Tag: Food Yoga

Take Our Survey and WIN a FREE SCHOLARSHIP

Take Our Survey and WIN a FREE SCHOLARSHIP

I am offering a FREE scholarship at the Food Yoga Academy.

All you have to do is take a quick survey that you can complete in less than 2-minutes!

And that’s it. You will be in the running to get full access to the Food Yogi level 1 Certification course.

This is the introductory course for food yoga and it includes many hours of video lessons and vegan recipe demonstrations. All students that complete the course will be awarded a printable certificate and a digital badge that they can proudly display on their online resume.

So don’t delay, do the survey now and be in the running.

HOW TO ENTER

Answer the following question in this short survey and you will be in the running to win a FREE scholarship at the Food Yoga Academy for the Level 1 Food Yogi Certification.

The survey should take no more than 2-minutes to complete. Don’t delay!

Create your own user feedback survey

Food Yoga Level 2 open for enrollment

Food Yoga Level 2 open for enrollment

The Food Yoga Academy is now offering Food Yogi level 2 certification, however, students will have first completed level 1 to be eligible.

The Food Yogi Level 2 Certification will dive deeper into the art and science of food yoga, providing much more information, case studies, and realizations, which will equip students with a thorough understanding of the science.

Students will receive both a PDF certificate they can hang on their wall, as well as a digital badge they can proudly display on their online resume, website and social media pages.

Once students have completed both levels they are then eligible for Food Yoga Master training where they will be invited to spend a week with me in Colombia at Juliana’s Animal Sanctuary and retreat.

I have really enjoyed taking this course. It has been very interesting and has given me a lot of ideas for strategies I wish to incorporate into my daily life. – Gail Hollingsworth

I didn’t expect so much information on energy, physics, sacred geometry… and I absolutely loved it! Eating apples became a very different experience since then. Paul’s interview in the beginning of the course and Mathew Bates’ testimony at the end were incredible, and provided both a great introduction and a great conclusion to the entire course. – Ana

To learn more about the Food Yoga Academy visit www.foodyogaacademy.com

 

How to Make a Super Easy Vegan Cheesecake

How to Make a Super Easy Vegan Cheesecake

This is a very easy recipe, but the final product is amazing. 

Preparation time: 30 minutes.

Base

  • 330 grams plain vegan cookies
  • 1 cup of chopped dried apricots
  • 1/2 cup of coconut oil

Method:

Process in a processor until the mix is lightly holding together. You want it to still be a little crumbly. Pat it firmly into a springform pan and set in fridge. 

Filling:

  • 2 medium-sized bananas
  • 1 cup of soaked raw cashews
  • 1 cup of coconut cream
  • 1 cup of coconut oil
  • 1 cup of cacao butter melted
  • 1 Tbsp of finely chopped turmeric root
  • Juice of 1 fresh lemon
  • 1/2 cup of agave syrup or maple syrup
  • 2 slices of fresh peach

Method:

Again, using the food processor, place all filling ingredients into a bowl and mix until it is smooth. Pour the filling into the base and set in the fridge.

Decorate with slices of peach and drizzle with some chocolate sauce.

Chocolate sauce:

Mix all together to make the sauce.

  • 2 Tbsp Cacao powder
  • 1/4 cup of melted coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup of agave syrup

FUN FACT: Vegan dog food offers many health benefits as well and here are some easy recipes

Foster the People receive FOOD YOGA and a vegan lunch

Foster the People receive FOOD YOGA and a vegan lunch

Mark Pontius and Phil Danyew from Foster the People are in Colombia to perform at the famous Festival Estereo Picnic along with other big names like Jack White and Damian Marley. Mark and Phil dropped by Juliana’s Animal Sanctuary to meet with the rescued animals and enjoy a vegan lunch.

I made a Quinoa vegetable curry, baked potatoes, cauliflower buffalo wings with hot sauce, and delicious mango, spinach, avocado salad. The boys relished the lunch as we talked about the work of Food for Life and Juliana’s Sanctuary. They were interested to learn about my experience as a monk and what it means to be a food yogi. Mark and Phil shared their musical journey and how they go to where they are now and then walked around the farm to meet all the animals here. Mark and Phil were amazed at how big Balarama, our resident ox is and yet also how peaceful and gentle he is.

