As I wrote the title to this, I could hardly believe that we are going to have to face the end of another summer very soon.  I'm not sure what happened to it and I know it went by super fast.. but I'm secretly a little excited for fall.

Until then, we have another challenge ahead of us. Regaining my strength has been a top goal of mine since having Emerson in April, and each workout & each challenge brings that a little closer. I'm seeing & feeling results and that's a motivator in itself. Our wonderful Facebook crew is growing more each week and I'm loving the amount of sharing, support & community that is unfolding everyday.

We are slowing things down a bit for August. It's a month that is always hectic as we squeeze in last minute summer vacations, gear up for kids returning to school, and establish new routines. So yoga & mobility it is.

Before we moved from Bend, I would mix in some yoga classes here and there. I loved them, I just never made it a regular thing. There seems to be mixed feeling about yoga. Many worry they aren't flexible enough, or that they aren't spiritual enough.. but it's not about any of that. Yoga isn't about attaining the perfect pose, or necessary connecting with your spiritual self. It's more or less about being present.

Yoga can have a calming or energizing affect. But it also helps strengthen & lengthen all of your major muscle groups. Increased flexibility & improved balance are also some much appreciated benefits of daily practice.

There is vast growing research on how yoga improves a variety of health issues from chronic pain & fatigue, stress management, asthma, IBS and more.

Each day this month we will practice Sun Salutation A. A great series for starting or ending your day. I am turning the instruction over to Hilde, a member of our group who practices daily and will walk us through this month with instruction, tips, and some pose challenges to mix things up.

Take a look & give it a try.



 1. Standing Mountain Pose
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Press your palms together in prayer position. Rest your thumbs on your sternum and take several breaths through your nose to warm the air.

2. Upward Salute
Inhale as you sweep your arms out to the side and overhead. Gently arch your back and gaze toward the sky.

3. Standing Forward Fold
Exhale as you fold forward from the hips. Bend your knees if necessary. Rest your hands beside your feet and bring your nose to your knees.

4. Half Standing Forward Fold
Inhale as you lift your torso halfway, lengthening your spine forward so your back is flat. Your torso should be parallel to the floor. Keep your fingertips on the floor, or bring them to your shins.

5. Four-Limbed Staff Pose
Exhale as you step or jump back into Plank Pose (High Push-Up Pose), with your hands under your shoulders and feet hip-distance apart. Continue exhaling as you lower your body toward the floor. Keep your elbows tucked in toward your sides. If needed, come to your knees for Half Chaturanga. Otherwise, keep your legs straight and reach back through your heels.

6. Upward-Facing Dog Pose
Inhale as you draw your chest forward and straighten your arms. Draw your shoulders back and lift your heart to the sky. Press through the tops of your feet, lifting your thighs off the floor and fully engaging your leg muscles. Keep your elbows tucked in toward your sides.

7. Downward-Facing Dog Pose
Exhale as you lift your hips and roll over your toes, placing the soles of your feet on the floor. Your heels do not need to touch the ground. Ground down through your hands and the soles of your feet as you lengthen your spine. Lift your belly and sit bones toward the sky. Stay here for five breaths. On your last exhalation, bend your knees and look between your hands.

8. Half Standing Forward Fold
Inhale as you step or jump both feet between your hands. Lift your torso halfway, lengthening your spine forward so your back is flat. Your torso should be parallel to the floor. Keep your fingertips on the floor, or bring them to your shins.

9. Standing Forward Fold
Exhale as you fold your torso over your thighs. Bend your knees if necessary. Rest your hands beside your feet and bring your nose to your knees.

10. Upward Salute
Inhale as you sweep your arms out to the side and extend up once again. Gently arch your back and gaze toward the sky.

