Inspiration For Creating A Yoga Practice With Yoga At Home Book

I started doing yoga about eight years ago, around the time I turned fifty. I had thought about trying it for many years but had always felt too intimidated to walk into a yoga studio, where I was sure everyone was young and skinny, and able to do all the poses with ease.

My first class was truly amazing and most of my preconceived notions turned out to not be true. Sure, mainstream media shows us the gorgeous yoga models and movie stars coming out of yoga studios with their mats, but yoga really is for everyone who makes the commitment to practice it.

Last year when I had a physical I was very surprised to learn how healthy I was. I was totally grateful in every way, but surprised none the less. My blood pressure was normal, my cholesterol just fine, and all my tests came back normal. Now for someone who is my age, has some extra weight I'm carrying, doesn't eat healthy all the time, and feels stressed out every single day, this was downright amazing!! And when I talk about being stressed out, I mean really stressed, about money, how am I going to find my own place to live, how my kids are doing, and so much more that I don't even talk about.

So you can see why I was so surprised to learn how healthy I am. It's a great blessing to have your health, and one I don't take for granted, especially when I know of so many people who are sick. So I had to ask myself, why am I in good health, when my circumstances wouldn't indicate that that should be the case?

And then I thought about my yoga practice, something that I do usually three times a week, for about forty minutes. I truly do believe this is the answer.

Now don't for a minute think I'm some super yogi who can twist myself into a pretzel and does headstands all day long. Not at all. It's not about how far I can stretch, or what poses I can do. What yoga does for me is that I am more flexible, more balanced, more in tune with my body and my mind.  And that's a lot, that's everything.

I don't have the money or the time to go to yoga classes, so from the very beginning, I started a home yoga practice. At the time I was still married and had two kids at home, and was busy running a household. But I made it a point to take my yoga mat in the bedroom when no one was home, lit a candle, and just started doing poses. It took awhile to make it a routine, but I stuck with it, and eventually it became something I needed, and something that brought me great emotional comfort, especially after I separated from my husband. Those were very dark days, and I cried a lot on my mat, and yoga was one of the things that helped pull me out of that hole.

Both physically and emotionally, I believe yoga has the power to make us stronger, happier, and healthier people. But like anything worthwhile in life, it takes effort and commitment to make it happen. If I can do it, I know anyone can.

I know a lot of people struggle to practice yoga at home. It's great to go to a yoga studio and be surrounded with other students and a caring teacher to guide you during class. But in reality, very few people can go to classes a few times a week, so an at practice becomes essential if you want yoga to become a real part of your life. It's hard to find the motivation sometimes, this is so very true about a home practice, but the reward is so worth it.

Last week I picked up this very inspirational book about starting and maintaining a home practice called Yoga At Home by Linda Sparrowe. It's filled with great stories and photographs from students and internationally recognized yoga teachers. It gives an intimate look at well-known teachers practice spaces and what motivates them to share their love of yoga with others.

I found the book to be very motivating and insightful, and made me grateful for this look into other people's yoga practices and lives. It reinforces my belief that yoga is for everyone, that yoga can bring something special and sacred into our lives if we let it.

Namaste.

Easy Raspberry Crumble Recipe and Remembering My Father

I grew up in Southern California where our backyard was filled with fruit trees. Every summer my Dad made lemonade every few days because, being very frugal, he didn't want to see all of the huge amount of lemons we had go to waste. My father wasn't a very patient man, but he took his time making the lemonade just right, and giving me the first glass always made me feel special.

Oh, how I wish I had those lemons and all of the other fruit we had on our trees now!! Sometimes I just can't believe the price of fruit nowadays, and how much I took for granted that wonderful year round availability of it.

When I was a kid, every year in our Christmas stocking there would be a big, beautifully ripe orange. And I always wondered why Santa bothered to give us an orange when there was a whole bowl of them siting on the kitchen table.

Many years later my mother told me the reason. My father grew up poor in New York City. His mom died young and his dad turned into an alcoholic. It was hard for him to have a decent meal at times, let alone the luxury of fruit to eat. So for him, an orange was special, an extra that only some lucky people were able to have and enjoy.

When my dad grew up, he made his new home in Southern California, the land of orange groves everywhere you looked in those days. And he made sure that each of his kids always had an orange in their Christmas stockings.

Anyhow, on to this recipe for Raspberry Crumble, which is really delicious. It's also super easy to make, and I eat it for dessert and breakfast. If you are eating it for dessert, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a little whipped cream makes it even yummier.

Though I made this crumble with raspberries, the recipe adapts perfectly to other fruits like blackberries, pears, or apples. Crumbles are great no matter what time of year it is, but I will be so happy when summer arrives and the price of fruit at the grocery stores goes down.

And I'll be thinking of those many, many glasses of lemonade my Dad made for us, another thing I took for granted, and only learned to appreciate years later.


Recipe for Raspberry Crumble

Ingredients:

 3 cups fresh raspberries
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, add the butter, brown sugar, oats, flour, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla. Mix all together, then with a fork, break into small, loose pieces of dough.
 Layer the raspberries in a ceramic baking dish.
Spread the oat mixture evenly on top of the berries in the dish. Place the baking dish on a baking sheet, and bake in the oven for 25-28 minutes.
Let the crumble set until just warm and serve. Can be topped with vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream.

