Hot Hot Hot

With temperatures dropping into the 20s and sunlight making its exit at 5 p.m., I've been craving heat: in terms of food, body temperature, and exercise...

Right now, I'm wearing fuzzy slipper socks, sweatpants, and a long sleeve shirt (plus the heater is on). I'm eating super hot and spicy curried eggplant and marveling over how great my body feels after taking Jean's kick-ass hot yoga class at Know Yoga Know Peace.

I used to scratch my head at the droves of people who tumbled into the yoga studio during December and January. "What's with this hot yoga craze, anyway?" I used to practice hot yoga on a regular basis, so I didn't see what made hot yoga in the winter any different than in another season. Now, however, I lean towards non-heated yoga...so I get it! When you aren't accustomed to hot yoga on a daily basis, it feels amazing to walk into a steaming hot room and sweat out all your crap - - especially while it's snowing outside! I felt ten pounds lighter and about a million times calmer after that class :) It was fantastic!

After class, I piled on my snow clothing and trudged over to the local co-op (conveniently down the street from the yoga studio) and bought an eggplant for dinner. I was craving the tender flesh that eggplants yield when marinated and stir-fried. If you haven't prepared eggplant this way, I highly recommend it. If you're a fan of hot food, I also recommend this recipe below. It packs the perfect amount of heat for a chilly evening.

Curried Eggplant
Not all curry powders are equal in quality and taste. Find a good brand and stick to it! I use Penzeys' version, which is available nationally at their store locations or online at www.penzeys.com.

- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon miso paste
- 1 teaspoon hot curry powder
- 1 teaspoon agave nectar
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon organic, unsweetened ketchup
- 1/2 lb. eggplant, diced into small pieces
- salt and pepper to taste

In a medium, shallow baking dish, stir together the water, miso paste, curry powder, agave nectar, lime juice, and ketchup until smooth. Toss in the eggplant and let marinate at room temperature for about 30 minutes (stirring occasionally).

Heat a medium saute pan over high heat and spritz with nonstick cooking spray. Add the eggplant and liquid to the pan and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally to keep the eggplant from sticking. Once the liquid is evaporated, continue cooking the eggplant until it gets dark and tender (about 5 minutes). Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. serves 1-2

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I read the following statistics on the back cover of PETA's (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) Vegan College Cookbook, and I wanted to share:

A lifelong vegetarian saves around: 780 chickens, 5 cows, 20 pigs, 29 sheep, 48 turkeys, 15 ducks, 7 rabbits, and half a ton of fish.

Isn't that amazing? Little tidbits like this make me feel good about my choices. Some people may scoff at this kind of statistic, but I like the idea that - by eating eggplants, vegetables, grains, and beans - I can save some animals. In my mind, this is very cool. ;-)

Stay warm (or hot)! Goodnight!