Mark-Phil-FosterthePeople-Visit-e

They both fed the horse and the cow and ox and then we visited all the dogs who loved the new visitors. A highlight of their visit was the new bunny. They both melted to see such a lovely and cute little animal snuggle up to them. Phil was particularly taken by the bunny and we got some great photos of him with the bunny. Mark and Phil then made a short endorsement video for the sanctuary, encouraging people to visit and support the project. We are so appreciative of this.

Mark-Phil-FosterthePeople-Visit-j

Next, we went inside and enjoyed a vegan tiramisu made by my wife, Juliana. Mark and Phil invited me, Juliana and her sister, Dana to their concert tomorrow, so we look forward to seeing them again. I then presented Mark and Phil with copies of my books, Food Yoga, and The 5 Noble Truths.

Mark is a new vegan and has been interested in animal welfare and meditation for a long time. He was genuinely touched by the charity work, my wife and I are doing and look forward to visiting again.

The Food Yoga Standard

The Food Yoga Standard

Since I released my book, FOOD YOGA – Nourishing Body, Mind & Soul I have seen that other people are using the term food yogi or food yoga to promote their healthy lifestyle or cooking courses. However, there is a standard for what constitutes a food yogi. As a long time practitioner of bhakti yoga (32 years), director of the world’s largest vegan food relief and author of FOOD YOGA – Nourishing Body, Mind & Soul I carry the responsibility for the definition of food yoga and a food yogi. I want to make that clear here.

FoodYogi-LOGOWhat Food Yoga is

ART: An individual’s creative expression of love and devotion using food as the medium;

SCIENCE: An appreciation for the beauty and interconnectedness of all things, coupled with an unceasing awareness of the Energetic Source from which all things emanate. A food yogi considers the physical laws of good food combining as well as the most subtle laws of intention while preparing the meal.

Food Yoga is a completely new approach to holistic living. Until now, philosophies on healthy living and nutrition have focused on the mechanics of health and happiness, exclusively focusing on the body alone. In doing so, these philosophies have promoted practices and diets that in one way or another have alienated vast numbers of people. As a result, despite volumes of literature and research there is no consensus on what diet or mode of living is best. What they have all failed to identify is one underlying truth that connects us all and from which all health systems can be reconciled and/or elevated to their ultimate stature. That truth is: our constitutional nature is spirit and we are all spiritually equal. Any healthy living program therefore needs to address the “nutritional” needs of the body, mind and spirit.

What a Food Yogi Is

  • RAWStrawberryCheesecakeFY-STEP7A responsible human that serves, consumes, and behaves in ways that respect all of creation and help maintain the delicate balance of nature.
  • A person that is respectful of their own body, which they treat as a blessing or a “temple of God.”
  • A person who lives their entire life in full awareness of their interdependence and interconnectedness of all things.
  • A person who practices the culture of spiritual hospitality—a culture that is based on the principle of sama darshana or spiritual equality.
  • A person who fully embraces a socially responsible and environmentally respectful lifestyle, including their choice of food, clothing, cosmetics, cleaning materials and habitat. All are chosen carefully so that the least amount of harm is inflicted upon the environment and other living things.
  • A person that adheres to the principle of ahimsa (non-violence) in words, deeds and thoughts.

Food Yoga is Not

  • A religion or a philosophy exclusively tied to a religious doctrine
  • The monopoly of the Vaisnava tradition
  • Vegetarianism devoid of spiritual significance or connected with an atheistic doctrine
  • Veganism devoid of spiritual significance or connected with an atheistic doctrine
  • A plant-based raw vegan diet devoid of spiritual significance or connected with an atheistic doctrine

A Food Yogi Only Uses

  • Fresh fruits, vegetable, beans, pulses, nuts, seeds and grains in preparing meals
  • Non-commercial dairy, if (AND ONLY) it has been offered by a family-owned and protected-cow that is never killed and whose calf is never separated
  • As much local and organically-grown produce as available

A Food Yogi Does Not Use

  • Meat, fish, or eggs
  • Commercially produced dairy of any kind
  • Onion or garlic
  • Any products that contain animal-derived ingredients
  • Any products that were tested on animals
How to Make a Fancy Raw Vegan Cheesecake

