Category: Meals

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Easy Multigrain Bread

Adapted from the New York Times infamous No-Knead Bread recipe, I started making my own version of this beautiful, easy homemade bread on the regular two years ago. This rustic bread is truly reminiscent of a French-style boule, which in my mind is as good as it gets. I love it’s crunchy crust and fluffy, air-pocked interior. It’s great for toast and even better for breakfast sandwiches!

Amy’s Easy Multigrain Bread:

What you’ll need:

  • 2 ¼ cups unbleached bread flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup almond meal
  • ¼ cup ground flaxseed
  • 1 3/4 cups water
  • 1/2 tsp instant/rapid-rise yeast
  • 2 tsp salt
  • Rolled oats for a finishing touch

Note: You’ll also need a 6-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic). I use my trusty 5 1/2 quart Cuisinart dutch-oven and it does the trick!

How to make it:

  1. In a large bowl combine flours, almond meal, ground flaxseed, yeast and salt. Add 1 3/4 cups warm water and mix–using your hands–until it just comes together. The dough will be shaggy and sticky.
  2. Seal the bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 12-18 hours.
  3. Sprinkle flour on a work surface and place your dough on it. Dust your dough with a touch more flour then fold it in on itself gently three to four times.  Cover it loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 min.
  4. Using a little flour to keep your dough from sticking too much, gently and swiftly shape your dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton dish towel with rolled oats, put the dough seam side down on the towel and dust the top with more oats. Cover with another cotton towel and let it rise for 2 hours. When it is ready, your dough will be more than twice it’s original size.
  5. A half-hour to 45-min before your dough is ready, pre-heat your oven to 500°F. Place a 6-quart heavy covered pot in your oven as it heats up (lid on).
  6. When your dough is ready (i.e. 2 hours have passed since you coated it in oats), carefully remove the pot from your oven. Slide your hand under the towel and turn your dough over into the heated pot, seam side up. Give the pan a good shake once or twice if you had a bad flip and your dough is unevenly distributed. No worries, it’ll sort itself out while cooking.
  7. Cover your pot with its lid and bake for 30 min, then remove the lid and bake for another 15 min until the loaf is golden brown. Let your boule cool on a rack for at least 20 min before diving in. Then, bon apetit!
Over-easy egg sandwich with arugula, lemon aioli, bacon and Frank’s Red Hot.

For a video tutorial on how to make the original recipe (i.e. just white bread flour) check out this video on YouTube.

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Blueberry Banana Muffins

If you liked my healthy Banana Bran Muffins, you’re going to love these Blueberry Banana Muffins. Like that recipe, this one is made dairy-free by substituting banana for oil or butter, and almond milk for yogurt or cow’s milk. If you don’t have lactose issues I’d skip the almond milk substitution and use non-fat, plain Greek yogurt for a slight protein boost.

These muffins are easy to make, friendly on your waistline, and yummy to boot. Three of my fabulous lady friends tried them out a few weekends ago and can attest that they’re a mighty tasty alternative to the traditional blueberry muffin which can pack a serious caloric punch at an average of 450 calories a pop. Mine will set you back less than 1/3 of that.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup almond meal
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ cup cane sugar
  • ¼ cup agave or honey
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 ripe bananas (mashed)
  • ¾ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup frozen wild blueberries

How to Make Them:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F; spray 12-muffin pan with oil or line with fun paper liners
  2. In a bowl, mix together dry ingredients (flours and almond meal, baking soda and powder, and salt)
  3. In a separate, large bowl (or KitchenAid mixer if you have one), vigorously whisk together sugar and eggs. Add in your mashed banana, almond milk, and vanilla extract)
  4. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing as you go
  5. Once combined, gently fold blueberries into batter until just combined
  6. Fill each of the muffin pockets 2/3 full; bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean

Try them out for yourself and let me know what you think!

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Finding Balance Anywhere

Flipped Dog in SFO’s Yoga Room

For those of you who have been known to wake up in cold sweats because your life feels dangerously akin to George Clooney’s in “Up in the Air,” this post is for you.

