Pilates Patty's Palate - Weekly Recipe Corner

Grilled Cabbage


Betcha never thought of this one! Let me know how it comes out!!

Ingredients
1 head cabbage, cored and cut into wedges
1 onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
cracked black pepper to taste
1/4 cup butter

Directions
Preheat grill for medium heat, and lightly oil grate.

Place cabbage on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Top with onion slices, bell pepper slices, garlic, black pepper, and butter. Fold foil edges together to seal, then wrap entire package again with another sheet of foil.

Cook on hot grill for 30 to 45 minutes, turning packet every 10 minutes.

Open Leg Rocker

Open Leg Rocker provides an opportunity to practice using sequential control between the upper and lower abdominals. You will need to keep your abdominals engaged in a deep scoop, and use the breath, to keep this rolling exercise flowing and controlled.

If you have back or neck issues, or tight hamstrings, use this exercise as a balance exercise and do not do the rolling without supervision.

Let's roll!

• Sit up tall on your sitz bones with your knees bent so that you can grasp your ankles or calves. Do not hold the backs of the knees.
• As you balance between your sitz bones and tailbone, keep your abdominals activated as you lift and extend the legs shoulder width apart. Balance.
• On an inhale, use a deepening scoop of the abdominals and the fullness of your inhale to propel your roll back onto your shoulder shelf.
• Stay in your C-curve as you roll, leaving your head and neck off the mat. Pause and balance.
• Exhale and return remaining in your C-curve and using your abdominals, along with a strong exhale, to bring yourself back to an upright balance.

Rolling exercises are initiated and controlled by the deepening of the abdominals, the breath, and expansion of the back in relation to the breath. They are never accomplished by throwing yourself backward from the shoulders and head. Stay in the C-curve until you come up for your balance!

In health & wellness,
Patty

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Pilates Patty's Palate - Weekly Recipe Corner

Grilled Pineapple

Something for the sweet tooth! Pieces look pretty on a platter and you'll get a nice kick from the hot sauce!

Ingredients
1 fresh pineapple - peeled, cored and cut into 1 inch rings
1/4 teaspoon honey
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 dash hot pepper sauce

Directions
Place pineapple in a large zip-loc bag. Add honey, butter, hot pepper sauce.. Seal bag, and shake to coat evenly. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or preferably overnight.

Preheat grill for high heat, and lightly oil grate.

Grill pineapple for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until heated through and grill marks appear.

The Seal

The Seal is fun and a great abdominal exercise. It is a rolling exercise whereby one must find a way to initiate and control the rolling with the abdominal muscles, and not depend on launching oneself back and forth with momentum. The key to Pilates rolling exercises is using the breath and the core to control the rolling.

Sit up tall on your sitz bones, lift your feet and put your arms inside your legs. Wrap your hands under your ankles and grasp the outside. The knees are just outside the shoulder, not too far apart, and the feet are together. Get your balance here. your core should be working already! If you have back or neck issues you should not do the rolling part without supervision. You will find that the preparatory position (above) and holding it will provide a very good abdominal workout.

If you are prepared to roll, with great control, scoop your abdominals coming into you C-curve. Bring your gaze to the navel.

Inhale: Initiating the movement with your lower abs, smoothly roll back onto your shoulders (not your neck). Clap your feet together 3 times at the top

Exhale: Use your deep core muscles and your exhale to help you roll back up onto your sit bones. Balance and clap your feet together 3 times again. Refer to my "Tips for rolling Exercises" blog post for more information. Have fun!!

In health & wellness,
Patty

Follow-Us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pilatespatty
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Tips for Rolling Exercises

I have a fondness for rolling exercises and have described their execution in recent posts. I know that not everyone shares my enthusiasm. Safety concerns and the sheer unusualness of the exercises can make these moves scary but can also teach us so much about using abdominals for power and support.
Rolling exercises are part of the classic Pilates exercise repertoire. They create a unique abdominal workout where we have to use a lot of control to initiate and support the movement. Rolling also gets the blood flowing, stimulates the spine, and coordinates the breath and movement.

Focus on the abs -- These exercises may look exotic, but basically, they are abdominal exercises. Your abs will have to stay pulled in and working for you the whole time. If the abs don't do the work, your back will take the brunt of the workout.

Breath power -- The power of the breath is key to getting these rolling exercises to flow smoothly. Allow yourself to breathe out loud for these. Don't be shy about your breath or your sound; exaggerate it for a while until you get the breath coordinated with the movement.

Start with your C-curve -- A common tendency is for people to try to get their roll started by tilting themselves backward from the head and shoulders. This never works. The rolling starts with a deep pull in of the lower abs and strong use of the breath. Stay curved, use your breath, focus your intention, and pull the abs in so much that you have to roll back; it works. Another tendency is to try to use the momentum of throwing the legs to get the roll over and back. This can hurt the back and take the focus off the abs.

Find your shoulder shelf -- It is important to protect your upper back and neck. Roll only onto your shoulders, just above the lower tips of your scapula, and never up onto your neck. A big part of working with the shoulder area as a support station is keeping your chest open, back wide, and shoulders down. This will help you roll evenly and give you a good platform to roll onto.

In health & wellness,
Patty

Follow-Us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pilatespatty
Join Us On Our Very Own Facebook Fan Page: http://budurl.com/PilatesForEVERYBody

Featured Author: FoodieLink Blog

Hi All! Attached is a link which will take you to my blog post on the FoodieLink blog.

FoodieLink is a NYC-based blog which focuses on all things food-related and HEALTHY! Its a wonderful resource for local events, wellness practitioners, recipes and more.  I will be posting to this blog and sharing content/tips which will not be found on my own blog - so be sure to check here often.

If you have a moment, take a look and post some feedback!

http://budurl.com/PattyFoodieLinkPost

Pilates Patty's Palate - Weekly Recipe Corner

This is decadent!!

Savory Grilled Onions
Ingredients:
4 large onions
1/2 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat grill for high heat.

Peel onions, and remove ends. Cut each onion into quarters. Place 2 quarters of onion in a 6 inch square piece of tin foil, inserting a slice of butter between the pieces. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Close foil around onion. Repeat with remaining onions.

Set foil packets on lower rack of the grill. Cook for about 30 to 35 minutes.