A Soup Recipe from Ireland

Soup

1 sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 medium onion, or 1 small one finely chopped
1 can chopped tomatoes
2 small - medium carrots peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 red pepper roughly chopped
6 cherry or baby plum tomatos halved
1 med or 1/2 large courgette, sliced into rounds
1/2 to one can butterbeans, rinsed in cold water
1/2 teasp cumin
salt and pepper
pinch cayenne
teasp mixed herbs
0.5lt good, low-salt veg stock
some olive (not extra virgin) oil

1. Sweat off the onions in the oil for 4-5 mins on a med heat
2. Add the carrots, peppers and sweet potato
3. Add pinch salt and pepper, the cumin and cayenne and stir around
the pan, if sizzling, reduce the heat a little, cover and allow to
sweat off for a minute or two. Take care it doesn't burn, and this
makes the onions bitter
4. Add the tomatoes, both canned and fresh, most of the stock (add
more if you like your soup more liquid... ) and the slices of
courgette
5. Add the beans
6. turn to a low heat so that the stew gently simmers for a good 20-30
mins or until the veggies are softened.
7. you can allow to cool a little so the sauce thickens up itself, and
serve it as a stew with rice; or blitz it for lovely pureed soup....
Enjoy!!

Think of Nothing

"The yogi should not worry about anything in the world, nor should he imagine or think. Abandoning all worries, he should imagine or think of nothing."
- Hathapradipika IV:57

Living in Riyadh...

"A hathayogi should reside in solitude in a righteous country where the Government is benign and alms are easily available and which are free from all kinds of disturbances, in a small cottage built in a place having no rock, fire or water on any side." - Hathapradipika of Svatvarama, Lesson I Verse 12

My first yoga teacher said Riyadh might not be the best place for a yogi to go to. But considering the above lesson from the Hathapradipika and all the positive things that this place has brought me, I now think otherwise.

Come to think of it, I'm living like a monk here in Riyadh. Since there's nothing much to do here ( that is if you're looking for the pubs or other "regular" places for socialization) except practice yoga, work, eat and sleep. There are no cinemas, theaters or other entertainment centers that are regular features in places outside Saudi Arabia. I wake up early in the morning to do my kriyas and pranayama, eat breakfast, go to work, back to base after work, do my asanas, prepare dinner, watch tv or surf the net, and sleep. My social life is limited to my officemates, who happens to be my housemates as well, hmnnn... some of them of course.

So, yes, I'm living in solitude in a righteous country where the Government is benign.

Alms are easily available... not necessarily... but salary is good that I don't have to find some extra jobs unlike when I was in Manila.

Free from all kinds of disturbances... yeah... no pubs, no social life... go figure, hahaha.

In a small cottage... yeah, I live in a small room... but big enough to have space for my daily pranayama and asana practices.

It is necessary for success in Yoga that the Yogi is not disturbed in any way whatsoever... (page 6, Hathapradipika of Svatvarama edited by Swami Digambaraji, Kaivalyadhama).

Practice.... practice... practice... all is coming. - Guruji Sri Pattabhi Jois

Study: Eating Slowing Inhibits Appetite

Mindful eating may be getting a boost from science. For more than 30 years, dieters have been told to eat slowly to reduce their intake of food. But until now, there has been no scientific evidence to support the theory.

“It started in about 1972 as a hypothesis that eating slowly would allow the body time for the development of satiety [fullness] and we would eat less,” said Kathleen Melanson, assistant professor of nutrition and food science at the University of Rhode Island. “Since then we’ve heard it everywhere and it has become common knowledge. But no studies had been conducted to prove it.”

In fact, early evidence suggested the opposite to be true. In the 1990s, one study examined the role of small bite sizes and found no effects, while a study of pauses between bites actually showed increased food consumption with more pauses.

But a laboratory study of college-age women over the past year led by Melanson confirmed the long-held belief. The results were reported in October by research intern Ana Andrade at the annual meeting of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity.

Read the full article here. From Inner Idea: Body-Mind-Spirit Review, January 2008.

Cheesy Potato & Broccoli Soup

I was chatting with Maria while I was preparing this soup about 3 nights ago and she said that cheese doesn't really have a place in a soup. I'm not really sure if it's a Filipino thing to put cheese on almost any dish to make it tasty... the cheesier the dish is, the better. Come to think of it, the regular Pinoy would only use either processed cheddar cheese or its quickmelt version... hmnnn... just a thought.

INGREDIENTS

1 large potato, cut into cubes
250g broccoli florets (I'm not actually sure how much I used so I'm just guessing)
1/2-1 cup grated cheddar cheese (quick melt)
1 vegetable stock cube
Dried basil
500ml water
salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
Boil the water, add the potato. Once cooked, add the stock cube. Remove from heat and let it cool for a while. Puree. Season with dried basil, salt and pepper. Return to heat and add the broccoli florets. You may need to add more water until the desired consistency is achieved. Let it simmer for about 1-2 minutes or until the broccoli is cooked. Stir in half of the cheese, use the remaining half as topping. Serve with crackers. Enjoy.

