healthy.every.day - nyc: October 2012

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

hurricane food

Tuesday Night

Food: whole grain protein+ pasta with sauteed zucchini and parmesan cheese

Body: walking one block in the rain and wind - was all I could manage!

Mind: catching up on my "movies to watch" list

Hurricane Sandy has officially tackled New York City, and it's meant power outages, closed supermarkets, and limitations on leaving the apartment. I am incredibly blessed that I am well, and that my family and friends are all safe. It's been a bit too hectic, rainy, and windy outside to leave the apartment just yet, so I opted for a dinner I could make with what I already had in the house: pasta, zucchini, and parmesan. Grateful to have a healthy meal, and praying for those who still need power, food, water, and shelter.

Nutritional Highlights: 14 grams of protein; 15% daily value calcium; 35% vitamin C; 8 grams of fiber

Sunday, October 28, 2012

fresh bread

Sunday Afternoon

Food: fresh bread, apple slices, chunky organic peanut butter

Body: a 15-minute walk around the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market

Mind: having a moment to drink a cup of tea and do nothing else

In the middle of the afternoon, after running around to five different stores to find a flashlight (and failing), I was famished. It was too close to dinnertime to have a full on meal, so I opted for this delicious snack. I had two slices of a brioche loaf that I bought from Sullivan Street Bakery, and it was perfection; it's the type of bread that makes you want to go out of your way just to pick up a fresh loaf. Add in a sliced apple from the farmer's market and a dollop of chunky peanut butter, and I was certainly not hungry when I finished!

Nutritional Highlights: 6 grams of fiber; 10% daily value vitamin A; 6 grams of protein

pasta alla pescatarian

Sunday Afternoon

Food: whole-grain protein+ pasta with spinach and smoked salmon

Body: a 45-minute pre-lunch walk around midtown

Mind: a phone call with my adorable nana

As we prepare for Hurricane Sandy that is soon to hit New York, I decided I wanted to fuel my body with some extra protein before we potentially lose power (and the option of eating foods like yogurt, cooked tofu, and heated-up soup!). I opted for Barilla protein+ pasta with smoked salmon and steamed spinach, which I purchased a farmer's market yesterday. It was delicious and helped me power through hurricane preparations!

Nutritional Highlights: 34 grams of protein; 30% daily value vitamin A; 15% daily value vitamin C; 100% daily value vitamin K

sweet tooth

Saturday Night

Food: green grapes

Body: hours of unpacking in my new apartment

Mind: realizing that I can see the corner of the Empire State building from my bedroom!

Yesterday was a whirlwind! In less than 24 hours, I had moved into my brand new apartment in Midtown and was completely unpacked. Exhausted yet excited, I settled into the sofa and decided I wanted something sweet. The bad news? I had yet to go food shopping. The good news? A farmer's market stand right outside was selling these delicious green guys, the perfect snack for sweetness + hydration. I'm not saying these are the equivalent of a slice of red velvet cake, but I feel significantly better after eating them than some sugary confection! :)

Nutritional Highlights: 40% daily value vitamin C, 40% daily value vitamin K

Thursday, October 25, 2012

chopped Mediterranean

Thursday Afternoon

Food: chopped Mediterranean salad with romaine, red cabbage, grape tomatoes, chickpeas, avocado, and other veggies

Body: a 45-minute walk around Manhattan

Mind: reading a new book on the train

I took a personal day today because I'm moving into a new apartment. After the mayhem of carrying suitcases and scheduling my movers, I needed a majorly healthy lunch, before hopping on a 4-hour train to see my parents. Enter this delightful chopped salad, from 44 & X, a trendy, bright, and healthy restaurant only a 10 minute walk from my apartment. The texture was perfect, and I loved the light pesto dressing around the side. It was that perfect "won't leave me feeling blah" meal before a long train ride.

Nutritional Highlights: 12 grams of protein; 120% daily value vitamin A; 100% daily value vitamin C; 9 grams of fiber

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

greens and beans

Tuesday Afternoon

Food: spring green salad with corn, black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, and green olives with a lemon vinaigrette

Body: a 30-minute walk after hours of meetings

Mind: reading hilarious post-debate articles

My least favorite kind of work day is one that, unfortunately, seems to be inevitable once in a while: sitting around a table in a five-hour long meeting without any hope of a break or chance to stand. To combat the fatigue that came along with this type of a morning, I ordered this energizing salad for lunch. Packed with healthy plant proteins and vitamins, this and my half-hour long walk afterwards were a great pick-me-back-up.

