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Thank you Health Ranger for re-posting this article from The Guardian, which explains an eating disorder called “orthorexia nervosa.”

This “disorder” label is given to people who have beliefs about what foods are “good” for them and what foods are “bad” for them, and who adhere to those beliefs when making food choices, thus resulting in obsession, stress, social isolation and  possibly malnourishment.

HUH???

So let me get this straight.
If I eat only fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains, because that’s what I believe is healthy for me, and I avoid processed, chemicalized junk foods, dairy, eggs, and meat because I believe they are not good for me, the animals, or the environment, then I am mentally ill?

Did it ever occur to the author that perhaps in making these food choices I might not feel deprived and in fact actually feel good?
That I might be healthiest I’ve ever been in my life?
That I could have an abundance of energy and strength?

Would the author feel better if I sat on the couch with a bowl of Cheetos covered in hot sauce?

Sheesh!

PS: Full disclosure – I in no way strictly adhere to eating only fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans. I’m too much in love with cookies, ice cream, and cake! However, if I or someone I know DID only eat those foods, I’d say “good for you!” I would not try to send them to rehab.

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Time magazine reported yesterday that the University of Missouri has had a huge breakthrough in the creation of fake chicken meat. Not only does it LOOK like chicken it TASTES like chicken too.

So this makes me wonder, assuming that you really wouldn’t notice a difference between real chicken and the new fake chicken, how do you feel about eating soy-based “chicken?”

Some considerations:

1. Decreasing our chicken consumption means fewer chickens will be tortured and slaughtered – I think this is a good thing!
2. Fewer chickens = less chicken poop and gas = better for the environment
3. Could fake chicken possibly be good for you in terms of calories, fat, cholesterol etc than real chicken? I really don’t know…
4. Fake chicken is, well, fake! So we’re adding one more processed food to the menu. What is the effect on our health?

What do you think?

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It’s very simple: organic fruit covered with organic dark chocolate. I started with the Dark Chocolate Coconut and I was hooked! From there I’ve tried Dark Chocolate Apricots (winner!) and Dark Chocolate Cherries (yum!)

Next Organics also offers the following:

• Goji berries
• Bananas
• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Cashews
• Brazil Nuts
• Ginger

All are smothered in dark chocolate.

Happy snacking!

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Organic baby lettuce
Organic bibb lettuce
Organic green onions
Organic carrots
Organic cucumbers
Chickpeas
Walnuts
Fennel*
Organic pink lady apple*

I’ve added apples to my salads before, but since Kate introduced me to adding FENNEL I’ve become a fennel devotee. Wow is it delicious! I never would have thought of it as I didn’t think I liked fennel. But when chopped up small and added in along with an APPLE it’s awesome.

For the dressing I whipped up a vegan cumin-mustard vinaigrette that consisted of:

1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c rice vinegar
1-2 T mustard
splotch of agave
pinch of cardamom
pinch of cumin
pinch of salt

And for dessert… a square of vegan dark chocolate!

Did you celebrate Meatless Monday? What did you have for lunch?

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Remember on April 12 when KFC introduced their artery-clogging, blood pressure-blasting, heart-stopping sandwich called the “Double Down?”

“The one-of-a-kind Double Down features two thick and juicy boneless white meat chicken filets (Original Recipe(R) or Grilled), two pieces of bacon, two melted slices of Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese and Colonel’s Sauce. And no bun, of course. “

UGH!

Well of course no one wants to be left out of the fun! So Foodswings of Brooklyn has responded with the…

wait for it…

the “Handwich.”

“The Handwich is two faux chicken patties breaded with cornflakes and special seasoning, fried with daiya and tofutti cheese, faux bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion and a sweet mustard dijonaise (we add veggies because they’re manly too!)”

Thus proving that indeed you CAN be vegan and eat unhealthy junk food LOL!

In other breaking news, KFC announced today that later this month they will sell their 10 MILLIONTH Double Down sandwich.

Source: Jorge in Wonderland http://www.flickr.com/photos/78603183@N00/580541261/

10,000,000!!!

And so KFC is going to keep the once “limited time only” Double Down on it’s menu forever.

I swear I must really belong in some alternate universe. :0

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In case you haven’t heard, “Meatless Monday” is an international non-profit initiative in association with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to reduce meat consumption by 15% to improve personal health and the health of our planet.

