Namaste.

The food consumed by a yogi is of utmost importance. This is true for a variety of reasons, the first being philosophical considerations. The yamas are the first leg of yoga and the first of the yamas is ahimsa, nonviolence. When applied to the diet, for some yogis, this translates to vegetarianism or even veganism. For others, meat eating isn’t the most importance food choice. In this global economy, eating a strawberry picked by an underpaid migrant worker might be considered an act of violence. Some might see that as more violent than eating the meat of a cow who lived a long life on a wide pasture before being killed in as humane a way as possible. It’s all relative.

While being considerate and mindful of everything around you is excellent, ahimsa to one's self must always come first. For example, not all vitamins and minerals can be found in large supply in a vegetarian diet. This is especially true of iron and B vitamins. Supplements may be necessary to insure a complete diet. Additionally, getting enough protein can be a concern. A few non-meat sources of protein are tofu (20.2 grams per cup), lentils (17 grams per cup), nonfat Greek yogurt (13 grams per cup) and quinoa (8 grams per cup). Learning more about the origins of one’s food is also important. Going to farmer’s markets is great or even just eating organically whenever possible. Some excellent books on this subject include In Defense of Food and The Omnivore’s Dilemna by Michael Pollan, as well as Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser.

The most important thing is to eat healthily and in a way that aids one’s asana practice. That is the goal of this collection of recipes, to provide ideas and directions for foods that can be prepared and eaten with convenience and health in mind. Through our practice of yoga, we learn that we are not the body, but it is something that we must take care of to achieve Samadhi. All that said, while we are still living on this earth, the most important thing to remember while eating is to enjoy it. It's true what they say, you are what you eat. You are absorbing everything you put into your body and that includes vitamins and minerals going into the body, as well as the joy of ice cream on a hot day. Take care of yourself, body, mind and spirit.



These recipes are roughly divided into Savory and Sweet. There is also a post with a few quick snack recommendations, as well as a guide for making an optimal trail mix. Every recipe is Jen-tested for the good of my fellow Liberation yogis, so if anything doesn't work or you have any questions, shoot me an email!


xoxo, Jen