin
adobo
garlic powder
3/4 cup 99% fat free chicken broth
2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (to taste)
2 bay leaves Season pork with salt and pepper.

In a medium sauté pan on medium-high heat, brown pork on all sides for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.Using a sharp knife, insert blade into pork, cutting small holes and insert garlic slivers. Season pork generously with cumin, adobo and garlic powder all over.Pour chicken broth in the crock pot, add bay leaves and chipotle peppers. Place pork in crock pot and cover. Cook low for 8 hours. After 8 hours, shred pork using two forks and combine well with the juices that accumulated at the bottom. Remove bay leaves and adjust salt and cumin (you will probably need to add more). Let it cook another 15-30 minutes

Restorative Bound Ankle Pose

2010-03-20T06:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have been MIA for quite some time, and I am sorry. My husband and I are both students and have been pain-stakingly preparing for and muddling through the last couple of tests we had to take before we could finally be free for spring break. And WOO HOO spring break has finally come!!
So with all that studying and stress, my mind has been gravitating toward some nice and relaxing restorative yoga.
There are few things that can get you closer to heaven than some great restorative poses.
One of my favorites is the Bound Ankle restorative pose. Just lay back, relax, and let gravity take over and do it's job. Ahhhhhhhhh.....
Benefits

GREAT hip opener
Relax the spine
Chest opener
Increase Flexibility

The easiest way to get into this pose is to place pillows on either side of you. You can pile the pillows however high you need, depending on your level of flexibility and comfort in this pose. Sit in the Bound Ankle pose (more commonly known as the Butterfly). Then carefully lay down and let your spine relax and your hips fall open onto the pillows. Open your arms into a T position to help open your shoulders and chest. Just close your eyes and relax as gravity takes over and helps open your hips even further.

The key to restorative (and perhaps a big BONUS), is to relax in the pose for several minutes as your body experiences the benefits of the pose. Some relaxing music to listen to always helps to keep your mind quiet and relaxed in restorative poses.

When you are ready to move from this pose, place a hand on the outside of each knee, and carefully lift your knees back to a closed center position. Carefully and slowly roll to your right side and push yourself back up to a sitting position.

Personalized Band-Aids

2010-03-08T16:23:00.001-08:00

I saw this idea in Parenting Magazine and loved it! Band-Aids with Sponge Bob or Scooby Doo are fun, but they get pretty expensive. So this was a fun solution that is far better than some cartoon character's picture to cover up those little "Uh-Ohs".

My children and I picked up some plain band-aids. Then the children colored and personalized the band-aids themselves. It was a fun after school activity!

We drew pictures and wrote messages to whoever gets to wear these band-aids.

The children were all so proud of their art work, and they can't wait to see the band-aids put to use!

A fun and inexpensive activity for the kids and performs an important function for the family.

Warrior II Pose (Virabhadrasana II)

2010-03-07T18:04:00.000-08:00

Looking for a pose that will give your inner thighs a new definition of strength and stability? Look no further. The Warrior II pose will really get your inner thighs burning as you stretch and open your hips. When done correctly, this pose can be an all-around-toner for the whole body. I love to incorporate a Warrior series in the classes I teach, focusing on holding Warrior II for an extended period just to reap the added benefits this pose can offer.

Beginner Tips:
To modify this pose for a greater or lesser effect, widen your stance.
Keep your back foot parallel with the end of your mat.
Keep you hips and shoulders parallel with the the side edge of your mat.
Try to focus on keeping your bent forward knee pushed out toward your pinkie toe on that same foot (this will really give this pose the added "tweak" that will get your legs burning).
Hold your abdominal area nice and tight, keeping your pelvis tucked under -- no booty stickin' out!
Finally, really tighten your triceps as you hold your arms straight and strong.

There you go, an all-around-toner that will make you feel a little stronger and walk a little taller as you leave your practice. Enjoy!

Be Ware Of The Wrap

2010-03-04T09:39:00.000-08:00

When the "No Carb" craze really hit, these innocent-looking tortilla wrap sandwiches became a pretty BIG item. Looks simple enough. Less dough and processed ingredients+ lean lunch meats and loads of fresh veggies = better food choice, right? That is where looks can be deceiving.
A single flour tortilla can actually contain 200+ calories. That is more than the regular 180 calories from two pieces of normal bread. Ouch!

Now, you may be thinking that there is not much of a difference between 200 and 180 calories, but if we were turning to the wrap in an attempt to lower calories rather than using the bread, we find that we have actually increased our calories. For anyone who is trying to maintain a certain caloric intake goal, this can be like telling us that while we thought we were paying off a high credit card balance through hard work and careful planning, we were actually not making any payments on the balance at all, but rather increasing the balance and setting ourselves further behind! Not to mention the interest that we will now be responsible for as well! BAD NEWS!

