Southern Fried Tofu

Crispy on the outside. Moist and Tender on the inside. Yum! This will satisfy your fried "chicken" cravings.

1 block of tofu, frozen, thawed, and pressed to remove water.
Marinade:
2 cups of chicken flavored vegetable broth
1 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsps of soy sauce
1-2 Tbsps of sweet white miso
1-2 Tbsps of Siracha hotsauce
Batter:
1/4 C flour
1/4 C cornmeal
1/2 C nutritional yeast
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
salt and pepper
canola oil for frying

Freeze tofu and thaw in the refrigerator to give it a chewy, meaty texture. Slice into 8 pieces for "steaks" or into 16 squares for "nuggets". Press the tofu between two cutting boards or two plates to squeeze out excess water. Allow tofu to drain for about an hour.

Mix together the marinade and allow the tofu to soak for an hour or overnight. Mix together the batter and dredge the tofu in the flour mixture. Allow the coated tofu to set for 5-10 minutes. When ready to cook heat oil to 350 to 385 degrees. Line a plate with paper towels to soak up excess oil. Fry the tofu in small batches for about 4-5 minutes or to the desired golden brown is achieved. Place fried tofu onto paper towel lined plate and repeat with remaining batches of tofu.

Invigorating Eucalyptus Scalp Massage

Nourish your hair and stimulate your senses with a scalp massage.

For the oil:

1/2 cup of olive oil

3-5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil

1-2 drops of lavendar

Shower Cap

Warm, damp towel

Warm the oil slightly in the microwave for a few seconds. (Test the oil on the inside of your wrist to make sure it is not too hot before using). Combine the olive oil with the essential oils in a small squeeze bottle with a tip at the end. (These bottles can be found at beauty supply stores - they look like plastic ketchup/mustard bottles). Apply the oil to the scalp in small sections, rubbing the oil into the scalp as you go. Continue to massage the oil into the scalp with your fingertips until the scalp is covered. If you choose, you can then work any remaining oil into the rest of the hair down to the tips. Cover the hair and scalp in the shower cap and wrap in the warm, damp towel. Leave on for at least 10 minutes. I prefer to do this in the shower and then give myself a salt scrub while I wait on the oil to condition my hair. Wash the hair with a good shampoo (follow with a light detangler if necessary) and style as usual.

Tension Taming Yoga Pose

Lie on your back in a quiet place for at least 5 minutes. Take your time and get comfortable. Take a few deep breaths concentrating on the breath as you inhale and exhale.

As you inhale, tense your feet, your calves, your thighs, and buttocks. Pause, holding the breath and squeezing the muscles tight. Exhale, release the breath and soften your muscles. Inhale squeeze the palms of your hands, your arms, and lift the shoulders to your ears. Pause, and then exhale, releasing all of the tension. Inhale, squuze the muscles of your face and clench your jaw. Exhale and release. One last time.... Inhale, squeeze the muscles of your entire body. Pause and squeeze tighter and tighter. Exhale and release all the tension in your body. Lie still for a moment and focus on the breath moving in and out of your lungs. Get up slowly whenever you feel ready.

Lavendar Fields Bath Soak

Make your own bath salts to give away as gifts or to sooth your nerves on a stressful day.

1 cup of epsom salt

1 cup of sea salt

1/2 cup of dried lavendar blossoms *

20-30 drops of lavendar essential oil *

10 small herbal tea sachets or cheese cloth bags *

Combine all ingredients in a medium size mixing bowl and spoon into the sachet bags. Close each one tightly and store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place until ready to use. This mixture also looks pretty stored in a clear jar by the bath. Just make sure to scoop into a sachet before throwing it into the tub or omit the lavendar blossoms from the mixtutre to prevent a mess.

*Items can be found at most well stocked health food stores or massage supply warehouses (www.massagewarehouse.com)

Meditate to Keep Insomnia Away

Here's a quick and easy meditation to send you off to peaceful dreamland.

