Yoga, Pie and the taste of Puerto Rico

This week I taught my last Wed night yoga class @ 24 hour fitness. It was bitter sweet to know that after almost 5 years of teaching this class, I would not be coming back. My class is full of amazing people and I will miss seeing them on a weekly basis. They have been a part of my life in more ways than just through yoga. We have done things outside of the gym and I consider some of them my dear friends. 

Haws surprised me by showing up after my class ended with a camera to take pictures of me and some of my students. My students really made me feel special by giving me a thank you card and some gifts. I hope this was not goodbye, but that I will continue to still see some of them. Many of them have come a long way in the last few years... I hope they will continue with their yoga practice.

Some long time students.

Striking a pose.

Thurs night, due to some of my clients getting ill, I got off early enough to actually make dinner! I was so excited because I have been wanting to try this recipe that I saw on my favorite gluten free website, Karina's Kitchen. We are big fans of sweet potatoes around here and this sweet potato shepherds pie was delicious! You have to try it. The spices are such a great mix and the only thing I changed is I used the 96/4 extra lean ground beef from trader joe's in place of the angus beef.

Friday night our friends Rebecca and Paul took us out to the only Puerto Rican restaurant in So. Cal. It also has mexican food... but we weren't aloud to go there. We had to get a taste of what is to come when we go on our trip.

This cuisine was not exactly "up my alley" considering most of the food is fried, but I was able to find something close to healthy and try some of the fried fare as well. I haven't eaten stuff like this in almost 15 years!!! It really didn't seem as greasy as you would think and Rebecca said it was because it was fried in olive oil. That makes it healthy right? 

Kind of blurry... but the name of the restaurant is "Senor Big Ed". The owner was the former owner of the Green Burrito.

This dish is a mexican-puerto rican blend. The plantains (banana looking food) tasted kind of like french fries. My favorite was the Puerto Rican "Tamale" called Pasteles (made with plantains and yucca instead of corn meal) and the rice and beans. 

I love when restaurants display big pictures of their food in the windows, it really draws me in :)