How to Make a Fancy Raw Vegan Cheesecake

We all like to try something different and for those of you that have never ventured into raw cuisine, this is a nice place to start. This recipe is easy to make, so easy that you only need a decent food processor and a spring form pan. In fact, you don’t even need that, a regular glass pie baking tray will work too. There are a number of variations on this recipe, but this is the most basic. Keep in mind that this recipe uses coconut oil to help it set, however, this will only work best in cooler climates. To make this cheesecake set and cut nicely in warmer climates, you can adjust this recipe to add either 1/3 cup of cacao butter or a thickening agent like carrageenan (Irish moss) which is available in raw form or a powder in larger health food stores. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Easy Raw Vegan Cheesecake

  • 2 cups walnuts
  • 1 cup fresh dates
  • ½ cup dried coconut flakes
  • ¼ cup ginger, grated
  • 1 tsp cardamon powder
  • 2 cups cashews (soaked for 6 hours and drained)
  • 2 x whole lemons (remove skin and seeds)
  • ¾ cup agave syrup
  • ¾ cup coconut oil
  •  ¼ cup of cacao butter (if in a warmer climate) or 2 tsp. carrageenan powder
  • 1 x banana
  • ½ tsp. vanilla essence
  • 1 punnet strawberries
  • 1 tsp size piece of raw beetroot
  • 2 tsp. coconut syrup or honey
  • Superfood Concentrate (Univera Xtra)

Method

Make everything with a food processor.

Base:

  • 2 cups of Walnuts
  • 1 cup fresh dates (or as many as needed to create biscuit crumb texture)
  • 1/2 grated coconut flakes
  • 1/4 cup grated ginger
  • 1 tsp. Cardamom powder (optional)

Process until it looks like biscuit crumbs. Press into 20 cm spring form pan .

Step 1: Process dry ingredients for base

RAWStrawberryCheesecakeFY-STEP1

 

Step 2: Mix just enough to make breadcrumb texture

RAWStrawberryCheesecakeFY-STEP2

 

Step 3: Press into a springform pan or pie baking tray

RAWStrawberryCheesecakeFY-STEP3

Step 4: Press carefully so it is even all around. Set aside.

RAWStrawberryCheesecakeFY-STEP4

Filling:

Add 2 cups of soaked cashews, 2 whole lemons (remove skin and seeds), agave syrup, coconut oil, cacao butter, beetroot, banana, and Vanilla essence into a blender.

Process or blend until smooth. Pour into the base. Set in fridge for 2 hours.

Step 5: Add all ingredients for “cheese” filling

RAWStrawberryCheesecakeFY-STEP5b

Step 6: Process until completely smooth. About 5 minutes. Set aside in fridge for at least 1 hour

RAWStrawberryCheesecakeFY-STEP5

Topping:

  • Sliced strawberries, mango or passionfruit
  • Coconut or agave syrup
  • Coconut oil
  • Superfood concentrate like Univera Xtra

Drizzle a sweet syrup, like coconut syrup, agave nectar or honey over the top. Decorate the top with sliced strawberry or some other fruit.

Step 7: Process fresh strawberries with coconut oil and sweetener

RAWStrawberryCheesecakeFY-STEP6

Step 8: Add some superfood concentrate like Univera Xtra for extra nutrition

RAWStrawberryCheesecakeFY-STEP7

 

Step 9: Pour on cheesecakeRAWStrawberryCheesecakeFY-STEP8

Again set this aside in the fridge and serve when it has firmed up.

Enjoy the holidays!

– Paul, the food yogi

President of Uruguay welcomes Food for Life

President of Uruguay welcomes Food for Life

LunchwithPepeFFLG600

Voted the best president in the world, President of Uruguay, Jose “Pepe” Mujica agreed to allow Food for Life Global director, Paul Rodney Turner (Priyavrata das) to cook him a vegan lunch (prasadam) and then discuss setting up a Food for Life project in Montevideo.

“FFLG Coordinator for Colombia, Juliana Castaneda (Jagannath Priya) and I arrived at the Presidential house at 8am. The kitchen staff were waiting for my directions. We were also joined by a local ISKCON devotee, Lavanga Manjari. The three of us made a sweet potato, spinach curry with bbq tomatoes, lemon rice, samosas, mango chutney, chapatis, lentil soup, avocado salad, and a mango/coconut milk lassi made by Juliana that he was absolutely thrilled by. We finished off the meal with the most incredible peppermint vegan ice cream choc-top pie! Yes, that was what you have to do when you cook for a president!