The Creation Mantra

Yogis believe that the first sound of the universe was a long, deep sound known as Om (pronounced AUM). To recreate the sound of this sacred beginning, take a deep breath in. As you exhale, with a slightly open mouth, allow an "aaaahhhhh" to escape your lips. Round your lips mid exhale to make the sound "uuuuuuu". Finally, close your lips with a soft "mmmmmm" sound. Repeat this process and allow the sound to resonate deep with in you. Close your eyes, lay back, and drift away on an "AAAAAA uuuuuuu mmmmmmmm........"

Easy Chocolate Pudding

What girl doesn't crave a big bowl of chocolaty yumminess on occasion? Try this quick and easy treat.



Easy Chocolate Pudding

1 box of silken tofu

1/4 c of cocoa (the taste of the pudding will depend on the quality of cocoa)

1/4 c of agave nectar (or 1/2 c of sugar) I don't like it too sweet, so adjust to your taste.

1 tsp of vanilla (play around with the flavoring of your choice)



Blend in a food processor until smooth and refrigerate.

Fat Free Yoga

I just had the most amazing yoga session and it was perfect for the usual New Year's resolution - move a little more and drop a few pounds. I feel relaxed, I feel energized, and most importantly - I can't wait to get up and do it all again tomorrow. Fat Free Yoga is just one of many DVDs by Ana Brett and Ravi Singh. I have to admit, I love this duo so much that I have a rather large collection of their work. When ever I feel cranky, depressed, sore, or stiff, I just pop in one of their Kundalini Yoga videos and within 20 minutes I am a whole new woman. Fat Free Yoga has four 19 minute sessions that can be done together or separately. Today, I had 90 minutes to myself and I chose to do the entire DVD. I feel great! The video begins with some breathing exercises to help you tune in to your breath and to your body. The breathing is followed by a good warm up and then you jump into an "effortless" and glorious set of yoga exercises. The moves are challenging, but not overly difficult. There are two meditation practices at the end of the video that are followed by a closing prayer. My favorite meditation is the "Tea Pot". I can't say enough wonderful things about this particular set of yoga poses. Want a stress free, healthy, and trans formative 2010? Pick up a copy of Fat Free Yoga or any of the other Ana Brett and Ravi Singh DVDs. Sat Nam and Namaste!

Live in the Moment

"All mankind's troubles are caused by one single thing, which is the inability to sit quietly in a room." Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)

Take a quiet moment to sit still and focus on your body and your breath. Check in with your self and do a quick body scan. Start at your feet and slowly work your way up to the crown of your head. What is your body trying to tell you? Is there a nagging pain that you have been ignoring? Are you pushing through your day with caffeine and little sleep? Is your mind racing from thought to thought with out a break? Pause in the quietness to acknowledge your body's inner voice.

Roasted Portabello and Red Bell Pepper Muffuletta

I love Muffulettas! Finding a good vegetarian version of an authentic muffuletta, however, can be tricky. After much frustration and disappointment, I decided to make my own. Make sure you have a big bag of Zapp's Voodoo Gumbo to go along with this.



Roasted Portabella and Red Bell Pepper Muffulettas



1 Recipe for Olive Salad Mix

1 medium baguette (Sour Dough or Thick Foccacia are awesome)

1 small bottle of Italian Salad Dressing

5 large portabello mushroom caps

1 large red bell pepper (cut in half with top and seeds removed)

1/2 of large red onion, peeled

1/4 to 1/2 lb of mozzarella cheese, sliced



Olive Salad Mix:

1/2 cup of pitted black olives

1/2 cup of pitted green olives

1 jar of Giardiniera (Italian pickled vegetables - usually found on pickle aisle at grocery stores)

3-4 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

red pepper flakes to taste



For Muffuletta:

In a large ziploc bag, marinate the mushroom caps, onion, and bell pepper halves in the Italian Salad Dressing for several hours or overnight. When ready, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Roast the vegetables for approximately 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender. When cool enough to handle, slice the mushrooms, pepper, and onions into strips. To assemble the sandwich, slice the baguette in half and spread the olive mixture on the inside of both halves of the baguette. Top one half with the mushrooms, pepper, onion, and mozzarella cheese slices. Press the two halves of the muffuletta together and wrap the entire sandwich tightly in plastic wrap. Allow the muffuletta to marinate for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. This sandwich gets better the longer it sits. It's great for picnics, tailgating, or long car rides and left overs are amazing the next day.