October 2010

Raw Cacao and How To Make Raw Chocolate Candy.

Leave a Comment / Dharma Yoga, raw chocolate, raw food, vegetarian food, yoga / By

cacao

Raw Cacao

It is that time of year when all thoughts turn to chocolate.  Halloween and chocolate candy, they just go together.  Even with all of our trick or treating many of us have  have never eaten “real chocolate”.  Most commercially produced chocolate bars, (think Hershey’s) only contain about 10% actual chocolate, the rest is sugar and fillers.

This year why not EAT some delicious real chocolate candy made with simple raw ingredients?  Making raw chocolate is probably one of the easiest things you can do. As a bonus it just happens to be good for you.   In fact, Raw Cacao is considered a super food. It contains theobromine which invigorates our entire system, phenylethalamine which increases our sense of happiness and well being, trytophan which elevates and stabilizes our mood, anandamide, the “bliss” chemical which relaxes the body and the mind. It is higher in anti-oxidants than green tea and wine. It also contains protein, good fats, calcium, carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, magnesium, folic acid, and the vitamins A, E, K.  It is rich in iron.  Super food indeed!

The most important part of this indulgent experience is to make sure that you use truly raw cacao. The health benefits are only derived from cacao in it’s raw state.  One of my favorites is Pacari from Ecuador.  It is organic, heirloom (never heated above 118 degrees), and single origin (not blended with cacao from other countries or regions).  These are 3 important things to look for when you are purchasing raw cacao.

The next part is to have fun choosing a mold.  There are thousands to choose from, ranging from bugs and spiders to hearts and flowers.  They are very inexpensive and can be used over and over again.

Basic Raw Chocolate

  • 1 cup of raw cacao butter
  • ½ cup raw cacao powder
  • 2 tablespoons of raw agave nectar

Melt the cacao butter over low heat.  Either in a dehydrator, in a double boiler with hot water, or in a sauce pan over the lowest heat.  If using the stove top method, you can keep an eye on the temperature with a candy thermometer making sure not to bring the cacao over 118 degrees.  Once it has liquefied, whisk in the cacao powder and agave until smooth.  Pour into a squeeze bottle and then fill the molds.  Set in the freezer for 5 – 10 minutes until set and then pop out of the molds.  Because are no chemicals or stabilizers in this yummy chocolate keep them in the fridge until serving time.

From there get creative!  You can add chopped nuts, coconut, or dried fruit.  Add pure mint extract for a chocolate mint.  Play with flavors and textures to recreate your favorite candy bar.  Indulge in a little raw chocolate and Have a Happy Halloween!

Pacari Cacao can be found at:

http://www.therawfoodworld.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=100148_100215_100335

Chocolate molds can be found at:

http://www.amazon.com/ keyword: chocolate molds

Practicing Tapas: Fierce Determination.

Leave a Comment / 8 limbs of yoga, Dharma Mittra, Dharma Yoga, yoga / By

tapas

Tapas

As the chilly days of autumn and winter fall upon us, take the opportunity to PRACTICE one of the Niyamas of Yoga; Tapas.   The definition of Tapas is ‘heat’ or ‘ fiery discipline’ or ‘a constant and intense commitment’  I call it fierce determination.

Tapas is a phenomenon of the body as well as the mind. This fire is what can keep you going even if you don’t feel like it.  Getting to class sometimes can be the hardest part. Our mind will always come up with an excuse not to do something.  I am too tired, I don’t have time, it’s too cold outside. If we can summon our tapas we almost always feel better and wonder why it was so challenging to get there in the first place.

When you are holding a pose and give up, feeling that you couldn’t possibly hold it one second longer, think about what might happen if you were offered one hundred dollars to hold the pose for one more breath.  It is amazing how you can summon the strength when you really have to.  We have all heard the stories of men and women exhibiting super human strength.  Lifting automobiles, heavy machinery, even buses to rescue their trapped and injured loved ones.   That is tapas.

Just as it is when you are starting a fire, it takes time.  Collecting the wood, stacking the logs, fanning the flames, it is a process. Yet once the embers are lit, they generate more and more heat. When a new log is set on the existing fire, it takes very little effort to ignite.  Tapas will grow over time and will be extended to other aspects of your life.   That is the good news, we have the ability to redirect our energy.  We can listen to all of our minds objections and then decide to do what’s good for us anyway.  That tapas, that fierce determination exists within us at all times, we just have to tap into it.

Quieting the Monkey Mind.