Serves 4.

Starting Mornings My Way With McCafé Coffee

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and it's advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #McCafeMyWay #CollectiveBias

One of the things I've come to learn about myself as I've gotten older is that I need my morning routine. I need to have quiet time for thinking, planning my day, and my yoga practice. But before I do any of these things, I need a great cup of McCafé coffee.

I'm a true coffee lover, and that first cup of morning coffee is really important to me. I recently discovered McCafé coffee pods that I can use with my Keurig machine to brew up a delicious cup of coffee in no time at all.

Since I live with my daughter and her family, which includes three of my grandchildren, I like enjoying my coffee before everyone else wakes up. I adore my grandchildren, but it's so nice to have some me time before everyone's busy day begins.

The Premium Roast coffee pods are my favorite for my first cup in the morning. They have a wonderful aroma, and taste. I also love the French Roast, too.

McCafé coffee is made with 100% Arabica Beans, and harvested from the rich soils and mountainous regions of the foremost coffee growing areas of the world. And as much as I like using the coffee pods for time saving convenience, it's also available in premium coffee bags as well.

Using my Keurig lets me have my cup of coffee quickly and easily. I love just popping the coffee pod into the machine, with no measuring, no coffee filters, and no mess. After my cup is brewed, I add a little creamer, and I'm good to go!

I want 2015 to be the year of change for myself. I would love to earn more money, seek out new opportunities, and find a charming little apartment in the city.

With my cup of coffee and my calendar notebook, and before I open my computer, I use that time to think and plan. And as much as I do love my computer, there is just something special about writing things down by hand.

When I was a busy mom raising my five children, there was no morning time for me. I know that is so true for many moms today. My daughter enjoys getting up before her kids wake up, and having that first cup of coffee in quiet. It's so worth losing a little extra time sleeping in, and can make all the difference in a mom's day.

My morning routine includes a thirty minute session of yoga a few mornings a week. Nothing terribly strenuous like this book cover, but enough to help me stay healthy and fit. I enjoy yoga very much, and I'm excited to start going back to a local yoga studio in addition to my home practice.

After yoga, it's time for a light breakfast and another cup of McCafé coffee. Using the coffee pods lets me have a freshly brewed cup of coffee each cup. For me, drinking coffee that has been sitting in a pot for an hour or two, is not my idea of a good cup of coffee.

I first tried McCafé coffee at a coffee demo at Walmart. I got hooked right away. I'm actually quite picky about the coffee I buy and drink, so this had to taste great to win me over.

I was a little early for the demo, but I'm so glad I stayed to try the McCafé. Walmart has lots of demos, and I've actually found a lot of my favorite products by sampling them this way.

You can find McCafé coffee pods and bagged coffee in the coffee aisle at Walmart. Look for several different varieties of each product.

McCafé coffee is part of the Kraft brand that includes many of our favorite and well-known brands available at Walmart.
If you need more inspiration, check out the Cooking Up Good website. It has recipes, sweepstakes, loyalty programs, coupons and more! What's not to love? If you're looking for a new dinner idea or a chance to win some awesome prizes, be sure to check it out!

How about you? Are you someone who would love a less rushed morning? Do you have a morning routine that helps you get a good start? And how important is a great tasting, convenient cup of coffee to you?

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Please leave me a comment below. And thanks!!

Corn Pudding Recipe For Thanksgiving

 

Thanksgiving is my very favorite holiday. It's all about delicious food, gathering with family and friends, and giving thanks for all that we have in our lives. It's a day to remember that though things might not be perfect, there are still many blessings that me must not take for granted.

 

Thanksgiving used to be mine, where for decades I was the one roasting a turkey, cooking like mad, and making sure I had enough plates, wine glasses and clean tablecloths to accommodate everyone.

 

 It was crazy, expensive, and stressful. And it was some of the happiest times of my life. But after thirty five years of marriage, my husband and I split up, and it was the end of all those lovely Thanksgiving dinners.

 

The end of a marriage sometimes fills like the end of everything you know that is familiar, and you can end up feeling lost, alone, and asking yourself how did you get into this particular kind of hell. It takes time, a long time to come out of that tunnel and begin to feel like there is hope for a new life.

 

I'm getting there. And this Thanksgiving we will gather at my daughter's table to give thanks for all that we are blessed to have. I still have my five fabulous kids, four sweet grandchildren, and hopes for a much happier future.

 

I'm not cooking the turkey, my son-in-law does that, but I will be making this delicious corn pudding. It's creamy and tastes great, and is much fancier than serving plain corn. It's one of my favorite recipes to make for Thanksgiving.

 

I did publish this last year, and it was quite popular, so I thought I would share it again. I know many people have the very same menu year after year, but I think changing things up a bit can be fun. So give this recipe a try if you are a corn lover.

 

Recipe for Corn Pudding

Ingredients:

Olive Oil for greasing baking dish
2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 2-quart baking dish with olive oil and set aside.

In a medium bowl, toss together corn, bell pepper, onion, cheese, flour, mustard, salt, and pepper.

In another bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Stir egg mixture into corn mixture and pour into prepared baking dish. Bake until set, about 40 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.