Terre Pruitt's Blog

In the realm of health, wellness, fitness, and the like, or whatever inspires me.

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My Cootie Catcher For Nia

Posted by terrepruitt on April 22, 2016

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitIn my last post I told you how I was recently reminded of the Cootie Catcher.  I explained how you can make your own.  Did you?  What did you use it for?  Well, I also mentioned that I would be using mine for picking a focus and an intent for Nia class.  Well, I used it today and I liked it.  It worked.  In Nia we set a focus and an intent for each class, which allows us so many different things.  It could help us move differently to a familiar routine, it could allow us to help work out some kinks in the body and mind, it can do many things.  It is a powerful tool in the Nia tool box.  Most often I ask my students if they have anything they would like to focus on.  Then we go from there deciding an intent.  One of the most requested focuses is shoulders.  So many of us hold tension in our shoulders.  Rarely is there a time when no one has something they want to focus on, but I thought it would be fun to mix it up giving us an alternative for picking the focus of the class.  Plus I thought it would be a good way to get some focuses in use that we don’t use that often.  So I made a cootie catcher to assist us.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitI wrote four of the seven Nia Class cycles on the outside.  I used the number of the cycle.  Warm-up is cycle 3, Get Moving is cycle 4, Cool Down is cycle 5, and Floorplay is cycle 6.  I could have just used numbers but I wanted to remind people that Nia has cycles.  I wish I could have used all seven.  So we have someone pick the cycle, then we open and close the catcher that number of times.  Then someone picks a focus or I might have them choose a number . . . that way they won’t really know what focus they are picking.  Ha, I will probably do it both ways.  Anyway . . .we now have our focus.  Then the catcher is opened and closed as many times as the corresponding number.  Then someone picks another number and we open that triangle and read the intent that is behind it and that is our intent for the class.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitToday in class we picked Natural Time . . . to empower us to connect with our body.  NICE!

Each focus can work nicely with each intent.  So no matter what combination is picked it will work.

You may notice the underlining on the focuses (Joints is underlined, Extension is underlined), originally I was going to use the words, spelling them out to open and close the catcher, but I decided to go with the numbers.  But again, I might try that way, too.  There are so many ways you can do it.  That is one thing that makes it so fun!

There are many ways we can decide on a focus and intent, this is just one.  If you are going to make one to use to help with a focus and intent you need FOUR things for the outside (that is where I put the cycles).  Then you need EIGHT focuses and EIGHT intents.  So that would be the same formula for anything you are going to use the catcher for.  Four, eight, eight.

I would love to make more and have all kinds of different focuses and intents.  So, you Nia teachers and Nia students, share with me your favorite focus and intent!

 

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Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit

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Cootie Catcher

Posted by terrepruitt on April 20, 2016

A few months ago I heard that there might be a Gilmore Girl Reunion.  Then as things unfolded (ha, that will be a pun, wait for it) it turns out that there is going to be one.  Well, I wanted to be up-to-date and refreshed on the series so I started re-watching it on Netflix.  I am so happy that there is such thing as a start and a stop when watching some programs because I often have to stop this show – and quiet often –  because I really cannot stomach Emily Gilmore.  I can barely stomach Taylor, but I don’t usually stop watching because of him, but I do because of Emily.  I just need a break.  But then again when I started re-watching the entire series I was wondering why I had a vague feeling of not liking Lorelai because I love her, well, I did.  I just got to the episodes where I don’t like her so much and now I know why I had a “bad taste” in my mouth regarding her.  Season six the last episode.  I am just now beginning season seven and it turns out I didn’t need to rush to re-watch the entire series because I think the word is that the mini-series won’t even be out until 2017, but we will see.  Netflix is doing the revival.  Anyway . . . a couple of seasons back . . . I don’t even remember which one now, they had a cootie catcher on the show.  That had me thinking.  How fun!  I want to make a cootie catcher.  So here you go.

First you need to have a square piece of paper.  If you are using an 8 1/2 inch by 11 inch piece of paper you make it square by folding over one corner to meet the edge of the paper.  Then you draw a line, then cut along the line.  Now your paper is ready to go.

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Next fold each corner into the line and to meet each other.

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And you end up with a smaller square.