Leave a Comment / 8 limbs of yoga, Dharma Yoga, yoga / By

monkey

We all want to be happy. To LIVE happy lives. In Yoga we commonly refer to the negative thoughts that distract us from our happiness as “the monkey mind”. This monkey mind is preoccupied by worry, insecurity, greed, rage, and petty judgments.  The monkey mind is quick and smart and can often lead you down a path before you even know what hit you.  We have all been there; maybe you just got a promotion or started a new job, certainly cause for celebration and joy, when the monkey mind starts talking.  “Do I really deserve this?”  “Am I really qualified?”  “What if they don’t like me?”  Before we have had a chance to celebrate, we are thinking detrimental negative thoughts.  It is natural and normal, we all do it.  Our job is to learn how to quiet that little monkey and calm our mind. Then, we can be free from our own self imposed suffering and find our joy.

He is a tenacious little guy, he certainly won’t go quietly, and so, where to begin?  It starts with understanding that we cannot control the world around us; we can only control our thoughts and mental attitudes.  The Sanskrit saying is:  “Mana eva manushyanam karanam bandha mokshayoho.”  Which means  “As the mind, so the man; bondage or liberation are in your own mind.”  The world does not make you happy or sad, only your perception of the world does.   Is it heaven or hell?   You get to choose.  You decide.   Try applying this philosophy in your daily life and you will soon see how freeing it can be.  You might be stuck in an airport waiting on a long delayed flight and start worrying about being late, getting angry and upset, maybe yelling at the gate attendant. Or you could take that delay and see it as an opportunity to have some newly found free time.  You can read a great book, call a friend you haven’t had time to get back to. The flight will still be delayed, you cannot change that, it is only your perception of the situation that can change.

Think good thoughts.  With time, and practice, you can slowly begin to quiet the monkey.

Pick Your Own Tomatoes at Bartlett’s Farm with Raw Bloody Mary and Sun-dried Tomato Recipes.

Leave a Comment / 8 limbs of yoga, juicing, raw food, vegetarian food, yoga / By

tomatoes1

On Saturday, Bartlett’s Farm held pick your own tomatoes day. It was a little slice of heaven walking through the fields, canvas bags in tow, and filling them to the brim with all the delicious varieties.   At only one dollar per pound, it was the deal of the season.  Walking up and down the rows, I was mesmerized by the colors, the ripeness, the abundance.  Our fellow pickers were smiling and happy, sharing ideas and recipes.  It was a true example of the joy that can be found in the simple moments of the everyday.

Now what to do with 17 pounds of tomatoes?  First, share a few with friends, then get to work preserving the last taste of summer.

Tomatoes are full of wonderful vitamins and minerals. Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, K, niacin, and folate.  Potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, calcium, sodium, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, and chromium. Various studies have shown that the lycopene in tomatoes can help reduce chances of prostate cancer, stomach cancer and colorectal cancer. Lycopene is considered a “miracle” anti-oxidant that may help to stop the growth of cancer cells.

tomatoes2

Dehydrating tomatoes is a great way to preserve them without a lot of messy work. Once they are dried, you can reconstitute them by soaking them in some hot water.  The flavor is rich and concentrated as a tomato paste would be. If you don’t have a dehydrator you can dry them in the oven at the lowest setting.

Dehydrated Tomatoes

    • Slice tomatoes about ¼ of an inch thick
    • Lightly sprinkle with sea salt
    • Place on dehydrator trays so that they do not touch.
    • Set dehydrator to 135 – 140 degrees (the temperature of the tomatoes will remain below 118 degrees)
    • Dehydrate for approximately 12 hours.
    • You can store them in a cool dark place in an air tight container for 6-9 months, or in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one year.

Oven option:

Place tomato slices in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Set oven to 200 degrees, Allow the tomatoes to dry in the oven about 8 hours or until they become shriveled, checking frequently during the last couple of hours to ensure that they don’t scorch.  Cracking the oven door open can help prevent the heat from getting to high.

The easiest fresh tomato juice can be made in a Vita Mix or other high speed blender.  No scoring, no peeling, no boiling, no waste just fresh delicious juice!

Joann’s Veggie Mary

The easiest fresh tomato juice can be made in a Vita Mix or other high speed blender.  No scoring, no peeling, no boiling, no waste just fresh delicious juice!

  • 2 large tomatoes
  • ½ cucumber
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 1/3 bunch of parsley
  • ½ lemon peeled
  • 1 tablespoon of freshly grated horseradish
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Water as needed

(You can substitute ½ of a fresh jalapeño or a pinch of cayenne powder for heat)
Puree all ingredients in blender.  Serve with cucumber stalk.