Yoga DVDs, Moroccan Spiced Carrot Soup, and More

Thanks so much, everyone, for your support yesterday. It is appreciated!

Recently, a client asked me which yoga DVDs I recommend. The answer? I have no idea. Though I love to fly and flow and fall flat on my face at Laughing Lotus and other studios here in the city, I’ve never tried a yoga DVD.

Porque? Because I am utterly incapable of working out at home. I love exercise, and I love yoga, but I must leave the premises of my apartment to make them happen. Sure, I’ve tried a few yoga downloads, but I usually walk away to check my email or make tea or brush my hair or something equally silly midway. For me, home space means rest. It’s the studio (or the gym) that signifies action!

But of course, it was my duty to help my client find some quality DVDs–especially since she’s new to yoga, and looking to be inspired. So I reached out to a few fellow bloggers on Twitter, and here’s what I learned!

• For beginners, Heather recommends Yoga for Beginners
• I hear good things about Shiva Rae’s videos from Courtney of The Hungry Yogini
• Gina recommends the Crunch Power Yoga videos
• Melissa recommends the Stott Pilates series
• Jessica recommends the Ana and Ravi Kundalini series (she says that DVDs after 2007 are best)
• Ryan recommends the Rodney Yee videos, which you’ve already tried
• Reader Mika recommends the Ali McGraw Yoga Mind and Body practice
• Polly of Yoga is Yummy has GREAT videos on her blog!

And of course, I checked in with my fitness guru and workout inspiration Melissa. She suggested the following:

1. Namaste Yoga on Fit TV
2. Yoga Download’s audio classes
3. Free, online, daily classes at Yoga Today

My friend Kathleen also wrote in to say that she’s had great luck with Yoga Today classes. Let me share her ringing endorsement:

I’ve been practicing yoga for almost ten years, have studied with many different teachers across the country and over time it has become an integral part of my life.  Being a performer and traveling so much can certainly put a hamper on your practice.  At this point, when I am away from my favorite classes in New York, I can definitely lead myself through the asanas I feel I need that day.  However, sometimes it’s nice to have a little company!  Yoga Today has been such a lifesaver in this regard – as long as I have internet, I can use it.  It’s $10 a month and the website has over 150 1 hour(ish) classes.  I usually like to follow up these shorter classes with 15 minutes of inversions, but of course, the hour class in itself is sufficient for most.  Also, for those who don’t want to pay to join, the website offers 1 free class each week.  There are great filters on the website to sort through different levels and even find pose-specific or body area specific classes.

Sounds like a terrific resource!

Thanks, guys, for the help. What a nice roundup of choices.

In other news, I have a new soup to share. I often wonder: will my readers get sick of my soups? I sure do make a whole lot of them. But then I figure that, if I’m not yet sick of raw soups, there’s a decent chance that you aren’t, either. And this is a pretty great one: I call it Moroccan spiced carrot soup, but it’s really just a simple blend of carrots, peppers, tomatoes, cumin, and coriander, brought together with the creaminess of tahini. You may have noticed that I seem to be on a sesame seed/Middle Eastern kick lately; if recipes like this continue to emerge from it, may the Middle Eastern kick last!

Moroccan Spiced Carrot Soup (Yields 3 large or 4 small servings)

1/2 bag baby carrots (try to buy organic!)

1 large red pepper, deseeded and chopped

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 bunch parsley

1/4 cup tahini

3/4 cup water

1/2 tsp sea salt

3/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp coriander

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp agave nectar, or 1 date

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp flax oil

Blend all ingredients but the flax oil in a high speed blender till smooth. If you’re working with a blender that isn’t as powerful as you’d like, you may wish to steam the carrots before you blend.

When the mix is well blended, add the flax oil in a thin stream. Keep blending till really thick and smooth. Serve, and enjoy!

This soup made for a wonderful lunch last weekend, as I ploughed through some editorial deadlines.

Before I go, a reminder to enter some fabulous bloggie giveaways and holiday deals!

1) My friends Michelle and Lori are giving away some of their own fabulous raw goodies. I’d rather keep this giveaway all to myself, but ’tis the season for generosity: go enter now!

2) Melissa is giving away one of these adorable Food Tees!!

xo

Tagged as: middle eastern, recipe, soup