One of my favorite things about my current job is how much I get to travel. It is also the greatest challenge to my personal commitment to leading a healthy and active lifestyle. No matter how good my intentions are to maintain a workout routine and nutritious diet while on the road, I have a hard time sticking to it. Honestly, it’s hard to find time between meetings and emails to fit in your fitness. And when your job involves networking events and client dinners as mine does, it’s not always so easy to resist temptation when the friendly waiter offers you another yummy cocktail or the dessert menu.

So how do you avoid blowing all your hard work in a week or two on the road? Find balance.

First of all, do what you can, when you can. Over the course of the last two weeks on the West Coast I managed to go for two runs, attend one yoga class, do a 30-minute yoga podcast, fire-up my Jillian Michael’s “Butt & Thighs” DVD twice, and get my ass kicked in my first TRX circuit training workout (so much fun!). Not bad, but not my normal regime. Each of these activities took 30 minutes to an hour–i.e. long enough to maintain my fitness level but not so time-consuming that they threw off my tight meeting schedule.

Second of all, be compassionate with yourself. It’s easy to start feeling guilty for a few days without a workout or splurging on that delicious huevos rancheros with a side of bacon at breakfast, but cut yourself some slack. Always keep in mind that life is to be enjoyed–remember moderation–and stressing won’t do you any good. In fact, it activates Cortisol, a hormone found in your body which makes you store fat, in particular around that muffin top/love handle area–fun fun! So relax because we all fall off the horse at times. The important thing is that you don’t throw in the towel just because you let yourself indulge a little in that bomb brunch or red velvet cupcake. Rather than wallowing in self-judgment after an indulgence, get up and go for a long walk or skip the elevator and take the stairs. Balance.

Finally, be creative. While it is important to work physical activity into your busy days and be forgiving of occasional gluttony when you’re on the road, it’s also important to take advantage of opportunities to be good to your body. Case in point, San Francisco International Airport’s “Yoga Room.” Not every airport or city will have a tranquil space devoted exclusively to yogis just after getting through security, but when it’s there, you best use it! Since I always travel with my yoga mat as carry-on–and tend to be in Lululemon pants and slouchy tops on my travel days–I was prepared to capture this golden opportunity and get in 45 minutes of playful flow before heading to my gate. My 5+ hour flight back to DC was so much more manageable having had the opportunity to move and stretch beforehand.

Whatever you do, wherever your busy life takes you, be kind to yourself—both in body and mind. You’ll come home feeling much happier, relaxed and prepared to take flight again.

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3-Alarm Turkey Chili (Dairy-Free)

With fall in full swing, I wanted to make an easy, hot meal that would satisfy my foodie friends but still mesh with my healthy sensibilities. Nothing says autumn like hearty soups and spicy comfort food. What could be more in line with both of those things than chili? In my attempt to make a healthy, dairy-free version, I combined lean ground turkey and pinto beans with coconut milk, three different kinds of hot pepper and the perhaps surprising twist of unsweetened cocoa powder. Three satisfied ladies can attest that this recipe is not only good for you but just as, if not more tasty than traditional beef chili.

Before telling you how to make it, you know I have to drop a little nutrition knowledge on you. Beans are one of the healthiest complete proteins out there. In a recent USDA study, researchers measured the antioxidant properties of over 100 common foods. Three of the top four were types of beans, including pinto and red kidney beans. Unlike their animal counterparts, beans are a full of fiber and phytonutrients—naturally occurring chemical compounds found only in plants that are proven to have important disease fighting and antioxidant properties.

I’m a bean-believer, but know that not everyone is. My chili recipe is a great way to work this superfood into your diet without sacrificing flavor. You could even amp up your bean intake and keep this recipe totally vegetarian by replacing the ground turkey meat with another can of beans (remember red kidney beans made the top 4 list as well!). Stick to my dairy-free ingredients and this recipe will also be entirely vegan.