Asanas: Steady and Comfortable

Photo courtesy of Jasmine Liddington

Haven't updated for a while. I'm still trying to organize my thoughts on how I'd write some of the interesting findings that I've found regarding energy expenditure during ashtanga practice. Thought I'd write an academic paper about it but it would take a little bit more time as I'll need to research for sources to support my statements. It will be a good practice if I will pursue further studies in the future.

Anyway, just a summary of that personal experiment:

• Both Mysore- and led-ashtanga allows one to burn approximately 6cal/min. (up to 2 decimal places, mysore burns an average of 6.25cal/min while led burns an average of 5.68cal/min)
• Suryas burn approximately 4 cal/min, Mysore; 4 cal/min, Led.
• Standing sequence, 7 cal/min, Mysore; 5cal/min, Led.
• Seated from Paschimottanasana prep to Navasana, 9 cal/min, Mysore; 8 cal/min, Led.
• Seated from Bhujapidasana to Setu Bandhasana, 8 cal/min, Mysore; 7cal/min, Led.
• Backbending, 8 cal/min, Mysore; 7cal/min, Led.
• Closing, 3 cal/min, Mysore; 4cal/min Led.
• Savasana, 2 cal/min both.
• Maximum heart rate was achieved in the seated postures.

There have been studies on other asana methods but nothing, I believe, has been done on ashtanga. While the classic texts state that the purpose of asanas is to prepare the body for the deeper practices of yoga, it maybe interesting to know how the heart rate behaves in an ashtanga practice. The calorie counting might be able to support its claims of "purifying" the body (fats being a form of tamasic energy). As I've learned from Tiwariji, we should use modern science to prove that yoga really works.

My thoughts are still disorganized but hopefully will be able to collect my ideas in the next few days and come up with a better entry.

For the mean time, you can read this post from Ashtanga News.

Cheers.

Vegetarian Rice Roll (Sushi)

Had garlic tofu for lunch and thought I'd prepare the same for dinner but wrap it with the nori sheet that I brought from Manila and the result was great.

Had been having garlic and onion again lately so the mind is a bit busy during pranayama in the morning. Many thoughts... mostly positive ones... thoughts of all the possible things that I can do after my travel to India. Research... phd... yoga... go back to UP... start a studio in QC... migrate... even staying but nah... there's a tempting offer but I'm done here.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup tofu, cut into small cubes
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 egg
3 cloves garlic, minced
oil for frying tofu
2 cups cooked rice
2 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
2-3 tbsp water
5 nori sheets
salt and pepper to taste

Heat enough oil to fry the tofu. When the tofu is crispy, pour out excess oil until about 1-2 tbsp is left in the pan. Add the minced garlic and stir fry with the tofu. Add the cabbage, stir fry for about a minute. Add the water and continue stir frying for 30 seconds. Add the oyster sauce. Mix well. Push the vegetables and tofu on one side and cook the egg until almost done, scramble the egg and mix with the vegetables. Remove from heat and add the cook rice and soy sauce. Mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Use this as a filling for the nori. You can follow the instructions on how to make sushi from the nori wrapper.

You can also dip the rice roll in sweet chili sauce. Not the traditional Japanese way of eating sushi but it was also good. Joji said I'm not actually practicing moderate eating with all food that I'm eating. The key is the quantity. Who said being vegetarian is boring? You just have to be creative in the food that you eat and listen to your body. The body has its own way of telling us what it needs... we simply have to learn how to listen carefully.

Coffee in Vienna

Ok... This was last weekend pretending I was in Europe enjoying a french pressed coffee in one of those nice outdoor cafe. I was thinking of Vienna not only because the place is synonymous to coffee but also Nicola, another good friend I met at YT, lives there. And while I was enjoying my coffee and kitkat, Maria and Jane went online. So it was like having coffee with them in Vienna. Lovely.

Vegetarian Chilli Recipe

INGREDIENTS
1 can red beans (yeah... I'm lazy, hehehe...)
1 big tomato, pureed
1/2 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1 vegetable cube (I used the one Maria sent me... it's organic and low in fat. Thanks M!)
pinch of salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tbsp olive oil

INSTRUCTION:
Saute garlic and onion in olive oil. Dump everything in and let it stew for 5-10 minutes. Serve with your favorite bread. I had the German bread from Euromarche. I take a 15 minute walk just to get that bread. It's lovely and really filling.

Although I said dump everything in, it's actually helpful to add the spices one at a time with love, as they say... and adjust the quantity according to one's taste. Based on my experience, when you follow a recipe very strictly, sometimes, the outcome might be suitable to one's taste, but when you add the ingredients and spices slowly, the result is usually a dish made in heaven. ;-)

Cheers.

Vegetarian Chilli

What a coincidence! I made vegetarian chilli last night and this morning I saw this recipe from Dr. Weil's e-newsletter. I'll post my recipe later. Click here to view Dr. Weil's vegetarian chilli recipe.

Buddha's Delight

Another recipe from Maria.

