Sunday, July 29, 2012

Breakfast of Champions

Decided to whip up something GREEN in the kitchen this morning. Wanted sunshine in my system because of the gloomy weather outside. Good that the organic avocados were ripe and ready to be consumed.

Creamy & Dreamy Avocado Spread

Ingredients:
Avocados
Olive Oil
Lemon or calamansi juice
Onions
Garlic
Salt

Directions: Toss everything in food processor and pulse until smooth. Spread on to toast. Mmmmmm

Pair with my ACV tonic:
2 T Apple cider vinegar
1 T honey
1 C H2O

Have a hearty & healthy breakfast everyone!


Pipino: Watercolor Crafternoon


Last Saturday I was finally able to to attend Alessa's Watercolor Crafternoon workshop at Pipino, a quaint vegetarian restaurant in Teachers Village, Quezon City. It's not everyday that you get a mix of good food and art so this one was a special treat for me :)


Oh-so-cute cupcakes, muffins and cakes on display ready for munching

For those of you who haven't been to this gem of a place, you are definitely missing out. The interiors are lovely and the vegetarian/vegan food selection is delicious, guilt & cruel-free, and easy on the wallet, too! Think about getting a whole lotta good karmic points when you dine there. I've been there on several occasions, usually with my co-yoga teachers and FLOW partners because they're mostly vegetarians so this place is a life-saver because we don't have to worry the menu. 


Beyond Yoga Anti-Gravity teachers w/ Aerialist & Jivamukti teacher Sandhi Ferreira

Here's a shot of the FLOW girls during our FOOD Magazine photo shoot in Pipino

Alessa teacher-mode explaining different techniques of Watercoloring

So I had no expectations from the class and was so impressed at how informative Alessa's talk was, complete with powerpoint presentation. This was a serious art workshop! For materials, some watercolor sets were on sale, she gave out some paper and lent brushes and colors to people like me :P She explained the basics of Water Coloring and we had plenty of time to practice. 

Good to see Audrey of Googoo & Gaga

Artist-surfer Noelle with her son Kai

My son Santi knows how to smile for the camera :) 

Kai proudly shows off someone else's activity sheet :P 

My sheet while having vegan lasagna with a refreshing lemongrass cooler

There's always room for dessert: Pipino's coconut ice cream is made with love!

Some participants showing our work for the day

I've known Alessa since we were in High School (or even younger?) because she is the cousin of my good friend and business partner, Noelle. After the workshop, I drilled her with some q's to find out more about Pipino. 



***

Monica: What is the story behind Pipino? 

Alessa: It was in 2004 when I studied in New York after college (to take up continuing education classes in graphic design at Parsons and NYU) when I got exposed to amazing vegetarian & vegan cuisine there. That was when my dream of owning my own vegetarian resto was born.


My family's always been in the restaurant industry, but growing up, I didn't imagine myself doing what my dad was doing. Lucky for me, my parents allowed me to pursue the arts, but I guess being an entrepreneur runs in the blood and it was part of my destiny as well.

In 2008. I started dating my then boyfriend (now husband) PJ and he had just opened Pino in Maginhawa (together with Chef Edward Bugia and Star Jose). I shared with him my dream of opening a vegetarian resto. In 2010, when Pino moved to Malingap street, we decided to launch Pipino as a 6-item vegetarian line alongside Pino's menu. People were coming for just the vegetarian dishes, and after 6 months, we opened Pipino restaurant on the 2nd floor. (october 2010)

Monica: I know you had vegan/raw training in the USA, what certification do you have in the kitchen?

Alessa: Last September-October 2011, I took up some classes at the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York. I'm not a chef, but I like experimenting in the kitchen!:)

Monica: Are all the recipes in Pipino by you? I know you have a partner who is a chef. I'm sure he isn't vegetarian :P

Alessa: I work with Chef Edward Bugia on the dishes. He's not a vegetarian, but he's really, really creative. There are some items on the menu which I created myself, such as the pasta dishes, including the vegan lasagna, and all our desserts, baked goods and ice cream :). A lot of it was born out of trial& error and success in the kitchen ;)

Monica: Aside from doing Watercolor and Calligraphy, what other crafts do you do?

