Why gutsy girls should yoga!

It's  international yoga day! I thought I'd share some yoga love for the occasion! 

Yoga is instrumental in helping me manage my physical and mental health!  I want share with you why I yoga and why I think it's such a good fit for us gutsy girls (and guys too)!

1. Get comfortable being uncomfortable:

I definitely do not mean that you should force a pose that your body clearly doesn't love. I do mean that balancing on one leg makes said leg burn! You learn to breathe through the uncomfortable, which happens a lot with my tummy so good thing I practice it a lot on my mat!

2. It isn't just what it looks like: 

People always come up to me and say "oh, you look great" (what am I supposed to look like?) or "you don't look sick" (please tell me what does "sick" look like?). Yoga is like that.  It looks (in a large part to stereotypes) like hippy gypsy flower child stuff... But it is so much more!

3. It takes more strength than you realize:

   Sometimes grown tough men who "work out" puke mid yoga class... Have you seen kellie pickler's tv show?! It might look easy, you just try it and tell me what you think.  And believe me, us gutsy gals and guys use a ridiculous amount of physical and mental strength to live with digestive disorders so yoga is just using all that strength in a more positive and productive way.

4. You learn it's ok to say no, not today: 

Some days I can't hold a plank.  Does this mean my core is a weakling, HELL NO...That thing is rock solid! What it does mean is that sometimes my ab muscles have been busy working around pain all day that the are just already tight and very tired. And that's ok!

5. It's ok to say no, not ever: 

Where I go to yoga there are classes that combine combat fitness in with the yoga. Those are "not ever" classes for me. All that jumping around and sweating, not a gutsy gals friend! So just like I can say gluten and dairy are NEVER for me, it's fine if I say I'm not a combat fitness kinda gal!

6. Yoga is NOT only for tall, skinny, young women with yoga bodies: 

Yoga, like colitis, does not discriminate.  At 28 years old I was diagnosed with lymphocytic colitis, a disease with a typical onset of around 70ish years old! Why... Because celiac (fuck you celiac)!  If anyone can get colitis anyone can do yoga! Seems logical right? There are bodies of all shapes, sizes, and ages that come to yoga with me. And Mr. Kat goes too, so yes, men can do yoga! Besides, have you seen Adam Levine lately? And my kiddos that I teach yoga to love it, so if I can get a room full of preschoolers down dogging it then it truly is for everyone! ;)

7. Break down what you thought were limitations: 

I often feel limited, what I can eat, where I can go, what I can do because of disease.  But at yoga I may think I can't do something but I try it and I can! I can't break down all limitations in my life, but yoga is one place where I can try!

8. Show up when you don't really feel like it:  

Trust me you won't regret it! Sometimes I fee like I just don't have it in me to do many things... Go out with friends when I'm having issues or feel anxious about food, clean my house because I ran out of spoons, or go to yoga because my stomach just doesn't want to.  Show up anyway, don't let your disease hold you back! Trust me that will just make you feel worse in the end.

9. Bend so you don't break:  

Yoga breeds flexibility in all aspects of life. Sometimes us gutsy gals have to live so rigidly and anxiously that it's necessary to have a place where we can be flexible. Not everyone is going to understand your story, but that's ok, it's not for them.  Unless they live life with these conditions they will never "get it". And I wouldn't want them to... I don't wish this on any body! Be flexible with others even if they aren't flexible with you.  If you stay so rigid all that will happen is you will hurt yourself more.

10. Find a different center: 

So many times we feel like disease is the center of our lives.  Yoga teaches you to find a different center. Focus on what is good and healthy in your life, take that with you and leave the rest on the mat.

Fake A Clean House Oil Blend

Mr. Kat thought that I had spent the whole first day of my summer vacation cleaning...


Ya'll know me better than that.  I only clean cars!


The reality was I spent half of the first day laying in my hammock with my dog reading my kindle.  I spent the other half organizing and playing with my essential oils.


This blend was a product of that, and I would say it's a good one because we really didn't clean a damn thing (except the oil cabinet)!

I love to diffuse about 10 drops of this to make our home smell fresh and clean.  I also like to make a cleaning spray with some vinegar, distilled water and about 20 drops of this.  Not only does it smell clean, but it disinfects too!

Mojitos in my diffuser!

I'm known for my mojitos!


And I'm going to share my recipe!


Just kidding! ;)




I love the smell of the fresh lime juice and mint leaves when I'm mixing (and drinking) them.  I had spearmint and lime oils so I figured why not make my home smell like a mojito!

Gluten Free & Dairy Free Enchiladas with homemade red sauce

I can't eat the red sauce at my fave Mexican place because they thicken it with flour.  It turned into one of those want-what-you-can't-have moments....

So.... Naturally, this happened...

Red Enchilada Sauce

EVOO - 3 T

Brown Rice Flour  - 1 1/2 T

Chili Powder - 3 T

Chicken Stock - 2 1/2 C

Tomato Paste - 6 oz

Dried Oregano - 1 t

Ground Cumin - 1 t

Garlic Powder - 1/2 t

Onion Powder - 1/2 t

Salt - 1/2 t

Sugar - 1/4 t

Heat oil in a saucepan. Sprinkle flour over oil and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, don't let it burn! Stir in the chili powder and continue to cook for another 30 seconds.  Whisk in stock, tomato paste, oregano, and cumin. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings if you need to.

