“Slow down you move to fast, you gotta make the moment last…”
What had me feelin’ groovy this week? A yoga-food induced buzz experienced at the hands of two of my favorite friends. A new friend, David Romanelli, led us through yoga poses aimed to slow us down in preparation to enjoy the culinary delights prepared by my old friend, Chef Akasha Richmond. Boy did they deliver! Instead of sensory overload it was sensory satisfaction and I really do credit the pre-feast yoga for mental, physical, and sensory preparation.
What is ‘Yoga for Foodies’ and how in the world did David come up with it? I grabbed David between bites to learn a little more about his current and noteworthy nationwide multi-city tour, “Jam Sessions: Yoga for Foodies.”
David Romanelli says himself that, “Part of the inspiration for Yoga for Foodies has been my traveling the nation for the better part of the last decade teaching Yoga + Chocolate and Yoga + Wine workshops which share that living in the moment does not have to mean strapping on a loin cloth, moving to India, and becoming a vegan. Rather, I teach that one can embrace everyday passions (chocolate, wine, music) as accessible gateways to the present moment. In these workshops, I’d observe how much participants enjoyed taking the time after yoga to converse, chill out, relax, and indulge. And it made sense that people might also enjoy slowing down before not just chocolate or wine but a gourmet meal. After watching the movie Food Inc, I became really interested in the Slow Food movement which encourages fair farming and compassionate treatment of animals and, what I found most relevant to the average person like me, SLOWING DOWN. Our society puts so much emphasis on speed, efficiency, and convenience but certain things can only happen slowly over time (i.e. maturity, understanding, wisdom).”
So David started this series to build upon a notion he feels is still missing from the messaging regarding a core food issue – slow food? Well, actually, as attendees learned while we “cat –cowed and downward-dog’d”, the real instigator was David’s loss to his girlfriend in a common “debate” …the “remote debate” – as in do we watch sports or do we watch the Food Channel…she won, and that’s where David – a devout foodie – began to explore the connection between slow food and yoga. My two cents after attending: good things really can come from surrendering the remote!
David adds, “So ‘Yoga for Foodies’ is about educating people on the Slow Food movement and particularly emphasizing that by slowing down, one is more likely to sense not just the subtleties of the soul, but also the subtle flavors of fresh, whole foods that cannot be experience in a frenzied state of mind. I think slowing down is an important and missing link in the Food Revolution that’s starting to sweep the nation. People first must have the desire and means to slow down and take a deep breath before realizing that eating healthier is important. A car heading in one direction has to stop before it can go the other way.”
No newbie to yoga – Chef Akasha Richmond regaled us with stories of her early days in the Kundalini yoga world. She provided a guided tasting inspired by her years of cooking for and studying with Yogi Bhajan, and discussed how his teachings influenced her style of cooking. Akasha began her professional career at Yogi Bhajan’s Golden Temple Conscious Cookery, a now defunct but once popular vegetarian restaurant in Los Angeles. It was in this kitchen that Akasha discovered her passion for making delicious dishes with good-for-you ingredients.
At the event, I caught up with Akasha to discuss the delicious recipes, how she made options for omnivores, vegans, vegetarians, and qualitarians (like me!) alike. "I have always loved the science of yoga, and combining it with my passion for food made for such a great event,” noted Akasha.
What did I takeaway, other than two books with great recipes and advice on how to savor life (Richmond’s The Hollywood Dish and Romanelli’s “Yeah Dave’s Guide to Livin’ the Moment: Getting to Ecstasy through Wine, Chocolate, and Your iPod Playlist.”) – I fully experienced the difference in slowing down, opening my senses, and allowing the food to fully nourish me. Take a look at the menu below and if you are lucky enough to be in a city where this tour stops (the rest of the tour heads to: Memphis, Boston, Sedona and NYC) – go to Yoga for Foodies – an experience that’s bound to enhance your palate and your day! (for more on David Romanelli visit www.yeahdave.com)
MENU HIGHLIGHTS (www.akasharestaurant.com)
*LOCAL FARM EGG & GOAT CHEESE FRITTATA with spinach & caramelized onions
*CUMIN & CORIANDER SPICED LAMB SAUSAGE
*GRILLED TANDOORI VEGETABLE SALAD with Coleman farms greens, white corn, zucchini, red peppers, and chutney dressing
*PUNJABI FOCACCIA with holy basil pesto, heirloom tomatoes, grilled eggplant, fresh paneer
About Ashley Koff R.D.
Ashley Koff is a registered dietitian (R.D.) who strives to make better nutrition a way of life for all. Koff has the proven ability to demystify the science of nutrition and communicate the importance of a healthy lifestyle to clients in a way that instills loyalty and trust. Never preachy, Koff’s clients truly admire her gentle and patient way of finding the correct and effective nutritional program to suit their individual needs. Her passionate style is effective, resulting in Koff being named by Citysearch as LA’s “Best Nutritionist” three years running.