Alessa: I used to teach art through a mobile art school that I put together after graduating from high school. It was called Art Adventures. I've always loved art as a kid, I did textile paint, mixed media, calligraphy, oil pastel drawings, paper quilling, and other crafts as early as 5 years old. Right now, though a lot of my work is focused on watercolor and calligraphy, I also find the time to do stamping & printing, silver clay jewelry, and most recently, book binding. :)

Monica: What made you decide to do Crafternoon Workshops in Pipino?

Alessa: The main restaurant Pino supports local fine art and photography, so I decided that Pipino focus on Crafts. I started the Crafternoons because I dream of having a regular craft club that can meet and make different projects each time. It's a gathering of like-minded people, and is also a great way to share the love and appreciation for delicious vegan food.

Monica: Since Pipino, Pino and Burgr Project has achieved its successes in the span of how many years? Anything else you are working for?

Alessa: We're opening a Brgr Project branch, our first franchise, in Taft this August. In September, we're opening Burger Proj, Pino and Pipino in Jupiter st, Makati! Pino is turning 4 (August 8, 2008), and both Pipino and Brgr Project are turning 2 this year. 

***

Congratulations on your expansion, Alessa! I'm so happy about this. There is definitely a demand for healthier food choices in Manila, by the looks of it! And what a wonderful marriage you have of conscious food and a haven for crafts work. I look forward to more craft series in Pipino! 

Pipino Vegetarian Restaurant
#39 Malingap, Teachers Village, QC
Open Mondays to Saturdays 11am - 12mn
Sundays '11am -10pm

Website: www.pipinovegetarian.com
Twitter: @PipinoVeg

Friday, July 27, 2012

Raw Truffles: Choco Chili Bliss Balls

I recently purchased a food processor on sale from the nearest grocery store. They went on a half-off sale so I said, might as well invest so I can create my own concoctions rather than buying sweet treats from the stores.

It might just be the best kitchen purchase so far because now I can easily blend ingredients for raw desserts without the hassle of scraping every last bit of morsel form the bottom of my blender!


Here is my recipe for Raw Truffles which I named Choco Chili Bliss Balls hugely inspired by Theo & Philo's Labuyo Dark Chocolate with Chili :)




Ingredients:

  • Walnuts
  • Dates
  • Cacao Powder (preferably raw & organic)
  • Chili Powder
  • Sea Salt
  • Coconut Milk (optional)
  • Virgin Coconut Oil (optional)


Procedure: Raw Vegan recipe books will ask you to soak the walnuts and dates to remove enzyme inhibitors but I must admit that I got excited and didn't get to at all. I found recipes online that didn't specify so I just tossed walnuts and dates in the food processor together with the cacao powder and used the S-blade until coarse. Then I slowly pulsed with sea salt, chili powder and chose to add coconut milk. Be careful with the coconut milk as this can turn your mixture from grainy to fudge. Scoop from food processor with a spoon and use clean hands/fingers to ball them and soak with vco before freezing. It should be ready in a few hours for sharing. Eat within a few days. Best paired with organic wine after dinner ;)

This is such a fun activity to do with your children. Santi helped me for awhile until he decided that 3 balls was his limit because he realized his hands got a bit muddy :P

DIY: All-Natural Coconut Hot Oil Treatment

We are so lucky to be living in the Philippines where we have an abundance of coconuts. I remember living in our Palawan farm where I would just have someone climb one of the coconut trees for fresh coco juice every morning. The meat I would eat and the older meat we'd grind and turn into coconut milk for dishes like ginataang monggo with malunggay or vegetable curry. Another great use for coconut milk is for the skin and HAIR!

There was one salon that I went to a long time ago that offered all-natural hot oil treatment. I forget already which salon but i do remember how simple the process was so I'm going to share it with all of you :)

Things you'll need:
  • Coconut milk aka gata
  • Oil burner w candle
  • Cotton balls

Directions: Pour the coconut milk into the oil burner and heat until you see the oil separate. Put a cotton ball into the mixture until it soaks the liquid and then slowly apply on to your scalp. I love the sensation of heat on my skin. It would be great if you had someone do a head massage while applying the heated coco oil/milk into your scalp. Leave on your hair and cover it with a plastic shower cap with the option of sleeping in and washing of the next day.

*CAUTION: This can be extremely hot so be very careful with your fingers and scalp.

