National Capital Race Weekend Schedule
May 23, 2013
We wish all of the runners this weekend a wonderful race! It’s going to be a fantastic and exciting weekend. Whether you are running your first 5km or running a marathon, there are many accomplishments to celebrate.
Sunday, May 26th, our 9am class will be cancelled. It is almost impossible to get to the studio with all of the street closures. We’ll be out there cheering on all of the runners!
Please join us back at the studio for our 5pm, $5 Sunday Karma Class. Roads will be open by then. This will be a great opportunity to stretch out after race weekend and enjoy a class with Stephanie Pacheco.
Have a great weekend!
Holiday Weekend Recipe
May 16, 2013
Many of the recipes I create are from ingredients I have already available in my fridge. Like all of us with busy lives, usually it’s getting close to dinner time, I’m hungry and need something fairly quick to make and full of nutrients and flavour. It also have to be a dish that both my husband and I enjoy and gives him enough dense nutrients to keep him, not just me, full and fueled – he weighs about 60 more pounds than me and works out a few hours per day so he’s got a pretty high metabolism.
This is a recipe that you can easily build up with more ingredients. For us it was a main dish salad as I added some chopped baby spinach, and you could also add some chickpeas or tofu. This is also a perfect salad to bring to a BBQ, or add some chicken or shrimp; the great thing is this is a recipe that will serve the needs of many hungry people – vegan or not
The sauce was simple to make and adds lots of healthy fat to help keep you full, and the golden colour is beautiful. Sorry no photo, I ate it all and forgot to take a picture!
I used two ingredients that may be new to you:
- Braggs – which is a natural source fermented soy sauce, no wheat or gluten, this is available at all health food stores and well stock grocery stores, you can substitute with Tamari or Soy Sauce
- True Roots Sprouted Rice and Quinoa – I bought this at Costco and love it, the grains are sprouted allowing for faster cooking time and easier digestibility. Of course you could substitute with regular brown rice or quinoa or even wild rice.
Sunshine Rice Bowl
Brown Rice Blend + Sliced Veggies + Golden Sauce = Glow From the Inside Out
Ingredients:
- 1 cup True Roots Sprouted Rice and Quinoa Blend*
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 2 medium sized carrots grated
- ¼ small fennel sliced thin into matchsticks
- ½ large red pepper sliced thin
- 1 Portobello mushroom, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp Braggs
- ½ bunch parsley, minced
- ½ cup thin sliced sun dried tomatoes
Directions:
- Cook the True Roots Rice and Quinoa blend in the 1 3/4 cups water, according to package directions. Meanwhile slice veggies. Marinade mushroom slices in Braggs for 5 minutes, drain.
- Combine all ingredients, including cooked rice blend in a big bowl, stir to combine, add salt and pepper to taste.
- Top individual servings with a dollop of Sunshine Dressing
* option, cook 1 cup brown rice or 1 cup quinoa in 2 cups water according to package directions
Sunshine Dressing
Ingredients:
- 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- Juice 2 Lemons
- ¼ – ½ avocado (more avocado = thicker sauce)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ – 1 Tbsp. ground turmeric (depending on your taste)
- 1 Tbsp. raw local honey
- pinch of Himalayan sea salt (to taste)
Directions: Blend all ingredients in a blender or Magic Bullet blender.
Updated Yoga Class Schedule
May 3, 2013
Elation Centre has some exciting announcements to make about our SUMMER SCHEDULE effective May 13th, 2013.
Mornings:
We will now have our “Powered Up” mornings lead by Donna and Elaine on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9:30am. Monday and Friday are 75 minute classes and Wednesday is a 60 minute class.
These classes offer you a great way to power-up your morning and get your internal heat elevated. Expect an energetic flow practice with a various mix of poses each week. Emphasis on movement coordinated with breath. These classes build strength, stamina, and mental focus.
Although classes are accessible to all levels, please be advised that some yoga experience is recommended.
Evenings:
With the warmer weather (finally) upon us, everyone is getting outside and active. It is great to see the sun shining and everyone out and moving.
Our Tuesday and Thursday evening class schedule will now have one class both nights for the spring/summer months, class start time will be 6:15pm. The Tuesday class will be a 75 minute class, ending at 7:30pm. The Thursday class is a 1 hour class.
Tuesday evening we will offer a Vinyasa (Core) class lead by Annie Berube (6:15-7:30PM)
Thursday evening we will have a new Yin-licious class lead by Linda Kaip, a delicious treat for your body releasing deep tension in your joints, connective tissue and muscles along with a little tune-up for your core.
These changes are effective the week of May 13th, the upcoming week’s schedule remains as-is.
We hope you will continue to join us. If these changes greatly affect you and you cannot attend based on the new schedule, please let us know. We truly do value your feedback.
