Vegetarian Lasagna

This is the recipe for the Vegetarian Lasagna I brought to the potluck at Gwen's during the workshop weekend. Enjoy!

Dawn's Vegetarian Lasagna

1 box whole wheat lasagna noodles
6 cups marinara sauce (see recipe below, or use store bought)
1 500ml container low fat ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 cups shredded cheese (such as mozzarella, asiago, parmegean, romano)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 eggplants, cut into circular slices ¼–1/8-inch thick
4-6 zucchini, cut lengthwise into slices 1/4–1/8-inch thick
3-4 portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1-2 red onions, thinly sliced

Homemade Marinara Sauce

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic
3/4 cup chopped onions
Two 28-oz. cans of diced tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

To make the marinara sauce, begin by heating the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and stir until golden brown. Add the garlic and tomatoes and simmer for 25 minutes. Stir in the basil and add salt and pepper to taste, then simmer for 10 minutes.

Sauté or oven-roast the vegetables until they are cooked through. Set aside.

Mix together the ricotta cheese and egg.

Preheat the oven to 350°. In the bottom of a 15" x 11" pan, place about 1/2 cup of marinara sauce. Add a layer of dry (uncooked) noodles. On top of that, add about 1/3 of the marinara sauce, about 1/2 of the ricotta cheese, and about 1/3 of the shredded cheese. Sprinkle chopped basil over the top, and add a layer of vegetables. Repeat the process. Finish with a layer of noodles, then top with tomato sauce and a layer of shredded cheese.

Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a knife pokes easily through the lasagna. Remove the plastic and foil and bake at 450° for 10 minutes, or until the top is browned. Remove lasagna from the oven and let sit for 20 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves or other fresh herbs

Yogasana: Parsva Upavista Konasana:

Parsva Upavista Konasana: Seated side angle stretch. This pose is great for cyclists to stretch out hamstrings and lower back.

Sit on the floor with your legs straight. If you feel like your leaning backwards or your back is curving then you need to sit on a height of one to two folded blankets under your buttocks. Now take your right leg out to the right and your left leg out to the left, creating a wide angle between your legs. Press your thighs firmly down into the floor and stretch out through the heels of your feet, toes pointing upwards. Sitting tall in Upavista Konasana, ascend the spine upwards at the same time as you press your thighs downwards. Now turn from the navel to look at your right foot, rotating the spine from deep behind the abdomen and then lengthen forward over your right leg. Catch hold of your right foot with both hands. If you cannot reach your foot then take hold of your ankle or shin or use a strap around the foot. Continue to rotate and lengthen the front of your spine over your right thigh. On an inhale sit upright, facing forwards before turning to the left side. Hold each side for 1 to 2 minutes and repeat.
This asana is a deep adductor and hamstring stretch. When done correctly it also deeply stretches the Quadratus Lumborum muscles of the lower back during the twisting action.

Rice & Spinach Dish from June Workshop Potluck

A yogi potluck is a feast! More recipes to come

Rice & Spinach Dish
1 C dry short grain br, basmati white or other rice (cook according to normal ratio i.e. 1 C rice to 1 &3/4 C water)
2 or more C chopped fresh spinach
Balsamic vinegar – about 2 TB
Olive oil - 3 TB
Dill – fresh if possible
2 or more garlic cloves
If dill is fresh use ½ C finely chopped or about 2 TB dry
Feta (I use goat)
Parmesan
Optional:
White beans, prawns, mushrooms etc. anything you like. Precook prawns or shrooms or add shrooms before spinach. I used to add prawns sometimes before I became a vegetarian.
Note: I am making up these proportions as I always guess – the trick is getting the correct amount of Dill and Balsamic vinegar. I use organic ingredients.

Cook rice
Heat olive oil and quickly sauté garlic, add spinach, dill; add vinegar; add any other options if using. Remove from heat once spinach is wilted. If you have much liquid left in the pan, drain it.
Toss in with cooked rice in serving bowl.
Rub feta and parmesan together and toss in rice dish
Enjoy

Yoga Weekend in Chester

Local yoga teachers Leigh Milne and John Pece, guest teacher Janice Vien (in blue) and yoga workshop participants.

The weekend of June 28th & 29th fourteen people, most from out of town, participated in a weekend long yoga workshop organized by local yoga teacher Leigh Milne. Guest teacher Janice Vien came from Grantham New Hampshire for the purpose of leading this workshop on “Cultivating mindfulness with Iyengar Yoga” and spent four days visiting our area. Other participants spent two to three days in Chester, staying at local accommodations, and dining and shopping in the village. The rainy weather had little impact on this group as Janice reminded us to stay "mindful" and make acceptance of the present moment a part of the weekend practice. In fact, the rain offered a refreshing reason to be indoors! Thank you to the Chester Brass Band for making their hall available to us; and thanks to Kerry Keddy for working around our schedule so that we could enjoy peace and quiet during our studies.
Leigh has another workshop planned for September 12th to 14th with Rutgers professor of Indic philosophy Edwin Bryant. This workshop is open to all who are interested in the philosophy of yoga. To register call Leigh 902-273-9642