11. Mountain Pose
Exhale as you come back into Mountain Pose. Bring your hands into prayer position. Rest your thumbs on your sternum. Repeat the sequence

Remember, it's not about the perfect pose. Breathe, be present & mindful and relax. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this this month's challenge, scroll to the bottom to comment.


sources:

https://www.yogaoutlet.com/guides/how-to-do-sun-salutation-a-in-yoga

We love Mexican food around here. If we go out to dinner, there's a 90% chance that it's for Mexican food. Chili Colorado is one of our favorites, but taking a hot mess of a toddler & a baby into a restaurant is a no-go recently, so we decided to make it here at home, so we can have it whenever it sounds good.  I had a hard time finding a solid and authentic tasting recipe, but I did find this one, and just made a few adaptations. Tender and juicy chunks of beef, slow simmered in a delicious Mexican-style Chili Colorado sauce wrapped in a warm tortilla (or over rice) with guac, shredded lettuce & cilantro -YUM!

General thoughts.. you can definitely make this sauce ahead of time. Make it on the weekend for a weeknight dinner. Just make sure you freeze it if you aren't using it within 5-7 days to keep it fresh. The leftovers are great, the flavors in the sauce meld together perfectly. This does call for quite a few peppers (I found them all at our local grocery store in the Latin food section), but they are all mild in heat. I only use one jalapeno for the sauce, and it ends up mild enough for Aria to enjoy with us.  If you like it hot, you could definitely add in more jalapeno or use Serrano peppers instead.

Chili Colorado

Serves 6-8

• 2-4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 yellow onion, minced
• Beef 4lbs. bottom round or chuck steak
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 2 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 4 cups beef broth
• water to almost cover the meat

1. Trim off excess fat and cube the beef into 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes.  Combine all of the dry seasonings into a bowl.

2. Preheat a large stock pot to high heat. Heat 2 tsp of olive oil, the minced garlic & onion 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.

3. Add 1/2 of the meat and 1/2 of the seasonings and sear on all sides. Transfer the cooked beef to a large bowl and set aside.

Repeat with the rest of the meat, seasonings and oil.

*Note: Searing the beef in two batches allows for a good sear. Adding all of the meat at once will “steam” it.

When the second batch has seared, pour the first batch back into the pot, add the beef broth, then top with enough water to cover the beef.

4.  Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to low.  Keep it covered and simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. (You should have about the same amount of water at the end of this hour, if you notice the water evaporating just add a little more when needed.)

While the meat simmers, make the sauce.

Chili Colorado Sauce

yields 1/2 gallon 

• 22oz. dry pasillo-ancho chilis (dry pablanos)
• 1 1/2oz. dry guajillo-entero chilis (dry Anaheim chilis)
• 1 green pepper
• 1 fresh Anaheim chili
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers (depends on how hot you like it)
• 2 small white onions, diced
• 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. dry Mexican oregano
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder

1. Stem and seed the dry chilis and add them to a large bowl. Cover with 3 1/2 cups hot water to reconstitute. Soak for about 20 minutes or until soft.

2. Cut, seed and stem the fresh Anaheim chili, green pepper and jalapenos (seeds are optional) into large chunks for easy blending.

3. Add the reconstituted chilis, fresh veggies and “chili water” to a blender and blend until smooth. You may have to do this in batches. If your blender is like mine and can't seem to manage to make a smooth sauce, strain it through a fine mesh sieve to eliminate the pepper skin bits.. (I learned this lesson after making the first batch).

4. Pour the mixture into a medium sauce pan. Add the seasonings and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer covered for about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Your Colorado sauce is ready. Yay!

*Note: This is a sauce“concentrate”, it makes about 1/2 gallon so you’ll have plenty left over. It freezes well for up to 3 months. I found portioning 2 cups at a time into freezer ziploc bags and freezing flat made life easier.  Dilute with water or broth and it can be used as an enchilada sauce, Mexican-style rice or as a taco sauce. It can also be used to slow simmer chicken or pork.

6.  Now that your beef has been simmering for an hour or so it should be getting soft and tender.  Add 2 cups of sauce and stir it in.

7. Cover and simmer for another hour, this allows the beef to become super tender, it should just fall apart when to take a bite.



Serve over rice, cauli-rice, sweet potatoes, with or without tortillas, refried beans & cheese if you please.. Fresh cilantro, green onion, shredded lettuce, avocado, pico de gallo, & guacamole are amazing toppings.

Let me know what you think! I'd love to hear how it turns out, any modifications and feedback.. just scroll to the bottom to comment! Be sure to tag me on insta @mckenzie_wheeler