Graduation and Yoga Treats
April 8, 2013
A big, big congratulations to our Yoga Teacher Training Graduates! Our course started in October and it has been an intense, emotional, joyful and life-affirming journey for all of us. When we started the message Caroline and I gave to our students was ‘you are training not just to become a great yoga teacher, you are training to become a great yogi.’ These wise words were shared with us by our teachers, Yogi Vishvketu and Chetana Panwar, and they have fueled our path for these many years.
Our new graduates are indeed, great yogis, they teach and live with joy and enthusiasm and have a passion to nurture and educate their students and share their love for the many, many gifts of yoga.
Both Caroline and I are so blessed to be leading these trainings and we highly encourage you to contact us if you even have a faint idea that the Elation Yoga Teacher Training program may be right for you.
Each weekend of the training we enjoyed amazing food during our dinner break, and this past weekend the feast was outstanding, a beautiful pot luck and treats and tea with all our family and friends who came to the ceremony.
Here is a recipe shared by Andrea (I added the chocolate chips), these are treats worthy of our amazing new teachers. Namaste
Banana-Granola Yogi Bars
Makes 12 bars
- 1/2 cup any seed/nut butter (sunflower, peanut, almond all work well)
- 2 bananas, mashed (frozen works and mashes very easily too)
- 1/2 cup whole almonds (for nut free, replace with any seed combo of same quantity)
- 4 large Medjool dates, pitted
- 1/4 cup dried cherries, cranberries or dark chocolate
- 1/4 cup unsweetened dried coconut flakes
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips (PC brand is vegan)
- 1 cup rolled oats (use gluten-free if needed or quinoa flakes)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line wide loaf or square pan with parchment paper (or grease well with coconut oil).
- In a small pot gently heat nut/seed butter with mashed bananas. Stir until well-combined. Set aside.
- Coarsely chop the almonds, dates, and cherries in a food processor (chopped by hand works fine too). Add in the coconut flakes and process another second or two. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the pumpkin seeds and oats. Fold in the nut butter mixture.
- Press the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Let cool before cutting into bars.
- Enjoy!
Spring Smoothie and Free Yoga!
March 27, 2013
Spring is in the air Passover and Easter are time for celebration, gratitude and new life.
Spring also means our 12-Day Cleanse is right around the corner, with the first meeting on Thursday April 4th.
This is a wonderful time of year to lighten our diet, open the windows and let in new air, and to take time to reconnect with ourselves and nature. With the holiday weekend approaching, let’s all commit to time outside, eating healthy meals (with chocolate of course), rest, and appreciating friends and family.
My mom has been in the hospital this week, with bronchitis and low sodium resulting from dehydration, she is home now and the importance of family is top of mind for me. We had planned a trip to Florida this weekend, we’ve put that off to a later date and will spend a quiet Easter in Ottawa.
So as a result I am here this Friday and in gratitude to this new season upon us, my mom’s health and all our amazing students, I am offering a FREE YOGA CLASS. Friday, March 29th, 7:00 – 8:00am. Everyone is welcome, we can hold about 30 people, when capacity is reached I will close the doors.
Come and Celebrate, express gratitude and be part of a wonderful and uplifting community on Friday morning.
Recipe
Post-Yoga, here is super fast, delicious and nutrition smoothie, bursting with spring flavours. Enjoy
Springtime Smoothie
- 1 banana
- 10-12 small strawberries
- 1/2 cup mango or peaches
- 2 heaping tablespoons hemp
- 1 cup or more Almond/Coconut milk
Blend and feel the spring sunshine!
Kale, Sweet Potato and Rice Bowl
March 7, 2013
As most of you know by now – I love Kale. I love how much nutrients are packed into this humble veggie, I love how it stands up to the steaming rice bowl salads I love to make, as opposed to the ‘wiltiness’ of spinach.
Here is a recipe that I fall back on time and time again. Of course you could use other veggies such as grated carrots, beets, zucchini, butternut squash, but the technique is the same. A big bowl of rice, topped with steamed veggies and on top of that a delicious sauce.
The tahini-miso sauce I make is super easy and super nutritious. Miso is a fermented soy paste, loaded with good bacteria and good for your tummy. You can leave it out if you don’t have it on hand.
Kale, Sweet Potato and Rice Bowl
Salad ingredients:
- 1 bunch of kale, washed, stems removed, and cut into thin strips
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bit-size pieces
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 large red pepper, diced small
- 1 small red onion, minced
- 1 tsp. low-sodium tamari
- Salt and pepper to taste
Tahini Miso sauce ingredients:
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 2-4 Tbsp. water
- 6 Tbsp. tahini
- 2-3 tbsp miso
- 2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp. garlic powder or 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional toppings:
- Chopped walnuts or slivered almonds
- Dried cranberries (unsweetened)
- Diced avocado
Directions:
- In a large pot, cook rice according to package instructions, remove from heat and keep covered.
- While rice is cooking, place sweet potato in a steam basket and cook until just tender, approximately 5-8 minutes.