(Makes 4-6 servings)

Ingredients:

  • 8 Tbs Earth Balance © buttery sticks*, divided in two parts
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour l lb ground lean turkey meat
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbs chili powder
  • 1 Tbs chipotle pepper flakes
  • 1 Tsp ground cumin
  • 1 Tsp ground coriander
  • 1 Tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 Tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
  • 1 small can tomato paste 1 (14.5 oz) can pinto beans
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For garnish**:

  • 2 avocados, sliced thin
  • ¼ cup green onions, diced

How it’s made:

  1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add 4 Tbs of your Earth Balance© buttery sticks (don’t use their whipped spread—it won’t work as well). Add your ground turkey meat and cook until it turns golden brown—about 3-5 min. Remove from pan and set aside.
  2. In the same saucepan, reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 4 Tbs of “butter” and ¼ cup of flour. Stir to combine, forming your roux. Once that thickens into a paste, add your onions and sauté for 3-5 min until translucent. Add both bell peppers and your garlic, sautéing for another 3-5 minutes. Add all of your spices (chili, chipotle pepper, cumin, coriander, cocoa, and cayenne) and stir for another few minutes until combined and aromatic.
  3. Add coconut milk and stir to combine. Let this come up to a simmer (little bubbles) then add canned tomatoes and tomatoes paste. Add pinto beans and browned turkey meat, reduce heat to low and let simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. If it needs more kick, add in some extra heat (chili, chipotle or cayenne—pick your poison).
  4. When you’re ready to serve, scoop this hearty soup into bowls and garnish with avocado slices and green onions. If you don’t have a dairy allergy (lucky duck!) add a couple spoonfuls of non-fat Greek yogurt. Serve with blue corn tortilla chips and nosh away!

*This is to keep it dairy-free but, let it be known, I firmly believe butter is better for you than any sort of substitute like margarine or vegan spreads. Why? Simple, they are full of chemicals. Butter is straight-forward and—when used in moderation—not unhealthy. I encourage you to use the real deal if you don’t have an allergy!

**If you aren’t worried about keeping this dairy-free, I highly recommend adding a couple tablespoons of non-fat, plain Greek yogurt. It will make this hearty dish even tastier—and Greek yogurt is super high in muscle-mending protein.

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Lean, Mean Moderation

In a recent yoga training, we discussed in-depth the concept of duality. In the context of spirituality, it is often synonymous with a dichotomy such as right versus wrong, or good versus evil. Yoga—which literally means to “yoke”—is all about overcoming these everyday dualities through union. Broadly extrapolating this concept, I’d say we create these black and white scenarios in all aspects of our lives. Consequently, our understanding of things like good nutrition and optimal exercise becomes limited to extremes, and excludes the important acknowledgment and application of moderation. Moderation is a theme I will often come back to in this blog. On this sunny fall afternoon, however, I’d like to focus in on protein and carbs.

In the health world, more often than not, carbs are demonized as the enemy of a lean, mean physique. Diets like Atkins and South Beach expound varying degrees of anti-carb sentiments. From the kitchen in my office to the lounge area at my yoga studio, I overhear people all the time boasting about how they haven’t touched a carb in a week, or ate nothing but chicken breasts and steamed broccoli for dinner last night (boring!). Their audience inevitably nods in complicit condemnation of these evil nutrients and most likely has gnawing guilt over the delicious Taylor’s sub or Georgetown cupcake they devoured that day.

Credit: Dave Dreas

Here’s where I’d like to weigh in: carbs are not the enemy. In fact, I hate to break it to you, but carbs, fat and protein can all make you gain weight. That’s because our cells can only take so much of any one nutrient before they reach capacity and store the surplus as fat. Therefore carbs are not necessarily the culprit. Instead, overeating–i.e. excess calories–is what’s gonna get you every time. Moreover, if you’re an athlete, or do daily endurance or high-intensity exercise, your body needs carbs. They are the body’s first go-to for energy when you hit the field, pavement or mat and will be key to your performance.

