An Inspired Dinner

Last night, I attended my first Yoga Nidra workshop. One of my former neighbors, Karma, is a yoga instructor (and a very cool person who radiates positivity!) and sent me a Facebook invitation to the workshop.

Yoga Nidra means yogic sleep, a state of conscious deep sleep for extreme relaxation and subtler spiritual exploration.

We were instructed to bring blankets and pillows in addition to the usual yoga mat to in order to get very comfortable and feel supported for the meditation. We started off the class with some regular old yoga flow which felt so good to this runner’s tight legs. I forgot how much stretching helps!

Then we got down to the meditation, which Karma led in a very warm and soothing voice. Throughout the meditation, I definitely checked out of my mind and body, something that doesn’t even happen when I really sleep. I forget a big chunk of it, and was kind of knocked out of my blissful state by my snoring neighbor! Some people really do fall asleep; it is that relaxing! I “woke” from the meditation feeling really calm and centered, perfect for a Sunday night.

I had planned on making a recipe from The O2 Diet, chicken salad stuffed cucumber boats, which would have required grocery shopping, and since it was after 6, we decided to go home and make do with what we had in the house.

Instead I came up with avocado boats stuffed with pesto shrimp salad.

The pesto is an easy favorite, and the ingredients can be adjusted according to taste.

Several large handfuls of baby spinach

3-6 garlic cloves

3 TSP olive oil

Small handful walnuts

I ran the ingredients through my mini processor until roughly chopped as I was in the mood for a chunky pesto.

I set the pesto aside and steamed the tiger shrimp that we had hanging out in the freezer.

I rapidly cooled the shrimp by running them under cold water and popping them in the freezer for about 5 minutes. When cool enough to peel, I peeled and deveined them, then chopped them roughly and mixed them with a few large spoonfuls of pesto. Then I added the best part: a couple large spoonfuls of 0% Greek yogurt. Mixed altogether, the salad tasted heavenly, like it was full of fat like some of the restaurant chicken or seafood salads I have had. I love how Greek yogurt can melt into just about anything and make it decadent while adding protein and calcium!

To serve the salad, I cut open an avocado, removed the pit, and filled each half with salad. We ate it with spoons so that we got a good mouthful of avocado with each shrimpy bite 🙂

Although nothing like the original recipe, which I do want to make someday soon, this dinner was so delicious and full of nutrients. It was light yet filling and just what I wanted after a beautiful day and a relaxing yoga and meditation session.

I have a 10 miler today and am preparing for my 21 miler later this week. Of course, on my taper back weekend it was gorgeous, on my 21 miler weekend it is meant to rain the entire time 8(

Hope you all have a fantastic Monday!

Do you use recipes for inspiration and do your own thing? Or are you a stickler for following them?