Outdoor Entertaining: ‘Om’ Cookin’
Yoga, Friends, and Food – Perfect Together!
As we wind down the summer and slide into fall, it’s time to take a breath and prepare for the next season. To assist with that transition, it just so happens that September is National Yoga Month. This month-long celebration is intended to honor those who practice and to introduce those who don’t to its many benefits – and there are so many.
Regular yoga practice helps improve flexibility and range of motion, strengthen muscles, and enhances overall physical strength. It also increases blood flow, promoting better circulation and cardiovascular health, improves balance, reduces stress, promotes relaxation, improves focus, boosts mood, enhances sleep quality, and helps boost the immune system. Now, that’s a lot to celebrate!
How about we gather friends, both those who practice and those who want to learn, for a refreshing yoga session followed by a delightful ladies’ brunch? Combining the gift of yoga with delicious food and great company, this event promises to be fun, relaxing, and inspiring.
Start by picking a beautiful outdoor garden, yard, deck, or even the beach if you can because an open-air session adds a lovely touch. If at home, keep the decor simple and cheerful with fresh flowers, colorful cushions, and pretty table settings. Think soft pastels and bright accents to create a happy atmosphere. Naturally, the beach provides its own décor, so that’s super easy. Be sure guests know to dress appropriately. If you’ll be practicing on the beach, have guests bring beach towels. If at home, provide essentials like mats and blocks or ask guests to bring them along. If you are fortunate enough to know an instructor who will come lead a practice, invite him or her. I’ll invite my favorite, Kelsy (@yogaadventureswithkelsy). If you can’t find someone, choose one of the many classes offered virtually and be sure to choose one for all skill levels so as not to scare the novices. Of course, music is an important element here. Kelsy will provide that for us, but feel free to create your own relaxing playlist.
Once the session is complete, you’ll need to feed your guests. If you trekked to the beach, head home for some refreshment, and healthy options are a must. One of my favorite brunch starters is grapefruit brulee. I stole this from a cute place in New York City’s West Village years ago. It’s just like it sounds – half of grapefruit with a sugar glaze torched to just crispy. It’s delightful. Next, a veggie ricotta toast – corn, tomatoes, and zucchini on sourdough toast topped with ricotta cheese and lots of yummy herbs. Now for a treat, I’ll offer lemon lavender scones. They sound so fancy and complicated, but they’re not – they are delicious.
Drinks are important for this health-conscious yet fun event. A variety of drinks like herbal teas, fresh juices, and infused water would be great, and vibrant, fresh ingredients will make everything look as good as it tastes. Cucumber-mint water is my favorite, but I’ll also offer sparkling water with berries and basil or lemon-thyme. For the tea, have a carafe of hot water and a nice selection of teas available, which, of course, must be served in pretty teacups.
As you begin to wrap up, if possible, include a short, relaxing mindfulness or meditation session after brunch to keep the good vibes flowing, and if you want to add a special touch, offer small parting gifts. My herbs are still growing particularly nicely this year, and the lavender is still fragrant, so I think I’ll find some pretty little goodie bags and let guests snip their favorites to take home. A relaxing yoga routine, a yummy brunch, a little reflection, and an aromatic parting gift will surely make guests feel pampered.
I think a ladies’ brunch after a yoga session is the perfect way to celebrate National Yoga Month. It combines the relaxing benefits of yoga with the joy of sharing a meal with friends. By adding fun, lighthearted touches, you can create an event that’s fun and memorable. Namaste!
Grapefuit Brulee
Ingredients:
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
3 or 4 ruby red grapefruits
Instructions:
Preheat the broiler. Position an oven rack in the top third of the oven. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Halve each grapefruit. Using a paring knife, cut around the edge of the grapefruit and between the segments.
Arrange the grapefruit halves on a baking sheet or broiler pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the grapefruit halves. Place under the broiler for about 5 minutes, until the sugar is golden brown and bubbly. Keeping the oven door open a bit will help prevent burning. Be sure to watch closely, the sugar will burn quickly.
Creamy Herb Ricotta Toast with Veggies
Ingredients:
3 1-inch slices of sourdough bread or other hearty bread of choice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
8 ounces whole-milk ricotta
2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
1½ cups halved cherry tomatoes
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch kosher salt
½ teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon white vinegar
½ shallot, thinly sliced
small zucchini and squash, sliced thinly lengthwise using a peeler
1 small corn on the cob
Garnish options: thyme, basil, extra salt and pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Brush slices of bread with olive oil and spread with desired amount of minced garlic. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 7 minutes, then broil while watching to desired crispness. While bread is in the oven, mix ricotta, chives, dill, parsley in a small bowl and set aside. Add cherry tomatoes, pepper, salt honey, vinegar, and shallot to a small bowl. Toss to combine and set aside. Use a peeler or mandoline and thinly slice zucchini and squash into ribbons. Slice kernels of corn off the cob. When toast is removed from oven, spread with ricotta. Top with zucchini/squash, corn, tomato salad, and extra herbs, salt, and pepper.
Lemon Lavender Scones
(Makes 12)
Ingredients:
½ cup lemon yogurt
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
½ cup cold butter, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1½ teaspoons lavender flowers
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon butter, melted, or as needed
1 teaspoon white sugar, or as needed
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Stir baking soda and yogurt together in a bowl. Sift flour, 1/3-cup sugar, and baking powder together in a bowl. Cut cold butter into flour mixture using a pastry cutter or two forks until mixture is crumbly. Mix yogurt mixture, 2 tablespoons melted butter, egg, lavender, and lemon zest in a separate bowl. Stir yogurt-lavender mixture into flour mixture until just moistened. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead 8-10 times, adding more flour if dough is too sticky. Divide dough into two pieces and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Pat and shape each piece into a 6-inch circle. Score each circle into six wedges using a sharp, floured knife. Brush tops with 1 tablespoon melted butter; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon white sugar. Bake in the preheated oven until scones are just golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven, break into wedges, and cool on a wire rack.
