Roasted Salmon with Carmellize with ApplePesto

We eat alot of fish in our house-mostly letf over from years of leaving in the east coast, I love this recipe,

Roasted Salmon with Caramelized Apple-Almond Pesto:

Salmon is full of Omega-3 fatty acids. While it's pricier than other varieties of fish, its nutritional benefits make it worth the price tag. This recipe costs $5.79 to make. 30 Minutes to Prepare and Cook

12 ounces salmon fillets
1 tsp unsalted butter
2 Granny Smith Apples, skin left on, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 bunch Italian parsley, leaves only
Pinch black pepper
1/2 lemon, juiced
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place parsley leaves in a blender; puree, adding lemon juice and warm water until the mixture forms a paste. Season with black pepper. Heat a small sauce pan and add butter. Once butter has melted and is foaming, add apples and cook for 3 minutes. Remove apples from the heat and add the almonds and parsley pesto; toss to combine. Place the salmon, skin side down on a roasting pan. Layer the pesto over the fish; roast for 12-15 minutes or until the meat is firm and just starting to flake.Makes 3 three ounce servings with 1/4 cup of apples and pesto per serving.

Coming in April-Zumbatomic for Kids

The infectious Andrea is offering the first Zumbatomic Instructor training in Canada and yours truly is going to bring the program into the studio. Training is the end of March and it will be introduced as an after-school program on Mondays until mid-June.

This week at the studio-Feb 23

Wow...so after 9 hours of being battered and bruised with the fabulous fitness kickboxing training provided by Ross, I finished the level 2 Instructor certification. It was awesome! I really don't remember getting from Orangeville to Kingston-thankfully hubby was driving. I felt the same way as I have had running a marathon-exhausted.

For the Zumbies-wait until you see what will be added after today's Level 2 Instructor training with the fabulous Andrea Hamilton-the flamenco, tango, samba and bellydance. It was a great session.

I am tired but so happy with the quality of the training this weekend. On another note-our house and dogs survived the weekend with just the boys at home. There was no police tape, the dogs were happy and the house was cleaner than when we left-I don't want to go there.

So, Monday Zumba-there will be a samba, flamenco and bellydance added in to the new mix-have fun and enjoy!!

My kickboxing class-if you enjoyed last week's workout, this week is a little more of a calorie-burning, high intensity workout with the new material. Please note for the Tuesday lean legs class-I will be late getting out of Ottawa on Tuesday-there will be kickboxing, but I doubt I will be able to make it for 5:15 as I'm in meetings until 4:30 p.m.

To the fabulous yogis-we have been so much joy in working on the balancing asanas, that we'll go a bit further with these this week.

On another note-the studio is so busy before and after classes I often don't have time to acknowledge everyone on the very visible physical changes that I often see. Kudos to all of you in the success you are having in meeting your physical and where applicable, spiritual goals. You are all an inspiration to me and I hope to those around you!!

Namaste
Darlene

Metta Meditation-Love, Kindness-How Appropriate for February!

Sweet February, the month of love. I remember last year my husband asking what I'd like to do for Valentine's Day-I just wanted dinner at home. The recipe was for salmon with curry sauce-easy to follow-lot's of pictures to help him along. 3 hours later I sat down to a salmon cooked in some sauce that had been altered significantly from the recipe-the picture in the cookbook and what was no my plate had no resemblance to each other.

The meal was irrelevant-it was the thoughtfulness that had gone into spending 3 hours cooking fish trying to make a meal I always enjoyed.

Metta signifies friendship and non-violence as well as "a strong wish for the happiness of others." Metta is in fact a very specific form of love -- a caring for another independent of all self-interest -- and thus is likened to one's love for one's child or parent. Understandably, this energy is often difficult to describe with words; however, in the practice of Metta meditation, one recites specific words and phrases in order to evoke this "boundless warm-hearted feeling."

Metta is a tool that permits one's generosity and kindness to be applied to all beings and, as a consequence, one finds true happiness in another person's happiness, no matter who the individual is.