That being said, not all carbs are created equal. Research indicates it’s best to limit high-glycemic index (HGI) carbs–think candy, cookies, and anything white and doughy. This is because your body burns through those in no time, rapidly leaving you lethargic and hungry. On the other hand, low-glycemic index (LGI) carbs–think most fruits and veggies, yogurt, beans and quinoa–are often fiber-filled and take much longer to break down, warding off hunger and keeping your energy levels up for a longer period of time. Post workout, your body needs to replenish its glycogen levels, so either go for LGI carbs or combine healthier HGI carbs with lean protein (e.g. a mango banana smoothie with protein powder). For athletes those options truly are six-of-one/half-dozen-of-another, as you don’t really have to worry about HGI carbs. For the rest of us, when it comes to recovery, I’d recommend sticking with LGI carbs whenever possible. Tip: for post-yoga refueling I make sure to pack an apple or banana (which, p.s., is a borderline HGI fruit) to tide me over until I can get a good, balanced meal in.

For more info on the differences between HGI and LGI fruits or veggies, click here.

In my opinion, the most important thing to keep in mind is that while these are sound nutrition principles worth understanding, life has to be about moderation. I love bread. I eat toast almost every morning, bake my own loaves on the weekends (recipe to come!) and even do the inexplicable Italian thing of eating bread with my pasta. If you truly dislike carbs or have a gluten allergy then, absolutely, steer clear. Otherwise, if you’re more like me, don’t go cold turkey because your diet will be unsustainable. Fuel your body’s daily needs with good carbs and savor those tastier treats periodically. Life is to be enjoyed.

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On New Beginnings

This weekend marked the official beginning of my journey to become a yoga teacher–though I started down this path nearly 8 years ago. The past two days of intensive asana practice and study of yoga history were more than just a starting point, they were a springboard. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this energized and excited about the work it will take to achieve my dream. Energized is almost too weak a word though. I am so FIRED UP and cannot wait to wake up tomorrow and work on my peacock pose, crane, handstand and so many other asanas that challenge the heck out of me but make me feel so alive. Not to get too deep on y’all here but this poem pretty perfectly summarizes my feelings at the moment and I’m sure many of you can relate:

For a New Beginning

In out-of-the-way places of the heart,

Where your thoughts never think to wander,

This beginning has been quietly forming,

Waiting until you were ready to emerge.

For a long time it has watched your desire,

Feeling the emptiness grow inside you,

Noticing how you willed yourself on,

Still unable to leave what you had outgrown.

It watched you play with the seduction of safety

And the grey promises that sameness whispered,

Heard the waves of turmoil rise and relent,

Wondered would you always live like this.

Then the delight, when your courage kindled,

And out you stepped onto new ground,

Your eyes young again with energy and dream,

A path of plentitude opening before you.

Though your destination is not clear

You can trust the promise of this opening;

Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning

That is at one with your life’s desire.

Awaken your spirit to adventure;

Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;

Soon you will be home in a new rhythm

For your soul senses the world that awaits you.

-by John O’Donohue

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Beet & Black Rice Risotto

Another one of my twisted classics, this beet and black rice risotto will deliver the same satisfying, creamy comfort of a traditional risotto with some major health upgrades. Believe me, my genetics (and last name) make me a ‘rizzotto’ expert.

Let me drop some knowledge on you. Beets are packed with vitamins A, B (1, 2 and 6) and C–take that common cold! They also contain phytonutrients, naturally occurring chemical compounds with demonstrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxification properties. Stemming from this burgundy root vegetable (pun intended) are its greens, which boast a higher concentration of iron than spinach.  They are also an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, copper, phosphorus and sodium. Not to be neglected are the mighty nutritional characteristics of black rice (which actually turns purple when cooked). By eating 10 spoonfuls of cooked black rice, you are ingesting as many anthocyanins (a potent antioxidant) as one spoonful of the well-known superfood, blueberries.

Now that you know how good the two main ingredients are for you, let me tell you how to make it! Bonus: this can be made vegan simply by omitting the optional goat’s milk gouda.

