Enjoy!

COLESLAW

4 C green cabbage, finely grated

2 medium sized carrots, finely grated

2 Tbsp minced red onion

1/2 C light mayonnaise

1/2 C nonfat plain yogurt

2 Tbsp white vinegar

1 Tbsp sugar

Salt and freshly ground pepper

SANDWICHES

1/2 C ketchup

1 Tbsp cider vinegar

1 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp chili powder

2 Tsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp minced red onion

8 oz soy or mixed grain tempeh

4 whole wheat kaiser rolls, split open

1.  Prepare the coleslaw: Combine cabbage, carrots, onion, mayo, yogurt, vinegar and sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Mix well.  Season to taste with S&P and toss again.  Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 min or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

2.  Prepare a medium fire in the grill with a well-oiled grilling rack in place.

3.  To make the BBQ sauce, stir together ketchup, vinegar, sugar, chili powder, soy sauce and onion in a shallow bowl.  Taste and adjust the seasonings.  

4.  Cut the tempeh in half horizontally to make two thin cakes.  Slice the cakes into 8 pieces, about 1-inch wide, for a total of 16 pieces.  Add tempeh strips to BBQ sauce and turn to coat.

5.  Grill tempeh until heated through and crusty, 4-6 min per side.  Light toast rolls on the grill, about 2 minutes per side.

6.  Brush the inside of the rolls with remaining BBQ sauce.  Place about 4 tempeh slices on each roll, and top with a generous dollop of coleslaw.  Serve immediately with extra napkins and some coleslaw on the side.

Serves 4

For more information, visit the band’s website.

Millions of Americans suffer from intense and frequent headaches.  A lot of people think that when the pain gets to an unbearable level it automatically classifies as a migraine.  Rather, migraines have specific characteristics and need to be treated differently because of that.  For more information, or to find out if you are having migraines, click here.

If you do experience these nasty little things, you can use your yoga practice, whether already established or non-existent (until now), to bring some relief.

Research has shown that the cause of migraines is in part due to constriction of blood vessels in the brain, most commonly caused by tension and stress.  Remember, “stress” does not always show up in life like you might expect.  Even positive and happy events and situations can be taken on by the body as stress.  This elicits a physiological reaction that mimics one caused by a negative form of stress.  The use of yogic techniques is proven to combat stress, therefore reducing the frequency and intensity of migraines and headaches in general.

Try these postures and exercises for calming relief:

Legs-up-the-wall pose

*Sit sideways up against a wall, with one hip touching the wall.

*Swing your legs up as you lean back onto your elbows, then lower torso all the way down

*Scoot closer to wall if needed, until buttocks lightly touches base of wall

*Let the arms come a few inches away from the body, palms up

*For added relaxation, use a lavender scented eye pillow over the eyes

*Stay here about 5-10 min, breathing naturally

*To release pose, slowly walk feet down wall until your thighs come onto your belly

*Roll to one side, use arms to press up to a seated position

->Note: You may see this pose done with a bolster placed under the hips.  If you are prone to headaches, this is not recommended as it might cause pressure in the head)

Savasana (Corpse Pose)

*Lie down on your back, making sure you are comfortable

*If the lower back is uncomfortable with the legs straight, place a rolled blanket under the knees

*Have the feet slightly wider than the hips with the toes flopping out to the side

*Arms are about 6 inches away from the body, palms turned up

*Breathe naturally

*With eyes closed and without moving the body, focus on each part of the body (feet, legs, hips, back, belly, chest, arms, shoulders, neck, face, etc), moving in wave-like fashion from the toes up to the top of the head, letting each part completely relax and release

*If you like, you can repeat this moving in the opposite direction, from top of the head to the toes

*Stay here a minimum of 5 minutes, as long as you like

*To come out, slowly bend knees into chest, roll to one side, press up to seated postion

Alternate Nostril Breath

*Take your right hand and make a fist

*Release your thumb, pinky and ring finger only

*The space between your thumb and ring finger is where your nose will go…

*Start by inhaling through both nostrils, close the right side with your thumb and exhale left side

*Inhale on the left side, switch by closing the left nostril with your ring finger, exhaling right

*Inhale right side, switch, exhale left

*Inhale left, switch, exhale right

(The pattern is: exhale on one side, inhale same side, switch)

*Continue for 5-15 minutes, finishing by exhaling on the right side

The above exercises are designed to target the nervous system, calming the mind and body, as well as improving concentration, sleep and circulation.  Along with adequate sleep, a diet rich in whole foods and moderate physical activity, these techniques can help the body become balanced and healthy…and most importantly, pain free.

-> As with any physical exercise program, please check with a doctor to make sure it is appropriate for you.

Serve this cool, refreshing beverage in a tall, frosted glass.

ingredient list

Makes 9 cups

• 4 bags lemon zinger tea
• 4 bags red zinger tea
• 1 1/2 cups organic apple juice, chilled
• Lemon and/or lime slices and mint sprigs for garnish (optional)

For those of you who don’t know, I am an avid NFL fan…more specifically, a devoted follower of the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Now that football season is upon us, so are the inevitable slew of player injuries.  What caught my attention in this last Steelers’ injury report, was the high amount of groin pulls.  What is up with that?  I ask.  Aren’t they stretching that part of their body sufficiently?  Well, I guess not.  My hubby and I actually went to watch a team practice the other day, and seeing the players stretch on the field beforehand was a pretty good indicator as to why they are always pulling muscles.  They have no flexibility!!  The exception is Jeff Reed, the kicker, who can kick his leg so high his shin hits his forehead.  At least we know his hamstrings are loose…don’t know about the other parts.  

Anyway, I have decided to use this opportunity, talking about groin injuries, to mention a wonderful yoga pose that can help prevent them:  Butterfly or Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana).

