Noodles with Miso-Tahini Sauce
October 29, 2010
One of my favorite comfort foods is noodles and sauce.
When I was a kid it was Kraft Dinner, yes it’s true. I liked it with very little milk, no added butter, lots of ketchup, and I loved leftovers the next day fried in in the frying pan. I thought I could live on this!
Now my healthy and just as yummy & comforting recipe for noodles and sauce includes lots of veggies, lightly steamed or stir-fried, udon noodles (I love kamut noodles), and a delicious no-cook sauce made from
- Miso
- Tahini
- Ginger
- Unpasteurized Local Honey
- Water
There is a wonderful miso producer in Souther Ontario, called Tradition Miso. The website states “Our miso is unpasteurized and certified organic, contains no sugar, preservatives or filler. Unlike the commercial product, Tradition Miso is made the old way, aged up to three and four full years.”
I also love that it’s sold in glass jars, and let me tell you it is delicious!
I also use Tahini from Nuts To You Nut Butter, another Ontario producer, the nuts and seeds are pesticide-free and organic, they arrive at the Paris, Ontario plant where they’re roasted, air cooled, then turned into a liquid paste before being put in glass jars, capped and shipped across Canada.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do, I think it kicks Kraft Dinner’s butt.
Noodles with Miso-Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
- Udon Noodles (or other spaghetti/fettuccine type noodles), enough to make about 3 cups cooked
- olive oil
- 1 medium carrot diced
- 1-2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pepper (any colour), diced
- 2 cups Kale, Swiss Chard, Bok Choy, chopped
- any other veggies you want to add
- 1 cup grated daikon radish (optional, I like the pungent taste mixed with the sweetness of the sauce)
- 2 tbsp miso
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tsp honey (more to taste)
- 1 thumb ginger, peeled and finely grated
- water to thin to desired consistency
Directions:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil add 1 tsp sea salt and the noodles, cook for 10 minutes or so, or according to package directions
- Meanwhile heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat, add the carrot, celery, garlic, and pepper. Cook about 3-5 minutes. Add the chopped greens and cook another minute or so, just until the greens wilt.
- Combine miso, tahini, honey, ginger and water in a bowl or large measuring cup (makes it easy to pour the sauce), until nice and smooth.
- Drain the noodles and in a big bowl mix the noodles, veggies and sauce together, top with grated daikon radish
- Serves 2 hungry people
Rideau Canal Route
October 25, 2010
Here is a 15km route from Elation Centre to the canal.
Guest Post by Alison: 30-Day Challenge
October 24, 2010
The following is a guest post by Alison Tait, a participant of the Be Elation 30-Day Yoga Challenge.
I am committed to my yoga practice.
But the thought of yoga every day for 30 days was initially a bit daunting.
Interesting all the thoughts that arose before accepting the challenge:
- I have a busy job and how will I find the time?
- I travel quite a bit – how will I do yoga on the road?
- From a physical perspective, won’t doing yoga every day be too much?
- Will I get bored?
- Is yoga every day a bit obsessive?
I realized that the obstacles I created in my mind are often how I approach something new and different….
With some apprehension and sometimes with negativity
Maybe we do this so that if we fail we are only reinforcing a view we already held….
The reality was surprisingly different.
I rolled out the mat each and every day for 30 days – sometimes early in the morning and sometimes late at night…
The minute I sat on the mat a calmness descended and I felt myself decompress
If I only had 15 minutes, I dedicated the 15 minutes to being right there.
I found that as the days passed I relaxed into the postures in a way that I never had before.
My tight hips let go and my knees touched the ground in sukasana effortlessly.
It was not about the length of time but the quality of time spent on the mat and
my ability to focus left me with a strong sense of well being.
I enjoyed going to the studio more often than usual – the group energy was revitalizing at the end of a long tiring day.
But what surprised me most was a deeper appreciation for the moments alone.
Being bored never materialized as I explored different dimensions of the postures, resulting in my practice subtly changing every day.
There are times in life when we sometimes can feel stuck – in our jobs, in our busyness, in our relationships, in our exercise routines, in our reactions to situations and in our patterns of thinking.
My commitment to yoga every day allowed me to recognize and perhaps better understand the endless possibilities that are always present in our lives.
Productivity at its Best
October 22, 2010
Once a week, Donna and I get together and discuss the business side of Elation Centre; we discuss management and creativity. Running a business is running a business whether it is related to shoes or to health. The beauty is that, whatever the business, how we approach the business side of it can be uplifting and integrative.
Living what we teach, we choose to have our meetings in Gatineau Park. It’s very productive. The dogs get a good run, we get a great workout, and receive natures inspiration. We always come up with wonderful ideas when we are off in the woods, talking, laughing, and creating. If you have not had a business meeting in nature yet, give it a try. You may be quite surprised to see what comes of it.
One of our topics today was Nutrition, and as Holistic Nutritionists we want to share more of our wisdom with you and so have decided that
- Donna will offer a program on Whole Foods Fuel for Athletes (performance to recovery)
- I will offer a program on Easy – Healthy -Tasty Recipes your Child Will Love
Stay posted for more details and dates.
We also chose the new motto for our next shirts: Powered by Elation. Coming soon!
Here are some of the pictures from our meeting.