Wraps can still be a healthy alternative. Just be sure to check the back of the packages for the calorie count. Whole wheat and corn tortillas are the best bet for the lowest calories and lowest fat content, and these days, some whole wheat and corn tortillas actually don't taste like cardboard boxes.

Fresh Foods To Processed Foods - A Guid To Eating Right

2010-03-01T10:23:00.000-08:00

We all know there is a large difference between fresh foods and processed foods. Though eating fresh instead of processed foods would be ideal, reality doesn't always allow for this luxury.

The March 2010 "Prevention" magazine has compiled a list of foods that are sort of put in a "Good, Better, Best" system that will help us all navigate the question of which food would be best to eat in different situations. The article can be accessed here at the "Prevention" website.

A wide variety of foods are pictured to show what options are available, and how to get the most nutrients and benefits out of each one. Check it out!

Plank Pose

2010-02-25T18:20:00.001-08:00

Plank pose is one of my favorite poses. When I teach a class, I generally will have the group hold this pose for an extended period of time several times throughout the practice. This pose looks simple, but the benefits are fabulous.
Benefits:
Strengthens the arms, wrists, and spine
Tones the abdomen
This pose is really great for toning and strengthening the abdomen. Try it, you'll be surprised by how much work this pose can really be.

Tips for beginners: Keep your body straight, your arms Strong, and your shoulder and wrist joints stacked one above the other. Press your shoulders away from your ears, and keep a slight micro bend in your elbows to prevent hyperextention of the elbows. A micro bend in the elbows will also offer you more strength and stability as you hold the pose for an extended period of time.

Moist, Low Fat, Low Sugar Cake and Frosting

2010-02-24T10:24:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is true. You really can have your cake and eat it too! My kids LOVE this recipe.

This cake recipe is low in fat, low in sugar, very moist, and easy to make. The frosting is very moist and delectable. I love this frosting recipe because I really can't mess it up like other recipes I have tried. This frosting always comes out with a nice creamy consistency.

The main ingredients are pre-packaged, so the fuss and mess is just about taken out of the equation. How nice is that?!? The recipe is below.

Moist, Low Fat, Low Sugar Cake

1 Reduced Sugar Cake Mix (any flavor)

1/3 cup Water

3/4 cup Unsweetened Applesauce

Mix all ingredients together on medium to high speed until the mix is light and creamy. Bake according to the directions on the cake mix box.

Low Fat, Low Sugar Frosting

1 pkg Fat Free Whipped Cream

1 pkg Instant Sugar Free, Fat Free Pudding Mix (any flavor)

1 cup Fat Free Milk

Mix fat free milk and pudding mix together until pudding is well incorporated. Add to fat free whipped cream, folding together until well mixed. Let the frosting stand in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to let the pudding completely set up.

Isn't She Beautiful!?

2010-02-22T13:18:00.000-08:00

This was my weekend project, and isn't she just beautiful?! Our old bed was pretty much hanging on it's last nail, so when I saw the plans for this project, I was thrilled!

(I couldn't get very good pictures because our bedroom is now the size of a postage stamp after we relinquished the master bedroom to our three boys in order to give them enough space for all of their beds and toys. Ahhh, the life of parents, right? ) I found the plans at Knock-Off Wood. Knock-Off Wood features wood building plans, many of them knock-off Pottery Barn furniture. The plans are easy to follow, fast, and economical. There are also many "How To" videos, several of which were very helpful to me as I built this bed. Many of you may have noticed the button on the side of this blog that will also take you to the Knock-Off Wood web site.I have some pretty great ideas for the bedding to go with this bed, also inspired by Pottery Barn, but without the ginormous price tag.

I have many more projects from Knock-Off Wood that I can't wait to sink my teeth into, but I think I had better offer my husband some time for R and R after I spent the last two days sequestered away in a little slice of my own heaven with my saws, drills, paint, and the fresh scent of pine wood while he managed the children. Thanks Honey!!

Pitcher Make Over

2010-02-17T22:03:00.000-08:00

Once again, I was in the thrift store and found this little goodie. I have been looking for some new decor items to place above my cupboards in my kitchen. This pitcher was only $1.50. Not bad, eh?

After some black spray paint and some distressing, beautiful!

Looks great above the cupboards! All for $1.50!

A link to this project along with many other great ideas can be found at these great sites!

2010-02-15T18:31:00.001-08:00

I KEEP TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT BUT IT KEEPS FINDING ME. - Daniel L. Worona

A Valentine Treat

2010-02-12T12:03:00.000-08:00

Aren't these perfect for Valentine's Day treats? When I saw them here, I knew this would be perfect for my twin first-graders to take to school for their parties today. Super fast, easy, and cheap! I just bought a bag of flat lollipops and used scrapbook items I already had at home.