Buddha's Delight
Dairy-Free, Soy Food, Vegan

Our simplified version of this classic Chinese vegetarian dish relies on readily available ingredients. Prepare all vegetables and measureall ingredients before you start cooking, as the stir-frying happens in a flash. This dish is often included at Chinese New Year's feasts;the mixed vegetables are thought to ensure family harmony for the coming year.
Serve over white or brown rice.
Serves 3 to 4

• 3 tablespoons tamari
• 1 tablespoon toasted dark sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 (14-ounce) package soft tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 4 cups small broccoli florets
• 1 cup diagonally sliced carrots, about 1/4 inch thick
• 1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts
• 1 cup fresh or frozen and thawed cut green beans
• 1 cup sliced green onions
• 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger root
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Combine tamari, sesame oil, mirin, rice vinegar, tofu and red pepperflakes, tossing gently to coat.
Cover and marinate for 1 to 2 hours.
Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving the marinade.
Heat the canola oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add tofu and stir-fry for 5 minutes, until lightly browned on allsides.
Remove tofu and set aside.
Add broccoli, carrots and waterchestnuts and stir-fry for 5 minutes or until just crisp-tender.
Addgreen beans and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Add green onions, ginger, andgarlic and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes more, until aromatic.
Return tofu to wok.
Combine vegetable broth with arrowroot powder and reserved marinade,stirring well to completely dissolve the arrowroot.
Add this to thewok and stir until sauce thickens.
Season to taste with black pepperand garnish with cilantro.

Nutrition InfoPer serving (About 14oz/393g-wt.): 300 calories (120 from fat), 14gtotal fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 12g protein, 34g total carbohydrate (7gdietary fiber, 10g sugar), 0mg cholesterol, 750mg sodium

Barbequed Tempeh & Vegetable Stir Fry

A lovely weekend calls for a lovely meal. Woke up late, I think about 8:45am. Practiced until about 11:30 and got inspired to make a lovely stir fry. Ate 2 full bowls. ;-)

Ingredients for Vegetable Stir Fry
1 cup carrots sliced thinly
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup cabbage sliced thinly
1 cup red cabbage sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic sliced thinly
1/2 onion thinly sliced
about 1 tsp thinly sliced ginger
1/2 cup raw cashew nuts
1/2 tsp roasted white sesame seeds
1/2 tsp black sesame seeds
dash of Japanese chili-sesame powder
2 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
oil

Ingredients for Barbequed Tempeh
about 250g tempeh, fried until a bit crunchy.
1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
1-2 tbsp Chinese char siu sauce

Serve over steamed rice.

Running Away

Dreaming that you are running away from someone indicates an issue that you are trying to avoid. You are not taking or accepting responsibility for your actions. In particular, if you are running from an attacker or any danger, then it suggests that you are not facing and confronting your fears. Dreaming that you are trying to run but cannot make your feet move as fast as you want them to means lack of self-esteem and self-confidence. It may also reflect your actual state of REM paralysis while in the dream state. Dreaming that you are running alone means that you will advance to a higher position and surpass your friends in the race for wealth. Alternatively, you may be running from some situation or from temptation. Dreaming that you are running with others means festive and prosperous times.

Source: http://www.hyperdictionary.com/dream/running

Sufferings

Photo credit

We make our own sufferings in life.

No one is responsible for the pain that one is experiencing except himself.

Like death itself, life is a lonely journey afterall.

Confidence

Real confidence comes from knowing and accepting yourself -- your strengths and your limitations -- in contrast to depending on affirmation from others." - Judith M. Bardwick, 1988

Enigamata Treehouse Ecolodge in Camiguin

Googling for inexpensive places to stay in Camiguin Island, I was led to this website. It's looks cool and artsy... and guess what? It's vegetarian-friendly.

Why Camiguin? It's a place which reminds me of childhood and my paternal grandmother. The last time I was there was almost 2 decades ago. I think it's time to revisit the place, appreciate it as an adult and pay homage to my grandmother's birthplace. All I really cared about 20 years ago were the beach and the meat. Yep, I was a mean meat-eater in my past life. I never liked vegetables and was really a brat towards my grandmother if she won't serve me chicken and pork adobo... which reminds me... was really lovely. I can actually cook her adobo but uses tofu now. It doesn't taste the same of course but who cares?

Visit their website here.

Ashtanga Yoga Tradition and Etiquette

This is the 2nd half of Stacy McCarthy's article in the IDEA Fit Tips: News and Inspiration for Fitness Professionals. Read on.

Whether you are teaching some of the postures of the series in a Power Yoga or a Vinyasa Flow class, you can keep your class as close to the traditional, time-tested foundational principles as possible using these tips.