This was so easy to make!  And it was no big deal to substitute the brown rice flour to make this sauce GF.... I'll keep on Miguel to fix it at the restaurant! ;)

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Enchiladas

(This made about 8 enchiladas)

1 batch of red enchilada sauce

1 lb taco meat- I used ground turkey, but you can use whatever you like

1 can black beans

1/4 C water

3 T taco seasoning

1 red onion- diced

1 jalapeno- diced

4 garlic cloves- minced

2 C spinach- cut up a bit- gotta sneak some greens in ;)

8 GF tortillas/wraps- I used the LiveGF large wraps- you can use corn tortillas if you want, just warm them in a warmer first so they don't fall apart when you are assembling your enchiladas

Heat EVOO over medium.  Add the onion, jalapeno, and garlic.  Let sauté a bit.  Add your choice of meat.  Once cooked add the black beans.  Add the water and taco seasoning and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.  Add the spinach and cook until it shrinks up a bit.

Preheat your oven to 375.  Grease a 9x 13 dish.  Pour about one cup of the enchilada sauce into the dish.  Fill each tortilla with about a 1/2 C of the meat mixture, then roll up and set carefully in the dish.  The sauce on the bottom kinda helps it hold together better.  Pour the remaining sauce on the top.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Top with cheese if you want (Daiya of course) and bake another 5-10 minutes until the cheese is nice and melty.  I served mine with Mexican rice.

I don't have a finished picture...
We were too busy eating them!!

My Mexican neighbors wanted to come over for dinner when they heard I was making enchiladas. I said not this time, I have to make sure they are good first!! ;)  And they were! I'll invite them over next time!

The original recipe for the enchilada sauce is here.  The enchiladas I just made up as I went along! ;)

Jalapeño Turkey Burgers with Cilantro Lime Sauce (GF & DF)

It's grillin' season... and I have so many jars of pickled jalapenos from last years harvest.  I love a good spicy burger.... anything spicy for that matter!  Luckily my normally-super-picky-bitch-tummy agrees with me on this.  There's a reason everyone thinks I should've been born Mexican!  ;)

Jalapeño Turkey Burgers with Cilantro Lime Sauce

 Cilantro Lime Sauce

• 1 small bunch cilantro, washed & dried (approx. 2 cups packed)
• 1/4 C fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 1 small clove garlic- minced
• ½  t ground cumin
• ¼  t sea salt
• 1/2 C mayo
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• a bit of agave or honey
• 1/2 cucumber

Throw it all in the food processor until smooth.  Let the flavors mingle in the fridge while you make the burgers...


Jalapeño Turkey Burgers

• 1 lb ground turkey breast
• ½ C finely chopped red onion
• 1 T chopped pickled jalapeño- We pickle our own, my favorite! Add more if you want!
• 1 t ground cumin
• ½ t sea salt

Grill them however you like!  I like to do these with a lettuce wrap, fresh avocado slices, red onion slides, and of course covered in the cilantro lime sauce.




The original recipe is here.

Quinoa Pizza Crust (GF & DF)

I had been looking for a healthier and easier pizza crust that was naturally gluten and dairy free.  This is it, and I found it here! 

Seriously, the hardest part about this is remembering to start soaking the quinoa in the morning.  But if you have your shit together more than I do (which is highly likely) you won't have a problem! LOL!

 Quinoa Pizza Crust

¾ C quinoa- soaked covered by 1 inch of water for 6-8 hours (or overnight)

¼ C water

½ t baking powder

½ t sea salt

2 tablespoons EVOO

Soak the quinoa in water, covering it by at least 1", for 6 - 8 hours. 


Once you're ready to make the crust, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a 12" pizza pan with parchment paper and drizzle one tablespoon of oil in the center. Spread around with your hands until evenly coated and set aside.  Rinse the quinoa in a strainer, then add to a blender. Add water, baking powder, sea salt, and 1 tablespoon of EVOO.  Blend on high until smooth and creamy, kinda like pancake batter.   Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes. Remove, flip and return to oven baking for another 10 - 15 minutes until browned and edges are crispy.  Top with whatever you want....sauce, cheese (dairy free if you are like me) and any other toppings you'd like.  Bake for 12 - 15 minutes until cheese has melted and started to brown.   Remove, let cool for a few minutes in the pan, and slice.  Garnish however you like.


I had leftover BBQ ribs and thought they would make an amazing pizza.  I used a little BBQ sauce and then topped the pizza with the rib meat, red onions, spinach, and sweet peppers.  Throw on a little Daiya cheese and you are good to go!

I called this the great divide...
Real cheese vs. Fake Cheese ;)

Thai Basil Chicken & Zoodles (GF, DF)

I planted thai basil for the first time this year...it just sounded like fun, and I love thai food!  Garden fresh herbs are the best.  This makes a perfect light summertime dinner!

Thai Basil Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced bite size pieces
• 3 T fish sauce- make sure it's GF
• 3 T light soy sauce- make sure it's GF
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 1 T EVOO
• 3 C fresh Thai basil leaves (You can sub regular basil if you don't have the thai basil)
• 3 small zucchinis- spiralized into zoodles

Directions:

In a bowl whisk together the fish sauce and soy sauce.  Marinate the chicken while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.  Mince the garlic and dice the jalapeno.  Heat a wok over medium-high heat, when hot add the oil, garlic and jalapeno, cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Increase the heat to high and add the chicken and sauces.  Cook, stirring until just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add the zoodles on top and let them soften a bit for a couple minutes.  Stir in the basil and cook until wilted, about 1 minute.

I do realize my food photography skills are lacking...
but I assure you it tastes good!
And the bowl is super cute!

You can find the original recipe here from skinnytaste.