Jamie Abrams*Raw Food*Yoga*Teacher

Straight out of the mouth of my babe!

This is a picture of one of my birthday cards. Funny I know. Even cuter was when Zenchai caught site of it.

"Mommy! Look! That is what Humpty Dumpty looks like before he falls."

He-he-he straight out of the mouth of my babe!

Go-Go Balls

This is a long over-due recipe appeal from my yoga students. For Halloween I brought in these scrumptious balls as a little treat. They are so easy-peasy to make! If Claude can make them anyone can (I love you honey!). Not only are these little bombs tasty they are super nutritious. A perfect snack for lunches, travelling, picnics and parties – you name it. Maybe I should rename them “All Purpose Balls”? Not as catchy though!

By the way if you are wondering where the tag “Go-Go Ball” comes from they were crowned the name by my witty little Z-man.

I believe this recipe is based off a Jess Michaels'.

Go-Go Balls
3 C nuts and seeds*
4 TBS coconut butter, melted
1 C raisins
3 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla
1 TBS maca powder
2 TBS mesquite powder
½ C goji berries
4 TBS raw chocolate powder**
¼ C agave syrup

Place ingredients into a food processor until well ground and crumbly. Take out small portions and form into balls. I like to make mine big! Presto. You have Go-Go Balls. Keep refrigerated (that is if you manage not to eat them as you go) this will also help them become a firmer ball.

* I usually use a mix of sesame, sunflower, hemp, almond, walnut, pecan and cashew.
** If you do not have raw chocolate powder you can grind down cacao nibs into a powder. Alternatively you can skip using chocolate and substitute it with raw carob powder. Remember raw carob has a much sweeter and milder taste to the conventional toasted variety.

Raw Yoga Teacher Tip – You can use this as a pie base or crumble topping for a host of desserts.

PS This recipe is not food combining friendly. Enjoy in moderation – hard to do when these little suckers are so yummy!

Image: helical_wiggler (these are her raw hazelnut fudgey balls, but they look very similiar to my Go-Go Balls)

4 Tips to Help You Choose a Yoga You Will Love

I am back!! Zenchai and I arrived in London on Wednesday. We are settling in just dandily. I must admit I feel rather lucky. I almost never suffer from jet lag.Whoo-hoo!

I am also just itching to share more about my trip, but I am going to wait until Claude returns from Vegas. Mainly, because he has the camera with the pictures that will accompany my story. So hopefully you can all hang-out for another week to hear the details.

Until then here is an article I wrote for Jenny Calcoen-Birnberg from Gemini Wellness Coaching for her monthly newsletter.

4 Tips to Help You Choose a Yoga You Will Love

I am often asked "What style of yoga do you teach?" This might seem like a really easy question to answer, but I have studied, trained and sampled so many varieties of yoga that I can't simply define it as one particular style. Although at heart I am an aspiring Anusara yogini. Anusara literally means flowing from grace or following your heart. Each posture is a creative expression of who you are that celebrates where you are in that very moment. It is a subtly strong style of yoga with a huge emphasis on the innate goodness and supreme nature of each student and every being. This translates into in a yoga practice that is full of integrity. You move from your heart. To me this is where I feel the most at home.

Many of the other more common styles of yoga are beautiful in their own right, but do not convey the same heart quality for me. A few simple differences between styles of yoga are: the length each posture is held, the speed at which one moves into the poses, the variety of postures used within the particular system and alignment discrepancies.

Here are some tips to help you choose a style of yoga you'll love. After all, there are as many flavours of yoga as there are people to try them! Sampling a style of yoga that truly reflects your personality can make all the difference in the world to your enjoyment and commitment to practising yoga. Remember to not get discouraged if you don't like the first style of yoga you try. Keep dipping and you will eventually find one that speaks to you!

1. Consider your reason(s) for wanting to start a yoga practice. Are you doing it primarily for relaxation, exercise, stress-relief, general health etc.
2. Are you looking for a class that is very physically challenging or do you want to find a class that is calmer and more relaxing?
3. Do you like small intimate class settings or large classes with lots of people?
4. Do you have any special considerations or medical conditions?