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Then turn the square over and fold all four corners into meet each other.  So now you have a smaller square.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitDance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then fold it in half with the four points you just created on the INSIDE.  So you have two squares on each half (the outside) of the fold paper.

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You put your fingers in the four squares and work the catcher open and close.

Then you write on it allowing it to do what you want it to do.  One version is colors on the four squares (spelling the color open and close . . ), then numbers on the eight triangles inside (then you would spell the number, opening and closing the catcher), then have the person you are playing with choose another number and open the number and read the fortune/quote inside.  Ahhh, the simple things.

Some people call them fortune tellers, but they can be used for anything.  You can use them to help assign chores.  You can use them to help figure out what to have for dinner (hey, I might need to make one just for that).  I am going to use mine with my Nia students to give us our focus and intent for our Nia class.  That will be a post on its own.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitDance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What would you use your catcher for?

 

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The Last Niyama

Posted by terrepruitt on April 11, 2016

Somewhat funny that I have one last niyama to write about.  I started writing about the Eight Limbs of Yoga in January.  First I talked about the fact that there is More To Yoga Than Just Asana (that is the name of the post).  Most people are familiar with the fact that there are yoga poses, but not everyone knows there are eight parts, or what are called “limbs”.  Then some of the limbs have even more “branches” you could say.  Two of them have five branches or offshoots.  I was making my way through each of them writing about them briefly.  They are the yamas and the niyamas.  As with many things in Nia – the cardio dance exercise I teach – the many aspects of yoga are deep and volumes can be written about each.  I have barely scratch the surface.  But the last one I have to write about is the fifth niyama, Ishvara Pranidhana.  Some people refer to it as surrender to the Devine or surrender of ego.

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Some debate the concept of the Devine, some saying it is God, some saying it is the universe.  Then you have to decide what surrender means.  So, if you are going to follow the path of yoga and practice all the limbs, I would say that the first thing you might need to do when practicing this niyama is decide on your “Devine”.  I actually appreciate the texts that translate it as God because that is my Devine.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1447/26357425736_dbbc866eb9_b.jpgThe Heart of Yoga by T.K.V. Desikachar says it means “to lay all your actions at the feet of God.”  That to me sounds like surrendering to the Devine to me, but then “lay all your actions” is up for interpretation.  Again, I will say that I am just barely touching the surface and with that “barely touching”, the idea of it can change.  But it seems as if that could mean to trust in what is happening.  Surrender and let things be.

One teaching I received described it as “bringing about serenity, letting go, opening to silence.”  The teaching also suggested to use “devote” instead of surrender.  But just like with the poses the translation of all of the ancient writings are mixed.  Some say it says this and means that and some say it says that and means this.  So it can be confusing with so many conflicting and contradicting translations.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitBut just because I have my “Devine” decided doesn’t necessarily make surrendering easy.  It is still a challenge sometimes to accept what is.  Although, as I mentioned first, having to write about this niyama at this time struck me as funny because the first thing I thought of is that I did surrender to the “Devine”.  I did not write my last two self imposed scheduled post because I surrendered to the fact that I was taking a few days away from home and in order to get somethings done, I had to skip writing my blog.  Ok, I did not HAVE to, but I had to let it go since I couldn’t come up with something to write about. At the time I hadn’t even thought about posting about this last niyama.  Or I would have at least posted on Wednesday.

Also, we took a couple of days and stayed near the ocean and to me nature is just a reminder of the Devine.  So . . . I felt as if I surrendered a bit.

Ahhh, surrender to what is and have faith that all is as it should be.  Relax and let go a bit.

 

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Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit

How are you with surrendering?