For instructions on how to practice this pose, visit Yoga Journal’s website, or follow these steps:

~Sit with the soles of your feet together, knees fall apart

~Bring your heels as close to the body as the hips (and knees) will allow

**If you feel any pain in your knees during this pose, back off until there is no pain

~Take ahold of your ankles or cup hands over the toes

~Inhale through the nose, sit up tall

~Exhale through the nose, hinge the body forward until you feel the resistance in the groin or hips; stop when you feel resistance

~Relax your head, neck and shoulders; breathe deeply for about 5-10 breaths

~Raise slowly back to center

For a more relaxed version: lie on your back with the soles of the feet together, let the knees fall out to the sides. (If there is any discomfort, place a pillow under each knee) Let your arms rest at your sides with the palms up, and just relax and breathe!  

a lot of pesticide spraying, so paying the high price for organic may not be necessary.  Other foods are known for heavy chemical spraying, making conventional a not-so-healthy option.

Vegetables

Go Organic: Beets, Bell Peppers (all colors), Carrots, Celery, Collard Greens, salad greens, Swiss Chard, Cucumbers, Green Beans, Potatoes, Spinach, Winter Squash

Conventional is OK: Asparagus, Avocados, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Corn (sweet), Eggplant, Garlic, Onions, Rhubarb, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Zucchini

Nuts, Seeds & Legumes

Go Organic: Almonds, Peanuts (and their butter), Pecans, Soy foods

Conventional is OK: Beans (dried), Cashews, Macadamia nuts, Sesame seeds

Fruits

Go Organic: Apples, Apricots, Nectarines, Peaches, Cherries, Grapes (imported), Lemons, Limes, Oranges, Pears, Raspberries, Strawberries

Conventional is OK: Blueberries, Cantaloupe, Bananas, Grapes (domestic), Grapefruit, Tangerines, Mangoes, Watermelons

Dairy 

Butter, Milk, Eggs and Cheese…Organic all the way!!!

The Local Scene

In most areas of the country, it is difficult to find local and organic produce.  Thus the debate: chemicals in my body or carbon monoxide in the air?  Which is the lesser of the evils?  Right now, local produce is getting a longer look due to the effect gas prices have on food.  Buying local not only is easy on the environment, but it helps to support community-based agriculture and you actually get more nutrients the less time since a fruit or veggie was picked.

For a more in-depth look at the reasons why these foods are recommended organic or not, pick up this month’s issue of Vegetarian Times.

Ever since I read Skinny Bitch, I have been teetering on the fence of Vegan-hood. (By the way, if you haven’t read Skinny Bitch, read it now.) I have been a pescatarian for about 2 years now, and at first it was a seamless transition. I didn’t miss dairy, the thought of fish and eggs grossed me out, and I found a soy yogurt that I could eat without holding my nose. And best of all, my body felt light and clean. The vegan life was good.

And then it just got really difficult! I happen to be mightily addicted to sushi, and carrot, cucumber and avocado rolls were becoming boring, while shrimp tempura and spicy tuna were too hard to pass up. My veggie subs at Subway seemed bland without cheese and mayo, and my grandmother was at a total loss of what to make when I came over for dinner. This vegan lifestyle was more of a burden than anything and I started to get frustrated.

The inspiration I had right after reading the book had faded, so convenience just took over everything else. And what came flooding back, with this insatiable desire for cheese! I have always loved cheese, and I was shocked when I had no initial problem giving it up. Those sassy ladies who wrote Skinny Bitch warned me of the addictive power of cheese, with it’s high fat content and loads of salt, and they were spot on! I know how fattening it is, the hormones, blah, blah blah, but I still crave it.

So…what is my point in all of this? Living a healthy lifestyle, and more specifically, having a clean and pure diet is an ongoing process. Sometimes it’s easy and other times…well, it’s not. It is a battle between what the body calls for and what the mind desires, and it’s kind of like watching a reality show on E! – so annoying you could scream, but you just can’t change the channel.

At some point or another, you have heard or seen the names and images of popular Hindu gods (i.e. the cover of Jimi Hendrix: Axis Bold As Love…a bunch are on there!). Notice that the word ‘god’ in this context is not capitalized. That is because in the Hindu religion, these ‘gods’ are not the one true God that they pray to. Hinduism, contrary to what many believe, is a monotheistic religion. These secondary deities are merely characters that help represent different aspects of the human condition. They were created out of the universal need to understand what it means to be pure consciousness, playing “human being” this time around.

When I started working with Gopal, I couldn’t wait for the day when I got, what I called, “my Indian name.” I knew when that happened then I would be well on my way to spiritual enlightenment! If I was a good enough yogi, then I would be rewarded with a special name, just like the other yogis I knew. The name Kali, came out of a conversation with Gopal about what I should go dressed as for Halloween. I think he suggested Kali because of her wild appearance…wide blood-shot eyes, tongue sticking out, one hand holding a bloody sword, the other a freshly cut off head, and a string of skulls around her neck…what a costume that would be! And then oddly enough, the name stuck. That was it??? The moment I’ve been waiting for??? That’s my name? Kali? I was disappointed because I had never heard of Kali before…was she even cool?

Getting that name was only the beginning. See, when you get your “Indian name”, you then have to actually start living up to what that name entails. The names we are given by our teachers are not because we are being that already, it is because the nature of that name is what is at our essence, underneath all the crap we have employed our whole lives to keep that true nature from shining through.

So, as the first real post on my blog, I thought it would be appropriate to share more about my nickname, and the truth about Kali. Now I actually have to go out and be that powerful goddess…be careful what you wish for!

You will also find links to some of my favorite sites…things related to non-toxic cleaning products, fair trade and eco-friendly goods, green living, resources for vegetarians and much more.

This blog is still getting organized, so check back often for more information!