1. 
   If you are comfortable with it, begin class with the Ashtanga Vinyasa Invocation. Start in Samasthiti, standing with feet together and arms by your side. The spine is long and the bandhas (see point 6) engaged. This is different from Tadasana (Mountain Pose) used in other styles of Hatha Yoga. You can download the chant at www.yoganamastacy.com.
2. Use the Sun Salutations Suryanamaskara as the foundation for warming up and keeping the rhythm and flow to the practice. Depending on the time you have available, do either 3 or 5 Sun Salutations A and B.
3. Vinyasa is the synchronization of breath to movement. Keep the postures moving in a continuous flow typically holding each one for five full breaths.
4. Drishti is the specific focus or gaze assigned to each posture. Focus the mind and body surrendering to the flow of the movement.
5. Use Ujjayi Breath, an audible, deep, hissing breath throughout the practice. It produces intense internal heat and a profuse sweat that purifies and detoxifies muscles and organs.
6. Ashtanga Vinyasa is founded on the subtle locks or bandhas. Mula bandha root lock is a lift from the pelvic floor. Maintain it throughout the practice, creating a lightness and working from the inside out. Uddiyana bandha is the contraction of the anus to the diaphragm. Jalandhara bandha is a chin lock with the spine held tall and the chin locked to the crook of the neck.
7. Use props minimally. Traditionally, the Ashtanga system encourages adjusting the posture by finding avenues of support within the body rather than through the use of any external apparatus.
8. Mysore or self practice is the traditional way Ashtanga is taught in Mysore, India. Students move through the practice at their own pace and level in silence to the rhythm of their own breath. The teacher assists you in the form of hands-on adjustments and postures are given one by one in a sequential order. Beginners and advanced students practice side by side in a non-competitive atmosphere. A few health clubs have slowly integrated this form of teaching, but it should be taught by a Master Ashtanga Teacher who has an in-depth knowledge and personal experience of the different series.
9. The finishing postures are the same regardless of what series you are practicing. They are restorative postures designed for cooling down, balancing out the body and integrating the effects of the practice.
10. The real teacher is the practice itself. Develop a consistent personal yoga practice outside of your teaching time. As Phattibi Jois, the founder of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga says, "Do your practice; all is coming."

Read the full article here.

Me and My Baby

Yeah, I wish... hahahaha

Quotes from Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment, by Deepak Chopra

Got this book as a Christmas gift from Andrew. Finished reading it a couple of days ago and I'm posting some of the lines that I liked.

"whatever can run can also stand still" - p170

"How can freedom be taught except by someone who is free?" - p170

"Imitating the guru was the main path for a disciple... Yet the greatest teachers... taught in complete silence." - p171

"This is how things will be. If you want praise and smiles, go to someone else. I'm not here to flatter you" - p172

"There is one thing Mara (the Devil) can never let you find out: the truth about who you really are." - p178

"And always there was the pall of age and sickness, the endless worry over money, the unceasing doubts about the future." - p183

"Own nothing. Give everything." - p184

"Learn to use your memories... Don't let them use you." - p185

"Merely avoiding violence shows virtue, but it shows much more virtue to help end the fight and bring the combatants to a state of peace." - p187

"What the mind has created, only the mind can undo." - p187

"Every person has two selves, a lower self that is born of flesh and tied to the illusions of the material world, and a higher self that is eternal and unborn, with no attachments at all. The lower self craves pleasure, the higher self knows only bliss. The lower self cringes from pain, the higher self has never felt pain." - p188

"Never mind that ordinary people are wasting their lives in foolish dreams of finding happiness. To the ignorant, pleasure and pain appear to be different, but wisdom tells us they are the right and left hands of the lower self." - p188

"Your soul is just as invisible as God, but it belongs to you. It's your divine spark, hidden and disguised by restless desires. Your atman is always watching you, but you do not notice it. You notice your next meal, your next argument, your next fear. It is always drawing you closer to the divine, but you do not heed it. You heed a thousand desires instead. Be still and know your soul. Seek it, and when you meet your soul, seize it for yourself, because it's woth far more than gold." - p191

"Dharma is worthless unless it teaches one how to be free." - p194

"When all else fails, whatever is left must be right." - p194

"Be wise. Believe in nothing." - p206

"Unhappiness is born of expectations that don't come true... Even to expect nothing can be a trap." - p206

"Face the wall like a statue and give them nothing." - p209

"Two journeys had to be made without companions: the journey to your death and the one to enlightenment." - p209

"I've known fear... And fear is death's chief weapon. Let me experience the worst torment, and then fear will lose its hold over me." - p210

"You are not the separate self. You have a name that you answer to, but you have also answered to ten thousand other names. Which one is the real you? None of them." - p241

"You set your sights on a goal that you cherish." - p241

"A saffron robe doesn't make you free of desire, and desire is what has kept you a prisoner." - p241

"What if there is no holy life?... even holiness has become food for your ego to feed on. You want to be different. You want to be safe. You want to have hope." - p242

"...you can be whole, but only if you see yourself that way. There is no holy life. There is no war between good and evil. There is no sin and no redemption. None of these things matter to the real you. But they all matter hugely to the false you, the one who believes in the separate self. You have tried to take your separate self, with all its loneliness and anxiety and pride, to the door of enlightenment. But it will never go through, becuase it is a ghost." - p243

"Every particle of soil, every plant and animal, is constantly changing. You cannot be enlightened as the separate person you see yourself to be because that person has already disappeared, along with everything else from yesterday" - p243.