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Nia Jam Palo Alto 2016

Posted by terrepruitt on April 4, 2016

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitSaturday, April 2, 2016 there was a Nia Jam in the San Francisco Bay Area. It has been a long time since I have been to a Nia Jam.  The last one I went to was in 2013!  They are so fun. The energy at a jam is fantastic. I thought I was going to miss it because the event was being held at a studio in the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto.  It is a HUGE complex and I parked in the garage and followed the first sign that said fitness center. It led me to a courtyard where every door was locked. There was a sign pointing up and to the left, but there was no way for me to go up and to the left. I asked someone walking around if he knew where it was and bless his heart, he had no idea but he made an attempt to help me. We looked at a map and I decided the best route was to go out to the street and go all the way around to where I thought the studio was.  As I was making my way back to the garage, I made a few turns and ended up on the right track. I was supposed to be the first teacher and I was kinda bummed that I was late because I thought I missed it.  But as I was walking in they were saying. “Where is Terre?” and I was able to say, HERE!”  Yay! I made it. I was about 5 minutes late. I thought I was going to be early. I am so glad I made it.  Nia Jams are soooo fun.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitOften times there are microphone issues.  It seems as if movement disrupted this one’s connection.  But Nancy H.  worked on it and got it fixed after the first few songs.  And it was good to go.  As we were making introductions one of the teachers told me she was going to be after me.  It is important in a jam situation to know who is before you and after you.  You need to know who is before you so you are paying attention and can be ready to switch off with the microphone.  And also, it is nice to know who is after you so you can make eye-contact as you are ending your selection so the switch off can go as smooth as possible.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitI don’t normally teach with a microphone so I always feel like I have to be quiet when I have one in my face.  Otherwise it would blow people’s ears out.

The focus was the Nia Five Sensations, FAMSS, (Flexibility, Agility, Mobility, Strength, and Stability) And I did it again, I don’t know what the intent was.  I always seem to miss the intent.  We had a great playlist (as you can see)!

It was super fun.  It is always so nice to see all the teachers.  We are kind of spread out in so many different areas.  It is even nicer to be able to dance with everyone.  And the JCC was very kind to donate the space so between ticket sales and the raffle, I think the association did well.

Here are some pictures and a video.  I will continue to encourage you to go to a Nia Jam.  They are so fun.  I know you will love it!

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See a short video of me teaching on my website.

I want to thank all the students that came and danced and all the teachers that taught.  Such fun!  See?  Doesn’t it look like fun?

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Remove Green To Be More Green

Posted by terrepruitt on April 1, 2016

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitToday is April Fool’s Day.  I am not one to play pranks or enjoy pranks played on me.  But today, I wished so hard that I was the victim of a cruel joke.  I pulled into the parking lot where I teach Nia three days out of the week and I was so sad to see that ALL the trees are marked for removal.  So the tree-lined parking lot that one must drive down to enter the main parking lot will no longer be tree-lined.  There will no longer be trees and sky to look up at.  I was running late today, but the supervisor of the center was walking by as I was getting ready for class and I asked him about the trees.  I believe he said that they will be removed and relocated.  I really was in a hurry so I was unable to get more details, but I think he said if they can’t fit in the parking lot most of them will go to parks.  But that doesn’t change the fact that the trees will no longer be at the center.  They are putting up those solar parking canopies.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitSo, I saw the solar parking canopies go up in school parking lots and I thought it was ridiculous that they need to add shade for cars.  But then I was informed that they are solar.  So I thought that was cool.  The few school parking lots that I have seen them go up in were just barren plots of asphalt.  That makes sense to me.  But at this center they are taking down trees.  This makes me sad.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitThere just seems to be so much metal and concrete around, I think it is so sad when a tree gets taken down/moved/removed to put up more metal and concrete.  A comment made was “it is being done to be green”.  I am just not convinced that removing green trees is the way to be green.  It just seems so wrong.  Also, I was told that now there will be shade for cars, more than there is already provided by the trees that they are taking down.  Again . . . not convinced that cars having shade is more important than birds having homes and places to eat.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitAs I was standing in the parking lot talking to one of my students who was equally sad that the trees were going away we were listening to the birds and watching them flit around in the trees.  While we enjoyed it, it was somewhat bittersweet because at one point, there will be parking canopies going up in place of the trees.

No April Fool’s joke here.  Actual live trees, green trees are being removed so we can be green.  Places that birds and bugs live and feed will be removed so we can have shade for our cars.  Makes me sad.

The center is quite large and so I am bummed that trees have to be removed instead of some type of roof top installation of solar panels.  I mean, solar panels are great to help with energy.  It makes sense: sun, power — good.  But it is so sad that the trees have to go.  It is so sad that they will be replaced by metal and concrete.

