A quick post because it's Saturday, and I've got a lot to do!

This morning I slept in, and when I got up I did a short yoga routine. I was feeling stiff from last night's craptacular yoga class (yoga is not meant to be done while tense - if your yoga teacher makes you tense, get another one) and decided to chase those demons away with a simple morning routine.

Doing yoga at home is great, but I definitely can't do it all the time. I'm not hard enough on myself. When I do a routine at home, I'm generally easier on myself and if I start to get tired or frustrated with a pose, I move on to the next thing. The kind of self-discipline a self-directed, regular, rigorous home yoga practice requires is developed over time, so I don't expect myself to have it at the moment.

So this is why I need a good yoga teacher or three. To remind me that I can push myself, that I get stronger the harder I work, and that my body can do things I don't expect.

This morning marks a full week - seven days in a row of yoga. This is, of course, only the very beginning, but I already am reaping rewards. I'm much more flexible than I was seven days ago, and a bit stronger, too. My body is teaching me things, and I'm learning a lot about trusting myself in the poses again. It was 20 years ago that I began doing yoga, three years ago that I stopped, and coming back to it is like coming home.

Today's brunch will be decadent and lovely, one of my favorite recipes from childhood. It's normally made in a cast iron pan with a heap of butter. I've cut the butter way down but not lost any flavor by putting it into a glass baking dish. If you decide to use a cast iron pan, increase the butter to 4 Tbsp and follow the recipe as directed.

Dutch Babies (or Bismarcks, or Oven Pancake)

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup flour (white or whole wheat is fine, or a combination of both)
• 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)

By now the oven should be preheated, and that butter should be melted in the glass dish. You'll need to work quickly during this next bit. Using an oven mitt, take the glass dish out of the oven, and close the oven door to keep it hot. Swirl the butter in the pan to coat the bottom. Pour the batter quickly into the hot baking dish. Put it immediately back in the oven and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes.

I'd really recommend not looking at it until it's done, especially if you've never made this before. It's kind of magical, what happens. If you're using white flour, and haven't stirred the batter too much, the entire thing will puff up like a massive souffle, doubling in height and then bursting skyward around the edges. If you're using whole wheat flour, the center will stay pretty low and the sides will puff up in great big curls. If you're using a mix of whole wheat and white flours, it'll be a mix between those two. In any case, it's pretty impressive coming out of the oven. Use a toothpick to test the center - when it comes out clean, it's done.

Cut into four even squares and serve with a sweet syrup or jam. We use agave syrup or my homemade blueberry sauce. Serves 2-4.