End of Summer Salad

Two of my favorite things: Avocados and summer fruit. Now, while I'll throw avocado into just about every salad (and sandwich) I make, I'm not normally one to base a salad around fruit. Yet in the last few weeks of summer with the arrival of all the juicy varieties of peaches, plums and pluots, I've been shaking things up and leaving the salad greens aside. This salad is easy and tangy and flavorful--no MSG necessary.
Even though the fat-free craze tarnished the avocados' rep for a brief stint in the 90's, it's back...a great source monosaturated (good) fat, avocados' nutritional score also includes potassium and folate promote overall heart health: lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol, raises HDL (good) cholesterol, regulates blood pressure and guards against circulatory diseases.

Plums are high in antioxidants which protect cells from being oxidized by free radicals, and vitamin C which boosts immunity and aids iron absorption.

Not only is this salad super easy, but it has a nice kick and could see it pairing well with a soy-chili glazed salmon. It's also good over bulgur for a little more of a tabouleh style salad.
You'll Need:

• 2 medium ripe Avocados
• 5 medium sized ripe black plums
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 small clove of garlic
• several pinches sea salt
  
• 1 medium lemon
• a few glugs of olive oil
• 1 dried red chili pepper

-Peel and cube avocados
-cube plums (you can peel them if you were blessed with that kind of patience, but I don't think it's necessary)
-Place plums and avocado into dish
-Chop cilantro, chili pepper, garlic and mix with lemon juice and olive oil to make the dressing.
-Pour dressing over avos and plums, and GENTLY mix as not to mush the delicately divine avo.
-Let sit for a few minutes to marry flavors and enjoy!

Recipe from: food52

Gratitude

The universe works in mysterious ways...I had just been thinking that I needed someone to shoot some photos of my classes in the park, as I'm always too engrossed in teaching to snap any post-worthy shots myself. And then along came Adrian. He happened to be in Sheeps Meadow one Monday and took some beautiful photos. He came back a few weeks ago and captured some amazing shots that really illustrate what yoga in the park is all about: stress relief, joy, sweat and community. If you haven't made it to a Monday class, maybe these will entice you...

Thank you, Adrian!
Check out Adrian's impressive work: www.adrianalston.com
All photos credit: Adrian Alston www.adrianalston.com

Here Comes the Sun

The Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) is one of the best ways to warm up or begin your yoga practice. I like to do a few to get my heart rate up and my muscles warm before heading into any deeper poses. Moving through each posture either on an inhalation or exhalation, heats your muscles from the inside out and the repetitive cycle is a great way to quiet the mind--sort of an active meditation. The act of bowing to the sun (the source of all light) symbolizes our own consciousness.

The sequence above is one sun salutation. Repeat as many times as you want to loosen up and work up a sweat. There are also numerous variations to the sun salutation, one being to modify by bringing the knee(s) to the mat through crescent and chaturanga for a less strenuous cycle. The second is to jump back into chaturanga from forward fold to add a little more heat.

I often begin with the modified knees to mat version and work up to a full jump-back version as my muscles begin to heat up.

Ubuntu: sw(eat)ing out west

Months ago upon sharing my idea for sw(eat) with a work colleague over dinner in NYC, the restaurant's sommelier mentioned that I visit Ubuntu, the mecca of yoga for foodies in Napa.

3,000 miles is a bit farther than I'd usually travel for yoga class and a meal, but I just couldn't get it out of my head. After a little research and lots of trips to Ubuntu's website to salivate over the seasonal and organic ever-changing-veggie-based menu, I managed to wedge a day trip to Napa into my vacation to the west coast to visit family and friends. I am so thankful I did. Happy Birthday to me.

Initially unsettled that I'd be driving, documenting and dining all on my lonesome, the 90minute long kundalini yoga class settled my nerves and opened my mind. Nestled among regulars in the bright, cheery studio it didn't matter why and how I was there, I was just grateful I was. I let go.

After the class, Punky, my mat neighbor graciously introduced me to Ubuntu's owner/founder, Sandy Lawrence, who had been practicing in the front row. To my surprise, Ubuntu started out very similarly to sw(eat). Sandy, a yoga instructor and Napa native, started teaching classes to her friends in the backyard. Each student would bring a potluck dish and after class the group would open wine and dine together. Yoga. Food. Community. Like-minded people sharing life. When Sandy's house and backyard became too crowded to accommodate the growing community, Sandy began looking for real estate and Ubuntu was born. She now grows a vast amount Ubuntu's seasonal produce on her property, but lets someone else do the cooking--Executive Chef, Aaron London (back left). And cook he did.I threw on my flip-flops and headed downstairs into the restaurant. I checked with the hostess on the way to make sure it was okay to dine in spandex..."of course," she assured me (bonus...definitely my kind of place).

I eyed my spot, a middle seat at the base of the restaurant's L-shaped bar. I had barely balanced on my stool when Nick, the bartender welcomed me with a big white smile and shiny blue eyes (yet another reason not to be upset about dining solo).

The menu was mind-boggling--I wanted to order one of everything. Seeing the confusion on my face, Nick inquired with the chef about setting out a tasting menu...and within minutes the dishes started rolling out. Concoctions I had never dreamed of...pairings I had not thought possible. Clear cantaloupe blackened melon and sage gazpacho, Fennel pasta with squash and carrot top broth, charred 'purpullete onions' with brioche and turkish figs. Each dish gorgeous, colorful and thoughtfully prepared; unique and surprising with a fresh flavor and texture. Each presented and explained with care and love. Honestly stunning.

Clear cantaloupe and sage gazpacho with blackened melon

Charred 'purplette' onions, roast turkish figs, brioche burnt with love.

I did not meet a dish over which did not spout some over-used exclamation: "amazing!" "delicious!" "WOW." I gushed, I fawned, I ooo'ed, awed. This was such the case that I only slowed down when the bartender noted, "...you housed that.." I took that as a compliment, but soon realized that I was indeed ready to pop. "Two more dishes" he grinned.

The experience in total was phenomenal, but I must say I was most impressed by the soul of the place; the wait-staff, chefs, hosts and yogis were all gracious, graceful and glowing with a pride and joy in their work and surroundings. The message emblazoned on the back of Ubuntu's t-shirts says it all, "practice humanity towards others."

My visit inspired me to continue exploring and sharing my love for whole, real foods alongside a lifestyle of yoga, health and compassion. I am grateful to the staff at Ubuntu for taking such great care of me...If you're ever in Napa stop in for a bite and a glass of local vino! Cheers!

Ubuntu Napa, 1140 Main St. Napa, CA 94559