"All of you are Buddha." - p244

"When you dig a well, there is no sign of water until you reach it, only rocks and dirt to move out of the way. You have removed enough; soon the pure water will flow." - p245

"Some people can be reached by speaking to their conscience. Those are the ones who already know that they want to find an end to suffering. Through conscience, guilt and shame, they will recognize their wrong when it is told to them." - p254

"Sometimes you must show yourself as you really are. People who are lost in the struggle of existence have become prisoners of illusion. Just remember one thing: you are made of light, and when it is fitting, you may have to prove it." - p255

"...a warrior; his nature is conflict." - p257

"Love sometimes weeps; don't be ashamed of it. With some people, an appeal to love prevails." - p257

"(Have faith)...when nothing seems to work... Don't preach faith the way it's usually preached, to keep people quiet and forbid them to think on their own. That kind of faith is blind, and being blind, it is useless. Call on faith only when the mind has given up." - p258

"Winning and losing are the same thing. Both are nothing." - p258

"Every single life is woven into the web of karma, which has no beginning or end. Until you accept that every life is woven into every other, you will never know who you really are." - p261

"The fire of passion burns out eventually. Then you dig through the ashes and discover a gem. You pick it up; you look at it with disbelief. The gem was inside you all the time. It is yours to keep forever. It is Buddha." - p264

"Buddha shunned ceremony. He wanted each individual to look inside and find liberation through a personal journey that began in the physical world and ended in Nirvana, a state of pure, eternal consciousness. Nirvana is present in everyone... but Nirvana is like pure water lying deep beneath the earth. Reaching it requires concentration, devotion, and diligent work." - p267

Dr. Weil's Hummus Recipe

Was checking my mails and found Dr. Weil's version of Hummus. The ingredients are basically the same as the one I used last weekend except for the ground cumin. His has about 1/2 teaspoon of this spice in it. He used less tahini as well.

Click here to view Dr. Weil's Hummus recipe including its nutritional content.

Stir Fry Overload

Stir fries I've made since coming back from the Philippines.

Korean-inspired Stir Fry
(tofu, bean sprouts, red bell pepper, nori strips, chilli garlic sauce)

Mongolian Stir Fry
(tofu, bean sprouts, red bell pepper, hoisin sauce, chili garlic sauce, roasted sesame seeds, sesame oil)

Fried Tempeh with Hoisin Sauce & Kangkong with Cashew Nuts (Sweet Soy Sauce)

Fried Tempeh Cubes & Chinese White Cabbage (Pechay) with Vegetarian Oyster Sauce and Chili Garlic Sauce

A Glimpse of What I See Everyday

The King Abdullah Road

... same road...

Mar and his car

A picture of PSU from the student car park

A view of the soccer field from the student carpark

The future campus will extend up to those trees you see from afar.

Vegetable Biryani

I got this idea from Vaseem, the assistant director of the computer and information center at PSU. We were on the same Emirates flight from Riyadh to Dubai last October and while we were waiting for our departure, we talked about Indian food. I asked him on how to prepare vegetable biryani and he said the proper way to cook it is like cooking kitcherie... you cook the rice and the vegetables together... though the lazy man's version is to cook the rice and vegetable curry separately and just mix them together after... and guess what? That's what I did!

For the Vegetable curry:

• 1 medium potato, cut into cubes
  
• 1 carrots, cut into cubes
  
• 1 cup cauliflower
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper (the other half I used for my kitcherie the other day)
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1.5 tsp Shan Vegetable curry mix
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 1 clove crushed garlic (omit this if you want something sattvic)
• 1/2 onion, sliced (again, omit this if you want)
  
• ghee
• 1 cup water
  
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a small saucepan, add the garlic and onion. Fry for about one minute over low heat... add everything in... mix well and let it boil for a while before reducing the heat. Cover and wait until the vegetables are cooked. I nuked all the vegetables from 30-60 seconds. Potatoes, cauliflower and carrots for 1 minute each and the bell pepper for 30 seconds only. Makes life easier, hahaha. Once ready, turn off heat and add about 3 cups of steamed white rice... use basmati or brown if you like... mix well and your vegetable biryani is ready to serve.

Came across a vegan blog (Pamela Cooks) as well as I was searching for an image of Shan Vegetable Curry mix. She got some wonderful vegan recipes and photos as well. Check it out.

Hummus Bi Tahini

Successfully made my first hummus. Used bottled chickpeas though as a single man cannot be bothered by cooking soaking chickpeas overnight and cooking it for 2 hours... using a pressure cooker could lessen the time but why bother? hehehe... this is a lazy ashtangi's guide to the practice of moderate eating.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup chickpeas (again I used the bottled ready to eat one)
• about 1 cup tahini (the original recipe asked 1/3 cup but transferring the tahini from its original container to the measuring cup to the blender can waste some of those precious sesame paste... so better pour it directly into the blender and just adjust the consistency and taste)
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1-2 tbsp water to thin the paste or as desired

For serving:
chopped parsley, extra virgin olive oil, paprika or cayenne pepper

Makes about 2-3 cups. The original recipe said cooking time is 3 hours... that's because you have to boil the peas and do the whole she-bang... but mine was ready in less than 10 minutes. I had arabic bread so I was already eating the bread with hummus while I was preparing the vegetable biryani... yum, yum, yum.

INSTRUCTIONS
The original recipe had 6 steps... wash chickpeas... boil... press and sieve.. crush garlic.. etc... etc... mine? Only one step.. hahaha... dump everything into the blender... puree into desired consistency and voila... your hummus is ready. Place it in a saucer... top it with some whole chickpeas, sprinkle some paprika or cayenne pepper and add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy.

