eggplant parmesan

 

TaraBeth - healthy.every.day - NYC

 Monday Night

Food: baked eggplant parmesan

Body: 30 minutes of yoga

Mind: 30 minutes of yoga :)

We all have those nights: you are craving comfort food, and no bowl full of greens will do!  Enter this decadent vegetarian dish: baked eggplant parmesan!  With more fiber and less fat than its fried chicken cousin, this is a delicious recipe that can be made with egg whites if you're watching your cholesterol.

Nutritional Highlights: 130% vitamin A; 10 grams of protein; 3 grams of fiber; 60% vitamin C

banana "ice cream"

 

(C) TaraBeth - healthy.every.day - NYC

Saturday Afternoon

Food: banana "ice cream"

Body: a 90-minute walk around Manhattan

Mind: attempting some word game puzzles

I love me some ice cream just as much as the next girl.  But sometimes, the sugar and dairy can take a toll.  So imagine my delight upon finding this dairy-free banana "ice cream" recipe!  It was so incredible easy - in addition to the vanilla, I added some cinnamon, and the flavor was perfect!  Highly recommended dessert for those watching calories, fat, or added sugar!

Nutritional Highlights: 25% daily value vitamin C; 3 grams of fiber

side-by-side roasts

 

TaraBeth - healthy.every.day - NYC

Monday Night

Food: two roasted vegetable dishes: (1) roasted cauliflower with lemon juice, garlic, and gruyere cheese, (2) roasted carrots and redskin potatoes with lemon juice and parsley

Body: an hour-long walk to work (one of the very few perks of the subway being down)

Mind: cooking while listening to hits from the 90's

Today was one of those low days where I had a moment of weakness and stress-ate Sour Patch Kids.  Combining that with an unproductive afternoon, I left work feeling less than my best.  So when I got home, I knew I wanted a dinner full of nutrients, fiber, and flavor.  I found two great recipes and decided to make them both!  I used this Roasted Cauliflower recipe, but opted for Gruyere over Parmesan.  Then, I took a note from this easy Carrot, Potatoes & Parsley recipe and cooked the two at 400 degrees side by side for about 30 minutes (add the Gruyere to the cauliflower in the last 5 minutes of roasting to get that decadent melty affect).  Serve with a whole grain roll and you're in for a successful dinner!

Nutritional Highlights: 210% daily value vitamin A; 105% daily value vitamin C; 12 grams of fiber; 15% daily value iron; 35% daily value calcium; 9 grams of protein

sweet and savory "pizza"

 

TaraBeth - healthy.every.day - NYC

Friday Night

Food: low-carb, high-protein, whole-grain tortilla with raspberry jam, gruyere, and arugala 

Body: an hour-long walk

Mind: a glass of wine and a horror flick

I was in the mood for a light dinner, and found this fresh arugala at a nearby market.  The combination of bitter greens, savory gruyere, and sweet jam was a perfect combination.  Simply top the tortilla with raspberry jam and shredded gruyer and set it under the broiler on high for about 1-2 minutes.  Remove when the jam is bubbling and edges are browning.  Top with arugala and enjoy immediately!

Nutritional Highlights: 7 grams of fiber; 8 grams of protein, 50% daily value vitamin C

leek and cabbage soup

 

(C) TaraBeth - healthy.every.day - NYC

Thursday Afternoon

Food: soup, made with leeks, cabbage, redskin potatoes, carrots, parsley, garlic, and tofu

Body: a 45-minute walk around Hell's kitchen

Mind: a friend from work came over, and her hilarity cracks me up every time

Today I discovered the absolutely amazing hidden gem known as Stiles Farmers Market on 9th Ave.  For less than $5, I got a head of cabbage, two carrots, two leaks, two cloves of garlic, two potatoes, and a bag of fresh parsley.  It was inexpensive, but high quality - and perfect for "working from home because of a broken subway" meal.  Add in some tofu and it's packed with nutrients and flavor; it's really a wonderful warm meal to eat on the couch!  Leave a comment if you'd like the recipe to be posted! :)

Nutritional Highlights: In 2-cups of soup: 250% daily value Vitamin A; 110% daily value Vitamin C; 20% daily value fiber; 140% daily value Vitamin K; 7 grams of protein

roasted carrots

 

(C) TaraBeth - healthy.every.day - NYC 

Wednesday Night

Food: whole-wheat pasta with parmesan, with a side of honey-roasted carrots

Body: a quick walk around the neighborhood

Mind: reading up on vegan/vegetarian blogs

I was swamped with work this evening, so I opted for a quick dinner of penne pasta and parmesan cheese.  But, still needing my veggies, I wanted something that I could quickly prepare while the water was boiling and the pasta was cooking.  I went with an old favorite recipe: honey roasted carrots.  Ready in 30 minutes, check it out below!