Celebrity client Emily Deschanel attests: “Ashley is the most knowledgeable nutritionist that I have ever worked with. She really cares about her clients and wants them to have optimum health. Ashley helped me find a way to have lots of energy while working very long days. She's able to work around food intolerances and address different personal nutritional needs. It seems like there is nothing she doesn't know about nutrition.”
Koff launched AKA (
ashleykoffapproved.com) in 2008 as a way to house all aspects of her private practice, nutritional endorsement opportunities, as well as her corporate consulting company (formerly the healthXchange). With AKA, consumers of all demographics can readily identify products that meet Koff’s standards for nutrition resulting in optimal health. Under the AKA umbrella, Koff also offers business-to-business consulting.
Koff is regularly sought after by the most trusted names in nutrition and medicine. She counsels patients on referral from Dr. Andrew Weil (Program in Integrative Medicine) and has served as guest faculty for PIM's fellowships. She is also the exclusive R.D. to patients of integrative medicine guru Dr. Soram Khalsa and receives referrals from the world-renowned Tao of Wellness. “Ashley is an instrumental player in the field of nutrition. I trust she will no doubt transform the industry; she sets the bar for what it means to be an influential and responsible leader in health and wellness,” says Dr. Andrew Weil.
Ashley Koff has authored her own book;
Recipes for IBS (Fair Winds Press 2007), a cookbook and treatment plan for digestive wellness. Several pharmaceutical companies purchased the book as a resource for gastroenterologists worldwide. Koff was also hired by many of the same pharmaceutical companies for television and radio media tours on digestive wellness topics based on the content of her book.
Koff is in demand as a consultant to many authors debuting books next year:
Collaborating with celebrity trainer and fitness icon Kathy Kaehler, their highly anticipated 2009 book on “mom energy” will feature real life makeovers for moms of all ages.
The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide (May 2009), written by
The View’s Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck called upon Koff to be her R.D. expert on nutritional information because “her advice is so sensible and realistic, and that's what I want to offer my readers.”
Integrative Gastroenterology (fall 2009), Koff lends her knowledge to Dr. Andrew Weil's textbook look at dietary goals for IBS patients.
Food Cures, the 2008
Reader’s Digest publication that examines food-based remedies for the entire range of diseases and symptoms from A to Z. Koff was a consultant.
AKA’s client list includes entertainment studios, where Koff works to improve the quality of food selections on production sets and locations. In addition, Koff consults with The An Family Restaurants - home to Crustacean Beverly Hills – as they will soon launch new cafes nationwide. The An Family brought in Koff to identify menu items that support optimal immune function. Another client, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, brought Koff on staff as a dietitian from 2004 to 2007.
Koff’s R.D. expertise and extensive client base have led to her collaboration with numerous media outlets including
The New York Times, Reader's Digest, CNN, Shape, InStyle, Yoga Journal, Teen Vogue, Women's Health, Natural Health, Allure, Entertainment Tonight, and Food & Wine. She also sits on the prestigious advisory board at
Fitness magazine.
The daughter of a surgeon, Koff was privy to an insiders look at the art of medicine at a very young age. An intense curiosity, coupled with her interest in preventive healthcare, lead to Koff’s desire to personalize and improve her own health regime. Immediately, she was hooked on a path of dietetic education and independent study efforts to explore the healing practices of the world.
Educated at both Duke and New York Universities, Koff trained at LA+USC and Columbus Children's hospitals. Koff also completed integrative medicine coursework for certification as a certified clinical nutritionist (CCN).
Koff loves to travel and connect with people, learning from different cultures about alternative food and wellness practices. She enjoys comedy and satire, believing that using humor is one of the most effective learning methods – especially when it comes to nutrition. Koff's clients are drawn to her approachability and capacity to personalize implementation plans through a unique method of ongoing evaluation and feedback. They also value her joy of life, sense of humor, and her deep caring for their well-being.
I can't think of anything more heavenly than yoga ANNDDD delicious food!
What a awesome 6 hour, thankyou to Dave and all the crew at Roudtuit Caravan park for all the work that went to running this event, well worth marking in the dairy for next yearZayıflama Lida Fx15 ve Biber Hapı zlfvbh burmeh yaza lida fx15 biber hapı ile formda girin burmeh yaza lida fx15 biber hapı ile formda girin Trakya Üniversitesi tabiii en önemliside bize baya bi para getirecek. his family and particularly the children he had artificially created will be happier and far better off without him, not to mention wealthier. Remember and play his music if you want..it was pretty good but don't for get what an absolute failure as man he was. He dies a whiny drug addicted loser.. Save your sorrow for someone worthy