What you’ll need:

  • 1 cup black rice (I use Forbidden Rice)
  • 1 quart vegetable stock
  • 1 bunch beet greens, stemmed and washed
  • 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
  • 2/3 cup arborio rice
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 3 large beets (~1 lb) roasted, skinned and diced (Note: advance prep time needed!)
  • Salt & pepper
  • 2 tbs finely chopped Italian basil
  • OPTIONAL:1/2 cup goat’s milk Gouda cheese, grated

How to make it:*

  1. Before tackling steps 3-8, wrap your beets in foil and roast in an oven pre-heated to 350°F for 45 min-1 hour. When you can stick a fork in and pull it out with ease, they’re done. Immediately remove them from the foil and dunk them in cold water.  Use a spoon to pull the skin away, dice them up and set aside.
  2. Additionally, you’ll need to pre-cook the black rice. To do so combine with 2 cups water in a saucepan, add salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, until all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. Remove from the heat and let sit for 10-15 min.
  3. Now, onto the main attraction. Bring vegetable stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Season with salt & pepper and reduce heat to low.
  4. Take your washed beet greens (you could also use swiss chard), stack them up and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch strips. Set aside.
  5. In a large saucepan–I use my Le Creuset 5 qt. dutch oven–heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion. Cook until the onion begins to soften (~3 min) and add the arborio rice and garlic. Cook until the grains of rice begin to crackle (~3 min).
  6. Here comes the labor of love part. Add in the wine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. When the wine has almost evaporated, stir in a ladle of the simmering stock (enough to just cover the rice). Cook, stirring continuously, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladle of the stock and continue adding and stirring like this when the rice is almost dry for 10-15 min.
  7. Add in the greens, the diced beets and black rice and continue adding more stock, stirring often, for another 10 minutes. If all goes as it’s supposed to you’ll know because the arborio rice will be chewy but not hard in the middle–not soft like steamed rice. If it is still hard in the middle, continue adding stock and stirring for another 5 minutes or so. Add salt to taste.
  8. When the rice is properly cooked, add a generous amount of pepper, stir in another 1/2 cup of stock, the goat Gouda (again, optional) and the basil. Remove from heat. If the risotto isn’t creamy, add a little more stock, stir for another 5 min and serve.

*Disclaimer: this, like all risottos, is a labor of love. Definitely allocate at least an hour to make this from start to finish–and that doesn’t include the prep step of roasting the beets.

Adapted from Martha Rose Shulman’s “Black Rice and Arborio Risotto With Beets and Beet Greens” featured in NYT on Sept. 4, 2012.

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Cheatsheet: Nature’s Remedies

I can’t remember where I first saw this infographic but, fact or fiction, I love some of these natural remedies. I’m already a big believer in the power of Lemon. As a singer for most of my life–and a coxswain for four years–I’ve used the good old honey and lemon trick for sore throats and voice loss many times. Ginger and Peppermint are widely hailed for their tummy-soothing properties, but there are some real gems in here. My favorites include:

  • Rosemary: mental clarity, dandruff and hair loss
  • Cinnamon: gingivitis, ‘kills all germs!’, and sexual stimulant
  • Grapefruit: depression, emotional cleansing and cellulite

You might now be thinking: Awesome! Maybe if I eat a grapefruit every morning, I’ll finally get rid of this pesky cellulite and feel emotionally squeaky clean! Easy does it there. I think some of these natural solutions to common problems are great, and definitely encourage people to try the non-chemical path first if they’re so inclined. That said, these are some pretty lofty promises, and when it comes to things like cellulite and weight loss your best bet is always to work out, stretch and eat a balanced diet. There is no panacea. It’s all about staying motivated to move and enjoying the yumminess of life in moderation. You can take that to the bank.

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Don’t ya like Bran Muffins?

I love muffins. We all do. On the contrary, not many of us love bran muffins, but we should. Here’s why: bran–the outer layer of grains like oats, wheat and rice–is made of insoluble dietary fiber. Bran is good for your GI tract, is a pro-biotic food (meaning it has natural antibacterial fighting properties), and helps in combating heart disease. I feel fairly confident that I’ve found a way to make bran muffins mo’ than nutritious, and dare I say delicious. Not only that, but I’ve made them low-fat by substituting a ripe banana for oil, nutrient-rich by using whole wheat flour and almond meal in lieu of refined white flour, and dairy-free by trading out buttermilk/yogurt for almond milk. Eating is believing, so enjoy!

