What is a Yogi Mami?

Wow! It has been forever since my last post. It's been a crazy past couple of weeks with birthdays, our 5 year anniversary, a vacation and lots of fun activities before my husband heads back to work from Summer break. I didn't completely ditch out on work. I have been cooking and found so many easy, healthy DELICIOUS recipes that I have been taking pictures of, so stay tuned! I have also been working on a lot of behind the scenes stuff for the site, blog (Including my NEW ONE through Natural News!) and some other projects I had put on the back burner. I'm hoping to blog more consistently during Fall when it cools down and the kids go to bed earlier. Their energy level has been through the roof which is a great thing, but exhausting at the same time. As I took these last few weeks to enjoy myself with family and friends I began to reflect on my lifestyle, habits, actions and surroundings and look on how I can improve myself to make sure I am on the right path to meeting my 2013 New Year Intentions. This post is to give a little insight to myself and my goals and what being a Yogi Mami means to me!

 

Yogic tradition is based on the five pillars of yogic balance. Yoga encourages us to acknowledge and understand how these elements are essential for a balanced, healthy lifestyle. When I began my yoga journey I began to learn how important each of these principals are, and began to slowly integrate them into my life. As I have grown up and had children of my own I now make it a top priority to apply these five precepts into my family's lifestyle to help us stay healthy, balanced and happy.

Five pillars of yoga:

- Right Exercise- Regularly practice yoga, as well as other forms of exercise, with good intentions and appropriate to age, health status and the needs of the body.

- Right Breathing- This involves working towards awareness of the breath at all times and re-establishing deep, natural breathing- Similar to young children, which energizes the entire being.

- Right Thinking- The requires clearing the mind of its many scattered thoughts to increase the sense of clarity, calmness and to cultivate a positive attitude.

- Right Nutrition- Being aware of the fuel you put into your body. Eating food slowly and mindfully at the appropriate times and favoring a healthy range of fresh, seasonal, nutritious food in moderation.

- Right Relaxation- This means taking time out to balance the activity in your life with adequate rest to maintain a sense of physical, mental, emotional and energetic relaxation as a way to restore and revitalize your entire being.

Now while I try to keep these 5 pillars a priority in my life, I am in no way perfect! And it's not about perfection, but about balance. I don't beat up on myself if I am not always eating the most nutritious meal. I feel that going out to eat with my family and having a nice time once in awhile is more important than stressing out and trying to make everything homemade and allows me to take a break from cooking to unwind once in awhile. I eat meat, I drink wine, I'm not gluten-free or raw, but I do try to eat as healthy as I can, when I can and listen to my body and what it is telling me. I try not to obsess on my imperfections and choose to focus on the positive things I am doing to make my life better everyday.

As we close in on the last few months of the year I am working towards doing what I can to meet the New Year intentions I set after the first of the year. I plan on focusing on my blog more and sharing even more healthy recipes, tips and advice.

Please let me know if there are any topics of interest that you would like me to discuss in future
posts!


Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Quinoa Fried "Rice"

It was a typical summer day, it was hot, the kids were full of energy and it was time to figure out what to make for dinner. I hadn't gone to the store in about a week and what I had on hand to make full meals was slim pickings. I had some leftover pork I needed to use, but no buns so I couldn't do my typical pulled pork sandwich routine I often did to use up the rest of the meat. I was in the mood to get creative and figure something out without having to ask the hubby to pick up something from the store or rely on take out.

I began to search the internet for ideas when I came across a recipe for fried rice. The only problem was, I had no rice in the house. What was a mom to do? Then I remembered that I had seen an idea somewhere for making fried rice with Quinoa! Or did I just make that up? I searched Google and lo and behold! I found many recipes which I quickly scanned for inspiration. Awesome! I began to come up with how I can make my own version using the ingredients I had on hand. I was a little worried about what my husband would say about the meal, but figured it was worth a try. Let me tell you, IT WAS! It came out so good! Like amazingly good. In fact, my husband told me I could sell it (apparently by opening my own restaurant? Because he thinks I need more people to cook for?!) I have been dreaming about this meal for weeks now. I can't wait to try it again with different ingredients. The possibilities are endless and can be made with many different variations. This post will share with you my recipe for yummy, healthy, quick quinoa friend "rice". My version was pork fried rice, but it can easily be made with any meat or as a vegetarian meal.