It was even more prophetic that when I got in my car the radio was playing, “It’s The End Of the World as we know it.”  I am not even certain that a more appropriate song would have been Big Yellow Taxi, ya know the one that says “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”

Sigh.  Good-bye pretty tree-lined parking lot.  I’ll miss you.

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Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit

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Seeds: Sesame and Nigella

Posted by terrepruitt on March 30, 2016

My favorite recipe as of late called for white sesame seeds and Nigella seeds.  Now I know what sesame seeds are, but I didn’t know there were black/brown ones.  I didn’t know what Nigella seeds were and the recipe even noted that they might be hard to find so black sesame, black cumin, or onion seeds could be used as a substitute.  But I found them easy enough on Amazon, but they were listed under several different names.  And when I googled them, even more names came up.  I love this recipe enough I can see myself using all the seeds just for this, but if not I was curious what else I could use them in.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitI know that sesame seeds are used in a lot of dishes, but I don’t normally use them.  According to Nutrition and You they have been used in “traditional medicines for their nutritive, preventive, and curative properties and are an important source of phyto-nutritents.”  Sesame seeds are high in protein, and like all seeds and nuts they are also high in fat.  But it is thought that this fat is actually one of the better ones in that it has been shown to lower the LDL cholesterol and raise the HDL cholesterol.  The USDA National Nutrient data base has the pictured information listed for “Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, dried”.

You are probably familiar with sesame seeds because they are used in many things.  For one they are famous a top a bun, yes?  They are also what makes up Tahini which is an ingredient in humus.  They are used in so many things it is almost as if they go unnoticed.

Now this nigella seed, what it up with that?  Well, Wiki helps a bit with the names by stating “In English, Nigella sativa and its seed are variously called black-caraway, black-cumin, fennel-flower, nigella, nutmeg-flower, Roman-coriander, and kalonji (from Hindi).”  As I mentioned the recipe I made said you could us black cumin as a substitute, but according to what I have seen on the internet (included Wiki) black cumin is just another NAME for nigella seeds.  It seems that this seed just has a lot of names.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitJust like the sesame seed, there are claims that the nigella seed helps lower LDL.  Claims also include they help to lower blood pressure, have anti-asthmatic effects, relieve viral sore throats, protect the brain against radiation damage, help reduce the possibility of morphine addiction, reduce symptoms of chemical weapons exposure, helps prevent post-surgical scars of the  a thin, delicate sheet that lines the inside wall of the abdomen and covers the uterus and extends over the bladder and rectum (the  peritoneum), protect neurons, slow the spread of cervical cancer, and, as a topical, helps with psoriasis.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitInternet information refer to it as the “cure all for everything but death”.  And it sure sounds like it with all of the aforementioned information that was found on NaturalSociety from a post from 2013.  I hadn’t even mentioned the info on the first part of the post stating that is it thought to help people with Type 2 diabetes, epilepsy, colon cancer, breast cancer, leukemia, and oral cancer.  AND . . . (yes there is more) help protect against damage to the heart from heart attacks, and also treat MRSA!  Wow.  And to think I had never even heard of the stuff.

This is the type of seed that can be added to many dishes.  The recipe I made called for it to be sprinkled on the pan so it stuck to the outside of the cake while baking.  But I really liked the flavor of both the seeds so I plan on putting some on top, if not inside.  I think inside the cake they would not get the same toastiness that they did on the outside of the pan.  But I can see adding them to other things.  I will add it to vegetables as I cook them and then on top when I serve them.  I might put some on my sandwiches.  They will probably add a nice extra layer of flavor.  Oooo.  I can’t wait to try that.

Seems like the benefits thought to be held in those little seeds are worth adding them to everything.

Do you cook with nigella seeds?  What about sesame seeds?

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Cauliflower Cake

Posted by terrepruitt on March 25, 2016

So yummy.  My friend posted on Facebook that she had to explain to her child that the Cauliflower Cake she made for dinner was a savory CAKE, not like a birthday cake.  She said it was a recipe from Ottolenghi.  Of course I Googled it and I was intrigued.  Then I noticed that a head of cauliflower was to be delivered in our produce box so I thought, ok. Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit The challenge according to the posted recipe was finding the nigella seeds, but I think Amazon meets each and every challenge with a “pppprrrruuuuuf”.  I ordered both the white sesame seeds and nigella seeds online and had them before my scheduled produce delivery.  The recipe noted you can use black sesame, black cumin, or onion seeds instead of the nigella/black caraway seeds.