The hard work and repetition required of an individual engaged in Metta practice endows the four universal wishes (to live happily and to be free from hostility, affliction, and distress), with a very personal inner love, and by so doing, it has the power for personal transformation.

Although serious practitioners of Metta meditation offer Metta for an hour or more morning and evening, you may wish to begin by offering Metta for just 10-15 minutes each day. You may do your practice as a formal sitting meditation or while walking (preferably without destination). You may also choose to integrate your Metta practice with daily chores.

To begin, take a few moments to quiet your mind and focus your attention on the experience of loving kindness. You will begin by offering Metta to yourself. If distracting thoughts arise, acknowledge them, make a mental note to return to them after your Metta practice, but quickly move them aside to maintain concentration.

Recite the following phrases to yourself at a pace that keeps you focused and alert.
1. May I be safe and protected.
2. May I be peaceful and happy.
3. May I be healthy and strong.
4. May I have ease of well being (and accept all the conditions of the world)

Continue reciting the phrases in the first person.

Then when you are comfortable, try offering Metta to a beneficiary, someone who supports you, who has always "been on your side", replacing the "I"in the phrase with "He/She".

Once your Metta flows easily to a loved one, begin to include in your practice one or more of the following categories of persons to whom you will offer Metta:
A close friend.
A neutral person (someone you neither like nor dislike)
A difficult person (no need to start with the most difficult person, but someone whom you might find it hard to like)

Awareness of our feelings toward another is always the first step in converting this energy into loving-kindness. Noticing a feeling of aversion, or indecisiveness, when evoking the image of a particular person in your practice does not mean you are failing to offer Metta. Rather, you are leaping forward in your practice.

In the spirit of Metta and since this is the month of love:

May you be safe and protected.
May you be peaceful and happy.
May you be healthy and strong.
May you have ease of well being. (and accept all the conditions of the world)

Namaste
Darlene

Standard First Aid & Emergency First Aid with Level C CPR

St. John Ambulance Standard First Aid (2 days) and Emergency Level First Aid (one day) courses are designed to meet WSIB/OSH requirements. The Standard course is suitable for workplaces with 5 or more employees at one location and those wishing to enter such fields as nursing, personal support worker; emergency response worker, (police, etc.), summer camp counsellor.

Level C CPR includes adult, child, infant and two-rescuer.

Date: March 6 & 7, 2010 (one day for Emergency Level)
Cost: 80.00 Standard
65.00 Emergency
40.00 Level C CPR re-certification

Register at macdean@sympatico.ca or (613) 283-6163.

This week @ the Studio

Monday NEW ZUMBA!! we have a 30 minute morning Zumba community (free) class starting at 10 a.m-this class will consist of basic steps set to that wonderful hip shaking-you-gotta-move music. Several of you have been asking about contributions to the community classes-again, community classes are a thank you for the support the studio continues to receive and the studio's service back to the community. If you wish to make donations-please feel free to donate to a cause you support.

Fit Mom & Baby - You asked for more cardio to help get in shape and lose those post-delivery pounds, so the mom & baby yogafit has been slowly changing over the past few weeks. This class will be fitness focused incorporating cardio-strength and yoga-the ultimate fitness class for the new mom.

Zumba-I love the set this week!! some wonderful new songs and some oldies that everyone loves to move to!

Yoga classes, learn how to use cleansing breath to help detox and breath of joy to bring a state of bliss into your life.

Fit Facts-Do you know what you are eating?

I was so thrilled to run into a friend of mine from university. After we finished catching up, our dicussion went to the topic of nutrition and natural foods as I'm in my winter cleanse (no coffee)!! So, what does all natural really mean when we see it on a label?

The ingredients from a loaf of bread that states on the label in big letters, 'ALL NATURAL INGREDIENTS,' and 'NO ARTIFICIAL PRESERVATIVES ADDED,' are: Enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, malted barley, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin), water, high fructose corn syrup, yeast, wheat bran, vital wheat gluten butter. Contains 2% or less of each of the following: rye meal, corn flour, molasses, rolled whole wheat, salt, dough conditioners (ammonium sulfate, sodium stearoyl lactylate), brown sugar, honey, vinegar, oatmeal, soy flour, mono and diglycerides, partially hydrogenated soybean oil.

