Sad News mixed with some positive thinking: Intensati class

Funny how life changes at an instant. I learned that back in 2008 when my Godmother passed away and my life severely changed. After a lot of soul searching, talking and grieving I got through it with the help of family and friends. 

Yesterday I was going about my day, going to kickboxing and then Trader Joe's. My sister was trying to get me to drive out to Long Island, but something about the rain made me want to stay curled on the couch. I called Danny and told him to come home early (which is a daily occurrence) and he said he would. This usually means a half hour early for him if he agrees. He's been working his butt off the past couple of weeks.

When he walked in the door at 3 o'clock yesterday I was so elated. As soon as I turned the key in the door, I was like wow he actually left work, this never happens. He walked in and then dropped a bomb. My grandma passed away. I sat there in shock and said a lot of choice words I won't repeat. My grandma has been in hospice for a couple of weeks, but no one thought it would be this fast. I can't even been to explain the weight this has on me because I don't even understand or believe it at this point, so I'm not going to write about it...for now. 

Danny and I packed up our stuff to stay at my mom's. My mom's house is a place of comfort and ease and the location is just easier in regards to where everything is relating to services. We have stayed at my mom's 3 times over the past year and a half for this reason. 

Fast forward to this morning...me sitting on the couch. I ate my yogurt and granola bar without even realizing it. Danny had to work a half day, so as my mom was getting ready for work I just sat. I debated between sitting or going to a workout class I had heard about through Missy.  I decided my sister would be the deciding factor. If she got up without too much of a fuss, I'd go. I went upstairs to wake her up by squeezing her nose so she couldn't breathe and she got up without too many complaints. We picked up Jess and headed to the class.  In typical fashion, we were late, but the class hadn't started yet so it was okay.  The class we took is called Intensati. I planned on taking it yesterday but was too tired to get it.

As we walked in, the instructor seemed super nice and greeted us. The first words we heard were, "today we are going to cultivate our own joy". I thought to myself..hmm maybe this is what I need today.  Seriously, this class was amazing. Not only was it a great workout, but every move had an affirmation that you repeated with it. Each one was so powerful, I could have cried at any one of them but I held it together. After an hour of powerful workout moves and affirmations I walked out feeling empowered to face today (which are the services). I can't really explain how the affirmations helped me, but they made me feel like everything I am feeling, shock, sadness, confusion, is okay and I will get through it. I believe in myself and I think my sister and cousin left feeling the same way. There are many different affirmation series and I feel like it was meant to be that today's was "The Power of Joy". 

Every day in a very true way I co-create my reality

As above so is below this is what I know.

Yes! I am bragging

I am worth it

I am happy

I deserve it

I’m committed

To loving me

When I honor myself

The world shifts around me

I am brilliant

I am proud

I am sexy

I am allowed

To use my power

To shine

To attract greatness

I am divine

Today I choose

To know the truth about myself

No matter how beautiful it is

I am blessed

I am divine

I am beautiful

I love my life

Each affirmation (each line) had a different move that went with it. And as yo did the move you would repeat the affirmation. It might sound silly and usually I'm not into this stuff, but trust me it was super powerful. 

(pics taken with Jess's phone, sorry for blurriness)

So thanks Connie for introducing me to an amazing class. I look forward to taking this again. Check out the Intensati page for a class near you. If you need a pick me up and some positive thinking then this is what you need.

So today is going to be a super, super long day. I dread this. 

More Soul Cycle and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins!

Good afternoon bloggies! How's everyone day going? I have some serious blog posting to do because I know I am so overdue with my Brendan Brazier seminar review. As soon as I finish this post, I PROMISE I am writing it! 

Yesterday I had a crazy busy day. I hadn't baked in forever, so I decided to make muffins, granola bars, and raw chocolate balls. We are going for our beach vacation this weekend and next week so I made extra so I can bring it with us. I try to bring as much as my "weird" food (as deemed by me, no one else) as I can and bring some for the rest of Danny's family. My nieces loved the granola bars when I brought them last time, so I made sure to make extra for them. What's not to love about chocolate, oats, more chocolate and peanut butter??

