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If you follow me on Twitter than you may have seen my recent obsession… yoga. But not just any yoga..
the kind I have become addicted to is called Dirty Yoga.
But let me back up just a bit.
About 10 yrs ago… (really? Has it been that long. *sigh*). Anyway, about 10 yrs ago, I left a full time job to work out of my home. Aside from not having a commute, the other benefit was it gave me more time to focus on doing things I really wanted to do, but had previously not had the time… like yoga.
I still remember my first class. I remember where I put my yoga mat. I remember what I wore. I remember thinking I had no clue what I was doing in a class filled with experienced yogis. The teacher walked in and asked who was new to class. I hesitantly raised my arm, but thought to myself, this will be good because he’ll be easier on me than the others. The class started and I proceeded to get kicked in the a**.
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That teacher was Jess Gronholm. That day started a five year journey with him as my yoga teacher. But more importantly, it started a lifelong journey with him as my friend. (Awwwwww.)
When he moved to New York, I was never able to find a yoga teacher that was a good match for the kind of practice that I had come to enjoy. Sadly, as a result, I stopped doing yoga. And then the day came when I stopped being flexible. Yikes!
However, I am happy to report that Jess is my teacher again.. and that is because of Dirty Yoga Co.!!!!!!!!!
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Jess and his partners have created an amazingly fun site… for that reason alone, you should go check it out.
In a nutshell they have created a place for you to have a great yoga class, in the privacy of your own home, at any time and any day, you want. Personally, this is the kind of site I have been dreaming about for a very long time. It solves a lot of the issues I have had in the past with yoga studios… high prices, a schedule that makes it difficult to find a class, over crowding, and teachers with whom I don’t connect.
All the classes run about 35 minutes. Jess has structured the classes in such a way that in one class you may focus on getting flexibility in your back, where another class will be more about twists, and there are also videos specific to stretching… in other words, there is a lot of variety. And.. KA CHING!.. The prices are extremely economical: $20/month for 3 different videos per week plus extras.
Come on! How could you not want to be a part of this!!
(As I bet you can guess by now… I am giving one of you an opportunity to be a part of this trendsetting new way to do yoga!!)
But first… Mac ‘n’ Cheese, please.
Mac ‘n’ Cheese in some ways is similar to yoga. It’s one of those meals that everyone has a preference for there favorite version, you might not make it as often as you like, but you are so happy when you do, and lastly, it’s warm and comforting and is great if you have just had kind of a bad day.
With this mac ‘n’ cheese, I also have a little trick for you to make this easier. Many recipes call for making a béchamel sauce, which is fine if you want to do that. To save time, however, what I have learned is that instead of boiling pasta in water, boil it in milk. The starch released from the pasta becomes the thickening agent; this makes it less time consuming, less pots to clean, all around just easier.
Seriously, doesn’t it look good! (Can you believe it’s vegan??)
But I know why you are all here… the GIVEAWAY!!! YAYAYAYAYYY!!
The wonderful folks at Dirty Yoga Co. have allowed me to give one of you a free MONTH of yoga classes!!
That is 12 classes, (3 classes per week), plus extra classes of stretching and other little down and dirty yoga quickies!
What do you have to do to enter to win… make a comment answering one of the following questions:
1) I love yoga because….
2) I’ve never done yoga, but Dirty Yoga is a great way for me to start, because….
It’s that simple. (It would also be great if you followed them on Twitter and retweeted the heck out of it.. but that is not required)
OK… ENTER…………….. NOW!!!
** will announce the winner one week from today on June 5th
*** The winner was announced on Twitter on June 5th and is the lovely Eilis.
Why include recipes as an image? Not only is it Google-unfriendly, it is also terrible accessibility-wise. :-/
I must do this recipe!!! Looks delicious…
Your yoga competion is tempting too ; )
I love yoga because my 5ft frame feels 6ft after a great session : )
oh hi there! ok, so i’m going to totally agree that the dirty yoga site is really fun. i started a class this weekend, but a friend stopped by unexpectedly so i didn’t get to finish it, but from what i saw it’s very similar to the style of yoga i practice. So-I love yoga because it makes my mind, body, and spirit very happy. Also, looking at your mac and cheese photos make me happy. Gorgeous as always!
I’ve never done yoga, but Dirty Yoga is the perfect way for me to start because I’m apparently in a yoga-center-free area, and I love yoga because it makes me feel refreshed, strong, and sore.
i love yoga because it can be as relaxing or as energizing, as easy or as challenging as i want it to be. sometimes all in the same session. and now, i can ALSO say i love it because you’re right — it IS like mac & cheese, and vice versa!
I love yoga because it forces me to stretch. Sitting at a computer a lot or in front of a screen, like right now on iPad! I feel like I am slowly sinking into atrophy. eek! Yoga, please!
I’ve never done yoga, but Dirty Yoga is a great way for me to start, because….
I’ve decided to start toning and becoming flexible again. I used to dance and be really flexible. I’ve always enjoyed the exercise but sadly events happened, weight was gained, and depression took over.
But now I’ve taken charge with my life. I’ve changed my diet and lifestyle and have lost enough weight to feel self confident again and love my body.
Still, with the weight lost, my body’s tone isn’t so great. That’s why I want to do yoga, and definitely try Dirty Yoga!
Thanks for the delicious sound recipe!
I love yoga because I love seeing myself grow stronger, physically and mentally.
mmm….. Mac and cheese, my belly says yes please!!!!
I love yoga because it calms and centres me.
Wow thanks for introducing me to Dirty Yoga – just the kick in the butt I need to reinvigorate my practice. I love yoga because it helps me be mindful, flexible and fit!
I love yoga because it allows me to center my mind, body, and spirit; it makes me feel good, because it makes me feel balanced. I first got interested in yoga because of my dad, actually. He started practicing yoga about 6 years ago and I noticed how much happier he was because of it — that’s why I wanted to explore it as well.
Also, that mac and cheese looks AMAZING!
I’ve never done yoga, but Dirty Yoga is a great way for me to start, because I’m a stay at home mom with a 1 year old and on a budget and it’d be a great way for me to break into fitness. Btw the mac & cheese looks awesome!
Best ever! I just made this for dinner and it is the best vegan mac and cheese I have had! I used Daiya cheddar, and Daiya Havarti style and it turned out beautifully. Thank you so much for sharing!
I love yoga because…it helps me slow down and appreciate my body, my life, my relationships, and my family.
I love mac and cheese on days when I just need a little bit more comfort. My Mom used to make Annie’s shells and cheddar for me when I was a kid, and now that I am older I still make it, but I add a generous portion of frozen peas. I love it when the peas get stuck inside the shells!
I LOVE yoga because I am a runner and it keeps me flexible and prevents injury. I HATE yoga because the classes are expensive and I feel like people are judging me and I sweat too much. I have some DVDs but they are boring and annoying and repetitive. I feel like Dirty Yoga was made for me. Their website is awesome. And Jess will be fun to look at. Brilliant idea, Dirty Yoga Co.
I am new to Yoga, but I have to say that the immediate turn off what the “koombaya, let’s all reach deep in ourselves and connect to our souls, self help thing?” Why can’t we do yoga the way the creators of yoga do it… down and dirty! Thank you Jess… super concept, excellent execution. Can’t wait to sign up tonight
Vegan mac and cheese has never looked so good! I’m going to try cooking my pasta in milk next time. I love yoga because I feel like a million bucks at the end of my class. I’ve been really lazy about going lately since the class I like is only offered once a week. I usually just do pilates at home a couple times a week. Dirty Yoga sounds like a perfect solution!