*You could also probably use VCO (virgin coconut oil) but I like the fact that you can use freshly squeezed coconut milk for real cheap from your local market. P25-P35 for a whole bag which can make a few cups.

Enjoy conditioned  locks, ladies ;)

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Kabbalah & 2012: Reading The Stars

This is a late post on some of my notes from the talk Kabbalah & 2012: Reading the Stars by Sarah Weston last May 14, 2012.


Since I started my studies in Kabbalah, more of my friends are interested in what this is all about. Interesting to know that Kabbalah comes from the Hebrew verb Le Kabel which means 'to receive'. So let me share this knowledge with you so you are able to receive the light :)


  • Kabbalah is a spiritual wisdom meant to be shared especially now in 2012 when the merging of the worlds happen. This year is the year of COLLAPSE and CHANGE.
  • 1st Kabbalistic book is 4,000 years old written by Abraham
  • Kabbalah contains universal wisdom, it deciphers the code of the universe
  • It gives us a manual of existing life systems because if everything in nature has DNA. We live in a very organized universe. There are no accidents in life
Think about how much control do you really have over your life? The level of your consciousness plus your thoughts, plugs in to the metaphyscial plane to create your reality. This is the law of cause & effect, of karma. 

  • Kabbalah is everything beyond the 5 senses. 99percent of our reality is the spiritual plane while the 1percent world of illusion is that which we see, sense, taste, hear, smell..this is the physical plane, merely just scratching the surface. The call of Kabbalah is to go DEEP.
  • TREE OF LIFE: There are 10 dimensions which exists in the world.
  • Kabbalistic Astrology gives us an insight into what's happening and how it affects us...
  • Mid August there is a highly militaristic combination of energy until October 7. The Universe is at a brink, ultimate controversy and everything can CHANGE.
  • If change doesn't take place, cosmic influences will begin to happen. 'If I don't choose UNITY, the Universe will do it anyway for us to choose to live in a different state of consciousness.
If you found my notes above interesting, please come to the next Kabbalah talk on August by Marcus Weston. Marcus will be speaking about the real roots of success and failure in business. In today's unpredictable environment, having the right business consciousness is key.

Prior to becoming a full time Kabbalah instructor, Marcus enjoyed a career in international finance
with Goldman Sachs and Citibank. He coaches students all over the world and has spoken at the United Nations and managed to secure the Kabbalah Centre's NGO UN consultative status.




Saturday, July 21, 2012

Now Listening: Awake My Soul

Now listening to a song that digs deep into your core.


Awake My Soul 
by Mumford and Sons







How fickle my heart and how woozy my eyes
I struggle to find any truth in your lies
And now my heart stumbles on things I don't know
My weakness I feel I must finally show

Lend me your hand and we'll conquer them all
But lend me your heart and I'll just let you fall
Lend me your eyes I can change what you see
But your soul you must keep, totally free
Har har, har har
har har, har har

awake my soul...
awake my soul...

How fickle my heart and how woozy my eyes
I struggle to find any truth in your lies
And now my heart stumbles on things I don't know
My weakness I feel I must finally show
Har har, har har
har har, har har

In these bodies we will live, 
in these bodies we will die
Where you invest your love, 
you invest your life

In these bodies we will live, 
in these bodies we will die
Where you invest your love, 
you invest your life

awake my soul...
awake my soul...
awake my soul...
For you were made to meet your maker

awake my soul...
awake my soul...
awake my soul...
For you were made to meet your maker
You were made to meet your maker

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmania.com/awake_my_soul_lyrics_mumford_and_sons.html
All about Mumford And+Sons: http://www.musictory.com/music/Mumford+And+Sons

Sunday, July 15, 2012

DIY All-Natural Body Scrub & Face Mask

Sundays seem to be the perfect day to do DIY projects. I got a little creative in the kitchen today making all-natural products for my skin ;)

Refreshing Citrus Body Scrub

Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of VCO (virgin coco oil)
- Calamansi juice (3-4 pcs)
- 1 cup of sugar
- Mint leaves
- Essential Oils (optional)

Directions: Mix all of the ingredients and store in an airtight container (or attract ants/cockroaches!) Scrub on skin lightly as this may be quite abrasive. Use within the week. You may choose to use the mask after scrubbing. I just did!

