Rock Your Own Asana!

Yoga means union. It is a balancing and integrating of your physical, mental and spiritual selves. The benefits of doing yoga are endless, but amongst them, stress relief is key.

Recently, I hosted a week long cleanse in my home, which included a group of 10 people, doing variations on a detox cleanse and practicing yoga as a group.

One of the most powerful things that I took away from this week-long journey was that I can practice yoga every single day, in my very own home.

We moved some furniture and pulled back the rug, put on some inspiring music and threw down our mats and there was our yoga studio!

Now, granted not every apartment will have large open spaces for this, but you don't really need much. Just a mat or a rug, instructions on how to properly do some of the poses, and some quiet time to do them!

There are some helpful resources on the internet that describe poses and the meaning of certain terms.
You can order videos or DVD's of your favorite instructors or find free classes online.

Here are some references that I have used in the past:

Yoga Journal

Yoga To Health (informational site)

Rodney Yee! (one of my favorites cuz he kicks my asana)

Lisa Kazmer! (my partner in crime for the cleanses in NYC)

While the ideal situation is to find a teacher you LOVE and who inspires and guides you to be at your best, you can also rock your own asana, right at home!!

Good luck, keep it balanced.

xo
Deborah

Green Pirate Caters & Delivers This Fall!

Green Pirate Juice Truck is juicing right into the Fall, making the most delicious, nutritious and environmentally friendly beverages we can think of to rock your world!

Join the fun and have the Juice Truck deliver to your business or cater the site of your next event. Visit our website to learn more about the truck and how you can have us visit YOU!

We are currently offering catering and delivery in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, through December 15th, 2010.

Check out our profile page on Thumbtack!
Fresh Squeezed Juice Truck catering in Brooklyn!

Delicious & Healthy Fall Recipes

Greetings Dear Readers!

I am so happy today because its the perfect Fall weather. Its cool and crisp outside but the sun is shining and if you stand in just the right place it will still warm you outside and in.

This is by far my favorite season for cooking. I love to bake apple pie, roast seasonal squashes and root veggies, and of course, I love juicing apples!

Today I'm going to share with you some of my favorite simple recipes for Fall. Try them at home and let me know how it goes. I hope its delicious and FUN!

Roasted Butternut Squash
Ingredients
1 butternut squash
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup Organic Cold Pressed Olive Oil (you can use coconut oil as well)
Cinnamon to taste
Sea Salt

When I found out how simple it was to roast a squash I was blown away. You can certainly get more fancy with this recipe by cutting the squash into different size pieces or shaping them, but if your just chillin' at home and want something sweet and warm and delicious, try this:

Wash one small butternut squash and cut it in half or four.
Remove the seeds from the belly of the squash.
Place both halves (inside face up) on a baking tray.
Preheat the oven to 375 (or 400 depending on climate and your oven)
Chop 2 cloves of garlic fine and mix them into a 1/4 cup of oil. Mix well.
Drizzle or glaze the oil over the squash covering the entire exposed surface
Sprinkle cinnamon and sea salt over the squash to your desired amount
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes then check with a fork.

I like it really soft so I would probably leave my squash in another 15 minutes (40 total). If you like it kind of hard or raw still, you can take it out after 30 minutes. Cut it into pieces and serve! Delicious.

AGAVE APPLE PIE

Here's a healthy take on an apple pie recipe that I have been trying to perfect for a few years now. It includes the use of Agave nectar.

Agave nectar's glycemic index and glycemic load are comparable to fructose, which in turn has a much lower glycemic index and glycemic load than table sugar (sucrose).

INGREDIENTS

• 5 or 6 large apples
• 2 whole wheat grain pie crusts ( you can make your own or buy in a health food store)
• 1/4 cup Agave Nectar (I recommend using amber or light)
• 1/2 cup Organic Rolled Oats
• 1/4 cup wheat flour
• Cinnamon
• dash of Sea Salt

Place one of the whole grain pie crust in a round baking dish. Wash, peel, core and chop the apples into small chunks. In a large mixing bowl combine the apples, agave nectar, sea salt and cinnamon and stir until blended. Add the rolled oats and wheat flour to the mixture and stir until moist and blended. (you could add more apples or a dash more agave here to keep mixture moist).

Fill in pie dish and cover with the second pie crust. Poke holes in the top crust with a fork to allow it to breathe.

Bake at 350, for 25 minutes. Crust should turn golden brown. Keep your eye on it!

Enjoy! (don't be afraid to add a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt to this dish!)

APPLE, WALNUT & ENDIVE SALAD
(got this recipe from Martha)

Serves 4

• 1/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons grainy mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 shallot, minced
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 red apples, quartered, cored, and each quarter cut into 8 wedges
• 3 ounces baby arugula, washed and dried (6 cups)
• 1 Belgian endive, leaves separated, washed and dried
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
• 2 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled
  

1. In a small skillet over medium heat, toast walnuts, stirring frequently until crisp and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the mustard, honey, shallot, and vinegar until well combined. Whisk in the oil until thick; season with salt and pepper.
3. Add apple and arugula; toss to coat. Arrange endive leaves on four serving plates, top with apple mixture and scatter mint, cheese, and walnuts over the top.