After I finished baking I hopped on the subway and met Danny at 53rd and Lex to shoot down. He was going to basketball downtown so we took the 6 together. Danny walked me to SoulCycle and then he went to basketball. I spotted the gigantic Whole Foods right next to SoulCycle that I had to pay a visit to after the class. 

I signed up for the 7:30 Madonna ride with Bethany at the Tribeca studio. The Tribeca studio is SO nice. It's much bigger than the studio on the East side. There are separate women and men's changing/bath/shower rooms (the East side studio doesn't have showers and only has two unisex bathrooms). There also was much more room to move around by the lockers and more places to sit down and switch shoes. There are 2 studios on the first floor, one for SoulCycle, one for Soul Bands (trying next week hopefully) and I believe one upstairs for Soul Yoga. The SoulCycle room is also bigger at this studio.I felt much more comfortable this week on the bike and felt like I got the hang of clipping in and out of the bikes. I was tempted for 1/2 a second to get the 2 pound weights instead of 1 pound, but I was glad I didn't after my arms were burning from the arms part. 

(source)

Bethany is a fabulous instructor. She is super motivating and very cute. She played a great mix of Madonna music, live, recorded, old and new. The ride was very challenging and very sweaty. I love that she wrote on the wall "absolutely no regrets". Bethany also called out motivating phrases, like "dig deep". For some reason that really motivates me. Overall, lots of fun and my arms are a bit sore today. After leaving SoulCycle, I went to Danny's basketball game, where he tied the game at the buzzer with a 3, twice making them go into 2 over times. They ultimately lost by one point, but it was fun to watch him play.

Now onto the recipe portion of this post. I wanted to make Power Muffins with a couple of changes, but it ended up being more than a couple, since I couldn't find my flax seeds. My pantry is like an abyss right now, even though Danny tries really hard to keep it organized. (Notice I didn't even pretend to say I try...because I don't. I think we've both accepted he has a lot little of his father in him..and I love it.)


I bought hemp awhile ago after reading Thrive by Brendan Brazier, but I hadn't used it yet. Honestly, I had no clue how it tasted, but I took a chance including it in my muffins. (Worked out beautifully!)

Hemp is a complete protein (contains all 10 amino acids) with a very high pH, which minimizes the body's acidity and helps keep the body in a alkaline state. Hemp helps boost the body's immune system and quicken recovery. It also has anti-inflammatory properties. (from Thrive, The Vegan Nutrition Guide, page 136)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Power Muffins

*This recipe is to make about 18-20 muffins. Feel free to make less.

Inspired by Angela @ Oh She Glows

Ingredients:

• 2 ripened bananas
• 4 tsp. Olive Oil
• 2 egg (I used organic, alternatively you could use flax eggs to make this vegan)
• 1/2  cup non-packed turbinado or brown sugar
• 1/4 cup freshly hemp
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 3/4  cup spelt flour (or whole wheat or white flour)
• 1/2 cup oats ground
• 1/2 cup oats (whole) (or you can keep the entire cup whole)
• 3 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce 
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grind oats, set aside. (I used my coffee grinder.)
2. Add hemp seeds, chia seeds, oats, banana, egg, sugar, spelt flour, and pumpkin to a large bowl. Mix well. 

3. Add baking soda and baking powder. Combine.4. Now add the peanut butter. Fold in to batter. Then add the chocolate chips
5. Grease 2 muffins pan. (I used 12, but you can make larger or smaller muffins)
6. Spoon batter into pan. 

7. Bake in over for 20 minutes. 

Delish...feel free to add butter, jelly, jam, more peanut butter, or eat is plain!

*Krema/Crazy Richards was so kind to send me this peanut butter. It is SUPER smooth and passed the husband test. (He is the king of peanut butter.) I usually like my peanut butter with salt, but it's so creamy you don't really need it. It only has one ingredient, peanuts!