AMY’S BANANA BRAN MUFFINS:

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups wheat bran
  • 1 1/2 cups currants
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup unsweetened chocolate or vanilla almond milk
  • 1 tbs orange zest
  • 1/2 cup Demerara sugar (or pure cane sugar)
  • 1 (very ripe) banana
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 cup almond meal
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup shredded (unsweetened) coconut – optional

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or grease lightly with oil (I use the spray kind).
  2. Spread the wheat bran on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 6-8 minutes, being careful not to let it burn!
  3. Let the bran do it’s thing while simultaneously heating the currants with 3/4 cup of the water for 10 minutes, or until the water is mostly absorbed. Puree the raisins with the remaining 1/4 cup of water in a food processor or blender until semi-smooth (I like to keep some whole or semi-whole currants in there for texture).
  4. Mix together the toasted bran and almond milk. Add in the currant puree, orange zest and Demerara sugar. Stir in the mushy banana and two eggs.
  5. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Fold into the wet ingredients and stir until everything comes together. Mix in the coconut (you could also add walnuts, pecans, or even chocolate chips here!)
  6. Spoon the batter into the muffin pan, mounding the batter in each one.
  7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the muffins feel firm in the center.
  8. Let cool for 10-15 minutes then remove from the pan.

Enjoy immediately or freeze for up to 3 months. They are grrrreat for breakfast with a cup of coffee or tea and some fresh fruit. Bon appetit!

P.S. Just in case you didn’t quite catch the reference insinuated by the title: http://muffinfilms.com/psst.html. Psst!

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Manifesto: Namaste, Muthaf*ckas

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMC1_RH_b3k]

There are those who laugh at this video and those who laugh with it. I’m of the with it variety and aim to make as many people as possible join me in that crowd. I mean, really, want to see where I can put my leg? You want to see where I can put my leg.

In all seriousness though, this video holds one of the keys to getting more people involved in yoga–the ability to laugh at yourself. The thing about yoga is that so many people take it (and themselves in doing it) SO seriously that it isolates a lot of us. That’s a crying shame because I truly believe that yoga can be beneficial for anyone and everyone. You don’t need to go hoarse Om-ing to reap the benefits of yoga. Just last night I had a long conversation about this with mama dukes as I strolled home along U Street from my studio. She wistfully recounted her first experience with yoga some 20 years ago. What she loved about it then and still appreciates about it now is that when you go to a class you’ll see everyone from 25-year-old hard bodies to 75-year-old grandmas. Heck, there’s even a 93 year old yoga teacher out there still doing her thing. Badass!

In carving out my own piece of this industry, I want MoYoga to help people achieve their personal fitness goals, whatever they may be, through mo’ than just yoga, ya dig? For some, yoga is about injury prevention through increased flexibility, muscle strength and improved balance. For others, it is about weight management, mindfulness (a.k.a. focus/concentration) and stress relief. Any combination of outcomes you hope to achieve through yoga is possible with the proper guidance and personal commitment. If you combine your practice with good nutrition, you’ll not only reach your goals but sustain your success. This is why a huge component of my future client work will be nutrition counseling, including weekly meal plans, shopping lists, healthy recipes and education about what fuel your body needs depending on your lifestyle.

Beyond physiology, my ultimate aspiration is to help people feel amazing about themselves by discovering or reclaiming their mojo. Whether you’re a professional athlete looking to optimize your performance or coming back from an injury, or somebody who just wants to be the healthiest, happiest and hottest version of yourself, it’s crucial to cultivate and nurture your self-esteem, self-confidence and, let’s be real, sex-appeal with as much dedication as your fitness and nutrition regimen. True health cannot be achieved through yoga moves alone. It’s all about addressing the entirety of a person’s needs from the inside out. So stay tuned, thanks for reading and get your moves, meals and mojo with me and MoYoga.