Moisturizing Face & Body Mask

Ingredients:
- Avocado
- Honey (optional)

Directions: Mash avocado to paste and mix in heated honey if you want. I saved my honey and just used leftover avocados from my fridge. Lather on face and/or body with your fingers or a spatula and wait 15-20 minutes before rinsing off. Instead of lying down, I massaged myself and felt quite luxurious. Picture yourself in some Balinese spa while you're at it! (note: avocados are aphrodisiacs so even massaging the fruit on body can be quite sensual!)

To lock in moisture, I used a vco and aloe vera based soap to wash off and lathered vco again. Self-care beed not be expensive. Basic kitchen ingredients can make your skin silky smooth and glowing like Cleopatra ;) Enjoy!


Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Asia Yoga Conference 2012

Last year, I attended the Asia Yoga Conference in Hong Kong all the way from Palawan. This year made it so much easier for me to join because I've moved back to the city (one less flight) and went with the Beyond Yoga teachers. Also, I was able to get a pass for free via an online contest I joined. Thanks to all those that voted, over 100 of you!

Here are the top highlights of this sleep-deprived, yoga-crazy, food trippin' weekend:

Right on arrival in Hong Kong, we had some major suspense action in the airport :P

Sorry can't divulge information about this incident because it's a secret but  it's definitely one for the books!


Bo Forbes for Restorative Yoga & Crafting a Therapeutic Vinyasa Practice




Recently, my practice has been drawn to more Yin and Restorative because I feel my body needs it. Whenever I get stressed when I push myself to overdrive, I suddenly have back & neck pains, headaches, etc and only these styles of yoga can really soothe my overactive mind and sore body.


Some of the things Bo said in class that I totally agree with:


1. "We all move from our comfort zones, easiest parts of our bodies...Samskaras, our habits" -so true, just merely changing the count of the Vinyasas to a slower pace will wake up parts of your body, muscles that you weren't using before.


2. "Your yoga practice as an antidote"-I've been doing this for years! My dentist pointed it out to me. Because of my TMJ, I've been drawn to a regular yoga practice and even teaching it because it gives me balance. Without it, I'd be in chronic pain.


She is an amazing teacher with a voice so powerful (she didn't need a microphone to speak to all of us in that huge conference room!) yet soothing it surprises me. Must be from the years of training she had as a psychotherapist.  Soon, I will be signing up for her online training course on Integrative Yoga Therapeutics because I feel more of the yoga teachers should have a background on how to really heal their students. 


Website: http://www.boforbes.com/


Patrick Creelman's Air Miles class 

What made me want to attend his class? This video did it for me.


 I had no notes during his class because it was just physically intense! Great for days when your body just wants a real challenge. He was such a hit with the very yang Chinese community ;)



Bernie Clark's Yin Yoga & The Mind Body
Bernie with Yin teachers of Beyond: Dona and I

If there is a practice that I have grown to love more and more, it would have to be Yin Yoga. Since I began attending classes back in the good old Pulse studio in Greenhills (Santi was only a year old, so that makes it 4 years ago), I knew this practice had powerful healing benefits.


1. "The real yoga in what you don't see" -from an Old saying in the Upanishads
2. "We work on the Pranamaya kosha or Energy Body through 2 things: Turn on tap and remove blockages or gruntis" -You can't help notice these sensations when holding yin poses. Needless acupuncture, indeed!



Uncreating Lower back Pain & Safety & Stability in Inversions by Brad Waites


This guy reminds me of Clark Kent. Seriously, he looks a bit geeky but damn, he's a pretty serious yogi! Here he is at his Vancouver studio explaining the benefits of doing inversions :)





He really knows his stuff well and I really enjoyed his intelligent lectures on how to decompress the spine using the Purna Yoga Morning series which I have been passing on to my students in classes at Beyond.


Some deep words spoken by Brad:


1. "Physical pain is a manifestation of a disconnect in our heart center. We create our own life pain" -We all know this is true.
2. "Backpain is caused by constriction, blood flow is cut off and swelling occurs which causes pain." -Good to know the reason behind this.
3. "There are no accidents in life. The soul will draw things, people, circumstances that will allow for us to learn lessons." -Amen
4. "Every part of your life is an opportunity for love & light" - Don't you agree? I'm currently taking a course on Kabbalah and those words sound like Kabbalistic wisdom. Perhaps they're universal truths! Just observe all the challenges in your life. Don't you pick yourself up after each time you fall and suddenly you are a transformed person once again? One of my good friends Denise used to say "Damaged people are beautiful".




