OTHER THINGS

SOULFUL SNAPSHOTS / MARY - INDIANA, USA

SOULFUL SNAPSHOTS / MARY - INDIANA, USA

“I do want to thank you again for planning and offering this lovely trip. It was so enjoyable on many levels and everyone here was so easy to be with. It was a fabulous vacation, one of my best! Our host Julian was most knowledgable, kind and engaging. His knowledge of history, art and culture was quite enlightening. I recommend the trip to anyone... ”

GUEST POST / FRIENDS MINI RETREAT

GUEST POST / FRIENDS MINI RETREAT

Today’s guest post is one that makes us SO happy! We recently saw that some of our past guests from the US all gathered for a mini-retreat on their own to reconnect as friends, do some yoga and enjoy an enticing location in Palm Springs, CA. One of the things we love most about our retreats is that people from all over the world get to meet other guests who, despite being different ages, nationalities and backgrounds, have similar interests and life philosophies. While we always stress that our retreats are chances to go inward and restore yourself, an added bonus is often the surprising friendships that are formed.

GUEST POST / BLONDE VOYAGE NASHVILLE

GUEST POST / BLONDE VOYAGE NASHVILLE

We're happy to introduce you to one of our EPM guests who has joined us in Italy and Morocco and always adds fun, glamour, and plenty of food knowledge and excitement to each retreat. Courtney is the author of the blog, Blonge Voyage Nashville - a Nashville, TN native who has a healthy obsession with culinary delights both at home and abroad…

WANT A PIECE OF MOROCCAN GLAM? *GIVEAWAY*

It's about that time again for a fun GIVEAWAY over here at EAT.PRAY.MOVE! This month we'll be giving away two of these handmade, one-of-a-kind clutches that were made from genuine vintage Moroccan wedding blankets!

What is a Moroccan wedding blanket you ask? Well, you can get a good idea

HERE

and even shop for some full size ones

HERE

 from Maryam, our host in Marrakesh at Peacock Pavilions!

...wedding blankets are woven in anticipation of, you guessed it, a wedding, by the bride's female relatives. It can take many hours — even weeks — of work to attach those hundreds of mirrored sequins once the weaving is complete; it is thought that during this collaborative task, the bride's relatives teach her all about the birds and the bees, among other marital duties and expectations. After the wedding ceremony, the bride wears the blanket tied around her neck as a kind of cape...When complete, the wedding blanket serves not only as warmth and decoration for the bride, but also to ward off evil and to bestow fertility and good luck upon the newlyweds. — ApartmentTherapy

HOW TO GET ONE!

There are only two, and two ways to make one yours:

1.

The next guest to sign up

for

LUXURY MARRAKESH

Mar 8-14, 2015 will receive one.

2.

There will be a random drawing

from comments on this post! RULES: Leave your NAME & EMAIL in the comment. Only 1 comment per person. Extra chance given for a Fackbook, Twitter, or Instagram share of the link to the retreat page on our site

HERE

. Be sure to tag us on either @eatpraymoveyoga! Then let us know in the comments what you did and we'll add your extra chances.

GOOD LUCK & We hope to see you in MARRAKESH!

Unfortunately, due to custom regulations, we can only ship to address in the US or Canada...or we can bring it to you on the next retreat! Drawing will end Dec 26!

FIVE SENSES YOGA RETREAT - NEW COLLABORATION IN FLORENCE, ITALY

I'm excited to announce a new collaboration with a good friend, and fellow yoga-instructor living in Florence, Italy for this summer! We'll be joining forces to offer a special 5-day event - 

unlike any other, which will give guests an unforgettable experience of the Renaissance City of Firenze - it's art, history, fashion, and food - along with daily yoga, meditation and unique activities for the senses.

FLORENCE, ITALY :: JULY 7-11, 2014

Early Bird Discount : Save €100 until Apr 30!

