Food is Fuel: drinking it back

Music is often referred to as the background of an environment however, it’s way more than just the background. I believe it can make or break our emotional experience.. And when we are in an emotional state (good, bad or indifferent!) our actions and effort show it. This is a prime example:

I don’t have an internet connection right now so I type this on Microsoft Word and then move it over to the interwebs when I can. I typically don’t do this. I am stickler for environment, and I enjoy finding the perfect music in order to write (or practice yoga!!) whatever topic is about to pour out of me. But, I’m trying to be efficient. So, I sit at home and the only music I have easily available to me is the radio station. The radio station is good – but for the task at hand it is incredibly distracting. It plays various generations of country music (which I love) and it also plays news, weather and current events. I have retype the introduction to this particular recipe FOUR times. “select all” + “delete” FOUR times. And here I am on the fifth introduction and finally realize that my emotional state is fluctuating with what I’m listening to in my environment. Think about it: If you think of “the news channel” does your face do an instinctual reaction? How about if you think about the look you get (if you) read community events boards in gas stations or in your workplace… You have an emotional reaction right?

WELL THAT’S HAPPENING TO ME.

I want to write an inspirational and yoga-related blog about keeping up with the beat of life but I can’t because the environment I’m in restricts me. HERE’S THE TIE IN! (FINALLY!):

The beat matters, on many levels.

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If you’re trying to get into this for real morning yoga practice but can’t get the jams right, I’m going to offer you a few, super random, but individually incredible, songs that have served me through the years on the mat in an upcoming blog. I wasn’t kidding when I said I was writing this with no internet connection. To snag all the titles, I’ll have to comb my Spotify and Youtube accounts which requires the interwebs...

Until then I encourage you to check out my it’s all about them beets smoothie recipe below. Maybe you have a super pumped up beat to play while you make this..? Feel free to share pictures of your smoothie making adventure and let me know what music you chose!!

With wine in my left-hand, cheers.

Brittaney

All about them

Beets

I use a vitamix, but use whatever is capable!

Ingredients:

• 3 small beets

• 2 handfuls, Spinach

• 2 cup blueberries (frozen if you want)

• 2 inches of fresh Ginger

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 3 dashes cayenne pepper

• 1 ½ cups, water

Skin the beets (you can use a peeler or a pairing knife, try not to lose too much of the beet though!) and also skin the ginger. Then cut the beats into quarters. In the blender, start by adding the water and then add everything else. Use the blenders fancy tool to mix stuff around while it’s blending to ensure consistency is even and smooth. Blend for no less than 5 minutes.

Makes about 5 cups. I drank my first batch fresh over 2 days, kept it fresh in the fridge and re-blended before drinking each time. I froze it on the second making. When you thaw it: the ginger and beets become stringy and thickens the smoothies to have no liquid consistency… I didn’t mind it but it is not a good “on the go” smoothie.

*remember that beet juice stains. Wipe it off the counters before too long and take care not to spill a jar in the vehicle…

What's the beat about them beets? I like the earthness taste personally, but I've been learning that they don't just taste good, they are good! I found the nutritional value of a raw beet. I'm not much for understanding this information, truthfully, but I can tell you that I appreciate what I read when studies have been published about improvement to the cardiovascular system, aids the health of the brain, positively impacts blood pressure.. These three things are important to me because I want to live my best life for as long as I can, truly. So, I have started taking care of what's important to me: Me.

One cup of raw beets contains:

• 58 calories

• 13 grams of carbohydrate, including 9 grams of sugar and 4 grams of fiber

• 2 grams of protein