• Quinoa
• Pork
• Egg
• Garlic
• Vegetables
• Sesame oil
• Broth or water
• Salt and Pepper
• Tamari or Soy Sauce

 I had leftover pork tenderloin that I used for mine, it was already seasoned and cooked. I soaked the Quinoa and cooked accordingly. Once that was done I put some oil in a pan and sauteed up some chopped garlic and onions until translucent. I then added the chopped veggies. Anything you have will be good. I added carrots and celery, peas and purple cabbage but it would also
be great with bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, edamame, etc. Sautee for a few minutes until soft. Remove from pan and add scrambled egg. Cook the egg, breaking it up, add the veggies back to the pan, and add the meat. Cook for a few minutes for the meat to warm. Then add the quinoa and stir well to combine. Let it cook a few more minutes and add a little more oil if necessary, season with salt and pepper and add soy sauce or tamari.

Make sure you eat this meal warm. It was delicious. I can't wait to try it with shrimp, or chicken or beef, and other veggies too. I can't wait to make this again, in fact, I think we will be having it in a couple of days because it was just too good!

Have you tried making Quinoa fried "rice"? We would love for you to share your version!

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Summertime Fig Recipes

I had some figs that I picked over at my sister-in-laws house. I absolutely LOVE figs. I usually eat them as is, but started thinking of all the fun creative ways I could use them up. The new recipes were a big hit, so of course I had to share! This post includes two fun ways to eat figs. 

The first recipe I made was a balsalmic fig sauce. We ate it drizzled over lamb chops and then leftovers drizzled over baked chicken. The hubby loved it. It took a bit of time to cook, but was well worth it.

Filling of 2 large figs
1 cup chicken broth (homemade or low-sodium)
3 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 Tbs. Raw local honey
chopped fresh herbs (oregano, thyme) 
2 Tbs. Butter
Salt & Pepper

Pour broth and vinegar into a pan on medium high. If you will be pouring over meat that was pan seared or cooked-add the liquid to the pan after you remove the meat to incorporate the brown bits into the sauce and add flavor. Stir until sauce is reduced to 1/2 a cup. Stir in fig filling, honey and herbs and let sauce reduce by another 1-2 Tbs. Add butter and swirl till melted. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over meat and enjoy! It was so yummy. I will definitely be making this again once I get my hands on some more figs!

Fig & Brie Grilled Cheese

• Figs
• Brie
• Bread
• Butter 

Very simple, two slices of bread- Lay sliced brie on one piece and then scoop some fig filling on top of the cheese and top with the second slice of bread. Butter each side and grill up in a pan. Easy peasy! The taste was devine! I can't wait to try this again, I think it would even be good with a slice or two of ham. Monte Cristo style minus the egg batter. Although, I wonder how it would taste battered and maybe with a bit of maple syrup. Mmmmmmm..............

Do you have any interesting recipes using figs? We would love for you to share! 


Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Top 5 Healthiest Oils to Use

There seems to be quite a bit of confusion as to which oils are actually the healthiest for consuming. With so many different options out there I decided to share this post to discuss the best oils to have in your house and some information on the best ways to use each.

First off, ditch the canola oil and vegetable oil!  These oils are GMO, processed, hydrogenated, refined and just plain yucky. These nasty oils come in the form of margarine, shortenings and low trans-fat spreads. It is hard to go out to eat to a restaurant that doesn't use the cheap oils to accommodate the mass cooking at very low cost.  Both Canola and Vegetable oil are trans-rich toxins that, perhaps more than any other components of the modern American diet, has contributed to increases in cardiovascular disease, metabolic dysfunction, ED, stroke, dementia, and many other common diseases. For years healthy saturated fats have been demonized as being unhealthy, when actually they are the healthiest and best processed by the body and support immune health. This propaganda is starting to come to a head as many people are waking up to the truth as to which oils are the best to use.