Weekend Happy Meal

No I'm not talking about Mc Donald's happy meal with free Bee toys. I'm talking about my weekend happy meals... Chinese pechay and tempeh spicy stir fry with steamed rice for lunch yesterday after morning practice... then prepared my first home-made homus... ate a lot that I was already full before dinner... cucumber and tomato salad with lemon juice, salt and pepper... and vegetable biryani for dinner.

Internet was down yesterday so I couldn't post the photos... and I just had lunch so will post the photos and recipe later.

Lunch today is just the same as dinner because I still had some leftover biryani, homus and salad. Just fried some papads to add something different to the palate. That's brunch for today. Thoughts of making some dhal during practice were lingering in the mind but was too hungry after practice that all I could do was nuke the biryani and fry the papad... will probably have the dhal for dinner later... and some curried squash.

Practice was good except that it's too cold already to even break a sweat... got fascinated with the Microsoft lifecam program and took video clips while doing the asanas... talk about feeding the ego... but on the other hand... I could send it to Mam Ces as she had been asking for a video of the series. She's not as hardcore yet to even think of buying any of those ashtanga primary series dvds... so an amateur video taken in an OFW's prison cell-like room in the middle of the desert should suffice for now.

Hmnnn... should I have coffee now? I haven't had one for today so maybe I should... besides... the Davao's Best coffee is really good but doesn't feel like it has that much caffeine in it. It's light and doesn't even have that "perk up" feeling after. Don't know... maybe my tolerance level has gone up again... but maybe not because the instant (yeah, crap) coffee that I have at the office still have that usual kick on me... oh well.

Do you want one? I mean a cup of freshly brewed Davao's Best coffee.. not the junk one... ;-) The only problem I have with the Davao's Best coffee is that it's too fine for the french press. Some sediments settle in the bottom of the cup after a while. Though I've read somewhere that it can add to your daily fiber intake.

Got to have that coffee now... then finish the laundry.... take a nap... and wait for Ms. J's sms if we have personal training session tonight at 7pm or not.

Ciao.

Bodywork

One of the things that I'd want to do in the future is to study massage... just spend an hour surfing the net for massage schools in the Philippines and these are what I've found so far:

http://www.handspringmassage.com/
http://bodyoptions.googlepages.com/
http://watpomassage-phil.com.ph/
http://www.dorn-method.com/index_files/DornMethodPhilippines.htm

Here's a link to "How to become a Licensed Massage Therapist in the Philippines".
http://www.ehow.com/how_2118585_be-licensed-massage-therapist-philippines.html

2008 Travel Plans

Got excited after learning about Tiger Airways' new route to Bangalore. Thought I'd never be able to save some from the airfare but with Tiger Air's good news, half of the air ticket budget would be saved.

Here's my travel plans for the 2nd half of this year including the expected airfare expenses:

June 21
Flying from Riyadh to Manila. PSU will pay for this one-way ticket since this will be my final exit. I'm not planning to renew my contract after this academic year... the 3 months summer holiday this year because of the movement of the Ramadan month but nah... I'm done here.

June 28-July 2
Will be seeing Paul in Manila. Still need to contact Yoga Manila to ask if I can attend the Mysore classes because it's a teacher training schedule. Paul said I can see him but got to ask the host studio regarding classes.

July 3-6
Tempted to attend the Asia Yoga Conference in Hong Kong. But will need to pass. Don't have enough dosh to spend on unnecessary things. As Paul said, "do only what's necessary". Will probably stay in Manila or fly down south to Davao anytime and stay there until the 16th. One-way ticket from Manila to Davao costs PHP 2,394.56 (59USD), tax included, via Cebu Pacific.

July 17
Flying from Davao to Singapore via Cebu Pacific. Bought the ticket last November when they had the PHP999 promo. Total ticket cost is PHP 2518.00 (62USD) one-way. Cost of the ticket if bought today is PHP 3,459.00 (85USD). Planning to explore Singapore for 3 nights/2 days and probably stay at one of these cheap hotels. Might attend Mysore classes with any of these two authorized teachers as well: Stanley A'Lim or James Figueira. July 20 Flying from Singapore to Bangalore via Tiger Airways. Return tickets cost PHP 10,579.83 (260USD).

July 21-October 22
Studying at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore, India.

Oct 24
Return flight to Singapore.

Oct 25
Singapore to Phuket via Tiger Air. One-way ticket costs PHP 3193.35 (78.40USD).

Oct 25-Nov 1
Visit Julie. Still waiting for her confirmation though if I can visit her at this time.

Nov 2-5
Fly to Bangkok via One-Two-Go Airlines and explore Bangkok for 3N/3D. Might stay at Suk11 as suggested by Maria or with Ate Kris. One-way ticket costs Php2539.611 (62.30USD).

Nov 5
Fly back to Manila via Cebu Pacific. Ticket costs Php 3998.10 (98.15USD).

Nov 5-onwards
Be a wandering yogi... wherever the wind blows.. the yogi shall follow.

Total expected expenses for air tickets (MNL-DVO-SIN-BLR-SIN-HKT-BKK-MNL): 619.85USD. Cheap, aye?

Wish me luck.

Kitcherie Saved the Day

It's the new moon and even though I usually follow the Ashtanga tradition of resting on moon days, I did practice this afternoon because I only do asanas 4x a week now. And only a week after coming back and just as I was readjusting to my daily routine, someone called me up over the mobile phone hiring me as her personal trainer. I said yes of course since I want to save up as much as I can before I become a wandering yogi starting July.

