Apple sauce for Yoginis

Chris has started working at apple orchards again and, accordingly, apples have began to enter our lives in droves. Just one crisper drawer and a 1/2 bushel bag so far, but he's only been back for one week. I love apples, so I'm not complaining. I'm always on the lookout for good apple recipes for apple crisp, apple pie, smoothies with apples, and, especially, apple sauce.

This is Chris' Facebook picture. Welcome to my life.

There is something about apple sauce: the way it smells when you're cooking it on the stove, how the whole kitchen warms and becomes humid, the very fall-ness of it. I like to keep my apple sauce like my yoga: pure and not complicated. I keep the skins on the apples (fiber) and cut them down into small, 1/2 inch cubes. Put just a bit of water in the bottom of the pan and when the water begins to boil add the apples (turning down the heat, too). As the apples begin to cook down, and there is more space in the pot, you can continue to add more apples. Stir a lot, add nothing. After it has finished cooking and cooling, I'll add cinnamon. I find that if you add cinnamon while it is still warm it gets gross and slimy.

I also like apple sauce very chunky, although I'm not sure there is a yoga metaphor in there.

Apple sauce for Yoginis

If you like, keep the apples warm and spread them over some homemade pancakes. Because that's what I did yesterday and it made my whole day better. Take that, summer! Hi-ya!

1. Samasthiti (Equal Standing)
2. Exhale turning to your left, stepping into Kaliasana (Goddess Stance)
3. Inhale, turning to the back of the mat, returning to Samasthiti
4. Exhale, again turning to left, stepping into Kaliasana
5. Inhale, turning to the front of the mat, returning to Samasthiti
6. Repeat this cycle, moving to the right
7. Repeat this cycle four more times, twice in each direction
8. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog). Use this pose as a warm-up, pedalling heels, turning hips, etc
9. Adho Mukha Svanasana
10. Turning feet slightly outward (pigeon-toed), bend knees, trying to bring your sitting bones to your heels
11. Exhale, move forward into Plank with "Ha!" breath
12. Inhale, return to step 10
13. Move between steps 10 and 11 until warm
14. Adho Mukha Svanasana
15. Low lunge
16. Skandasana (Side Lunge) Note: in some variations, Skandasana is a very different pose, a standing forward fold, wherein one leg somehow makes it behind the head
17. Try to stretch both arms towards or touching straight leg (only one will actually make it) for a side stretch
18. Low lunge
19. Either walk to switch forward foot in lunge, or jump step
20. Repeat steps 16-18 on other side
21. Adho Mukha Svanasana
22. Repeat steps 10 and 11
23. Marjaryasana (Cat pose)
24. Move between cat and cow in table
25. Uddiyana Kriya in Marjaryasana. Engage the Uddiyana Bandha while holding exhale, inhale to release core
26. Repeat 3x
27. Adho Mukha Svanasana
28. Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)
29. "Flying Warrior Arms:" Inhale arms outstretched, exhale hands in prayer position in front of heart center, repeat for 5-10 breaths
30. Vinyasa to Adho Mukha Svanasana
31. Repeat steps 28 and 29 on other side
32. Vinyasa to seated
33. Ardha Padma Paschimottanasana (Half Lotus Seated Forward Fold)
34. Vinyasa to repeat on other side
35. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Fold)
36. Optional Vinyasa
37. Purvottanasana (Reverse Plank Pose)
38. Optional Vinyasa
39. Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)
40. Taking hands behind sitting bones, opening chest in Bound Angle
41. Seated twists in Bound Angle, to both directions
42. Savasana