Inspired

Hey, how was your weekend? This weekend I attended the Austin Yoga Festival.  It was awesome, especially considering that it was my first yoga festival and my first time ever practicing yoga outdoors.  The festival was held at a gorgeous park right on the lake, and the weather was beautiful during our yoga session. A lovely breeze kept things nice and cool.  It started pouring down rain later on, while I was attending a lecture, but the speakers quickly moved their talk indoors and it was fine.

The lecture was called "A Heart Centered Approach to Food and Lifestyle on the Yogic Path" and it dealt with veganism and its ties to the yoga philosophy.  The speakers, Claudia Castro-Leverett and Thomas Leverett, discussed both ethical and health reasons to follow a vegan diet. The focus was on compassion -- having compassion for animals, and also for ourselves and our well-being.  The medical statistics and descriptions of slaughterhouse cruelty weren't new information to me at this point, but it was a solid reinforcement of ideals that I already believe in, yet find it hard to stick to from time to time. I left the festival feeling inspired to try to eat compassionately every day.

Speaking of inspiration, I thought I would post some links to recipes that have inspired me so far this MoFo. Don't they all look so good? Can't wait to make them.

Tofu Bacon (The Vegan Cookbook Aficionado)

Banana Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream (Joyfulgirl's cupcakes and crafts)

Bounty Chocolate Bars (The Compassionate Cook)

Spicy PDX Bowl of Goodness (Vegan Noms)

Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls (oh, ladycakes)

"Tuna" Salad (Amanda Eats SLC)

Hatch Green Chile, Sweet Potato and Red Lentil Tortilla Bake (The Lively Kitchen)

Butternut Squash Mac 'n Cheeze (Oh She Glows)

Bac'un Cupcakes (The Lady and Seitan)

When I got home from the festival, I had Spicy African Peanut Soup waiting for me in my slow cooker. Another Peas and Thank You recipe. Tony was fighting a cold all week, and then Jackson and Olivia caught it, so I wanted to make something warm and healthy that would help them feel better.  We all loved it -- no leftovers.

Today is the last day to enter my Peas and Thank You giveaway! I'll announce the winner tomorrow morning.