So after the depressing morning at work... had a great afternoon practice... and kitcherie for early dinner with papad on the side. Prepared it before doing the asana practice. It was delicious, filling and nutritious. There was also an uplifting feeling after the meal... probably because it was made with fresh ingredients and prana-filled... so now, I'm alive... and just killing some time before I go to the personal training session with Ms. J.

Moon days... it can really put you off balance.

(edited this for the 3rd time... posting an entry without proof-reading it can be a disaster)

Nothing...

Nothing exciting is happening... what can one expect in Saudi Arabia specially in Riyadh? If this was Jeddah maybe it would be exciting to dive and see the beauty of underwater nature. But it isn't and one can be as lazy as a poisonous snake hibernating under the cold desert stones.

Of course there are many interesting things in Riyadh, one just needs to adjust their eyes' lenses and be more appreciative of very simple things... beautiful palm trees being transplanted along the roads... winter flowers blooming in the round-about gardens... the misty winter afternoon weather... and the different colors that the Kingdom Tower displays at night time.

So what's happening lately? Nothing... there's no motivation to prepare a nice meal... no motivation to hit the gym... no motivation to move at all... maybe it's the cold winter mood... or the depression that hasn't gone away... this self does not know... maybe it's tired of knowing... maybe there's nothing to know... maybe it simply needs to breathe... maybe it simply needs to live... and be alive.

What am I saying? Nothing.

Pinoys Everywhere

They say we're like the Chinese... we're everywhere...

Here's a photo that Maria sent me today... a Pinoy Sari Sari Store van in Ireland... just wondering if they're selling bagoong (a kind of shrimp or fish paste) and patis (salty fish sauce)... hahaha...

Vegetable Moussaka

It was good to see Maria online again. She sent me this vegetable moussaka recipe and I think it's lovely. My cousin Auggie said that Cyma's moussaka was good but we didn't order it when we had dinner there last December. Maybe we'll try it in July.

=================
This is a simple vegetarian moussaka recipe, packed with lovely
roasted veg. The cheese and yogurt sauce is lighter than the usual
moussaka topping but, with both feta and Parmesan or peccorino, just
as tasty. This is a hearty and healthy meal. Really suited to colder
climates like in Ireland!!
enjoy
M.

Vegetarian Moussaka

Serves 6
Takes 20 minutes to make and 45-55 minutes in the oven

Nutritional Information
Per serving:
385kcals
22.6g fat (9.5g saturated)
18.4g protein
28.7g carbs
13.2g sugar
2g salt

Ingredients
500g potatoes, cut into chunky slices
1 aubergine, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 red peppers, deseeded and chopped
2 tbsp fresh thyme or marjoram leaves, plus extra leaves to garnish
4 tbsp olive oil
300g cherry tomatoes
250g passata or sieved tomatoes (buy a 500g carton: freeze the rest)
250g feta, sliced
300ml natural yogurt
3 eggs
25g vegetarian Parmesan or peccorino (also a sheep cheese, so fits
well with the feta), grated

1. Preheat the oven to 230C/fan210C/ gas 8. Par-boil the potatoes for 5 minutes, then drain and divide between 2 roasting tins with the aubergine, onion, garlic and peppers. Sprinkle with the herbs, drizzle with the olive oil and roast for 20 minutes, turning halfway. Add the
2. tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, until tender and scorched at the edges. Reduce the oven to 200C/fan180C/gas 6.
3. Put half the vegetables into 6 x 350ml ovenproof dishes or a 2-litre ovenproof dish. Spoon over half the passata and the feta. Top with the remaining vegetables and passata.
4. Mix the yogurt, eggs and Parmesan in a jug, then pour over the veg. Bake individual dishes for 20 minutes or the large dish for 30 minutes. Check the yogurt mix is firm before serving, garnished with thyme leaves.

Philippine Fruits

This was one of the many roadside fruit stands that you can see when you pass by Tupi, South Cotabato, on the General Santos Highway (Gensan-Koronadal City highway). Freshly-picked and really cheap. I paid 95 pesos (about 2USD) for 2 bundles of bananas, 3 whole pineapples, and 4 pieces of sweet papaya.


Bananas... I think there were 3 varieties on sale here... lakatan, latundan, and the really sweet senoritas... some ponkans (mandarin?), pomelo (though Davao pomelos are still the best), sweet papaya, chicos (not sure of its English name), jackfruits and pineapples. The apples are probably imported from China.

Certification Course in Pranayama

Checked out the Kaivalyadham Yoga Institute website and saw this new certication course. Would want to go but might be short on cash already as I'm planning to stay in Mysore for 3 months starting August. I'll be an official yoga bum starting July and saved only enough money to last for 6 months without a steady income.

The details of the course are as follow:

16th November 2008 to 14th December 2008

At Kaivalyadhama Lonavla under the guidance of Shri O.P. Tiwari

In this period of four weeks the students will be taken through intense practice of Pranayama with emphasis on the Kriya and Bandha. There would be lectures on Psychology , Physiology of Pranayama and details of the discussion carried out in the field.