Such a fun idea! My boys each helped glue the hearts and distress the paper with ink. It was a great craft project for the kids to help out with.

And for their teachers, we made some very easy Cake Truffles on Sunday, and had them in the freezer ready for their parties today. I have included the recipe below.

Cake Truffles

1 Chocolate Cake Mix, Prepared

1 8 oz Block of Low-Fat Cream Cheese

Dipping Chocolate, melted

Prepare the cake mix according to the directions on the box.

When the cake has cooled, crumble the cake in a large bowl. Add the cream cheese, mix well. Roll the cake mixture into balls. Melt the melting chocolate. Dip the rolled balls into the dipping chocolate. Let the dipped truffles stand on parchment paper until the dipping chocolate has hardened.

Oh, That Beautiful Ruby Red!

2010-02-10T11:32:00.001-08:00

Cool, refreshing, juicy, and delicious!
One of my favorite snack, especially around this time of year, is a beautiful ruby red grapefruit! I savor each spoonful.
With zero fat, lots of vitamin C, vitamin A, 6 grams of protein, and no sodium - this is a snack worthy of praise!

Children's Tote Bag, And Another DIY Bud!

2010-02-08T11:34:00.000-08:00

Aren't these tote bags perfect? I have a definite weakness for bags, yes, even children's bags.
These beauties were made by my AWESOME sister Miriam. She is an incredibly talented seamstress. Everything she makes turns out beautifully. She's pretty amazing.

These bags are perfect for a boy or girl to carry a few small items such as a pad and paper, small books, or small toys. I love the way they are embellished and personalized for each child.

Miriam made these bags without getting any pictures for a tutorial, but they are pretty simple and fast to make. If there are any questions, please email me or leave a comment, and we will help you out. Thanks for the ideas Miriam!

Today I am linking this post with these sites:

http://cottageinstincts.blogspot.com/?

Hey, I Was Featured!

2010-02-07T05:50:00.000-08:00

I was featured this weekend by The Girl Creative!
I have so much fun with this blog, it is fun to know when others appreciate it as well.
Feel free to take a look at The Girl Creative, which is also full of fun ideas and great DIY projects. I have enjoyed following The Girl Creative, I'm sure you will too!
Thanks for the feature!

Low Fat Creamy Spinach Dip

2010-02-06T09:35:00.000-08:00

So, the big party is set for Superbowl Sunday!

This year, I will be bringing this Low Fat Creamy Spinach Dip from The Skinny Chef found at this site. I love spinach dip, so when I found this low fat recipe, my happy heart began to sing with joy! Now I can eat my spinach dip AND not feel like the bottom of the trash can for it! Woo Hoo!

Here is the recipe. Let me tell ya, Ooo. La. La. Ya, it's that good!

Low Fat Creamy Spinach Dip
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
2 cups fat-free plain yogurt
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 8-ounce block reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon mild chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
non-stick cooking spray
1 bag whole grain tortilla chips (about 16 cups)

Coat a 8×12 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
In a large bowl, add half the mozzarella, yogurt, artichokes, cream cheese, spinach, half the Parmesan, garlic, pepper, chili, and salt. Mix with a wooden spoon until the spinach and artichokes are well combined. Transfer to baking dish and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
Bake 10-15 minutes uncovered until the cheese begins to brown and the dip is warm.
Serve immediately with chips.

This one is sure to be a hit!

Saving For A Busy Day

2010-02-04T09:30:00.001-08:00

I love the convenience of frozen foods, especially when time is tight. As I have posted before, I have two deep-freezers, and I use them almost daily. Though my kids would happily munch on reheated chicken nuggets from Costco every day of the week, I like to keep my freezer stocked with ready-made meals, ready to be pulled out on a busy day. My trick to keeping meals ready to go in the freezer? On a day when I do have time to cook a large meal, I simply cook in double portions, and freeze the remaining portion.Here I was making a LARGE pot of soup with cornbread. These items freeze beautifully. Eat dinner that night, then package and label the left over portion.Freeze, and I am all set for a day when I have spent far too much time doing some craft project and dinner time is suddenly upon me.... which doesn't happen very often (wink, wink).

Dinner 1-2-3

2010-02-03T10:59:00.000-08:00

This dinner from Martha Stewart includes what I like to call "The Three Gimmies"!
Super cheesy, I know, but let me explain.

1. CHEAP!!!
2. FAST AND EASY!!!
3. HEALTHY!!!

Give me those three things in a dinner recipe, and I am basically sold! And this dinner really is so fast and easy, packed with flavor, and light and healthy.