- As soon as you take the rice off of the burner, add the red pepper and onion and kale, on top of the rice, cover the pot and let sit for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, transfer the rice and veggie mixture into a large bowl, add tamari and stir.
- To assemble the bowl, divide rice mixture among 4 plates, then the sweet potato. Add additional toppings of walnuts, dried cranberries, and avocado if desired. Drizzle the bowls with 2 tablespoons of tahini sauce each.
*Any remaining sauce can be stored for up to one week. The tahini sauce is also great on a salad or over mixed steamed vegetables.
For the Love of Chocolate
February 13, 2013
Valentine’s Day is upon us – and we might as well start the day off right with, yep you guessed it Chocolate!
Not just any chocolate will do, make sure you purchase some Raw Organic Raw Cacao powder for these yummy desserts below. Raw Cacao has not been heated and retains all the antioxidants and beauty minerals that can get destroyed with heating and processing. Raw Cacao is available at all health food stores. It’s taste is far superior to processed cocoa.
OK onto the recipes
While a bowl of chocolate and strawberries may be a bit too rich for breakfast (and then again maybe not), how about a strawberry and chocolate smoothie inspired by one of my very best friends. See the recipe below.
Then at lunch hour or perhaps mid-afternoon, how about our sinful tasting but oh so nutritious berries with chocolate, you can find the chocolate mousse recipe here. This is a go-to recipe for everyone at Elation Centre, kids, adults absolutely everyone loves it.
For supper, more chcolate of course. You can keep it simple with these quick and easy Chocolate Haystack no-bake Cookies, this is one of my favourite recipes, I usually have a batch stored in the freezer
For a more decadent dessert I found this wonderful Chocolate Cheesecake recipe developed by Megan at detoxinista.com, it is made with a pecan and cocoa crust, cashews in the filling make it nice and creamy and she sneaks in some zucchini along with cocoa of course and maple syrup. This look divine!
Tip: you can also use Megan’s crust recipe with the chocolate mousse, and voila you have Chocolate Mousse Pie!
Molly’s Chocolate Smoothie with Strawberries and Banana
- 6 strawberries
- 1 banana
- 3 tbsp raw cacao
- 1-2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 ice cubes
Blend and Enjoy!
Love Your Liver Kale and Beet Salad
January 18, 2013
Here is an updated, cleanse-worthy version of the Kale and Red Cabbage Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette, posted here.
This version has the added goodness of steamed sweet potatoes and shaved beets, but no tomatoes, corn or beans and no oil, which are off limits for the Cleanse. It is so quick and easy to make and loaded with anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals to help support and cleanse your liver, your body’s major organ of detoxification.
You can juice fast, you can detox, you can cleanse, which are all amazing and will leave you feeling clean, fresh and focused, it does take time, preparation and commitment to follow a cleanse and if it’s not in the cards for you right now – clean eating with fresh whole foods will give your body love and support.
We made this salad last night at our Cleanse meeting, and it was a huge hit – definitely a keeper for everyone. Enjoy
Kale Salad with Red Cabbage, Beets and Cumin Vinaigrette
serves 2 – 4 people, depending if it’s a main dish or side.
Salad
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 bunches of Kale, washed, dried, middle stem torn out, shredded in to thin strips
- 1/2 small head red cabbage, shredded
- 1 beet peeled and grated or use a spiralizer and turn it into long thin strips
- 1 sweet potato, peeled, diced small and steamed for no more than 3-5 minutes
- 2 avocados peeled and diced
- 1/2 bunch cilantro coarsely chopped
- top with raisins or dried cranberries and hemp seed
Vinaigrette
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp organic apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp maple syrup
To make the salad
- Put the chopped kale in to a big bowl, add the lemon and salt, and get your hands into the bowl and massage the kale for about 3 minutes, it will wilt down to about half it’s original volume.
- Add the remaining veggies, combine the vinaigrette ingredients and toss lightly.
- Sprinkle with raisins or cranberries and hemp seeds
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Live Like Someone Left the Gate Open
January 9, 2013
INSPIRATION FOR TODAY
Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
- When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
- Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
- Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ELATION.
- Take naps.
- Stretch before rising.
- Run, romp, and play daily.
- Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
- Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
- On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
- On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
- When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
- Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
- Be loyal.
- Never pretend to be something you’re not.
- If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
- When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
There comes a time in life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh, forget the bad, and focus on the good. So, love the people who treat you right. Think good thoughts for the ones who don’t. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is part of LIFE…Getting back up is LIVING…
Namaste
New Year’s Day Class
December 31, 2012
Join us January 1 @ 10:00am and celebrate the New Year, with a 60 minute all-levels Vinyasa Yoga class followed by 15 minutes of guided meditation to set our intentions for 2013.
Fee for the class: Minimum $5.00 donation to Bust a Move, supporting the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundatinon
Teacher: Caroline Elson
Time: 10:00am – 11:15am