Fees Rs.50,000/- (Fifty Thousand Rupees) (Approx 1000 euro)

Participants limited to 35

Accommodation will be single room with attached bath. First twenty people to registered will be provided accommodation inside the campus.

Photos taken during the Short Vacation in the Philippines - 2

My room at Myra's Pension House in Cebu.

Where we rented the tanks for my discovery dive... liberating.

Iligan yogins in savasana after the morning class.

Espasol and palitaw... just 2 of the many traditional Filipino snacks

A lady selling boiled whole corn on the road

Photos taken during the Short Vacation in the Philippines

Probably the only thing that makes the King Khaled International Airport more interesting.

The face behind the blog... waiting to board the plane.

The entertainment system of Cathay Pacific wasn't as good as those of Etihad and Emirates Airways but the service was superb.

A featured artwork in the Hong Kong International Airport on how the spoon evolved.

Pearl's herbed tofu (really tasty)

Weekend yoga retreat in Tanay

Cyma Restaurant in Trinoma where I had dinner with cousins last Dec 16.

The Starbucks in Trinoma (ground floor)

Finale of the Christmas/Centennial Show by UP Alumni/Comedians

The Marcelo B. Fernan Bridge

The Persian Palate menu (Ayala Mall, Cebu City) where Fritz and I had lunch. Food wasn't that great... a bit bland for my taste. They serve the usual meat dishes using meat substitutes like gluten and tvp.

More in the next entry. Got to take a nap now and rest before the asana practice.

Cheers.

Eating Better in 2008

It feels like an ordinary day here in the desert but what can be better than starting this year's blog with a summary of the WebMD's article on "Eating Better in 2008"? The new dietary recommendation slogan on fruits and vegetables has been updated from "5 a day" to "More Matters". It has been recommended that adults need anywhere from 7-13 servings of produce daily to get all the health benefits of fruits and vegetables.
Here are some ways to achieve this:

• Buy fresh produce that are in season for peak flavor and good value. Although article mentioned that "flash-frozen" or canned fruits or vegetables without salt or heavy syrup can be as good, yogis should prefer the fresh ones because prana-wise, it is superior to the frozen or canned varieties.
• Always keep a stash of frozen vegetables on hand, to toss into soups, salads, stews, and egg dishes or to microwave for an easy side dish. I haven't been a fan of frozen vegetables because they don't really taste good... at least in my experience.
• Splurge on pre-washed, pre-cut fruits and veggies. The article said they are more expensive... true... but they are convenient and can encourage you to eat more. They're not readily available from where I buy my veggies so it doesn't matter for me. Although in Manila, they're readily available in most supermarket so there's no excuse for not following this tip. ;-)
• Experiment with new types of veggies and fruits. The dragon fruit is one new produce that I've learned to love. It goes well with fleshy fruits like papaya and probably with mangoes as well. Bangkok Airways served this on my flight from Bangkok to Koh Samui last July and it was just lovely.
• Vary the texture. Instead of tearing the lettuce leaves in your salad and making tomato and cucumber slices for your salad, why not slicing the leaves thinly and dicing the tomatoe and cucumber, add some refried beans, top it with cheddar cheese and dashes of tabasco sauce for that Mexican salad effect? You can also use grated carrots instead of sticks for your regular salad.
• Choose sweet potatoes over white potatoes for more potassium and beta carotene. Kamote over potatoes? Hmnnn...
• Go easy on sauces. Use fresh or dried herbs, lemon juice or balsamic vinegar instead of your regular creamy sauces. I haven't really been watching my fat intake. Not that I gorge on mayonnaise and drink olive oil or something but my diet is already very simple so I allow myself to indulge in some creamy sauces once in a while.
• Have a vegetarian meal at least once a week. It can be as simple as soup and salad, or a stir-fry meal. This is obviously for my meat-eating friends out there.
• Eat a salad full of fruits and/or veggies each night with dinner. Just go easy on the dressing and high-fat toppings. For me, dinner is as simple as soup or just milk if I had a very heavy lunch.
• Grill fruits and vegetables to make them sweeter and more delicious. Fruits I haven't tried grilling yet but vegetables yes. Really lovely either alone or made into a sandwich.
• Chop, dice, or shred vegetables into muffins, stews, lasagna, meatloaf, and casseroles.
• Use pureed vegetables to thicken soups, stews, gravies, and casseroles. Easiest to use is probably potatoes.
• Decorate plates with edible garnishes, like cucumber twists, red pepper strips, or cantaloupe slices.
• Keep a bowl of fruit on the counter and some cut-up vegetables in the refrigerator for healthy snacks. I like dried ones better for snacks.
• Remember that while 100% fruit juice is a good choice, whole or cut-up fruit has the added benefit of fiber.
• At breakfast, add fruit to yoghurt, pancakes, waffles, or cereal. Say hello to bananas - easy, quick and simple.
• Whip up a smoothie made with fruit and low-fat or nonfat yoghurt for a quick, nourishing snack or meal.
• Freeze grapes and bananas for a refreshing and cool threat. Probably not at this time of the year. It's winter in Saudi.

So that's it. The article also mentioned all the health benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables. Hope everyone makes "adopting a plant-based diet" a part of their 2008 new year's plan.

Cheers!!!

You can read the full article here.