Hogs Back Falls Route
October 22, 2010
This is a 15km route from Elation Centre to Hogs Back Falls and back:
Smile -Yoga’s good for your health
October 20, 2010
We all know Yoga is booming and anyone with a regular (even once per week) practice knows and feels the benefits. I love to see that research is proving what we have known for so long – Yoga is good for body, mind and soul.
- Studies have shown that Yoga eases stress, lowers blood pressure, and increases muscle flexibility. That’s important because by our mid-40s, we lose elasticity in our tendons, ligaments and joints – which increases our risk for injury.
- Japanese researchers found that people who are less flexible have stiffer arteries, and a higher risk for heart disease.
- Studies also show that physically challenging classes – like Yoga or dance, where you have to do specific movements – helps build new brain connections, which speeds up your thinking and sharpens your memory. Because as opposed to walking on a treadmill, you actually have to think about what you’re doing.”
One of the most wonderful things about teaching Yoga and taking a class is the big smile we all feel from the inside out!
See you at Class!
- New to Yoga or just getting back to it – Join our next 3-week Beginner Workshop starting Saturday, November 3rd.
- Looking for a deep release of your stiff muscles - check out our Deep Stretch and Hips Yoga classes
- Want a great fat-burning, muscle-building, mind-centering workout – our Vinyasa Yoga classes are just for you!
What people are saying… “Why I Love Elation?
- It’s like my second home – coming to a new city, it was easy to meet and connect with like-minded energizing people in a supportive environment. Quickly, I became part of a wonderful community.
- Classes are challenging physically, mentally and spiritually –I surpassed what I thought I could ever accomplish – thanks to a very talented group of teachers.
- Yoga Teacher Training– exceptional learning and transferability both on and off the mat – one of the best investments I’ve made.”
Pasta with Kale Pesto and Roasted Squash
October 16, 2010
Since running the Army Run Half-Marathon in September, I have taken a bit of time off from doing long runs and speed work. My hips have felt tight and, like many runners experience after a race, I was feeling a bit let down and without a goal. Runners need goals! Perhaps it was the beautiful weather over the Thanksgiving weekend or maybe the feeling that if I don’t get back to my running routine now I never would, whatever the reason I finally snapped out of it and have had a couple of amazing runs in the last few days. I am back feeling the Elation that for me comes with running – stress gets burnt away and I feel strong. And I also feel HUNGRY. I forgot what a energy-burning machine I become when I focus on my training.
So here I am in the kitchen, finding that I haven’t eaten enough today, and I need supper immediately! I scan the fridge for something quick and filling. I decide to roast a delicata squash from Bryson Farms and make some kale pesto to have with a big bowl of pasta. The squash has a sweet taste and you don’t have to peel it. The diced squash cooks in about 15 minutes, which is just enough time to cook the pasta and whirl up some pesto. Voila, dinner is ready! This is creamy and full of flavour, perfect to refuel body and soul, and to keep me running strong!
Pasta with Kale Pesto and Roasted Squash
Time: under 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound Delicata squash (no need to peel)
- 1 – 1 ½ cups, spelt rigatoni (Vita Spelt brand is delicious)
- 2 cups packed kale, de-stemmed and chopped
- ½ cup pine nuts (or a mix of pine nuts and raw walnuts)
- 2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- About 10 sun dried tomato slices, roughly chopped
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- Olive oil (¼– ½ cup)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Thoroughly wash the squash, then halve it lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place cut side down on cutting board and cut into thin crescent-shaped slices.
- Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil and spread pieces into an even layer, making sure there is space between them. Roast, stirring squash pieces once or twice, until golden brown and tender, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water a boil to cook pasta according to package directions.
- To make the pest, in a food processor, pulse together kale, nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, salt and lemon zest until mixture is smooth and salt has dissolved. With motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil until fully incorporated. Taste and add more salt, if necessary.
- Drain pasta, reserving a little cooking water. Toss pasta with kale pesto and some pasta cooking water if necessary to help it coat pasta. Serve topped with roasted squash.
- Unused pesto will keep for a few days in a covered container in the fridge.
Yield: 2 servings, (or one big serving if you just came back from a long run)
Cleanse and Renew
October 15, 2010
Cleansing is in style. For many, this is a new way to maintain or achieve health. For yogis, this is ancient essential wisdom.
If you are interested in raising your energy levels, improving your sleeping patterns, improving digestion, and creating focus in your life, join us for a weekend workshop that will leave you inspired to take your yoga off the mat and into the world. This workshop is part of Yoga Teacher Training, but can also be taken for personal well being.
It is designed to provide you with a clear experience of the benefits and power of practice beyond Asana (posture). We will teach you how and when to use
- Mudras (seals relating to hand gestures)
- Bandhas (body locks designed to raise and sustain energy)
- Pranaayama (breathing techniques)
and how and when to teach them them as well.
For this workshop, you will need to purchase the book Hatha Yoga Pradipika, translated by Brian Dana Akers. You will also need a neti pot. Let us know if you need support in finding these items.
Upcoming sessions:
October 22 – 24, 2010
June 17-19, 2011
Register now using our Online Registration System.
Canal Route
October 11, 2010
This is a 15km route from Elation Centre to the Rideau Canal and back.
Britannia Beach Route
October 11, 2010
This is a 7.5km route from Elation Centre to Britannia Beach.