Now armed with the answers to your questions, do your research by calling yoga teachers, centres and studios near you. Ask them about the style of yoga they teach, the general flow of their classes and if they cater to your specific needs. Don't be afraid to ask the teacher about his/her qualifications, certifications, trainings and years of teaching experience. We are a pretty friendly bunch and truly desire for you to have the best experience possible.

So happy bending, stretching, breathing and yoga-dipping!

T’is the season to stretch

Having been here in the US for nearly two weeks, I am feeling the pressures of the holiday crunch – ALREADY!!

I know - incredible. It seems like Christmas comes earlier each year. At the risk of sounding like an old-timer, I remember when Santa’s face and twinkly lights weren’t seen until after Thanksgiving (the end of November). Now you can see all the mistletoe, glitter and tree ornaments just before Halloween (end of October). Phew!

Now is the time to really get your batteries charged up and keep your juices flowing. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, the next seven weeks leading up to the New Year is always manic. There always seems to be an endless stream of social gatherings, work meetings and general holiday festivities to attend. If you tend to burn the candle from both ends or just want to make peace with yourself before 2009, then I urge you to sign up for a yoga class or private yoga session, try a Thai Yoga Massage and/or drink plenty of fresh green juices.

If you are in my vicinity I have group yoga classes commencing on November 20th. Click here to go to my yoga class schedule. I am also offering Thai Yoga Massage with gift vouchers available. Click here to read more.

Here is my daily green juice recipe:

1 large cucumber
2 -3 stalks celery
¼ lime with skin
2-3 apples
bunch of spinach
bunch of rainbow chard
1-2 leaves of kale
handful of sunflower greens (optional)
handful of snow pea shoots (optional)

Juice, pour, slurp, kick up your feet with your fuzzy socks on and slurp some more.

It can be the time of year where everything can be taken to the extreme and we can neglect our own needs. In yoga over-stretching is harmful and I am not just refering to our physical bodies. So as you stretch near your limits this merry season remember to take time to nourish yourself. Try a healthy stretch instead, especially if yoga and green juices are new to you. Love yourself - get to a yoga class and refuel with a delicious life-filled green juice.

Be jolly!
T’is the season to stretch!

Image: Evad67, Untitled Blue, Yolilin

In the BIG JUICY APPLE

I am in the BIG JUICY APPLE. We have been here since Wednesday. So far things have been pretty interesting. The food has been really incredible. We have been able to eat mostly raw and I have had a few cooked vegan indulgences.

The buzz, the noise, the diversity, the pollution and all things that come together to create New York are truly mind-boggling. I have had some really lovely encounters with people – not what you would expect in a big hard city. I think travelling with a very cute kid helps. Zenchai seems to break down barriers between us and the rest of the world. He seems to have the ability to get a smile from even the sternest looking New Yorkers. This is merely through his presence, not any attention-getting charade, but by simply being. It is really magical to watch.

Zenchai and I were crammed into the world’s tiniest elevator. He was sitting in his pushchair (stroller) when a woman in her 50s boarded with her son in his early 20s. Zenchai looked straight up at her and said “I drive a BIIIGGGG Lexus. I used to drive a pick-up truck.” It was so unsolicited and so laughable. (For those reading this that don’t know Zenchai, he is super-obsessed with cars. Cars are his world. He relates everything to cars!)

This morning I managed to squeeze in an Anusara yoga class. I must admit before the class I was feeling a little anxious about practicing with hardcore New Yorker yoginis. But of course this all melted away after my first downward facing dog. I really enjoyed the class. It had a nice rhythm, nothing too hard or fast, but just smooth. I am going to try to fit in another session on Tuesday called Yoga Nerds. It is a class that delves deep into the various aspects of Anusara yoga. I am sure I’ll come back to London with a few new tricks. Actually, I picked one up today in my class. I can’t wait to try it out too. All I’ll say for now is that it felt FABULOUS!

Tomorrow I think I am going to take Z-man to the Museum of Natural History. I’m sure he’ll love it.

I’ll sign-off now. I need to get some Zzzz’s since my Z has been waking at an extraordinary early hour. I need to get my rest in because the rest of our stay involves some shopping, maybe another museum, Empire State building, yoga class and of course at least one meal at Pure Food and Wine!

Image:Joiseyshowaa