So maybe you can't always control how restaurants cook your food, but while at home you have the option to cook with healthy, beneficial oils without breaking the bank!  Try to use only organic, unrefined, unprocessed, virgin oils when possible. It will make all the difference. The least processed option is naturally, always the best. Here is a list of the best oils to use:

Coconut Oil is a great way to increase the amount of healthy fats in your diet. It is one of the most nutritious oils and offers many health benefits. It has antiviral, antibacterial and antimicrobial benefits. It is also a powerful antioxidant and helps in the absorption of other minerals. The oil is high in Lauric Acid which converts to Monolaurin in the body which has been shown to fight disease and viruses and boost immunity. You can use this oil to cook, as skin lotion, in smoothies, and even hair conditioner. It helps to reduce scars, stretchmarks and age spots. It can be a substitute for butter or any oil when cooking and can even be used as an all natural shaving cream or eye makeup remover.


Olive Oil is another wonderful oil that can be used for cooking, personal care, natural remedies and more. The oil has high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids which promote good cholesterol and help to lower bad cholesterol. It is very gentle on the digestive system and contains vital vitamins and minerals. Olive oil also contains antioxidants which neutralize free radicals. It can be used as a moisturizer, a hair de-tangler, furniture polish, to fix squeaky doors or even to cure an earache.

Hemp Oil should not be cooked hot, but can be used in salad dressings, added to pasta or rice or used for cosmetic or medicinal reasons. It is an excellent moisturizer that helps to energize the skin and increasing skin elasticity. It balances hormones, contains the right balance of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids and helps to treat high cholesterol and diabetes.

Sunflower Oil is not a popular oil to cook with, but has tremendous health benefits. It has a neutral taste so it is ideal for cooking and frying. Sunflower oil provides more Vitamin E than any other oil and assists the body in maintaining water in the cells making it great for beauty products. It contains high amounts of Vitamin E, Copper, Iron, Zinc, Calcium and many other nutrients that are essential to the body. Including it in your diet reduces the risk of heart disease, lowers cholesterol and promotes the creation of new cells in the body. It has shown to reduce asthma, colon cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.


Sesame Oil is high in nutritional content and has shown to have capabilities in fighting, reversing and preventing many diseases and illnesses. They are very high in calcium, magnesium, copper and manganese. It promotes beautiful skin, oral health, reducing stress, and protecting against radiation-induced DNA damage. It's high in protein so it is a great inclusion in a vegetarian diet. It can be used in homemade cosmetic products and medicines as well as in cooking.

Replacing dangerous, unhealthy oils with healthy alternatives doesn't have to cost a fortune. When you buy in bulk you can typically get the oil for cheaper and trust me, you will use it. From cooking to easy natural health and beauty products, chemical free cleaning products and first aid - and with so many benefits.

What oils do you have in your house and how do you use them?

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Fermented Beet Kvass

It's Fermented Friday and time for another recipe for a newfound health drink that I stumbled upon as I try to make all kinds of homemade, healthy foods and drinks.

I love beets! They are so yummy and earthy tasting, and they have tremendous health benefits, including purifying your blood. They are great in salads, juiced, sautéed with sweet potatoes, and roasted. Having explored through hoards of fermenting recipes the past few weeks I came across a recipe for homemade Beet Kvass. What a fancy name! What is this concoction? I had never even heard about it, yet my love of fermentation and my love of beets were telling my body that this was something I needed to try!

This post will share with you just how easy this is and drinking 4 ounces each morning and evening have shown to lower blood pressure, purify the blood, aid in digestion and detoxify the liver. It is rich in B vitamins and minerals such as copper, potassium and magnesium. It is a great health tonic to add to any diet.

