Sunday Market Finds….

For the last few years my Sunday mornings have consisted of waking up slow, coffee, bike rides, surf, and always the farmers market.  The Sunday Farmers Market at the Newport Beach Pier is where you can find certified farmers rite next to the beach.  Every Sunday from 9 am to 1 pm tents are set up with a variety of organic and farm fresh vegetables and fruits, eggs, honey, seasonal produce, nuts and flowers.  There are also fun specialty items like small batch breads, Mediterranean dips, salsas, cold press juices, and tea blends.  

 There is so much to pick from.  Each week I go I have some usual go-to’s where I stock up on essentials.  There are three produce stands to shop from.  Avocados, berries, celery, carrots, kale, Swiss chard, onions, and potatoes are some of the usual suspects that I grab.  During the spring I always find asparagus here to make soup, and the strawberries in June are the juiciest ever.   

One of my all time favorite vendors at the Sunday market is The Bake Shack.  Here you can find fresh sourdough natural rise breads.  My ultimate favorite is the Super Seeded Multigrain loaf or the Sprouted Quinoa loaf.  My husband Blake needs a Jalapeno Cheddar baguette always!  My favorite way to enjoy the bread is to cut a slice, lightly toast, olive oil, smashed avocado, salt, pepper, lemon, and broccoli sprouts.  If I am feeling fancy I will even add a pasture-raised egg.   Or if I am feeling sweet then I love spreading almond butter on a lightly toasted slice with added fresh fruit. There is a lot to pick from between salt/savory and simply sweet.  The croissants are amazing to make egg sandwiches, and the baguettes are perfect when hosting a dinner party.  Definitely give this spot a try.  And get there early if you want anything specific, stuff runs out quick!  

A new vendor this year is the Hook and Line booth.  They are a Boat to Table family operation bringing line caught Alaskan salmon to the market.  They also sell Wild Halibut and prawns as well.  Hook and Line is apart of the Seafood Watch program.  This program, developed by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, helps consumers and business choose seafood that’s fished or farmed in ways that support a healthy ocean now and for future generations.  Just last week we made fish tacos with the halibut and it was amazing.  We grilled the fish in a tin-foil boat marinated with olive oil, lime, salt, pepper, garlic, and topped with cilantro and thinly sliced onions.  It was the perfect texture to leave out for people to make their own tacos.  I will be for sure stocking up on fish from these guys!  

I love how close we are to this special market and that we get to shop local every week.  It’s such a great spot for a family outing and to support local farmers and vendors while being at the beach.  Bring your reusable bags and shop local this Sunday.  Hope to see you there!  

Mindfulness and Eating

Mindful eating has always been a struggle for me.  I was never mindful and never really learned about what it was until I started dating my now husband and during my Masters program in Holistic Nutrition. I was always a fast eater and thought it was normal.   Not until I started to see how slow Blake would eat and that I would always finish before him did I realize that I was stuffing my face and not even realizing it. Although I eat a very clean diet filled with organic fruits, vegetables, protein and grains’, eating mindfully was never something I thought about because I was still eating “healthy”.  I never took into consideration the impact mindless eating had on my body both physically and mentally.  

 Growing up 1 of 5 kids created a certain environment in our house.   If you wanted a certain food you needed to fight for it! And sometimes that literally meant fight.  My grandmother would make sweet treats and different types of pastries and breads that I always felt if I didn’t eat it now then it would be gone! There was never a time to savor or take in the moment, it was all about throwing it down the hatch.  Its funny to reflect back on it now, but my childhood molded how I eat to this day. 

So, what does mindful eating really mean?  Mindful eating means being fully attentive to your food—as you buy, prepare, serve, and consume it.  Buying fresh food that is grown and raised with good practice and in a humane way.  Preparing food with intention and love.  Serving food in a setting that shows respect and gratitude for what was brought to the table. And finally consuming what you have and taking the time to notice the smell, texture, noise and more to what is going on in that moment. 

Below are some of the tips for mindful eating that I found from a Harvard Health Watch review 

5. Bring all your senses to the meal. When you're cooking, serving, and eating your food, be attentive to color, texture, aroma, and even the sounds different foods make as you prepare them. As you chew your food, try identifying all the ingredients, especially seasonings.

6. Take small bites. It's easier to taste food completely when your mouth isn't full. Put down your utensil between bites.