So what is natural about this? Not alot! Here is what some of these ingredients mean:

Enriched wheat flour is white flour. The bran and the germ portion of the whole wheat, which are rich in vitamins and minerals, have been refined out. To compensate for refining out approximately 20 nutrients, they add back 4 synthetic nutrients, niacin (vitamin B3), reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate (synthetic vitamin B1), and riboflavin (vitamin B2). These nutrient additives...are added to mostly refined and processed foods giving a false sense of nutritional value and can lead to nutritional imbalances.

High fructose corn syrup is basically sugar derived from corn. Brown sugar is often white sugar with molasses added. Both of these products are associated with blood sugar problems (Type II diabetes) weight gain, depression, fatigue, B-vitamin deficiency, hyperactivity, tooth decay, periodontal disease and indigestion.

Dough conditioners: Sodium stearoyl lactylate may be corn, milk, peanut or soy based, and may cause blood pressure and kidney disturbances, and water retention.

Mono and diglycerides may be soy, corn, peanut or fat based. Among some of the problems these have been associated with are allergic reactions.

Partially hydrogenated soybean oil is associated with heart disease, atherosclerosis and elevated cholesterol.

Have a safe & healthy week!

10 Ways to Incorporate a Healthy Lifestyle into your Daily Routine

1. Drink water throughout the day. You don’t hear this nearly enough: water is an all-purpose wonder-substance. It’s great for your skin, your digestive system, and circulatory system, and aids in weight loss and cellulite reduction. If you feel fatigued during the day, it’s often because you aren’t hydrated properly.
2.Cut back on the amount of soda and coffee you drink. Sugar and caffeine dehydrate you and create energy rushes followed by crashes, which are ultimately energy-depleting. Substitute with drinks like green tea or 100% fruit juice.
3. Say No to High Sugar foods- Cutting back on the amount of refined sugar you consume helps reduce calories and weight gain and also helps you avoid the energy slumps that come from sugar withdrawal. Items high in refined sugar include most soft drinks, cereals, baked goods, and of course, candy and ice cream.
4. Stock up on healthy, portable snacks. When you are grocery shopping, pick up bags of baby carrots, string cheese, nuts, fresh and dried fruit, single serving packs of applesauce, yogurt, wholegrain crackers, peanut butter, turkey jerky, etc.
5.Take the time to plan healthy meals for the week. Spend 15 minutes or so to map out your meals. Keep it simple. Then, when you shop for groceries, make your purchases based on the meals you will make during the week. This will help you avoid relying on less healthy take-out or fast food choices.
6.Purchase frozen, ready-to-cook ingredients. Frozen fruits and vegetables have high vitamin and mineral content because they don’t sit around losing these nutrients for long before they are preserved. Although you’ll want to keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables around, it’s great to have frozen produce available for quick meal additions and smaller servings. Also, some grocery stores offer frozen boneless chicken breasts and a wide variety of seafood items in re-sealable packages. These are great for quick, healthy meals.
7.Pack your lunch the night before. You'll have given yourself the gift of extra time in the morning and you will assure that you have a healthy meal during the day. Don’t forget to pack snack items so you can avoid the vending machine.
8.Cook double batches of whatever you’re cooking. When you prepare dinner, especially on weekends, cook extra and freeze to use for another dinner or lunch. Then, you'll have a healthy meal ready to go when you are.
9.Give yourself some slack. If you are stressed out about preparing healthy meals every day, use what some experts call the "80/20" rule in your eating. If 80 percent of what you eat is healthy, then allow yourself to take it a little easier for the remaining 20 percent.
10. Fit in exercise whenever you can. Experts recommend that adults exercise a minimum of 30 minutes three times per week. Aim for this amount, but don’t kick yourself if you can’t meet this goal. Any amount of exercise is better than none. Take a walk break during the day. Even 20 minutes can make a difference in your energy level, plus it gives you time to clear your head. If you walk with a friend or colleague, it also gives you time to socialize.