This short video is meant to be done when you are warm, after a run or bike or toward the end of a yoga class or practice. I posted a short yoga video not long ago with two sun salutations called “What is the deal with yoga?” If you have not warmed up yet, go to that video and do the flow twice or three times, which will be a few minutes of flowing through sun salutation A.

Here is the link… http://imayogagirl.com/2018/03/21/what-is-the-deal-with-yoga/

My brother does trail races and bikes and swims and has been doing extra lately. He wrote me and said he hurt his back running and biking extra this week. Hips hurt back hurts, trying to add some yoga to help. He knows I am familiar with back and hip pain and might have a remedy or two up my sleeve.

Before getting too excited, may I add that there is no quick fix for the pain, however, knowing a few helpful stretches may affect the level of pain and possibly relieve it all together.

Yoga itself cannot alleviate all pain, working on your flexibility, no matter where you begin, can assist in muscle balancing and joint stability.

For athletes, sport is a repetitive move, done through the same range of motion, over and over. Sometimes, with explosive jumping and running in between. Joints and bones are put through extremely stressful training sessions, creating micro tears in the ends and insertions.

Yoga and stretching regularly can lengthen the muscles, create support in the joints and help to prevent injury.

Have a great day!

xoxo

I first was introduced to this recipe by a high school friend, and looking at the picture he posted made me think to myself “Get in my belly!!”  I went to the store that day and got the ingredients for us to have this super flavorful dish that evening.  If it isn’t mexican or involve tortilla chips or tacos, I worry my husband might not be interested in my new healthy recipe.

This one originally is from via Green Chile Chicken- Stuffed Spaghetti Squash – 12 Tomatoes and I was new to 12tomatoes.com recipe site.  I love all things about it, and feel comfortable making adjustments to increase nutritional value and keep sodium low, while also honoring my list of food allergies.  Some need no alterations, and sometimes you have preferences or likes to accommodate.  We love the mexican flavor of this dish with the green chilis and cilantro, add corn and chicken and squash and it is such a great mix of tastes in every bite!

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs or 2 large boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cut or shedded

1 medium spaghetti squash

1 4 oz. can chopped green chilis

1 12 oz. bag frozen corn ( I used Trader Joe’s mexican corn which is roasted)

1 bunch green onion chopped

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 cup shredded cheese, mexican or mozzerella

Start with a medium sized, more oblong than round, spaghetti squash.  Cut in half and scoop out the seeds.  Lightly spray with butter spray or olive oil, put on a cookie sheet or casserole dish, open side up, and roast at 400 for 35 to 40 minutes.  Squash should be easily forked out and shredded from the shell.

My husband loves everything grilled and it adds great flavor to anything.  That being said, you may bake or broil or cook the chicken any way you like.  Chicken thighs tend to grill well and add to the flavor, while breasts are easier cooked inside and may be your choice of chicken.

While squash is cooking, combine in a bowl chili powder, green chilis, green onion, corn and shredded or cut up chicken.  Add green salsa or enchilada sauce and mix well.

1. return your mixture to the shells of the squash and bake in the shell another 20 minutes.
2. bake in a rectangular dish in order to serve in square portions, like lasagna, and to portion for leftovers for school lunch.

Use a shredded cheese, mexican blend is best, around the edges of the mix and return to the oven for 20 minutes or until the edges are browned.

This dish is wonderful reheated and also does well when frozen and reheated. This large tray made six nice square portions. (photo may not do the taste justice…just saying.)

Enjoy!! xoxo

Before you make any judgements on how you think this may taste, let me tell you that if you do like sweet potatoes and you do like chili, this is an amazing new twist to the norm.

With a little bit more broth than the usual, this recipe gives you the expected kidney beans and then add pinto beans, ground or shredded chicken, cubed sweet potatoes, tomatoes, onion, celery and spices, to create this variation on a favorite.

I make a large enough batch to freeze several portions for Jack to take as “school lunch.” My mom always called it school lunch so I kept that and it tickles Jack. Crock pot is my preferred way to cook this dish, but in a big pot with room for boiling will work just as well.

A few products came from Trader Joe’s, and these beans are the very lowest in sodium without soaking your own, if you like to soak them in advance. Eden Organic is the brand and most large grocery stores will carry them or Amazon, my bff.