Nutritional Highlights: 10 grams of fiber; 10 grams of protein; 400% daily value vitamin A; 12% daily value potassium; 15% daily value vitamin C

roasted potatoes and collard greens

 

(C) TaraBeth - healthy.every.day - NYC

Sunday Night

Food: Roasted potatoes and collard greens with Israeli couscous

Body: an hour-long walk around midtown on this surprisingly-warm fall October day

Mind: reading the last few chapters of a great book on a bench in Bryant park

Yesterday's weather was that crisp, biting reminder that winter is around the corner.  But today, the temperature crept back up into the upper 60s.  I was in the mood for some winter veggies and Israeli couscous when I stumbled upon Poor Girl Gourmet's amazing recipe.  Alas, my local market did not have sweet potatoes available so I went for red-skin potatoes.  I followed her collard greens/potato recipe pretty much to the letter, but opted for traditionally cooked Israeli (whole wheat) couscous instead.  Nonetheless, this dish was fantastic and warm - not to mention loaded with vitamins.  Luckily, I have plenty leftover for lunch tomorrow!

Nutritional Highlights: 150% vitamin A, 130% vitamin C, 9 grams of fiber, 14 grams of protein

kale for breakfast

(C) TaraBeth - healthy.every.day - NYC 

Thursday Morning

Food: kale-spinach-parsley-cucumber-apple-lemon-ginger juice

Body: 8 hours of sleep!

Mind: waking up early enough to have a slow, relaxed start to the morning

I have become quite hooked on Brooklyn Crepe and Juice Bar's Super Green juice.  It tastes amazing, and having a 32-ounce cup of it for breakfast just feels like a great start to the day.  (It also doesn't hurt that the people who work there are incredibly friendly!) My hope is to buy a juicer of my own soon and try some recipes, like one of these four green juice recipes from Well+Good NYC.

Nutritional Highlights: over 100% daily value of vitamins A and C; nearly 20% daily value of fiber

squash fettuccine

 

© TaraBeth - healthy.every.day - NYC

Tuesday Night

Food: green and yellow squash fettuccine with roasted red pepper/tomato sauce with a sprinkle of feta

Body: a 30-minute walk at lunch

Mind: two random 3-year-old twins came up and hugged me on the sidewalk, to the great amusement of their mother and me. hilarious and smile-worthy.

Back at work after a three-day weekend, I was thrilled to come home tonight and try this new recipe!  A warm and filling-yet-light dish, it was perfect for a chilly night and a long day.   I loosely followed Jenn Cuisine's recipe from her blog, and based the rest off of intuition and tricks from a friend!  I'd highly recommend this dish to anyone - vegetarians, carnivores, vegans (sans feta).  Delightful!

Nutritional Highlights: over 100% daily value vitamin C; 25% daily value fiber; 20% daily value vitamin B6

warm apples

 

© TaraBeth - healthy.every.day - NYC

Monday Mid-afternoon

Food: baked apples with cinnamon and Egyptian licorice tea

Body: 30 minutes of yoga

Mind: reading a book on the sofa wrapped in a blanket

Every fall, I look forward to one of my favorite desserts (or treats or snacks, depending on when I eat it): warm baked apples sprinkled with cinnamon.  All the tastes of autumn and warmth without the saturated fat and sugar of pie.  Ready in less than 10 minutes, it's the perfect cold-day food between meals.  Easy recipe below.

Nutritional Highlights: 20% daily value of fiber and 20% daily value vitamin C  

 

cold night for hot soup

© TaraBeth - healthy.every.day - NYC

Sunday Night

Food: Greens and Grains Soup (recipe below)

Body: A 10-minute walk to the local market, despite the rain

Mind: Cooking to Frank Sinatra while talking to my grandmother on the phone

It's the first truly cold night here in New York City, with temperatures creeping into the upper 40s.  What better excuse to make an incredibly nutrient-dense and satisfying soup!  I cranked up old jazz music and Sinatra and began happily chopping away.  I went for collard greens, one of the most highly-nutritious vegetables out there in terms of nutrition-per-calorie.  In just 3.5 ounces of the stuff, it has over 20% of your daily value of calcium, as well as nearly 600% your daily value of vitamin K! The best news?  It made enough soup to have leftovers for the next several days!  Give it a try, it's incredible!

Nutritional Highlights for 2 cup serving: 516% daily value vitamin A, 130% daily value vitamin C, 11 grams fiber, 55% daily value calcium, 1100% daily value vitamin K

© TaraBeth - healthy.every.day - NYC

greekish salad

© TaraBeth - healthy.every.day - NYC

Sunday afternoon

Food: Greekish-Salad (recipe below)

Body: Walking to a used bookstore despite the rain

Mind: A cup of earl grey tea on a cold, rainy morning while listening to street traffic

I had a major hankering for kalamata olives today.  So I chopped a few up and mixed them in this delicious Greek-style salad, with a bit extra.  There is something so decadent about feta and olives, and it reminds of my 100% Greek friend, Stephanie, who is a fantastic cook and total fitness junkie.  Recipe for this delightful lunch below (note, I added 2 small wedged of avocado to my salad, but that isn't listed below!)

Nutritional Highlights: Healthy unsaturated fats from the olives/avocado, 95% daily value Vitamin A from the romaine lettuce

 

© TaraBeth - healthy.every.day - NYC