Read more at Wholeliving.com: Apple, Walnut, and Endive Salad

What are you cleansing?

It's late Summer and it's a natural instinct to want to hang on to the last juicy days of fun and sun as long as possible. In keeping with a healthy balance of reality though, it's important to realize what is about to happen in nature and find where it is reflected in your own life. We are preparing for a natural cleanse. The Earth is pushing up and out its bounty of Fall vegetables and greens, the markets are bustling with robust, ripe produce that is vibrant in color,

and the leaves on all the trees are still sparkling green, but in a few short weeks we will begin to see the first signs of the turn of season: preparing for Fall.

At this time of year we can observe what kind of rewards we reaped from the seeds we sewed last Spring. We can give thanks for the many gifts of nature that we are able to enjoy, and we can also forgive ourselves for having lost a seed or two along the way. All the more ready to replant again next year.

Soon, we will become part of a natural letting go. It may not be time yet, but when it is.... What are you saying goodbye to in your life? What are you letting go of?

What are you cleansing?

Traditional cleansing of the body can be an incredibly powerful way to create ritual around the practice of letting go. We learn to say goodbye to those things which no longer serve us and we recognize and give thanks for the many things we learned that did strengthen and support us along our path to a happier, healthier existence. While cleansing, your body is afforded the opportunity to take a break from the tedious task of digesting and processing solid food day in and day out. Your liver, gallbladder, kidneys and stomach may all thank you for a few days off, and your colon gets a good clean out.

Whether its pesticides or trans fats in your food, car exhaust fumes in the air or chemicals in the soda you drink, your body is being assailed by pollutants 24 hours a day. You can use a cleansing diet and detox plan to redress the balance and restore your body to health! It's an important opportunity to check in with what foods work well in your diet and which do not serve you.

It's a gentle stepping back from routine to observe which habits and patterns work for you and which ones don't.

I am thrilled to be co-leading a Fall group cleanse and gentle detoxifying yoga week with my good friend and colleague, Lisa Kazmer. We will be running a planning day, to prepare for the week of cleansing and meeting several times throughout the process to practice yoga as a group and check in with eachother about our individual process.

Please visit the cleanse page on this blog for more information about embarking on a cleanse or to schedule a private consultation. You contact me directly at deborah@green-pirate.com.

Guided Detox Cleanse and Yoga Week!

Join Us for an amazing Fall Detox Cleanse!

Rid your body of unwanted waste and stressful toxins. Check in with your body's state of natural balance through meditation and yoga. Learn how to cleanse physical, mental and emotional toxins.

GUIDED DETOXIFYING CLEANSE & YOGA WEEK
w/ Juice Truck Owner and Holistic Health Coach, Deborah C. Smith and Yoga with Ashtanga Goddess Lisa Kazmer

September 10th - 17th, 2010
Greenpoint, Brooklyn

"This cleanse experience is amazingly supportive and a true catharsis."

"I feel so much more energy then I did just a week ago"

"The cleanse helped me to understand what foods I need more of and less of in my everyday life. Deborah was a tremendous guide in getting through the week."

Guided Detox Cleanse and Yoga Intensive includes:

- Juicey Kick-off! Cleansing Plenary Session (group)
- Weekly menu plan
- Nutrition and Cleanse Educational Materials
- 2 Basics Detox-focused Yoga classes- 75 minutes (group)
- 30 minute private health coaching session (individual)
- Detox Tea Blends for the week

TOTAL CLEANSE PACKAGE - $100 per person.

** Fresh Squeezed Juice Delivery for the cleanse is a separate option which each individual may inquire about.

** Individual Private yoga sessions are available with Lisa

DISCOUNTS

Sign up before Labor Day and receive a $15 discount!

Register and pay securely with Paypal!

Registration Fees

Full Registration Fee $100.00 Earlybird Discount $85.00 Internship (1 per cleanse) $50.00

REFER A FRIEND
Most of my client base and group workshop attendees arrive in my world via word of mouth. In order to reward those of you who pass along this valuable info, I offer the following referral plan.

Refer 1 client: Receive a FREE 30 minute Health Coaching session
Refer 2 clients: Receive a FREE 45 minute massage OR FREE private yoga lesson
Refer 3 clients: Receive BOTH a 45 minute massage AND private yoga lesson
************************************************************************************
ABOUT DEBORAH

For the past 5 years I have been cleansing regularly throughout the seasons and guiding groups and individuals in successful cleansing experiences. As a graduate of the renown Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I am trained to work with individuals from all walks of life in addressing their body's nutritional needs, but I received most of my real knowledge about the process by working with my own body and listening intently to the questions and concerns of my clients. I am highly experienced to offer a Guided Juice Cleanse plan that is unique to each individual that I work with.

