Cat Power

October 31, 2016

“Never forget the most powerful force on earth is love.”
Nelson Rockefeller

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Our modern lifestyle of extended sitting, whether in a car while commuting or at a desk while working, whether crouched on a couch while scrolling screens or semi-folded, watching TV, can make our back muscles stiff and sore.  Are you canvassing and knocking on doors to help get out the vote for the upcoming election? Walking is wonderful, but walking on concrete can also cramp our spine’s style by compacting the vertebrae, making for less fluid and comfortable movement of the spinal column.

If current events are interrupting your body’s ability to go with the flow, there are two simple yoga stretches that can help.  Called the Cat and Cow poses, these stretches are easy for almost anyone to do and they can be done practically anywhere: either sitting in a chair, sitting on the floor or on all fours.

The alternating movement between Cat pose and Cow pose stretches the spine, as well as the back and hip muscles, helping to improve posture and keep the spine fluid.  In addition, these poses open the chest and lungs, making breathing easier.  The abdominal muscles (also known as the “core”) get a nice mini-workout too.

 

Here are simple instructions for doing 3 versions of Cat-Cow pose.  The seated versions are both good for those with wrist or knee issues, who cannot position themselves on all fours.  The chair version is great while at work or on an airplane:

Traditional Cat and Cow Flow

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Begin on all fours.  Place your wrists under your shoulders, about shoulders-width apart and knees under your hips, about sit-bones-distance apart, with your torso flat and your abdominal muscles firm, as if you were a four-legged table.  You can put a towel under your knees for more comfort.

Inhale into Cow Pose:
As you inhale slowly (preferably in through your nose), sink your mid-section towards the floor as you move your chest and shoulders back and up and your hips and tailbone up toward the sky.  Glance upward, being careful not to throw your head too far back.

Exhale into Cat Pose:
Exhale (again, preferably out via the nose), arching your back like the image of a Halloween cat on top of a pumpkin, dropping your head gently and bringing your shoulders down and toward your hips and your hips toward your shoulders, crunching your abdominal muscles inward to squeeze out the last bit of breath.

Repeat, alternating between inhaling Cow Pose and exhaling Cat Pose for 3 to 9 sets.

Bring your torso back to your starting, neutral, table position.

Seated Version (Floor)

Sit in a comfortable, cross-legged position.  Begin breathing deeply, evenly, slowly, preferably in and out of the nose. Inhale, looking upward and bringing the torso forward, shoulders and hips back.  Exhale in the opposite direction, rounding the back and bringing the shoulders and hips forward and bringing the chin gently towards the chest as you squeeze out the last bit of breath using your abdominal muscles.  Repeat several times, then return to neutral, starting position.  You can lightly hold onto your front leg to anchor your hands and guide your movement.

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Chair Version

Sit upright in your chair with your feet evenly on the floor in front of you.  Place your hands lightly over your knee caps. Begin breathing deeply, evenly, slowly, preferably in and out of the nose. Inhale, looking upward and bringing the torso forward, shoulders and hips back.  Exhale in the opposite direction, rounding the back and bringing the shoulders and hips forward and bringing the chin gently towards the chest as you squeeze out the last bit of breath using your abdominal muscles.  Repeat several times, then return to neutral, starting position.

“Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist it.”
~ Lao Tzu

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Philly meets the Southwest in this mash-up of regional favorites: Green Chile Cheesesteak Tacos (or Tortas).

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Green Chile Cheesesteak Tacos (or Tortas)
If you can still find fresh green chilies in your local market, you can roast them yourself.  However, you can find them pre-roasted and canned or frozen all year round at your local market or online.  This last August, my local Whole Foods was selling freshly-roasted Hatch green chilies (a New Mexico specialty) in the produce section.  I took them home, diced some and left some whole for stuffing and froze them to enjoy this fall and winter.  This fiery Southwestern twist on the traditional Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich was my first delicious experiment with them. 

You want the thinnest cut of beef possible for a good, authentic Cheesesteak sandwich.  Be sure to choose grass-fed, humanely-raised beef for the most flavorful, healthiest and kindest beef.  Mine came from Eel River Organic Grass Fed Beef (click for link).

This recipe serves two people.  You can double or triple the ingredients for more servings.

 

1/2 lb Milanesa-cut beef (or similarly thin-sliced, lean, rib-eye, flat iron or flank steak)

Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 peeled fresh whole garlic clove, lightly smashed

2 green onions, trimmed and chopped (green and white parts)

2 tablespoons diced roasted green chilies
(Hatch, if you can find them – you can use defrosted from frozen or canned)

A splash of soy sauce

Dash of ground cumin

Shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Warmed corn or flour tortillas for tacos

Or

Warmed hoagie-style rolls for tortas

Optional for tortas:
Mayonaise

 

To get nice, thin slices of beef:
Tightly roll steak into a log shape.  Wrap log in plastic wrap and then foil and place in freezer for about an hour (you want it frozen, but not rock-solid).

Remove from freezer and remove foil and plastic wrap.  Using a very sharp, serrated knife, slice log into almost paper-thin strips.  Season beef with salt and freshly-ground pepper, cover and place in refrigerator to defrost all the way.

In a large skillet over low heat, add smashed garlic clove and stir to release flavor.  Push clove to outer edge of pan.  Add chopped green onions and stir until translucent. Push to outer edges of pan.

Turn heat up to medium and add beef slices, stirring often, until browned and cooked through. Add diced chilies and stir to combine.  Add a splash of soy sauce (and a few drops of water if needed to deglaze pan).  Add dash of cumin.  Stir the green onions into the mixture and continue stirring until chilies are softened.  Discard garlic clove.
For tacos:
Line a warm corn or flour tortilla with shredded Jack cheese.  Top with warm beef mixture and serve.

For tortas:

If desired, spread one half of roll with mayo.  Top other half with shredded jack cheese and pile beef mixture on top of the cheese half.  Put the two halves together and serve.

Tip: Fruit salad and french fries are nice on the side.  Vanilla ice cream will cool the heat after a spicy meal.

 

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