Valentine’s Day is a time for lovers and there is no doubt that love gives the skin a wonderful glow. Men and women face dryer skin in the winter and this Valentine’s recipe will get rid of the winter blahs and bring on the glow. It’s perfect for a sexy and healthy Valentine’s Day shower for two.

Ruby Body Scrub Recipe

Use this hohm made Ruby Body Scrub cleanser during your cleanse INSTEAD of soap. You will not believe how these living enzymes will make your skin glow with health.

Ingredients

* ¾ Cup fresh Cranberries
* 1½ Cup Organic Raw Brown Sugar
* about ¼ Cup Apricot Kernel Oil
* 3 drops Vanilla Essential Oil (use vanilla extract if you cannot find this)
* 2-3 drops Rose Absolute Essential Oil ( optional)

Directions

1. Blend Cranberries in blender with ¼ C oil, until completely pureed.
2. In a bowl, put all of the sugar, mixing by hand, Carefully alternate adding cranberry and oil puree until desired thickness is achieved. Stir in rose and vanilla oils last.
3. Put in a beautiful jar and enjoy it within a month.

Cranberry has a unique property of self preserving, so it will stay totally fresh in a jar for several weeks.

TIP: so you won’t have big red chunks of cranberries to clean up out of your shower, be sure to blend it very smooth and liquid, then add this puree and the oil TO the sugar, a bit at a time until you get a nice paste-like consistency.

For more tips or to come for a juice cleansing retreat, visit http://www.americanyogini.com.

© 2011 Mary McGuire-Wien / American Yogini All Rights Reserved.
*Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.

Please be sure to leave us comments, as we value your feedback.

It was Twee Merrigan who gave me this Kitchari Recipe, which she in turn got from Yoga Journal.

Kitchari is considered THE food to eat when recovering from any illness or to sustain you during an ayurvedic detox.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)
6 ounces basmati rice
3 teaspoons cumin
3 teaspoons coriander
3 teaspoons fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
3 ounces split yellow mung beans (dal)
vegetables appropriate to your doshas (find an ayurvedic specialist to help you determine this)

Wash rice and beans together under cold water. Melt ghee in a pan, then add fennel seeds. Cook for one minute. Add cumin, coriander, and turmeric, and the rice and beans. Stir so the mixture is coated with ghee. Then cover the mixture with hot water by about two inches. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally. Add more water as needed—you don’t want the pan to dry out.

Add diced vegetables, starting with root vegetables. Leafy vegetables, like spinach, should be added toward the end of cooking time. The dish is cooked when most of the water has evaporated and the grains are soft and slightly mushy.

Let us know how you enjoy this special Kitchari Recipe.

Mary McGuire-Wien

American Yogini, a division of Hohm, LLC, is a luxurious eco-chic New York Health & Wellness Yoga Retreat specializing in juice cleansing, weight loss, detox & yoga lifestyle.

Mary McGuire-Wien, Author of The 7 Day Total Cleanse, is committed to teaching, guiding and inspiring you through your juice cleanse, cleansing detox & weight loss retreat.

© 2010 Mary McGuire-Wien / American Yogini All Rights Reserved.
*Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipe: Stuffed Cheese Pumpkin

Thanksgiving Main Event – “hohm-made” by American Yogini

The Main Attraction:

1 Long Island Cheese Pumpkin (the size, just like a turkey, would depend on how many people will be enjoying your feast)

Cut around the stem as you would for a jack-o lantern, and scoop out the seeds of your pumpkin.

Rub the inside of the pumpkin with minced garlic, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place on a roasting pan and roast for 1 hour or more depending on size. When a knife can be pressed through the flesh and it is glossy, it is ready.

Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle. Stuff pumpkin with Savory Stuffing recipe, and return to the oven. Lower heat to 200, to keep warm until time to serve.

Savory Stuffing from American Yogini Retreats

1/2 Cup olive oil
1 large purple onion, finely chopped
3 stalks celery finely chopped
1 medium leek finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
3 portobello mushrooms – in 1 inch cubes
1/2 Cup dried cranberries
2 Cups long grain brown rice
3/4 Cups chopped walnuts ( optional)
1/2 Cup chopped parsley
2 teaspoon dried or 1/4 Cup chopped fresh sage
2 teaspoons rosemary
2 teaspoons thyme
sea salt to taste
black pepper to taste

Directions for Stuffing

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, and all herbs and spices and continue to cook another 10 minutes over medium heat.
2. Prepare brown rice according to package instructions- leaving them “al dente”.
3. Stir mushroom/herb mixture into the rice.
4. Mix in walnuts, fresh or dried herbs, and spices.

Savory Red Wine and Mushroom Gravy from American Yogini Retreats

1/2 Cup olive oil
1 chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 large Portobello Mushrooms- minced
3 T corn starch or flour
1 Cup Red Wine
1 Cup Water or Vegetable broth

Directions for Gravy

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes Add mushrooms and cook another 10 minutes. Stir in flour or corn starch and nama shoyu to form a smooth paste. Combine Red Wine and Water, Gradually whisk in the broth. Season with sage, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring constantly, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.

Plating advice:

You and your family and guests will not be able to help feeling anything but abundant and full of gratitude when you place this upon your holiday table. The pumpkin is stunning as a large centerpiece, every bit as impressive as a large turkey might be.

Place pumpkin on a large serving platter and surround decoratively with beautiful kale or cabbage leaves, whole walnuts in the shells, full sprigs of fresh sage, cranberries and whole mandarin oranges for beautiful color.

When you slice into the pumpkin, be prepared with a sharp carving knife, and a spoon to scoop up all the delicious stuffing. Serve with both traditional cranberry sauce, and Savory Red Wine and Mushroom Gravy

Enjoy!

Namaste,

Mary McGuire-Wein

p.s. Feel like making this a wonderful Healthy Thanksgiving – check out our video message about our vegetarian / vegan Thanksgiving weekend yoga retreat.

American Yogini, a division of Hohm, LLC, is a luxurious eco-chic New York Yoga Retreat specializing in juice cleansing, weight loss, detox & yoga lifestyle.

Mary McGuire-Wien, Author of The 7 Day Total Cleanse, is committed to teaching, guiding and inspiring you through your juice cleanse, weight loss, cleansing & detox.

© 2010 Mary McGuire-Wien / American Yogini All Rights Reserved.
*Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.

Please be sure to leave us comments, as we value your feedback.