Late summer eating

I don't like to diet, I like to cook and I love to eat, therefore my aim is always to try to find food that is healthy but tastes great. So here are some seasonal late summer things that I have been enjoying eating at the moment to inspire you to eat seasonally and without guilt.

First thing: Ditch the caffeine and wake up with a mug of hot water with lemon and fresh ginger. It's hard at first but after a while you won't miss it.

Breakfast: The most important meal of the day at any time of year but especially in late summer for stimulating the digestion and the metabolic system so don't skip it!  I'm like a hobbit and like to have 2 breakfasts, one when I get up and one mid morning, preferably after I've done some yoga!

Bircher muesli - Soak a cup of mixed oats, nuts, seeds and dried fruit (I like chopped hazelnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sultanas, apricots & dates) in freshly squeezed orange juice. Leave in the fridge overnight or for as long as you've got (at least 15 minutes), grate in half an apple and enjoy!

Tip: keep a box of the muesli mixture in an airtight container and mix as you need it. It will keep for months.

Mid morning - Juice or smoothie.  My favourites at the moment are 1 Apple, 1 carrot, Slice of lemon & chunk of fresh ginger juiced over ice OR 2 Peaches blended with half a banana, a tablespoon of oats, juice of one orange and half a cup of almond milk. 

Tip: freeze the banana to chill the smoothie in lieu of ice.

Lunch - seasonal salad. For me this depends on what's in the shops and/or lurking in my fridge but current favourites are: 

                                    Spinach, pine nuts & avocado, 

                                    Figs, mozzarella, spinach & Parma ham 

                                    Figs, fennel, pistachio, mint & feta

                                    Spinach, smoked mackerel, orange & red onion

                                    Quinoa with courgette ribbons, pistachios & lemon.

Dinner - Chicken thighs with roasted peppers, courgette, tomatoes, garlic & chorizo

           - Fish tacos with guacamole & salsa.

           - Chicken, sweet potato & cherry tomato Thai red curry (make it with chickpeas for a 

              veggie option)

           - A cheeky glass of wine - after all it's important at this time of year to do something nice for 

              yourself every day!

Desert -  roasted or poached peaches with some bitter dark or raw chocolate.

Late summer - coming home when you're not sure where home is.

It's late summer and seasonal yoga practice at this time of year is all about reconnecting with the earth, grounding and coming home.  Although it is still pretty hot here, this concept is certainly ringing true for me after a prolonged period of disturbance because of the big move.  Even if you haven't uprooted your whole life, there is still a feeling at this time of year of needing to settle down again.  Summer holidays are over, the schools are back and it's time to atone for all the fun and excess of the last few months and get back to a 'normal' routine.  Here's how you can tune into this natural feeling and help your body and mind to feel nourished and reconnected to your surroundings.

Diet - it's still hot here and harvest season certainly doesn't feel the same for me this year, but there are plenty of good foods in the shops coming in from all directions to remind us of natures bounty. Go for foods that reflect the colour of the season (a warm yellow) and make space on your plate for things like peaches, nectarines, squash, dates, sweet potato and apples for natural sweetness. Start building up the bodies immunity by including spices like ginger and turmeric in your diet and keep things warm but light. Try to take time to eat your food slowly and appreciate your meal. It helps the digestion and stops you over eating. Breakfast time is especially important at this time of year as that is when the stomach and spleen are at their strongest.

Exercise - reconnect with the earth by getting outside more. This is getting easier here now that the evenings and mornings are slightly cooler, so go for a walk, hop on a bike or take your yoga mat outside!  Yoga asanas should focus on grounding, hip openers, and strengthening our core to stimulate the stomach and spleen meridians and boost the lymphatic system which will help fight off all the back to school/work germs that are heading our way.  Add some lunges, squats and inversions to your practice and work hard to keep uddiyana bandha engaged by drawing the navel back and up towards the spine. Key poses to try at this time of year are:  Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (half pigeon), Navasana (boat), Setu Bandhasa (Bridge) and Bandha Konasana (bound angle posture).

Here's a link to me practicing some of these poses:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=605390602905678

Mind - Take some time to do something nice for yourself every day. Read a book, have a massage, go for a walk. It doesn't have to be a big thing, but by taking five minutes to make sure we are looked after, we fill up our reserves and can give so much more time and energy to others.

Body - stimulate the lymphatic system by rubbing an oil or lotion into the skin after your shower in upwards strokes towards the heart, but try to make sure you're using a natural product to avoid clogging up your system. The key at this time of year is to nourish your body from the outside in and the inside out!

Key Seasonal Points:

Season - late summer

Dates - 21st August to 20th October

Organs - stomach and spleen

Colour - yellow

Element - earth

New beginnings

So we are finally settled in Abu Dhabi after relocating from sunny Scotland and it is time to get my yoga pants on and get back on the mat.

I've already been doing a bit of teaching, which I'm really enjoying and, as always, have found that yoga is a great way of making friends fast.  My ego is also busy loving how much more flexible I am in the heat!  As part of my new adventure I decided it would be good to blog about my attempts to apply the ethos of seasonal yoga practice to a place where it is hot all year round, tight clothes are frowned upon, and wealth often seems to be more important than health. It's going to be an interesting journey!

At the beginning of each season I'll be posting some yoga, diet and lifestyle information and some thoughts on how these might translate here. Then at the end I'll reflect on how well it's worked, and what I've learnt.  No doubt there will also be some interesting stories along the way, but that's the bit I'm looking forward to!

So here's the new plan (it's really the same as the old plan only the picture is more relevant now):

Namaste.