What's you favorite type of peanut butter? I loveee smooth and creamy peanut butter. Funny thing is I stopped eating it for awhile because I was afraid of the fat. I'm SO glad I got over that.


Okay I better go write that Brendan Brazier/Thrive post! 

Blogger Secret Ingredient Winner!

Another Monday, as my sister texted me this morning. Over the past three weeks I've been taking one day to get my apartment organized, bake, cook and do whatever I need to go around here. It's been working nicely since we aren't around too much on the weekends and our apartment ends up like a tornado hit it by Sunday. So today is the day to get my life in order.


Tonight I'm going to a Soul Cycle class in Tribeca for a Madonna themed class and then I'm going to watch Danny's basketball game so I'm not staying inside all day. :)


I know I still have to write a post about going to see Brendan Brazier and I'll work on that if I have time today, but I don't want to rush it so I haven't done it. Does that make any sense??


Yesterday was the last day to enter my Blogger Secret Ingredient contest, which was applesauce. It was SO hard to pick from the amazing entries I recieved, each one was delicious. But after a long deliberation I had to go with...... Sarena, The Non-Dairy Queen!

She sent me a recipe for an amazing applesauce cobbler.

Dairy Free/Gluten Free Applesauce Cobbler

1 cup white rice flour

1 cup almond milk (Almond Breeze)

1/3 cup sugar

15 drops NuNaturals vanilla stevia (or an extra TBSP of sugar + some vanilla)

1 TBSP baking powder

pinch of salt

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 tsp pumpkin or apple pie spice

5 drops NuNaturals vanilla stevia

       

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Soak the white rice flour with the almond milk.  (I did 4 ½ hours but I would imagine you could do this as long or as you like).  Next add the sugar, 15 drops stevia, baking powder and salt.  Pour the batter into an 8x8 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  In a separate bowl, mix the applesauce, pumpkin/apple pie spice and 5 drops of stevia.  Drop tablespoons of the apple mixture around the top of the batter.  Swirl the applesauce mixture just a little bit.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Serve warm with a scoop of your favorite frozen vanilla treat and caramel sauce.

Coconut Vanilla Sorbet 

(version 2) slightly less sweet

3 cups So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Milk Beverage
1/3 cup sugar
2 TBSP arrowroot powder
10 drops vanilla NuNaturals Stevia
1 TBSP vanilla

Mix 1/4 cup milk with the arrowroot powder and set aside.  Combine 2 3/4 cup milk in a sauce pan with the sugar.  Bring the mixture to a simmer.  Turn it off and whisk in the arrowroot mixture.  This will thicken as it cools a little.  Then add the stevia and vanilla.  Place in the fridge until cold.  Freeze in an ice cream freezer according your machine's directions.

There is nothing more than I love than a sorbet/ice cream dessert. It's my absolute favorite! Sarena email me your address so I can send you a prize!

Next week Michelle at Quips, Travails and Braised Oxtails will be hosting the BSI. Make sure you check it out!

I'm off to finish cleaning, make granola bars and raw chocolate balls. See you later hopefully with a muffin post.

Bikram and Bachelorettes!

Morning! Hope you are all having a relaxing weekend. I've had a very eventful couple of days, so I have to recap for you.  

You know I am on a quest to try as many exercise classes as I can over the summer, right? So Friday I continued with that. I have been wanting to try Bikram yoga and when Jess and Beth said they would come with me, I knew I would try it. The three of us went to the Bikram yoga in Rockville Centre, NY. They were having a new comer special of $25 for 15 consecutive days of classes. I figured, since one class is $20, if I went 2x the deal would pay for itself. I have to admit I was nervous for the heat, so I reached out to twitter for some help. I got tips from Erica, Christie, Joanna, Ashley, Kim and Theresa.

They suggested I drink lots of water before, during and after, bring my own mat and 2 towels (one big,one small), no food an hour before, and my two favorite tips: don't get freaked out (from the heat) and run out of the room, don't be weirded out by the loud breathing sounds coming from people. All of the tips made it so much easier for me (than it would have been without them!) So thank you so much for all of the tips! 

