What a Game One last night! Boston is strong! Told you! I’ve been so bummed out about my twisted ankle, that the game last night was exactly what I needed to take my attention off of it. I can’t for the life of me think of what I did, and this has happened a few times before, but this time, the pain is lingering for a bit longer than usual. 

I just LOVE injuries, don’t you? Yeah, right. Don’t get me started on how many injuries I’ve gotten over the course of my yoga life, never mind the trips and falls I take on a daily basis because I am in too much of a rush. Keep calm and yoga on! 

So this latest setback is just as much a pain in the neck (I’ve had plenty of those too) but this time it’s my foot! People keep saying, “rest it,” but how do you not walk around?? I guess I could invest in a cane or a crutch (how Tiny Tim of me) or some of that fancy tape that you can only get at a physical therapist’s office. 

Imagine the look on my face when my friend/spin instructor/ trainer extraordinaire, Nancy, asked me if I had taken any Aleve to make the swelling go down. “I hadn’t even thought of that,” was all I said as I quietly got into my car and speed home! I woke up today with no pain and the swelling has finally gone down. Praise the Lord! I never even think to take pills when things hurt. “Toughen up,” is all I think. “You could have one foot instead of two.” It’s crazy talk but not unrealistic. 

I’ll still modify many poses in my practice to avoid landing on said ankle in a peculiar way and having to head back to square one. No fun. Honestly, I don’t understand you yogi’s out there who get injured and still go full-on, trying to ignore the pain, muscling though and not showing any respect for your body. It’s not a machine! It needs rest! It doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t practice though, just modify, or meditate or practice pranayama. This is all yoga. Just because you’re taking a break from putting your legs behind your head in Supta Kurmasana, because it HURTS, doesn’t mean you’re not practicing yoga!  

I actually had a little fun this week taking a break from my full-on Mysore practice. I know, bad yogi. I kind of enjoyed slowing down and holding poses for longer and paying much more attention and energy on my bandas. Like I always say, the bandhas are your best friends! Oh! And who doesn’t love a good ole glass of non-attachment from your normal practice?!!!!

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While housesitting in Edna Valley this week, I took some fun yoga pics… this is me… resting…. haha! Along with Taxi and Limo, I was also taking care of many large tortoises; one of them is actually 40 years old!!!! There are also small ones, and when I first started housesitting for this couple, the tortoises were just little babies. It’s been pretty neat watching them grow! 

 

And if you’re reading this Ann, I want to thank you for all the produce you left behind for me to use! I finally was able to make something out of everything you gave me, and this here Delicata squash was the last of it. So, I made cookies with them, because why not? I created this recipe this afternoon, just for you all! Have you tried my squash brownies yet? Get on it! These are GOOD for you! They are flour-less, light and YUMMY! And my Ashtanga students at Harmony House gets to nosh of these after primary series this afternoon. You really need to come to my class. I work you hard, make you sweat, bind and un-wind you, and then feed you treats! 

Delicata Squash Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies- makes 12 large cookies 

Ingredients:

-1 Delicata squash 

-1 banana 

-1 egg

-1 tsp baking soda 

-2 tsp vanilla

-1/2 cup almond butter 

-1 tsp each of cinnamon and nutmeg 

-1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (my new fav) 

-1/4 cup pecans, chopped

-1 handful chocolate chips (funny story about the chocolate I used below!) 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Cut the squash in half, deseed and place cut-side down on an un-greased baking sheet for 20 minutes or until soft. Let cool. 

  

2. In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients except for the pecans and chocolate chips. 

     

3. When the squash has cooled, scoop it out of its shell and add it to the bowl. Mix everything together. 

4. Add the chips and mix. Add the pecans and mix again. 

5. Place scoops of the mixture on un-greased cookie sheets. 

6. Lower the oven temp to 350 and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on the edges! Enjoy without the guilt! Easy way to eat your veggies, huh?! 

 

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So, the funny story about the chocolate. Yes. I gave this here chocolate bar to my neighbor for Christmas. I wrapped it up, and placed a little tag on it, and put it in a bag with treats for her dogs and cookies for her son. Don’t you know I was out of chocolate chips today (a real rarity these days) and I asked my neighbor for some. She said she didn’t have any and then re-gfited me the  chocolate bar I gave her for Christmas to use instead! As if! It still had the tag on that from me which she proceeded to rip off in front of me like I hadn’t noticed it already. Hilarious! Money well spent Niccola! 

That’s okay because later that today I noticed a huge gift bag sitting on my patio from my student Sona. She left some Granny Smith and Fiji apples she picked out in Sea Canyon and some avocados that our friend Patrick gave her, to give to me! I LOVE MY STUDENTS!!!!!!!