Ingredients:

Beets (3-4) peeled and chopped (save the discarded greens for yummy salad or sauteed with garlic and onion)
3 tbs sea salt
Filtered water
Whey

Place the chopped beets, in a large glass jar (1/2-1 gallon) add salt and cover with water. Cover with either a paper towel or tea towel and secure with a rubber band. Let the mixture sit on your counter for 3 days then bottle the liquid saving the beets, and a few tablespoons of liquid to brew a second batch. Add about a tbs more of salt and add water to cover and repeat the fermentation process for 2 days and bottle. When the beet kvass has been bottled let it sit in a cool, dry place for another day or two to allow for them to ferment for a couple more days. Place the jars in the fridge where they can stay until you are ready to drink.

Basically the brew tastes like salted beet juice. It has a very earthy, salty taste. Mine did not have the same carbonation taste that I am used to in fermented drink, but it was yummy nonetheless and gave me tremendous energy! I feel so great after I have a glass and really enjoy it.

Have you tried Beet Kvass? Please share your thoughts and experience!

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Tips to Save Money on Eating Healthy!

Anyone who does regular grocery shopping is sure to notice how much grocery prices have increased in the last few years. A family of 4 can spend more than $500 a month on grocery shopping, which I happen to think is a lot! With the cost of food going up I have been trying to do whatever I can to help lower our monthly grocery bill. This post will share with you some of the tips and tricks I have learned to help lower how much we spend on food every month while also creating healthy options to eating.

• Plan Ahead

Planning out meals helps to make sure you have everything on hand to cook and makes sure you don't go overboard at the store buying things you don't need. When I go shopping without a list I find myself making a lot more impulse buys, and then when its time to make meals I have crucial ingredients missing which means another trip to the store. By following a meal plan I feel much more organized, have everything on hand to make yummy healthy meals and save time and money! I also offer a weekly meal plan service for $5 a week (or $15 a month) which includes a weekly menu of easy, heathy recipes, grocery list and even a double meal recipe to freeze and leftover suggestions. For more information on participating in my weekly meal plan service you can email me at Victoria@yogimami.com

Homemade lasagna with leftover ground turkey meat

• Get Creative with Leftovers 

When I make my 2 week menu plan I try to think of what I can do with leftover food so that it don't get trashed. My husband is not a fan of leftovers so I have to try to make it into something different from what we had the day before. This includes leftover turkey meat made into a meat sauce for spaghetti, or leftover pork roast as pulled pork sandwiches. Its a great way to make a super easy meal because the meat is usually already cooked that you can throw something together in no time.

• Make Your Own

For those of you who have been following you know I have been making my own EVERYTHING lately. At least that is how it seems to me. Broths, butter, yogurt, mustard, mayonnaise, salsa, granola, salad dressings and pretty much all breakfasts, lunch and dinners. When you make it yourself you have the added benefit of controlling what you ingest and keeping yucky ingredients at bay. And honestly, it takes a little time, but it is all typically very easy! Also, the sooner you start the easier it gets. You can spend a few hours on a weekend preparing and putting together for foods and condiments that will last you several weeks.

• Use Your Freezer

When I make soups or stews I tend to make larger batches which I can then put in the freezer and save for another meal. This is awesome for those nights where we don't want to go out or order take out, but really really don't want to cook. I can defrost a batch of Chicken Tortialla Soup or Chili, warm it up on the stove and still have a home cooked meal with very little effort! Its a great way to store leftovers to have on hand when you get sick and want to still eat something healthy without having to cook or resorting to unhealthy canned soups. It's also perfect to pull out if you are going to be out for the night and need a meal for a babysitter to warm up.

• Cut Meat Portions in Half

After watching documentaries like Forks over Knives and reading books such as the China Study I learned the benefits of eating more plant protein over animal protein. I am a typical meat and potatoes girl so I could never become vegetarian or vegan, I just know that about myself. But I am able to recognize that too much meat is not a good thing so I cut our meat portions in half and just added extra sides. I will usually have 2-3 different sides with a meal, with the majority of them being some sort of healthy grain or veggies.