“According to the house staff, this was the first time anyone has prepared a vegetarian, what to speak of a vegan lunch in the president’s house. They were all so excited and the head chef was furiously taking notes on all my recipes.

Everything went like clockwork. By 12 noon all the preparations were complete. I was told that the lunch would be served at 12, but actually it was not served until 12.40. I put together a sampling of all the things we made and had all the cooks come together with me and did an offering meditation over the food to bless it with nice energy. The local staff watched on and were really impressed.

“We then dined with the president, his secretary, the minister of social development, Mr. Daniel Olesker and our friend and famous sports reporter, Pepe Mansilla, who will be the new president of FFL Global Uruguay. We are so thrilled to have such a qualified man to lead the new project. Our lunch meeting went for 2 hours and included a 10 minute video of Food for Life’s work around the world. Jagannath Priya was absolutely on fire today talking to the president and making him smile and laugh. I was so proud of how she and Pepe represented Food for Life Global to the president, who only speaks Spanish.

In fact, our meeting would not have been possible without the tenacity and devotion of Pepe Mansilla He had been working on this desire of mine for many months and finally on the day before we are to leave Uruguay, he made it all happen. He is a gentleman and we are so excited to have him as a new member of the FFL Global team.

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“The president was extremely impressed and praised our work throughout the meeting. He said to me: “Many people need education about the way they eat.” And he told me bluntly, “Welcome, the doors are fully open here for Food for Life.” The Minister of Social Development told us, he wants Food for Life to improve on what the government has been working on for years with improving the quality of meals to children.

“We finished our meeting with the president signing autographs for all of us with a smile and some words of wisdom. I told the president that he is one of the few, if not the only president alive today that has integrity. It seems that all of the presidents of the world have sold out to corporate interests. “I wish there were more of you,” I told him. He replied, wow all those president must be really bad if you want more of me.

“President Mujica is an extremely humble and endearing man. We felt very welcome and encouraged by the presidents enthusiasm to serve his people. Juliana noted that at one time during our conversation the president was talking about his tomato sauce recipe,  and then said, “Tomatoes are so expensive,” indicating to her that he is actually aware of such trivial things. Most presidents are oblivious to the struggles of budgeting for meals, etc, but the president is aware and expressed his empathy for the challenges of his countrymen. “For me it just validated my respect for this wonderful man,” said Juliana. “He actually sells his own tomatoes in the market place. He is such a down-to-earth man.”

“President Mujica was particularly excited to learn that Food for Life likes to support  the local economy by purchasing food and grains from local sources. “This is important. We need to support our small farmers. They are good people but not always good in business. So it is important for the government to support their efforts. I like Food for Life’s attitude on this.”

FULL AMBUM at: http://on.fb.me/1jGfF1E

For more details on this meeting, visit my blog

New FOOD YOGA DVD released

New FOOD YOGA DVD released

Priya, the Food Yogi has released a double disc set of Food Yoga. Disc 1 contains a 2-hour introduction to Food Yoga as described in his new book. Disc 2 is 2-hour demonstration of how to make raw gourmet delights using only a blender and a processor.

The workshop was filmed at the Witchie Woo Wellness bed and breakfast on Bribie island and was produced by Foxtail Productions using three digital cameras. The presentation is first-class with overhead close-ups of every recipe. “The reviews for the new DVD have been wonderful,” says Priya Vrata. “I look forward to doing a follow up DVD with more recipes and sharing more information about the path of food yoga.”

His book, FOOD YOGA – Nourishing the Soul has received rave reviews from vegan celebrities like Victoria Moran, who says the book should be a “must-read for anybody who’s ever held a fork,” as well as Australian kirtan legend, Sri Prahlad, “FOOD YOGA provides a moment of rest to catch our breath, reflect, and gain clarity. Priya Vrata’s extensive knowledge drawn from both traditional and scientific sources provides insights into the physical, social, emotional, and spiritual nurturing provided when food is engaged with consciously.”

Topics covered in Disc 1 include:

  • Metaphysics of food
  • Sacred Foods and Alchemy
  • Sacred Geometry of Food
  • The importance of water
  • Food Politics
  • Spiritual Hospitality
  • The 10 Characteristics of a Food Yogi
  • Food Offering Meditation
  • Conscious Eating

Recipes presented in Disc 2 include:

  • Healthy smoothies
  • Raw vegan cheesecakes
  • Seed pates
  • Wraps
  • Nut milk
  • Raw nut “cheese” , etc.