Replacing Force with Understanding: Arm balances with Jason Crandell

Now, who doesn't love him? Jason has gotten really popular because of his straightforward teaching style with basic, easy to understand verbal cues. He seems like the typical-American-guy-next-door-who-got-REALLY-into-yoga. I love how his wife describes him here.


1. "Balance is a process of responding to change" - this applies on and off the mat. We physically practice balancing on the mat for off the mat chaos, right? :)


2."Our greatest fear lay in anticipation" -A new concept on fear to work on! Whenever you are scared, isn't it always about something that HAS NOT happened yet? How sure are you it WILL? Why not take a leap of faith, it might turn out to be alright :)


Catch Jason's classes on Yogaglo.com 




Doctor Scott Blossom in Yoga Practice to Improve Digestive Force & Ayurvedic Massage

Tried my very best to sneak a photo of him. I felt shy to ask for a photo because he seemed so...soulful & serene sitting there while waiting for all the students to settle before his class. I didn't want to interrupt his space of calmness. He's got to be one of my favorite teachers of the conference.

1. "Real strength has a lightness to it" When you watch him practice, he is so LIGHT and his breath so subtle. With an Ashtanga background, I am not used to this because we emphasize on the Ujjayi breath. So refreshing to see a guru practice with so much, ease.

2. "Mental and Emotional Traumas without digestion will cause suffering in the person" -I've always had problems with digestion. As far as I can remember in childhood, it has always been this way. This path to yoga has helped me

3. "Sacred means WILD!" -I like this...my process in the Inner Dance healing modality is certainly WILD :)

And finally, he said something special that struck me, penetrated me to the bone...

"There is something in your own soul that knows exactly what it needs"



Aside from being one of the very few teachers of Shadow Yoga, he is also an Ayurvedic Doctor and does assessments also in Traditional Chinese Medicine. He conducts Shadow Yoga classes in Yoga Tree, Berkeley with his wife, Chandra. Now, how to schedule my life to be able to train in California...



Bumping into old friends...

Salute to my mentor, Rockstar Ashtangi Clayton Horton 
The famous & sultry Vicky Vortex of Hong Kong!
And of course, hanging out around Hong Kong with the Beyond Yoga girls :)
In between classes we exchange notes, grab a bite to eat and take photos!
Walking to recommended restaurants after a full-day of class
Chocolates and sangria, anyone?
Bubbly, happy & pretty :)
It was one yogalove weekend to remember! I look forward to going again in 2013 ;)

Monday, July 09, 2012

Embodied Emotions



Emotions are stored in our body, when we choose to hold onto anger, frustration, jealousy or impatience those emotions negatively impact our physical well being. Questions to ask yourself next time you have an ache, pain or feel ill: What emotions am I storing in this part of my body? Am I holding on to something in my life that is no longer serving me today? What is my body trying to tell me? via Young and Raw

This post by the wonderful people behind Young and Raw reminds me of all that I teach during my Yin Yoga classes. We embody the emotions we feel. And sometimes, when we don't let go of the emotions, these energies get stuck in our organs and may cause serious effects on our health. See chart above.

My doctor friend says that cancer is a disease of the soul. To truly heal from it, you must start inside out, not the other way around. So, perhaps all diseases really are merely manifestations in the body. It starts with a thought, then a feeling, then it shows up in our physical bodies. Soul-Mind-Body. In a yogic perspective, you can call the layers of the self koshas... and in Anthroposophy they also have Spirit-Soul-Body. This is how energy permeates our whole being. And yes, we do energy work in yoga and I particularly feel it more in Yin Yoga because there is less motion, so it is more intense, more raw.

To learn more about this practice, I highly recommend that you attend Victor Chng's Yin Yoga intensive workshops at Beyond Yoga this coming August. He is the only Yin mentor in Asia that has been certifying teachers. He has studied under Paul Grilley but is also deep into Taoist Philosophy and Traditional Chinese Medicine. I've attended a class with him before and I look forward to his classes again :)




To register for Victor Chng's Yin Yoga intensive workshops please contact Beyond Yoga.

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