• Add More Veggies

Because we were eating less meat we were doubling up on the veggies. I would make something like chicken stuffed with kale, red peppers and some cheese served over garlic quinoa and have a kale salad with  cranberries, almonds and lemon tahini dressing. Boosting your intake of fruits and veggies helps to fulfill your nutrition intake while leaving your body satisfied. Fruits and veggies cost less than

• Buy What's in Season and Local

When I make my list I usually just put Fruit or Veggies, meaning that I will buy whatever is in season and on special. From there I am able to get great produce for a good price and then decide the rest of my meals from there. I love shopping at my local Coop or Farmer's Market because you can get beautiful produce that didn't sit in a truck for days or weeks to get delivered which means its a lot fresher and contains more nutrients. Compare a $1.99 bag of lettuce at the commercial grocery store that has been sprayed with chemicals to make it appear fresher for longer to a self selected mix of lettuces (the same amount) for $1.

• Grow Your Own! 
  

I am so envious of people who have these beautiful, bountiful gardens. We do not have much space but I have been growing some things on our patio and making use of some window ledges. I grow most of my own herbs, some greens and have even grown some things out of kitchen scraps. I try to grow what we use a lot of like Kale, chives, garlic, beets, carrots, cilantro, chard and potatoes. Our bounties are small, but I like to try to make the most out of what I can such as making a pesto with carrot greens. I use my garlic scapes chopped to season butter and other dishes practically for free and even beet greens and kale as a sauteed side or a salad. Sprouting is another option to incorporate live food into your diet and its so easy to do yourself for just pennies compared to $5 at the the stores. 

By incorporating these habits into our lifestyle I have cut our grocery bills almost in half! I am loving the changes that I made both in our wallet and our families health. It's fun and fulfilling and brings me a sense of joy knowing that I am doing what I can for us to live the healthiest life we can while saving money.

I would love to hear about any ideas or suggestions you have to live healthy on a budget?

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Breakfast of Champions!

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so make sure you are starting your day off on the right foot with these easy, healthy recipes. Both are kid tested and Yogi Mami approved and are perfect for anyone who is on a gluten free diet or looking for some wheat free recipes. These are chock full of nutrients without having to give up taste and are a great alternative to other commercial breakfasts that typically contain yucky ingredients. And the best news is that these recipes are quick and easy and can even be made the night before if time is a major issue.

Coconut Banana Pancakes    

• 2 tbsp coconut flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup mashed banana 
• 1/4 cup almond milk or coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp maple syrup
• pinch of sea salt
• pinch of ground cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Heat up a pan on medium heat and add coconut oil or butter. Make smaller silver dollar sized pancakes and cook on both sides until cooked. These were delicious topped with some homemade butter and fresh blueberries from the Farmer's Market! Everyone loved them! You could even add some chopped apples or berries directly in the batter while cooking. So many options! *If you are pressed for time you can make the pancakes the night before and refrigerate and warm up in a toaster oven the next morning!

                                                                                                            Quinoa Parfait

• Quinoa
• Almond Milk
• Butter
• vanilla extract
• cinnamon
• salt
• yogurt
• berries
• nuts

Let quinoa soak overnight and then cook up like normal adding a little almond milk and butter. Add a dash of salt, cinnamon and 1tsp of vanilla extract when cooked and mix. Add to some yogurt (CLICK HERE for my easy homemade recipe) add some nuts like sunflower seeds, almonds and some fresh berries. Drizzle with honey and enjoy! *To save time you can cook the quinoa the night before (just soak for a couple hours before cooking) refrigerate and warm up the next morning adding the almond and butter and other ingredients when re-warming. Add extras (nuts, berries, etc.) after re-warmed.

I hope you enjoy these recipes and would love to hear if you tried them or would like to share your own easy, yummy breakfast recipes!

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.