I altered this recipe because I used the head of cauliflower I had and did not specifically shop for a small one as the recipe called for.  I also could not bring myself to use the 5 (FIVE) tablespoons of olive oil that the recipe called for.  I put two in the pan and almost stopped there, but decided to go with three . . . which I think was PLENTY!

I don’t like biting into rosemary stems so I had my husband grind them.  He used a mortar and pestle and he does an excellent job making them fine and powdery!  I also used SHAVED cheese instead of shredded Parmesan, and it was actually a Parmesan/Romano blend.  I like how there is more cheese in a bite that way . . . but I am sure either is fine.  The recipe called for unsalted butter, which I bought once for a recipe a long time ago and will not be doing that again.  So I used regular butter.

Since I use my blog as my recipe book I put my ideas for next time I make this in the recipe below in asterisked italics.  That way I don’t have to continue to scroll down to check what I want to do different and I won’t forget because it will be right there.)

This is what I did, which is an adaptation of Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe I found on thekitchn.com

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Savory Cauliflower Cake

(Serves 4 to 6)

1 cauliflower head, cut into pieces (not small pieces, about an inch big)

1 medium red onion

3 tablespoons olive oilDance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit

1 teaspoon rosemary leaves (which I had my hubby grind up for me)

7 large eggs

1/2 cup basil leaves, chopped **use more**

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 teaspoon (heaping) ground turmeric **1/2 to 1 teaspoon**

1 1/2 cups shaved Parmesan or Parmesan/Romano

Melted butter, for brushing the sides of the pan

1 tablespoon white sesame seeds

1 teaspoon nigella seeds (also known as black caraway)

1 1/2 teaspoon salt  **to 2 teaspoon**

black pepper (to taste)

9 1/2 springform pan (or a 9-inch cake pan or even an 8-inch square pan)

Preheat the oven to 450°F.  (The original recipe called for 400° F, I mistakenly did it at 450° which requires less time . . . .so I think I will stick to 450° F and bake it for less time.)

Place the cauliflower florets in a saucepan and add 1 teaspoon salt. Cover with water and cook until the florets are quite soft. They should break when pressed with a fork.  (But don’t break them up.) Drain and set aside while preparing the rest of the ingredients (whatever you didn’t get done while the cauliflower was cooking).

Peel the onion, then cut 3 slices, almost 1/4-inch/5-mm thick, off one end.  Set the onion rings aside.

Heat up the 3 tablespoons of oil in a small pan.

Coarsely chop the remaining onion and cook it in the oil with the rosemary, stirring as necessary.  Cook it until the onion is soft.  When done remove from heat and set aside.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitWhile the onion is cooking you can line the bottom and sides of the springform pan or your chosen baking dish with parchment paper.  Then use the melted butter to butter the paper in the pan, the sides and the bottom.  In the 9 1/2 inch springform the mixture does not go all the way up to the top so you only need to butter about halfway up.  Mix the white sesame seeds and the nigella seeds together.  Then sprinkle the seed mixture on the sides of the pan.  **USE ALL THE SEEDS!  Perhaps even putting them on the bottom of the pan.**

While your onions are cooling, break the 7 eggs into a large bowl and whisk well.  Add the basil and whisk.  Add the cooked onion and rosemary mixture to the eggs.  Whisking and stirring.  Then stir in the flour, baking powder, turmeric, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper.  Stir until all ingredients are mixed well.  Then mix in the Parmesan.  Then add the cooked cauliflower.  Don’t stir too much that you break up all the flowerets into little pieces, but mix it enough so that it is all mixed together.

Pour the egg and cauliflower mixture into the pan.  Spreading it evenly, then put the onion rings on top.  **Sprinkle some seeds on top**  Place in the center of the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.  Bake it until golden brown.  Check complete doneness by inserting a knife into the center.  It is done when the knife comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and serve to your liking, hot, warm, or cold.

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I ate on this for a few days.  I can’t wait to make it again with my extra **tweaks.  I really like it.  I thought it was super yummy.  You can use it as the main dish or a side and serve it with a salad and something meaty.  It could be breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  It is yummy!

Well, what do you think?