This five day retreat will concentrate on one of the senses per day. Join us in Florence, Italy for an adventure for the FIVE SENSES. We will SEE the sites of this amazing city on a walking tour through hidden and "behind-the-scenes" looks at artisan workshops, famous art works, and more. Next, we learn to FEEL our bodies more with a biking tour through the Chianti and Tuscan hillsides - sun on our shoulders, wind in our hair, and wine on our tongues. Then it's time to SMELL the scents of an aromatherapy massage at a day at the spa, next to an aromatic garden and then a visit to a Florentine perfumery where we learn to create custom essences before learning to smell the 'notes' of a wine tasting! Then we HEAR the sounds of the city from a meditative walk, a visit to a hilltop church with Gregorian chants sung by the monks at sunset, and then to a Florentine concert to end the evening. Lastly, we can't experience Italy without the TASTE of the Tuscan cuisine. Our week will end with a market tour to choose ingredients for a final cooking demo and full tasting lunch before it's "a dopo! (until next time!)

“We love what we do. And we are so thrilled to share this memorable experience with you.” –Erin and Shari, Creators of Five Senses Yoga Retreat

Find out all the details 

HERE

. We hope to meet you in Florence!

good (for you) food \ quinoa+kale plate

This wellness Wednesday post is about a recipe I make about 5 times a week. It's an amazing veggie dish, full of healthy protein, iron, good-for-you fats, and LOADS of taste!

I was introduced to it by my friend Jenn, who lives in Vermont on a homestead farm working towards producing almost all their own food. She writes on the well-known foodie blog

Leftover Queen

. She originated this recipe and calls it the "

breakfast of champions

" (although I normally eat it for lunch). She even was featured in a cookbook and if you check out her post, she includes a video app to Master Chef, giving us a tour of her kitchen and a tutorial on this dish. 

I've modified it a little to our liking, and of course the greens change with season and what we can find at the farmer's market. Various forms of kale have been our favorite. So here is the recipe based on how I prepare it most days. Really, don't base it on the way it sounds or looks...I can't tell you how good it really is. EASY. HEALTHY. DELICIOUS.

"Quinoa & Kale Plate"

(based on 1 serving)

1 handful of kale cut/torn into larger bite-size pieces

1 scoop of quinoa (pre-soaked. I use mixure of original + red)

1 egg

goat cheese

sprinkle of pine nuts

generous sprinkling of garlic powder

pinch of course sea salt

olive oil

Heat olive oil in pan at med-high heat, add kale, garlic powder and salt and saute' until brighter green and partially wilted. Add quinoa and pine nuts, stir and briefly saute' enough to incorporate ingredients together. Make a "bed" of the mixture in the pan and crack open egg on top. Reduce heat to a little over medium, cover, and let sit for several minutes or until egg is poached and mixture is crispy on bottom.

Use spatula to remove entire bed out together onto plate. Sprinkle with cold goat cheese.

ENJOY!

springtime + savoring life

Life runs away from you sometimes....and we try to run with it at least. That's how the past month or so has been feeling for me - things coming at me in all directions - mostly good. Really good things. When this year started I felt like it was going to be a great year - not exactly sure why I was sure of it, but I felt that there were changes in the air, optimism on the horizon, and lots of fun to be had. For now...just a small story of stopping to smell the flowers of life...

About a week and a half ago, we went up to Asheville, NC for a long weekend in the mountains with a group of friends. Mountains, hiking, good food, cool nights, some yoga, picnics, and lots of live music from the guitars, banjo, harmonica, and bass which made the trip as well.

Mornings never started with an alarm clock, and hours passed without anyone rushing to go somewhere or do something. Time was slow, conversations plenty, and a birthday was celebrated with the richest chocolate cake I've eaten.

Asheville boasts a strong community of local/organic/vegetarian restaurants, which we were able to sample. There are also a handful of wonderful yoga studios, and always an array of classes and workshops to choose from. I was just in Asheville over Christmas and had stopped in on an Ashtanga class, and decided to go to an inversion workshop this time at Asheville Yoga Center for a couple hours one afternoon.

We hiked some Smoky Mountain trails and drove with the windows down over miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway...through tunnels, past valleys and peaks. We stopped for a little picnic at a lookout, and enjoyed the afternoon sun. Made our way to the stream at a waterfall, and watched the mountain ranges turn purple at sunset.

