Yoga is not just exercise; it is a lifestyle. Exercise alone will not keep you healthy. For optimal health, you need yoga exercise combined with daily mindfulness practice, meditation, and mindful nutrition. You may have wondered what keeps the Spira yoga teachers looking so vibrant, and healthy into their 40’s and 50’s. Here is your answer in three short bullet points!
We feed our mind: i.) We meditate and practice mindfulness daily!– Check out 200-hour Self-Enrichment, 40 days, and Making Friends with Stress Workshops under “Yoga Beyond Asana” tab on our website. ii.) We read! Check out our book recommendations: https://spirapoweryoga.com/books or read our reflections: https://spirapoweryoga.com/category/reflections-from-the-mat
We exercise daily – Take a Spira Power Yoga class 3-6 times a week.
We eat right – nourishing home cooked food made from scratch!
Spira’s Soulfood blog is dedicated to giving you weekly recipes from your yoga teachers kitchen. Nothing staged, nothing artificial in our food or our presentation. What you see on this blog is what we eat at home. We cook it, we take pictures, and we share it with the community.
– Wanna contribute? Write to us: info@spirapoweryoga.com
Today’s recipe was sent to us by Christine; she has completed Spira’s 200 hours Self Enrichment/Teacher
Christine’s Soup Smoothie for Busy People
If you’re anything like me, winter kind of, well, sucks. You’ve probably already heard me complain. Rain, cold, rain. More rain. And of course gray. But while I can always find ways to manage the rain and grey (trips to sunny places! Skiing!!), the cold is a real dilemma.
Summer cooking is super easy — appetites are low, so light and raw is just right. In the morning I’ll make a few smoothies, toss in whatever herbs and proteins I need for the day, and away I go. Evening meals are raw, steamed, lightly sautéed, grilled. But none of that is enough to cut the deep chill that sets into my body during winter. I crave fat, grains, and salt, all of which leave me warm, but feeling pretty meh. And as a busy single mom I don’t have the time or attention for planning and executing the wholesome, savory, seasoned meals I crave. “Mama!” “Mama!” “Maaaaaaamaaaaa!”
This year, I’m keeping it simple AND nutritious by turning my smoothies into soups, starting with this easy green soup. It’s filling, nutritious, anti-inflammatory, and above all, so so easy. I’ve listed the basic ingredients but you can really mix up the vegetables however you want so you don’t get bored (I ate it all through my winter pregnancy without getting sick of it. True story!). Just keep some pre-made mirepoix and your favorite stock or broth on hand and away you go. I dump everything into the food processor since it’s going into the blender anyway, and a Vitamix will make this smooth as silk so no need for straining. As far as seasoning, right now I’m loving lots of Himalayan salt, garlic, turmeric and red pepper, but the possibilities are truly endless.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 onion diced
4 carrots diced
4 celery stalks, diced
*or just grab a tub of premade mirepoix from PC1 bell pepper, any color
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 sweet potato, diced
6 c spinach (or whatever greens you have)
1-2 T oil (i like coconut for the flavor)
4-6 c broth, stock, or whatever liquid base you like
Add-ins:
whatever you want! Get creative. That’s the beauty of this soup. You really can’t mess it up.
Directions
Heat oil on medium in a decent sized stock pot (you want enough room for everything, but some space for the immersion blender if you’re using one).
Saute mirepoix in oil until onion is soft/translucent.
Add the rest of your veggies and saute for another 4-5 minutes.
Add your liquid base and bring to a simmer. Toss in whatever spices you want.
When veggies are fork tender, add greens and cover, allowing them to wilt. Careful not to overcook! You want to keep them bright green.
Remove from heat and purée in a Vitamix, or with an immersion blender until smooth.
Garnish! I love a float of yummy oil, sriracha, and toasted pumpkin seeds.
Extra hungry? Round out the soup with a handful of raw nuts, last night’s chicken or fish, and a handful of your favorite grain-free crackers.
Christine besides being a mom, an awesome yogi, is the owner/operator of The Bungalow Seattle, a creative venue in historic Wallingford. The Bungalow hosts short and long-term stays, film and photo shoots, dinners and special events ranging from wedding parties to wellness retreats. Find us on IG @thebungalow.seattle. DM with inquiries or follow Airbnb link in bio
Website: Airbnb Bungalow Seattle
Instagram: @thebungalow.seattle
Email: thebungalow.seattle@gmail.com
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