Purchase your copy of the FOOD YOGA double disc set for only $40 (plus shipping):

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The song of the Food Yogi

The song of the Food Yogi

As the soft moist grass folds beneath my feet,
I contemplate my good fortune and beg not to repeat,
The failures of the past in a journey so long,
There’s just too much to tell in this very short song.

Holding my hands high, I reach for the sky,
personal liberation — I will not be denied,
By acting in ways that are averse to the course,
of the powerful waves — of that Illusory force.

I am far from perfect — and yet I feel so blessed,
by the saints that walked before me with egos undressed.
They now illuminate my path and guide my sorry plight,
in a world so overtaken by the fear of night.

Getting strength and vitality from the sun, water and air,
I embrace the divine love of the elemental fair,
as they nourish the teachings of the FOOD YOGA path,
and lead one and all to the Lord Jagannath.

The “Lord of the Universe,” manifest within,
every atom of life and every tube-torus spin,
There is nowhere in our existence that God cannot be seen,
and that is essentially what FOOD YOGA means.

So honour your SELF — by honouring that Lord,
See thy presence manifest — in total accord,
with the degree of your love and openness of your heart,
And that my dear friends is where spirituality starts.

So engage your tongue properly — in respectable ways,
Don’t chatter, offend — or eat horrible things today,
Purify the vibration — and the taste on your buds,
and experience the divine presence manifest from the mud,

Of a mischievious mind — submerged for far too long,
in matters of ignorance and sad love songs,
Realise your potential — beginning with your tongue,
and open your heart to the love of the divine ONE.

– Priya Vrata
(The Food Yogi)

MORE POEMS

Food Hero Holds Workshops

Food Hero Holds Workshops

SOURCE: Caboolture News, Queensland

Priya Vrata has published a book Food Yoga – nourishing the soul about the benifits of raw food both physically and 
spiritually. Photo Vicki Wood
INTERNATIONAL food yoga hero Yogi Priya Vrata (Paul Turner) – recently conducted two food yoga workshops on Bribie Island at the Witchie Woo Wellness B & B.

Leesa Petfield | 14th February 2012: INTERNATIONAL food yoga hero Yogi Priya Vrata (Paul Turner) – recently conducted two food yoga workshops on Bribie Island at the Witchie Woo Wellness B & B.

Paul said he received positive feedback from both workshops. Some pupils said it was the most positive thing that had happened to them this year. All participants learnt the science of food yoga and were treated to a two-hour gourmet raw food demonstration.

Paul is the international director of Food for Life and the director of Food for Life Global, the charity’s world headquarters. Food for Life is the largest plant-based food relief organisation in the world. The project is in more than 50 countries and serves up to two million meals daily.

Paul’s journey began when he left home at 19. He lived in a commune in Sydney’s Blue Mountains where he was introduced to the fundamentals of Indian cooking by Akrura das, a former Hare Krishna monk. The experience ignited a desire in Paul to one day become a temple chef.

Paul said he was always fascinated with karma and spirituality, so he joined the Krishna ashram in NSW and become a monk. During his time as a monk Paul said he learned the art of gourmet vegetarian cooking.

In 1986 Paul started a Food for Life club and in 1989 his food yogi journey took him to the Hunter Valley region where he started a new Food for Life program. Paul soon realised that food was a wonderful communicator. Travelling to over 54 countries over the next 25 years, Paul helped to inspire and set up new Food for Life projects and train volunteers. Paul said his travels took him to three war zones – Chechnya, Bosnia and Georgia. He led an international team of volunteers to set up makeshift kitchens in villages across Sri Lanka in response to the Asian tsunami.

In 2010 Paul directed an international relief effort in Haiti where Food for Life Global served thousands of organic vegan meals to devastated Haitians.

In 2011 Paul travelled to Japan and established a feeding program for the survivors of the tsunami.

Paul said he had conducted workshops all over the world, directing the journey for food and using food to connect people. He now has several books published and two more books in the making. Readers can download the eBook from www.FOODYOGI.ORG ($9.95) or pick up a softcover at Witchie Woo Wellness B&B, 10 Eighth Ave, Woorim.

For more information on Paul’s food yoga checkout – www.foodyogi.org

SOURCE: Caboolture News

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