thoughts on yoga

 

After practising qi gong for many years I began taking yoga classes. Thanks to qi gong I had already reached  a good understanding of how energy flows through the body and learned to direct and focus it. Yoga works very much on a similar energetic level. It releases blockades and restores the natural flow of energy in the body. Therefore it doesn't just increase strength, flexibility and balance but also helps to create inner peace and mental clarity.

Some thoughts on yoga for anyone curious to try it:

• yoga is about letting go control, because trying to control the instabilities and uncertainties of life is exhausting
• often times we read about healthier diets or other healthy lifestyle changes, but struggle to put them into practice. Yoga is a way to improve your health and well-being without it being a chore.
• yoga restores the natural feeling for your body. Our bodies adapt to our life style without us even being aware of it. This often results in a bad and unhealthy posture, that will then feel "natural" to us. Yoga helps the body to find its true balance and form, and feel comfortable in it.
• the deep and steady breathing, that is part of the yoga practice, has a purifying effect. 
• contrary to popular belief yoga helps build strength and promotes muscle growth, through many bodyweight exercises. Baptiste power vinyasa yoga, for example, focuses very intensely on strengthbuilding, which is why it has become very popular recently. 

My yoga teacher, Schirin, has the background of a physiotherapist and has therefore found yoga a great way to heal people's suffering. She refers to the sutras of Patanjali as her strongest influence and inspiration.

The greatest thing that I have learned from her is to let go of my ambition and just be, breathe and feel the body. Only letting go has helped me to achieve a deep trust in my body's capabilities.

weekend links

 

Long-awaited, Garance Doré shares her secrets on how to look better in photos.
"Ok, if you really can't say no, do what the fashion editors do: put on the biggest sunglasses you
can...."

Do you like honey?  Look at these pictures! The recipe is definitely on my  to-try list.

From a modern man's view: the most interesting blog I stumbled upon last week.

Exciting photography about sports, travel, horses, polo, toreros.... have a look at Andrew Lever's portfolio.

If I lived in England I'd order healthy snacks by post. What a luxury!

And for a great start into the next week I recommend this Christian Dior inspired "smoothie dell'amore"

April, 25th

{and snap - first outdoor lunch of the season}

Poached Quail Eggs on Roasted Radicchio

Poached Quail Eggs on Roasted Radicchio

(original recipe by Donna Hay, Food Illustrated  April 1999)

4 small radicchio, halved 

olive oil

2 tablespoons sage leaves

60g butter

8 quail eggs

Place the radicchio on a baking tray and sprinkle with olive oil, sage leaves and black pepper. Bake at 180°C /350°F for 20 minutes, or until the radicchio is soft.

Place the butter in a saucepan over a low heat and gently cook until it is a golden colour.

Poach the quail eggs in simmering water for 45-60 seconds (chicken eggs need 3 minutes to be poached).

Place the radicchio on plates, top with the eggs and spoon over the butter.

Roasted radicchio is a delicious thing. Crunchy and full of flavour if done right.

If like me, on some days, you prefer a quicker version, I suggest you just sauté your radicchio in some butter (as pictured above). Enjoy!

Earth Day Smoothie

Did you know that yesterday, April 22, was Earth Day?

Earth Day Smoothie

Inspired by Zain who created an Earth Day Smoothie using ingredients from earth, ocean and sky:


1 banana
1 apple
a handful of red oak leaf lettuce (gives the nice earthy colour!)
a small piece of ginger
1 ts tahini
1 cup of coconut water 
1 handful of icecubes 

Blend until smooth and enjoy!

Aqua Fresca scented with Rhubarb, Rose and Vanilla

Whenever I prepare a rhubarb sauce for dessert I add more water than the usually needed for the cooking. Later I strain the juice into a little crystal jug and put it apart. I love to pour a sip of this essence into my  water. It's a refreshing,  mouth-puckering springtime beverage. Even the boring oatmeal for breakfast becomes a perfumed extravaganza, if you substitute part of the milk by rhubarb essence.

Don't be disappointed if the juice initially shows a different colour than in my photo (less colourful, I guess). The rhubarb needs to cool down and to repose a few hours before the juice develops the beautiful coral-red colour.

Aqua Fresca scented with Rhubarb, Rose and Vanilla

4 rose-red, fresh stalks of rhubarb, trimmed and sliced

3 tablespoons demerara sugar

a dash of vanilla extract

1 tablespoon rose water

1/2 l water

Put the ingredients into a saucepan and let them simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool down and repose. Strain the juice into a recipient. I store it in the fridge for max. 3 days.

The flavours of rose water and vanilla harmonize perfectly with the rhubarb. Just make sure to not use  too much of the "perfumes". By any means rhubarb must remain the diva!

quail eggs & radish

edible colours

Asparagus varnished with Extra Vergine Olive Oil, Lemon, Sea Salt and Black Pepper

time out in the sun

Winter was really weird and way too long, so we decided to leave Dresden for a short vacation.

fruity

I'm looking forward to my super fruity breakfast tomorrow morning: pink grapefruit, pears, banana, apple, flaxseed oil, almonds, goji berries( still to be soaked) and chia seeds. All mixed in a blender and poured over a bowl of white rice. A cup of light green tea would match perfectly, what do you think?