Pasta with Roasted Vegetables and Spinach
2 pints grape tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes)
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
3 shallots , cut into eighths (or one small red onion)
2 TB fresh thyme leaves
2 TB extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and ground pepper
8 oz. whole wheat rigatoni pasta
3 cups baby spinach or arugula, chopped

1. Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the tomatoes, garlic cloves, and shallots (onions) on a cookie sheet. Toss with the olive oil and thyme. Season with the salt and pepper. Roast until the tomatoes are bursting and the shallots (onions) are browned and soft (about 20 minutes).

2. While the veggies are roasting, cook the pasta in boiling water until al dente (which when I asked my Italian grandmother years ago, al dente means to cook the pasta until the noodles are cooked through, and but still a little firm to bite, not mushy). Drain, reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta water, and return to pot.

3. Peel roasted garlic and mash flat with the side of a chef's knife. Add all the roasted veggies to the pasta in the pot. Add the reserved pasta water. Cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens a little bit (about 3 minutes). Let cool slightly, then toss with the spinach or arugula.

*Optional*

For some additional flavor and some added lean protein, try adding browned chicken breast, sauteed shrimp, or roasted salmon.

My husband and I tried adding the sauteed shrimp this weekend, and loved it! The meal takes about 30 minutes from start to finish, and the clean-up is also a breeze! Man, I love these kinds of recipes!

This recipe was a definate keeper that was quickly filed into our everyday recipe book.

2010-02-01T12:03:00.000-08:00

Yoga is the fountain of youth. You're only as young as your spine is flexible. ~Bob Harper

Healthy Brownies

2010-01-30T11:06:00.000-08:00

I have had several requests for the recipe to those brownies with carrot and spinach puree I had mentioned last week. I took these brownies to my yoga class on Wednesday night, and they turned out to be a hit! Pretty tasty and healthy. So here is the recipe. This recipe is from the Deceptively Delicious cookbook. There are a lot of great recipes in this book that help pack your everyday foods with more nutrients and goodness. Pureed veggies in brownies may sound kookie - but you will be pleasantly surprised by how good they taste and how healthy they are for your little guys to eat! This book also has great tips for pureed foods and how to store them. Check it out here .

Brownies
3 oz. semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup carrot puree
1/2 cup spinach puree
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 TB. margarine
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup oat flour, or all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a non-stick cooking spray to coat an 8x8 pan.

2. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate.

3. In a large bowl, combine the melted chocolate, vegetable purees, sugar, cocoa powder, margarine, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.

4. Whisk in egg whites. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt with a wooden spoon.

5. Pour the batter into the pan and bake 35 - 40 min. Cool.

*** These brownies are not very sweet, which I love, but to help them be a little more appealing, I do like to top them with sprinkled powdered sugar. My children always eat them right up, and I am ok with that. The spinach and carrots add some great calcium, vitamin A, and two other powerful anti-oxidants which help maintain the health of our eyes.

Girl's Room Floral Arrangment

2010-01-29T13:30:00.000-08:00

I saw something similar to these in one of my favorite home decor stores, and LOVED them. I wasn't so in love with the price. That is always the catch!

Thrift Store to the rescue? Ya Baby!

I began with these old canisters that I bought for $1.00 for the whole set at a thrift store. I have been holding on to them for a while, waiting for the perfect project to use them with.Then I found these flowers on clearance at Wal-Mart, plus the paint and the flower foam half circles were at Wal-Mart as well.I spray painted the canisters and the foam balls pink.Cut the flower stems very short and poked them into the foam balls. The flowers need to be arranged pretty tight, then fluffed with your fingers. It is easier if you start from the center top and work your way out and down from there. Check out these beauties!

Here are the canisters, painted, the fronts are decoupaged and antiqued with scrapbook paper and my trusty ink pad. I left the sides pink. I like the way it all came together. Then I tied on some toole left over from a Halloween costume I had made for my girls a couple years ago. (Every little girl has to be a ballerina at some point, right? It has to be some kind of milestone, probably more for the mother than the child...)

Add the flower topiaries to the canisters, and BEAUTIFUL! They sit right on top of my girls' armour. I like these even better than the original ones I saw in the store. SO worth the time and I saved a BUNDLE!

Today I am Linking Up With These Great Sites. Come Visit Them For More Fantastic Ideas!

http://decormamma.blogspot.com/?

http://thegirlcreative.blogspot.com/2010/01/just-something-i-whipped-up-monday_18.html

All In One Spot At Last!

2010-01-29T10:30:00.000-08:00

Coming and going can be quite a fiasco when all of the children get thrown in the mix.

Searching for shoes, hats, scarves, finding one shoe but not the other, endlessly finding shoes strung all over the house.... Oh the frustration!!!

This is my solution. These drawers sit right next to the door in our basement. Each child has a drawer so they can easily find their shoes when we have to go, and quickly put their shoes away when we get back home.

Such a simple solution that has saved my scalp from several bald patches that I know I was on the verge of inflicting upon myself.