liz thomas yoga

You are the Sky, a practice to reveal the peace that already resides within you.

| Liz Thomas

Practice being the sky. Look up, breath in. 

Using the process of sense withdrawal, known as pratyahara, one of the limbs in the 8 limbs Yoga. 

Use this script to help develop a witness consciousness, an empowering practice to help us understand our true nature.

Be comfortable and breath slowly particularly on exhalation. an extended exhalation creates the relaxation response in the body. Notice all your senses as they take in the information, furthest sounds, the temperature, the textures of your clothes, scent in the room, close your eyes softly and withdraw from them and notice sensation in the body. Bring attention to any tingling, pain, comfort and any other sensation in the body. Move your attention away from this sensation to watch the breath move in and out of the body, in through the nose and out through the nose, relaxed one, natural, move away from attention from the breath knowing if discomfort or distraction does arise you can slow the breath by focus on a long exhalation. Notice your thought, watch it pass like clouds across the vast expanse of sky, allow thought without getting caught up, be kind to yourself should you find yourself attached, perhaps use a breath to let the thought pass. Rest now in silence and pure consciousness for 10-30mins.

Namaste

Liz

  

Fennel and Apple Salad

| Liz Thomas

A refreshing salad treat, ideal with fish.
This is the easiest recipe without doubt. If you have a mandolin it takes about a minute to prepare. I don’t really recommend making this more than a couple of hours ahead because both the fennel and apple will brown after a day even with the lemon juice on it.

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Ingredients
Fennel with its tops
Sweet apple like a pink lady
lemon juice
option parmesan cheese
Method
Finely slice fennel bulb and apple
dress with lemon juice and sprinkle the finer fronds from the fennel tops over the top
Option grate parmesan cheese with a potato peeler and sprinkle on top
eat

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Middle eastern Rice & Lentils- with optional lamb or goat

| Liz Thomas

The spices in this dish are the heroes. Dont skimp and try to freshly grind them if you can.
Great for using up leftover roast meat or utilising mince. This feeds alot of people, double the ingredients and easily feed a party.

From a yoga perspective it has more vegetable content than meat so it is quite balanced. However it will be really yummy without the meat!

IMG_0845.JPGIngredients

300g       lamb/goat mince or chopped left-over roast
1-2cups  white (I use basmati for its higher GI) rice
400g       cooked lentils, canned or simmer dry brown or french lentils with garlic, half an onion and cinnamon stick for 10-15 mins till tender

3                red or brown onions caramelised: slice and fry in olive oil or butter and 1-2 tablespoons of butter for 1/2 hour on medium, add 1 teaspoon of brown sugar/honey and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and fry for 10 mins till reduced.
1                clove garlic
1/4 cup   chopped, roasted almonds and/or cashews
1-2 cups  stock
1 teaspoon each cinnamon, allspice, and cumin
S & P

Method

1. If using mince fry in olive oil till brown and finely broken up
2. Add garlic and spices fry for 1-2 mins
3. Stir in rice and fry for 2 mins
4. Add stock, cook covered on low heat for 10-15 mins and rice is tender.
5. Add onions, lentils, nuts, S & P. Stir well.
6. Garnish with parsley and/or coriander.

Namaste Liz

Mushroom, Potato and Leek soup……… starring Chervil

| Liz Thomas

Simple yet special with Chervil

I love my Farmers Market in Moruya (voted no#1 in Australia!) and this week there was a lovely new stall holder with homebaked goodies and home grown herbage. I just think its fabulous that our farmers market allows the home gardener to bring in their excess produce to share with the community.

Chervil, is not commonly available in regular retail outlets and I haven’t grown it. It has a beautiful, delicate anise flavour with fern-like foliage that is very pretty. Apparently it had traditional medicinal properties for memory and wellbeing. The origins of its name come from Greek and means to enjoy! This recipe certainly fits the bill.

I like to try something new from the market, this week its Chervil is my challenge ingredient. I am no “Iron Chef” however when our beautiful spring weather turned a little blustery I was keen to put on the fire, probably for the last time for the year and get a soup happening.

EAT MORE VEG! is my mantra of the moment so here we have a simple lovely warmer for a cool day in Spring or Autumn/Fall if you are in the northern hemisphere 🙂

The result is a bit special so go ahead and grow your own or find a friend with some, of course it would be great with parsley too.

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Mushroom Potato and Leek Soup

INGREDIENTS
500g peeled potato
6 roughly chopped mushrooms
3 medium leek whites, finely sliced
1 small garlic clove roughly chopped
1 litre stock, I think mine was chicken, who knows in my freezer! powdered is fine.
butter or olive oil
nutmeg
chervil roughly chopped

METHOD

1. Sweat leeks in frying medium on low, add mushies and garlic and cook for a further 5mins.
2. Add potato and stock, simmer for 15mins.
3. Grate half a whole nutmeg or half a tsp of ground nutmeg, season with S & P.
4. Wizz in the blender and serve for a healthy version or add cream for an indulgent one.
5. Serve with abundant chervil and perhaps some homemade bread.
6. ENJOY!

Namaste Liz