As a certified Holistic Health Coach, I have been the nutritional guide for hundreds of busy New Yorkers seeking a healthier lifestyle. Many of my clients have reported that even several years later they are still applying the knowledge and education they received from my program to help them make the healthiest choices and live a more fulfilling and happier life.

In Harmony with Nature.

I am always amazed at how quickly I can get caught up in the hectic energy of the city. Even as the owner of my own business, I find that I am subject to the pace and madness of other people's agendas and often find myself caught in the very same stressful patterns that I offer counseling for. I struggle with keeping a finger on the pulse of what's happening in the moment, right now, and can become consumed with fear of what's to come, worries about money, opportunities, the economy, etc. I find myself daydreaming about the simple life, and living in a place where there are tons of trees and fresh water.

I was raised in upstate NY, near the foothills of the Adirondack mountains. As often as I can, I like to visit, recharge my batteries and reconnect with nature. This past week I spent a few days camping at a beautiful place called Fawn Lake with the intention of clearing away my stress, reclaiming my love and respect for nature and humbly receiving the lessons which the Earth has to offer me.

Fawn Lake is a gift to me. I started camping there when I was a teenager, with my close friends from the Adirondacks. While I was there I lived silently and simply. My best friend Sheila and I built fires made of fallen wood that we gathered from nearby treefalls, and cooked fresh veggies that we were given by local farmers over an open fire, roasting them right in the hot coals. We swam and bathed in the lake and we sat quietly for hours, just listening to the wind caress the trees, the call of the many loons that grace that area and the lapping of the endless waves off the lake upon the shore.

It was the sound of true harmony.

Breathing in fresh air and relaxing my mind from the stress of city living was blissful. I know that this close relationship with nature granted me the feeling of balance and fulfillment that I was reveling in. I vowed to keep this feeling alive inside me and to find a way every day to witness nature, to connect with the Earth and all her many lessons.

When I thought of ways to do this, many questions came up.


Am I living in balance with nature? Do I do my part to contribute to preserving this beauty and natural wonder for the next generation? Or do I make excuses and take the easy way out when I can? Do I recycle and compost everything I can? Do I volunteer for a local community cleaning day? Do I avoid making garbage and waste when I can? Or do I just think "Well, let somebody else deal with it..."?

I will be planning a full week-long cleanse in September 2010 where we will focus on this topic. Connecting with nature. Reviewing our vows to our own balance and that of the Earth. Removing the stressful burdens of waste in our lives, and striking a true connected relationship with the one thing that continues to feed us all: NATURE.

Please take time for yourself in these last few days of Summer to indulge in the beauty of our natural surroundings. Get to Central Park. Take the train out to one of our beaches and swim in the majestic Ocean. Visit the Cloisters. Get yourself close to nature and just observe. There is so much harmony to be shared.

Peace,
Deborah

What's Sexy About Health?

Let's face it, feeling happy and healthy is sexy!

Being in touch with that part of yourself that is sensual (which by very nature of being human we all have) is crucial to feeling balanced. Many people live in denial of what role their sensuality plays in their lives and it can lead to choices that don't always serve us. Getting to you know your sensual side and to nourish it can be truly revolutionary and healing!

I've been doing Zumba. I know... funny.... Here's the funniest part, my mother gave me the DVD and basically challenged me. She said "I know that you love to dance and you can do all these moves with your hips, and that's the exact area you need to work on!" Now I know that she meant well when she said that last part, hahaha. But the truth is, I LOVE to dance. I especially love Latin style dances; salsa, samba, merengue and even zouk!

I love it because it makes me feel energized and sexy. The fact that it also helps keep me in shape is a major bonus. I get a good cardiovascular workout and I get to connect to that rhythmic part of me that loves to step in time to the music. It stimulates a flow of energy that makes me feel amazing.


So what's your healthy sexy?

Do sensuality and sexuality have an impact on your overall balanced health? Absolutely! In fact, its just as important as good nutrition, exercise, a career that you love and a connection to your spirituality or creativity.

It's important to know the following things:

- how to care for and nurture your sensual side
- how to support reproductive systems and organs
- how to tap into and fuel your creative passions
- how to learn to love yourself as a sensual being
- what it means to YOU to be a sensual/sexual person (which is different for us all)
- how to communicate to the world about these things

As Cindy and I prepare for our upcoming class on health and sensuality (see details below), we continually ask ourselves and others what is so important about having a healthy relationship to our sexuality and sensuality. The answer is that it is at the core of everything that we do. It is our center of self-identity in so many ways. It fuels our passions and ignites our daily experiences with a spark.

Join us on a journey to better know ourselves, so we may be happier, healthier, and yes, sexier!!

Health & Sensuality, A Whole-body health workshop
the Meta Center

214 West 29th Street New York, NY

New York, NY

Thursday, July 29th, 2010
7:30 PM - 9:30 PM

http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-NY/Majestic-Living/126325763734?v=app_4949752878