Behind the Scenes: From Vegas to Virasana
Conference staff and attendees who arrived early for lunch on Sunday were served an "all-American" omnivorous lunch of burgers, hot dogs and tater tots. When those same yogis and yoginis arrived for dinner Sunday evening, it was an entirely new experience. Tempeh cakes, collard greens and herbed tofu marked the innaugural meal of the yoga conference menu.
With the guidance of Yoga Journal staff and vegetarian chef Mary Taylor, YMCA Food Service Director Michael Kingston has come up with original vegetarian recipes fit for a yogi, including eggplant roulades and tofu goulash.
This week, Kingston and his staff of 30 will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner to more than 1200 yogis and yoginis attending the conference.
Ironically, Kingston is more accustomed to serving up steak and lobster to high rollers than tofu dishes for shoulder rollers. Before joining the YMCA staff last year, Kingston's experience included work at famous Las Vegas casinos, including the Rio and the Palms.
"The people in Vegas go for the most expensive stuff--the seafood and steak," Kingston said. "Here, you guys are going for a balanced diet."
Here is the recipe for Kingston's most popular entree at the conference:
1# cut firm tofu 2 C. button mushroom ¼ C. diced onion 1 clove garlic 1/8 t. caraway seed 1 bay leaf ¼ C. paprika 1 t. tomato paste 1 C. diced tomato 3 C. vegetable stock Roux Salt and pepper
Saute onions, garlic, mushrooms in light oil until tender. Add spices, then vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Add tomato paste and thicken with roux to desired consistency. Let simmer for 15-20 min, add tofu, diced tomato, salt and pepper to taste. Bring back to simmer and serve over rice or noodles. Enjoy!
If you're attending the conference, Kingston would like to hear your comments and suggestions about the food.