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Cauliflower Flavorless But Good

Posted by terrepruitt on March 23, 2016

Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable, meaning it is “of, relating to, or denoting plants of the cabbage family (Brassicaceae, formerly Cruciferae)” according to Google.  It is of the same species as kale, broccoli, cabbage, collard greens, and brussels sprouts and in the same family as daikon, arugula, rutabaga, and bok choy, to name a few.  It is also consider an anti-inflammatory which is good because many of the (overly) processed foods we eat are consider inflammatory.  And scientist are linking chronic inflammation with a whole list of diseases and ailments.  So, I am all for foods that will help with inflammation.  Although, I am not really a fan of cauliflower.  I don’t grab it off of a veggie tray at potlucks.  I don’t put it on my plate when it is offered as a cooked side.  I am not a fan.  Because I am not a fan I do want to try the myriad of recipes that include it and make it the star.  Like the cauliflower pizza crust or the version of macaroni and cheese made with cauliflower or the many recipes that used riced cauliflower.  I will get to some of those one of these days.  But first a little about cauliflower.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitTo me it is pretty tasteless.  It has no flavor really.  Not that I can remember . . . but then again I can’t remember the last time I ate just cauliflower.  I have cooked it and used it in this yummy stuffed portobello recipe.  It is one of those vegetables that can add substance but not really flavor.  That is probably why it goes so well as the base for some many things . . . you can make it taste like anything because it tastes like nothing.

But in addition to it being an anti-inflammatory it has a very low Glycemic Index.  The GI as you may know affects our blood sugar so  food low on the index help with keeping the blood sugar level even.  Also, it is high in vitamin C, giving you 75% of the DV% in a cup.  It also contains vitamin K, folate, pantothenic acid, vitamins B6, B2, B1, and B3.  Also fiber, potassium, and protein.

It also comes in different colors.  There is white, orange, and purple.  There is green cauliflower with the normal  shape and the Romanesco Broccoli or Italian cauliflower kind.  I’ve had that before.  I roasted it (surprise!) and it was kind of sweet.  The texture was odd.

Recently my friend posted something about cauliflower on Facebook.  She had recently made a recipe that she had to explain to her child.  It got me curious and I ended up making it . . . hence the post on cauliflower.  I am in love with this recipe and it has cauliflower in it.  It is a really yummy way to eat cauliflower.  But I will save the recipe for another post.

For now you can tell me:  Do you like cauliflower?  How do you eat it?  Do you eat it raw?  Do you cook it?  How?  Have you tried any of those recipes like the cauliflower pizza crust?

 

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Svadhyaya – The Fourth Niyama

Posted by terrepruitt on March 21, 2016

I’m still looking into the Eight Limbs of Yoga (1:  The yamas – restrictions/restraints/ethical principles    2:  The niyamas – rules/observances/spiritual practices    3:  The asana – the poses    4:  Pranayama – breath work    5:  Pratyahara – withdrawal of the senses    6:  Dharana – concentration    7:  Dhyana – meditation and    8:  Samadhi – transcendence)  I am working my way down the list posting about a little bit about each limb.  With the first two limbs there are five of each yama and niyama.  I am working my way through them, too.  Well, this post is about the fourth niyama or rule, observance, spiritual practice.  It is svadhyaya – study of self.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitT.K.V. Desikachar’s The Heart of Yoga states that svadhyaya means to get close to yourself or study yourself.  Sva = “self” or “belonging to me” / Adhyaya = “inquiry” or “examination” . . . so self inquiry, self examination.

One can study or examine oneself for various reasons.  One way many are probably familiar with is eating . . . you have probably heard the terms “emotional eater”, “stress eater”, “bored eater” and the idea is to stop and think – examine when you eat so you can identify if you are one of these types of eaters.  These labels could be applied to many things . . . drinker . . . fighter . . . .abuser . . . “neglector” . . . cleaner . . . . smoker . . . whatever the situation, the study has to be done first in order for the behavior to be altered.  WHY is it you are doing what you are doing?  What is it that causes you to do what you do?  With that type of knowledge of self then steps can be taken to change.

A lot of our behaviors are habits and sometimes just acknowledging that and applying a little bit of mindfulness we can change the habit.