7. Chew thoroughly. Chew well until you can taste the essence of the food. (You may have to chew each mouthful 20 to 40 times, depending on the food.) You may be surprised at all the flavors that are released.

8. Eat slowly. If you follow the advice above, you won't bolt your food down. Devote at least five minutes to mindful eating before you chat with your tablemates.

1. Begin with your shopping list. Consider the health value of every item you add to your list and stick to it to avoid impulse buying when you're shopping. Fill most of your cart in the produce section and avoid the center aisles—which are heavy with processed foods—and the chips and candy at the check-out counter.

2. Come to the table with an appetite— but not when ravenously hungry. If you skip meals, you may be so eager to get anything in your stomach that your first priority is filling the void instead of enjoying your food.

3. Start with a small portion. It may be helpful to limit the size of your plate to nine inches or less.

4. Appreciate your food. Pause for a minute or two before you begin eating to contemplate everything and everyone it took to bring the meal to your table. Silently express your gratitude for the opportunity to enjoy delicious food and the companions you're enjoying it with.

Just recently I started the 30-day Mindful Eating course on Headspace.  I am hoping to find some direction on where to start and what to think about as I begin my mindful eating journey.  I have some concepts down already like taking into consideration where my food is from and how it is raised.  I have successfully taken on the responsibility of finding fresh organic produce as well as humanely raised meats to incorporate into my daily life.  I love to cook and share meals with loved ones.  I consult with my mother and mother in-law about different spices, mixes and ways to prepare certain things.  Now it’s time to focus on how I consume meals and how it truly makes me feel.  

Stayed tuned for a 30-day follow up after I finish the Headspace course. Comment below about any similar journeys and what you have found to help you stay mindful while eating  

 Xo,

Megan 

Yin/ Restorative Legs up the wall Series

This is a simple restorative or yin series for legs up the wall that will help promote relaxation, decompression and opening in the legs, hips and chest.  Getting your legs up the wall is a great way to re-energize when feeling tired or to meditate and find steadiness. 

Start:

 Find a quite place in your home where you can lay with your legs up the wall.  Place a blanket or mat on the floor and have another blanket for under your head and possibly to lay across your chest for some pressure and warmth. 

To get your legs up the wall the easiest sit on the floor with your Right hip against the wall.  As you start to lay down, cartwheel your legs up the wall trying to keep your butt as close to the wall as possible.

 Simple Legs:

For the first 5-6 minutes start with both legs up the wall with a little space between your heels.  Place your arms down with the palms up on the floor and find a neutral position in your back.  As soon as you find a comfortable position that you can keep without moving too much start to focus on your breathing.  Simple inhales and exhales out of the nose while trying to stay gentle and soft in the body

Wide-Leg’s up the Wall:

Keeping your back soft against the floor start to separate the heels from one another until you feel a comfortable and tolerable stretch in the adductors or inner groin area.  If your back starts to peel from the floor try and bring the heels closer to one another and maintain a neutral position in the low back area.  As your ease into this pose you can challenge yourself and see if you can separate your heels without letting your back lift from the floor.  Once you find a position where you know you can stay still start to bring your focus back to your breathing.  Lay in this position for up to 4 minutes.

Frog Pose up the Wall:

Transition from a wide leg position into Frog Pose up the wall by drawing the soles of the fee together.  The lower your drop your heels towards the floor the deeper the stretch you get, but if you feel your low back peeling from the floor lift the heels a little higher until you can keep a soft back position. For some added depth in this pose you can lightly press your knees towards the wall with your hands.  Lay in this position for up to 4 minutes. 

Piriformis Stretch up the Wall.

Transition from Frog up the Wall to Piriformis stretch by lengthening the legs back up the wall.  Start first by placing the Right ankle across your Left thigh.  You should start to feel a stretch around the outside of the Right hip.  You can add some depth here by placing your Right hand on your Right knee and lightly pressing the knee towards the wall.  For an even deeper stretch you can stat to bend the Left knee and placing the Left foot on the wall.  The lower you drop your Left foot down the wall the deeper the stretch you will get, but stay mindful of the low back.  Stay in this position for up to 3 minutes and repeat on each side.

End:

End your session with legs going back up the wall again and lay there for about 3-5 minutes for a Savasana.  Bring both legs into the chest and roll to the Right or Left side and lay there for a minute before getting up into a seated position. 

Namaste…..