I tried a new yoga class tonight, of the Forrest Yoga variety. (Yeah, I had never heard of it either – more info at the Forrest Yoga website.) It was amazing!! Really positive, tough without being too tough, and a whole lot of fun. (Dolphin on the wall? Yes, please!) The class included lots of ab work and a good set of sun salutations, after humming bee pranayama and a long twisting sequence.
It was lovely to practice yoga with such a great teacher and such a warm, friendly class. I enjoyed the challenge of Bikram yoga when I could afford it (and schedule my hydration, eating, and laundry around the class), but I see now that I found Bikram yoga too cold and regimented. I really needed a good, fun night of limbering up and stretching out after all my pilates and running – I can’t wait to go back next week.
Or maybe Thursday.
Dinner was just as special – I made red quinoa cakes with scrambled eggs, micro-greens, manchego, and a tomato foam/coulis. WB got home a bit too late for me to eat with him before yoga, but I was glad to see my plate when I got home. I used some of the sautéed peppers from yesterday in the eggs for a nice kick.
Quinoa Cakes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 2 T flax
- 2 T water
- 1/4-1/3 c flour (I used buckwheat flour)
- Salt, pepper, and herbs/spices to taste
Procedure:
- Microwave the flax and water for 1 minute to create a gooey mass, perfect as a binder.
- Stir in 2 T flour and the salt, pepper, and herbs/spices.
- Stir in the quinoa; add additional flour as needed to reach a semi-firm texture (the mixture should hold its shape when formed into a ball, but doesn’t need to withstand great force)
- Form into patties and pan-fry or brush with oil and bake until lightly crispy
Tomato foam/coulis (or any other veggie for that matter)
- Whip 5-7 cherry tomatoes in the blender. Add a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Let stand before serving (this ultra-simple “sauce” is best after it stands for about 10 minutes – it needs to settle). Denser veggies may need to be steamed before whipping, or they may need to be puréed with a bit of water, olive oil, or wine.
(Yeah, that’s not a recipe.) (And yes, there are lots of things you can add to keep this foamy and increase the foaminess if you really want to get into molecular gastronomy. This was just a quick plate sauce to dress up a dinner that otherwise might have been a bit dry.)
I’m off to hit the hay as soon as I watch this! I’ve got more big plans for tomorrow – including another run (and maybe more speedwork)!
(P.S. – I ended up spending almost $200 at Lululemon – I got a pair of yoga crops, the towel I wanted, and an impulse pair of my favorite running shorts that were on sale. I was hesitant about the crops, but I was really, really glad to have the right clothes tonight – I didn’t have to worry about anything riding up or sliding down, so I could focus on my practice 100%.)