If you want to think about svadhyaya in relationship to “on the mat”, the actual practice of the third limb of yoga, the asana, then it can be applied in the sense that it is all about you when you are on the mat.  There is no competition between the person on the mat next to you.  Or you having to do something in order to please or impress the teacher.  It is all about you and what is going on with you at that particular mat time.  This is a great time to practice svadhyaya.  It is when you get to stop all the other thinking and think about things like how your foot is connected to the earth.  It is your whole foot or just the edge?  Are you using the muscles necessary to make certain that it is the whole foot.  Are your shoulders down?  Is your chest open?  Is your spine long?  Is your stance too wide?  Can you tweak your arm/leg/head just a little in order to invite in that sense of relaxed control?  Where you are not sinking into your joints hanging out in a pose, but using your muscles but not over using them?  Are you aware of the placement of your knee?  Are you focused on your breath?   If you study how each pose is sensed by your body it allows you to try to determine if you are in the pose correctly and allows you to get the most out of it.

With the study of self there is knowledge gained about self.  With the knowledge of self one can work to improve or enhance oneself.  With enhancement of self, the idea is that one moves closer to the divine.  Many think of the divine as different things.  But most people agree that we all have areas in which we could grow.  Most people agree there is always room for improvement.  It makes sense that we have to look in and examine, practice svadhaya, before we can change.  This is just one way – and a brief one at that – to look at svadhaya.

What do you think?  Do you think of svadhaya on the mat?

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Baked Golden Beet “Fries”

Posted by terrepruitt on March 16, 2016

Oh, if you have read any of my food post one of them probably was about our grass-fed beef.  I highly recommend getting some if you can.  So yummy.  Something that allow us to have hamburgers WAY more often than we ever would.  I don’t know about you, but I love hamburgers WITH fries.  They are served together everywhere they serve hamburgers it is no wonder that I just love the combination and kinda don’t like to have burgers without fries.  I don’t actually make french fries though.  I do sometimes roast potatoes and let them sub in as the french fries.  But since we eat burgers WITH buns so often, I don’t do that always.  Sometimes I make other kinds of fries.  Once I made squash fries.  Well, today I was going to roast beets.  Then I was thinking I would just cut them into little sticks instead of the normal cubes.  Then, of course when I was already late making dinner, I decide to bread them.  What a mess that was.  I don’t bread things because I can never make the crumbs stick AND it is such a waste to me.  I always end up with leftover egg and bread crumbs that I have to just toss out.  Wasteful.  Hate it.  But . . . these little guys were kinda good.  My husband said, “Those beet fries . . . much better than I was expecting.  You should blog about them.”

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In order for the bread crumbs not to burn I didn’t cook the beets as long as I would have, so they ended up crunchy and slightly under cooked . . . but cooked fine.  Perhaps not so much “under cooked” as not-as-cooked-as-I-normally-would-have-cooked-them.

So we had golden beets.  They came in our produce box.  And they were tiny.  Two of them were about the size of a golf ball and one was a little bigger.

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Baked Golden Beet “Fries”

3 golden beets
egg
panko bread crumbs
season salt / your choice of seasoning
garlic salt / your choice of seasoning
coconut oil
aluminum foil

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitCover your baking sheets with aluminum foil.  Cover the aluminum foil with the coconut oil.  Preheat the oven to 450° F.  Cut the beets up so that you have little french-fry shaped pieces.  I put season salt in the egg.  And garlic salt in the bread crumbs.

Put the beets in the beaten egg.  Then put the beets in the bread crumbs.  Cover them as much as you can with the bread crumbs.

Spread the beets out on the baking sheet.  Give them a lot of room.  Making just rows and rows of little breaded beets.

Bake them for about 15 or 20 minutes at 450° F.  Then turn the oven down to 300° F and bake for a few more minutes.  Of course, that was my oven so you might want to check yours and bake accordingly.  You want the crumbs to be golden brown.

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I was out of parchment paper so I used aluminum foil, but it might have actually turned out better.  I think the foil might get hotter than the paper.  It might help them cook.  I used aluminum foil with my asparagus the other day and they turned out awesome.

Anyway . . . these were good, much better than the squash “fries”.

Do you like beets?  Do you like golden beets?  Do you like fries with your hamburger?

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