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breast

(You may sub browned ground chicken or turkey)

1 large yellow onion chopped

2 large sweet potatoes (cook slightly, cube)

1 can stewed tomatoes no salt

1 can diced or petite diced tomatoes no salt

1 can kidney beans

1 can pinto beans

1 can chopped green chilis

1 small jalapeño chopped, optional

1 bunch celery, chopped

1 bunch cilantro

3 cups chicken broth no sodium or KB Wellness bone broth

3 minced garlic cloves

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon cocoa powder (unsweetened)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sea or other salt

Cook sweet potatoes to soft enough to cut. I cook them at 400° for thirty minutes. Warm up your crock pot with broth while cutting the cilantro and celery. Put everything into the pot, including the cubed sweet potatoes. Stir and cover to let cook and become amazing!! (Time may vary, cook 4 – 6 hours) If using chicken breasts, at four hours, remove chicken and smash or shred with a fork and knife. You should be able to easily shred or cook a little longer, add the shredded chicken back to the crock pot for another thirty minutes.

Serve with 2% Greek yogurt, fresh chopped cilantro and any hot sauce you may prefer, like cholula. Enjoy!!

Let me know if you try it!!

xoxo

Here is another fabulous chicken chili which is white/green and so delish!!!

This is one of those recipes that you don’t forget where it came from or how it made you feel. My friend Lisa, from college days, taught me this recipe. From over twenty years ago to now, it has been a staple. I have added more veggies to this recipe, but still has the same distinct taste. ( it’s the cloves! ) Adjust the peppers to make it milder. Enjoy! xoxo

This recipe calls for:

4 skinless boneless chicken breast

2 15 oz. cans canellini beans

4c water with four packets no sodium chicken broth or bone broth (herb ox by Hormel is what I use or KB Wellness bone broth)

2 green pepper chopped

3 pablano peppers chopped

1 bunch of celery chopped

Sauté the following: (I like to brown the onion before adding spices)

1 medium yellow onion chopped

2tsp cumin

1 1/2 tsp oregano or Mexican oregano

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 minced garlic cloves

Add 2 4 oz. cans diced green chilis

2 tsp cilantro dried

* * * * *

1 chopped fresh jalapeño, add to finished chili just before serving

Top with :

fresh chopped cilantro

avocado sliced

2% greek yogurt

Put beans in the crock pot, follow with chicken and broth. Turn on high and cover. Chop your onion and saute until all pieces are browned, add in green chiles and spices and saute a few minutes, put the cooked mixture on top of chicken and follow with peppers, celery and black pepper to taste. Check at 3 and a half to 4 hours, chicken should be tender enough to shred by pushing with a spoon or fork easily. Pull out all of the chicken to shred, add it back in for 30 minutes…serve with 2% Greek yogurt, avocado, chopped cilantro and healthy tortilla chips. ☺️

“What is the deal with yoga??”

People ask me this when they hear what I do or I hand them a business card. My first thought: How long do you have?

There should be some go-to short but all telling little sentence to answer this question, right?

For some reason, though, it is a challenging and fully loaded question. Many people think yoga is relaxing and gentle and quiet, which is very true in some styles.

Downward Dog ?? Ahdamuko…what ??

This is downward facing dog pose and it also has a Sanskrit name…Adho Mukha Svanasana. It is a stretch for the entire back body.

There are moves you may not have seen before and odd sounding words that make you think becoming a human pretzel is next in the flow. Yoga requires more strength than most come expecting. Some people are even surprised because they thought it would be so easy. Not for most, even after many years of many hours.

It is always a practice, not a performance.

It doesn’t get easier, you become stronger.

There will be many poses you love and successfully practice, and some that are a challenge. Some poses may feel out of reach, and with regular practice, can later become natural and authentic.

Yoga can be healing to the physical body, as well as the mental. Yoga is mind, body connection. Yoga is breathing. Yoga is being in the present moment. Yoga.

What is the deal with Yoga?

It is an intentional moving, breathing, session of stretching meant to bring balance to the body and mind. And I could say it so many different ways and it could be interpreted differently by each who hears…my suggestion is go try it if you are feeling curious. Or do this short sun salutation video a few times to move in all directions – While listening to the sweetie birdies chirping. xoxo