It was a beautiful several days with a wonderful group of people. It's a reminder to breathe in deep, unplug, and enjoy the spring flowers that are blooming!

good (for you) food \ acai smoothie

One of my almost-daily energy food recipes is this yummy açaí smoothie.

So easy to make, so nutricious, and sooo good. I've talked about it before, and even

tweeted

about it. So I thought I'd take some photos while I made it this afternoon, and share it with you!

INGREDIENTS: (for one serving)

1/2 frozen açaí smoothie packet (Sambazon makes un/sweetened puree)

1/2 banana

1/2 peach (frozen pieces of fruit work best for a thicker, colder smoothie)

1/3 c apple juice

1/4 c granola

Blend all the fruit and juice together until well blended. Pour in bowl. Top with granola (and pieces of extra banana if you like). Enjoy!

You can always substitute other fruit/fruit juice combinations based on your preference or what's in season. This combination just happens to be my absolute favorite.

Announcing Extended Travel Planning Services

Pantheon in Rome

Happy Friday! I'm so excited about all the interest we've been getting for the upcoming

yoga retreat in Italy

. Almost everyday I hear from someone else who wants to join us this summer. Plus, as of earlier this week there are ONLY 2 SPOTS LEFT! Want to be one of them?

SIGN UP

today!

Several people who've contacted us have wanted to make more of a full vacation out of their trip to Italy, adding several days before or after the retreat to experience more of the country's amazing treasures.

gondolas in Venice

This is where we can help!

CUSTOMIZED TRAVEL ITINERARY PLANNING AND PERSONALIZED TOUR GUIDING SERVICES ARE NOW AVILABLE!

Would you like assistance in finding a list of suggested routes, cities, sites, accommodations, and dining options? Or would you prefer a very specific list of an exact itinerary to follow? Maybe you want an onsite personalized "concierge"/tour guide to accompany you, allowing you to just sit back and enjoy the ride?!

Vernazza, Cinque Terre

Whatever your preference, we can help! Don't worry if the 7-day yoga retreat isn't long enough for you to travel to

"il bel paese"

- you're free to extend your trip as long as you'd like.

Visit Rome and see the Eternal City with the ancient ruins, go to Venice and experience a city unlike any other on earth, or even head to the beautiful Cinque Terre and hike along the seaside cliffs and picturesque villages. Whatever your ♥ desires...

EMAIL US for more information and pricing details!

Plus, don't forget to "Like" us on FACEBOOK!

Tempting Tuesday \ Umbrian Cuisine

It's about time I start talking to you about one of the fabulous parts of the

Eat.Pray.Move

Yoga Retreat that is taking place this summer in Italy...the CUISINE.

I mean "Eat" is the first word of the title, although, don't get me wrong - yoga is still the focus. But food - beautiful, tasty, healthy, organic Italian cuisine is also a wonderful part of the retreat that guests are sure to enjoy. Amanda, one of the hosts at the villa, is a natural when it comes to preparing simple, seasonal meals in the traditions of the Tuscan and Umbrian regions.

I thought today I'd feature a recipe of hers which she’s shared. It's the perfect in-between seasons meal with the warmth of the grilled bread and beans, with the tanginess of the fresh rosemary.

Bruschetta with Cannellini Beans & Rosemary

1 tin or jar good quality cannellini beans, drained

Large spring rosemary

Balsamic vinegar

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

2 cloves Garlic

Coarse country style bread, sliced

First grill your slices of bread. While they are still hot drizzle them with olive oil and rub them with a cut clove of garlic.

Pull all the spikey leaves from the rosemary spring and chop very, very finely until almost a powder. Fry one clove of chopped garlic in a little olive oil but be careful not to let it colour. Add the drained beans and continue to cook for about 5 minutes, add the rosemary, a little more oil and season well with salt and pepper and a spritz of balsamic vinegar. Mash everything together using the back of a wooden spoon until you have a coarse puree. Heap the beans onto the grilled bread and drizzle with more of the olive oil. This is delicious with a sharp green salad on the side and a glass of rough red wine to wash it down.

Now, doesn't that make you want to

join us in July

?