I had done no reading on bikram before. I just knew it was going to be very hot in the room. After we got there a half hour early and signed in we went up to the room to get situated in the "newbie" spots. The newbie spots were close to the door and the fans they occasionally open and turn on. I was happy to be deemed a "newbie" if I got to be closer to escaping. When we walked in the heat kind of hits you like a slap in the face. It was obviously very dry heat, but it was about 105 degrees. I was surprised there was carpeting on the floor and that kind of grossed me out. Beth, Jess and I set up our stuff and walked out of the room. Some guy was there that saw us sitting outside and suggested we go in and get acclimated to the room, so we listened to him. I went in a just laid down on my mat/towel for the ten minutes before class. 

The bikram instructor (is that what you call her, instructor??) explained that bikram is a series of 26 poses done 2x and started and ends with breathing exercises to open up the lungs. I have to admit I wasn't a huge fan of these, but obviously I participated in them. I felt pretty good throughout the 26 poses, I just moved slowly through them. I felt the most dizzy (which wasn't bad) in the first breathing exercise. After that I felt okay. I drank plenty of water and was SOOOOO very thankful for that 2nd towel. When class was over I laid in savasana for a couple of minutes before slowly getting up. I think my body handled the heat pretty well for the first time, I think it had a lot to do with properly fueling and hydrating beforehand.  

To see the 26 poses in bikram yoga click here.

The benefits of bikram yoga are huge. 

BENEFITS OF BIKRAM YOGA: (source)

• Reshapes your body
• Restores flexibility
• Tones, strengthens, and lengthens your muscles
• Strengthens your spine
• Improves circulation
• Reduces risk of sports injury
• Achieves relief from pain
• Reduces your weight – lose pounds by balancing your metabolism
• Raises energy level
• Diminishes the effects of stress
• Increases balance, coordination, focus and discipline
• Clears your mind
• Calms your soul
• Ensures healthy and balanced functioning of the skeletal, muscular, circulatory, nervous, digestive, elimination, respiratory, endocrine, and mental systems of the body

BENEFITS OF THE HEAT:

• Warms the muscles for greater flexibility
• Helps achieve a deeper stretch 
• Flushes toxins from the body
• Improves efficiency of the immune system
• Creates a cardiovascular workout
• Burns calories
• Builds endurance

Overall I liked bikram. I didn't love it, which I expected to. I definitely prefer vinyasa yoga over these poses. I didn't realize there would be no flow between the poses. I have to ask, doesn't doing the same 26 poses in the same sequence get boring time after time? I think I will go back a couple of times throughout my 15 days, so I get the most for my money. I have to give it a second (and third) chance. I did walk out feeling very open and like I did get a workout, but I was hoping for more challenging poses. Does that make sense? I would love to find a hot vinyasa class now, but one thing at a time!

On another note, Friday night I had a bachelorette party for my beautiful friend Meg. We went to her Maid of Honor's apartment in Astoria, where she made us an amazing dinner, then we went to Beauty Bar for Martini's and Manicures (all for $10!!), then went to a karaoke bar called Iggy's (76th between 2nd and 3rd).

Saturday I had bachelorette party numero deux. We wanted to take my mom out for a special day before she got married. There is only 3 weeks before her wedding and every other weekend was booked so unfortunately I had to miss out on going to Atlantic City for the rest of Meg's bachelorette party. I was bummed they both ended up being the same weekend, but we needed some girl time with my mom too. 

sweet pic

We got manicures/pedicures, went to lunch and did some shopping. We went to Wild Ginger in RVC, which my family goes to multiple times a week loves. We split a brown rice sushi platter and I also got a lunch serving of steamed tofu and veggies. I forgot to take pics, sorry!

It's been an eventful weekend so far! Now we are off to go for a run on the boardwalk and then to another barbeque. Happy Birthday Tony, by the way!

Don't forget today is the last day to enter Blogger Secret Ingredient contest. Get your entries in!!