And while I personally believe that not just Monday but EVERY day should be meatless,
and not just for personal and planetary health reasons,
I joined the Meatless Monday movement and you can too!

Just go to the Meatless Monday website and sign up. You’ll get delicious meatless recipes sent to you each Meatless Monday.

I know it’s VERY challenging to go meatless when you are not used to it. So to help out I’m offering a vegan dessert recipe today that is, well meatless sort of by definition (“dessert!”) and happens to be dairy-free too! So it’s Meatless and Dairly-Less Monday here at Eat. Run. Do Yoga!

Vegan Coconut Rice Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice
• 2 cups water
• salt
• 2 cups coconut milk
• cinnamon
• agave nectar
• vanilla extract
• optional: coconut extract, almond extract, orange essence, lemon or lime rind, nuts, dried fruit, other spices like ginger or nutmeg.

Method

1. In a medium sized sauce pan, bring the water to boil. Add the rice and a dash of salt and simmer on low until the rice is starting to get tender – about 10 minutes or so.
2. Add in the coconut milk. Stir frequently until the rice gets soft.
3. Add in the cinnamon and any other spices you are using, along with agave nectar. I started with just a bit of agave and then kept adding until I got the sweetness I wanted. Continue to cook on low and stir for about 5 more minutes until you get the consistency you want.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract, and / or any other extract you are using, along with the dried fruits or nuts if using.
5. Enjoy hot or cold!

Adapted  from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

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Marcia and Me - teacher training is going to rock!

It’s been a long time.

I’m sorry I’ve neglected you, Dear Blog.

I needed to take a break for awhile but I’m ready to roll again

Since I last wrote, quite a bit has happened!

1. As you know, last year a group of yoga teachers began speaking out against Virginia’s law that required yoga teacher training programs to pay fees to and submit to random audits by the state. I’m excited to say that thanks to our efforts, we changed the law! I am especially thankful to Susan Van Nuys of The Health Advantage Yoga Center – she was the first one to say “hey this isn’t right” and to organize the protest. I’m honored to have had the opportunity to work with her on this important issue and thrilled to have made a friend along the way!

2. I started my yoga therapy training with Gary Kraftsow of The American Viniyoga Institute. I’m SO THRILLED to be a part of this 13-month training. I’ve already learned so much and can’t wait to share it. Got a sore back? Tight neck? Achey shoulders? My next workshop on May 15 at Flow Yoga is called “Yoga for a Healthy Spine” and we’ll be focusing on upper back, neck, and shoulders. There will be a second part for lower back, sacrum, and hips on June 12. Get the details and sign up on Flow’s website. I’ll also be writing more about yoga therapy and Viniyoga in this blog as it’s been a truly transformational experience for me.

3. The teacher training program that I’ve been teaching at Flow Yoga in Leesburg is coming to and end and our students will graduate this weekend! I’m so excited for them! They’ve been a terrific group and they are amazing teachers. We’ll be holding free Community Classes on Sunday evenings at Flow starting May 23 so that everyone can get to know them. Please come by and take a class! Check out Flow’s website for the schedule – it’s not up yet but I’m sure it will be soon.

4. Our next teacher training is right around the corner! It begins in June and runs for 9 months. I’m really looking forward to teaching this program with Marcia Hoffheins, who is an amazing teacher. You can read more about the program on Flow’s website.

Ok that’s it for now. I’m really excited to be writing again!

xoxox

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It was AWESOME!

I got to meet the turkeys

And even pet them:

This turkey’s name is Opal and she was rescued from a factory farm, barely alive. Her feet are mangled so she cannot walk.

And there were lots of chickens and roosters. This one was standing in the Thanksgiving dinner:

The pigs were awesome. They, like the turkeys and chickens, are very social:

I think she’s smiling!

And they were social with each other…

And they are curious…

Can you see how HUGE they are?
These pigs have been rescued from factory farms. They’ve been genetically engineered to grow enormous.

The cows were a little intimading.

But very tolerant of us.

He (she?) had the softest fur.

There were little piglets running around.

They’re fast little guys! It was hard to get one to stand still for the camera!

Visiting Poplar Spring was one of the best experiences I’ve had. I hope that everyone will get the chance to meet farm animals up close – they are  amazing. 

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