Nutritional Highlights: 18 grams of protein; 120% daily value vitamin A; 40% daily value vitamin C; 50% daily value iron; 17 grams of fiber

Sunday, October 21, 2012

colorful salad

Saturday and Sunday afternoons

Food: organic mixed greens salad with artichoke hearts, radishes, chickpeas, corn, olives, red cabbage, and seared tuna

Body: a 2 hour walk around Central Park and midtown with my boyfriend's mom and sister

Mind: watching Phantom of the Opera for the first time with my petite and adorable grandmother

It has been so many days since I've posted! The end of this week, and this weekend, has been a jam-packed whirlwind. But I've managed to adhere to my health goals despite no posts! Yesterday, my wonderful grandmother took the train into New York to meet my cousin and me for lunch. We went to Brasserie Ruhlmann and ate at their outdoor, less-expensive venue right by Rockefeller Center. I ordered this organic salad topped with my first fish in weeks (their purely vegetarian options were limited). It was fresh and the perfect pre-show meal, as my grandmother and I made our way to a beautiful performance of Phantom of the Opera. Today, I met up with my boyfriend's mother and sister for some Asian cuisine. I opted for a noodle soup with tofu and tons of vegetables, after which we spent two hours walking around Central Park - lovely, but I'm a bit wiped! I have a major presentation at work tomorrow so it's off to bed for me! Hope you all had healthy weekends! :)

Nutritional Highlights: 50% daily value vitamin A; 60% daily value vitamin C; 35% daily value fiber; 27 grams of protein

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

roasted carrots

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

oatmeal and a chai latte

Wednesday Morning

Food: Hearty oatmeal with strawberry slices and raisins. Chai latte with real tea, soy milk, cinnamon, and a touch of honey.

Body: A 15-minute walk before lunch.

Mind: A lovely conversation with someone at the coffee shop who was interested in my work

Today was my favorite kind of work day: work from home! Or some days, like today, work from a fantastic cafe! I spent about four hours this morning at the Tea Lounge in Brooklyn. It's got this great ambiance, friendly patrons, and really high-quality food and drinks. I started off with an oatmeal breakfast with strawberries (I'm clinging onto this fruit as long as possible!) and raisins, accompanied by a delicious Chai latte. This was not your Starbucks-style latte, made with syrup and sugar. Instead, the Tea Lounge uses real, loose-leave tea bags, foamed soy milk, cinnamon, and honey - simple ingredients for a decadent drink.

Nutritional Highlights: 5 grams of fiber in the oatmeal, 25% daily value calcium in the large latte, 50% daily value vitamin C from the strawberries, 6 grams of protein in the whole meal.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

"salad first" rule

Tuesday Night

Food: chopped green lettuce, chopped mushrooms, feta, kalamata olives

Body: a 10-minute walk during a break today

Mind: laughing at my boss' hilarious stories as we traveled for work

Ah, bed sweet bed. I arrived home exhausted tonight after two days of travel for work, and it happened: all I wanted to do was get in sweatpants, eat popcorn, devour ice cream, and watch Netflix. And I almost did. Until I remembered a rule I gave myself this summer: salad first. In other words, if I'm craving junk food or "comfort food", I can have it - so long as I eat a healthy salad first. It works in one of two ways: either (1) I eat the salad and feel great and don't want to taint that with bad foods, or (2) I eat the salad and am still having a craving, in which case I indulge, but not to the quantity I would have had I not eaten a fiber-filled salad beforehand. Ta-da! Magic, guilt-free, awesomeness. And nutrition.

Nutritional Highlights: 105% daily value Vitamin A, 25% daily value Vitamin C, 140% daily value vitamin K, 20% daily value of calcium

Monday, October 15, 2012

protein packed

Monday Morning

Food: low-fat plain yogurt with chia seeds, small piece of challah bread with chunky organic peanut butter, tall glass of plain coconut water

Body: a 20-minute walk before the rains hit

Mind: playing word games on the train; a 15-minute call with mom

I had to travel for work today, so I knew it was the type of day I wanted to start off with a lot of protein and hydration. Enter this delicious breakfast: yogurt (8 grams of protein), chia seeds (3 grams of protein), peanut butter (7 grams of protein), and challah bread (4 grams of protein), plus a large glass of organic coconut water, my miracle hydrator. I wish I had added a piece of fruit, but for what it was, it was a fulfilling start to the morning!

Nutritional Highlights: 22 grams of protein, 7 grams of fiber, 50% daily value of calcium, 20% daily value potassium, 15 daily value magnesium

Sunday, October 14, 2012

roasted potatoes and collard greens

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

Friday, October 12, 2012

arugula and cheddar

Friday Afternoon

Food: whole-grain demi-baguette with Vermont cheddar, arugula, and peach jam

Body: a 35-minute walk around Brooklyn

Mind: getting a complimentary email about a project I managed

For lunch, I was craving something savory and miraculously had the perfect place recommended to me. Brooklyn Victory Garden makes decadent sandwiches with locally-sourced ingredients. Following the bread trend from breakfast, I opted for this veggie-and-cheese mix. And I'm so glad I did. It was the perfect blend of bitter arugula, sweet peach jam, and savory cheddar. Paired with a clean cup of green tea, it was an easy $5... I'll take this over the famous Subway foot-long any day!

Nutritional Highlights: 15% vitamin A in the arugula; 4 grams of fiber in the bread; 8 grams of protein

strawberry toast

Friday Morning

Food: whole-grain toast with fresh strawberries and a light sprinkling of powdered sugar

Body: lots of sleep plus a nice morning walk

Mind: watching a squirrel eat a pumpkin on my walk to work. hilarious.

Today was the best kind of work day: work from home! Or in my case, work from the delicious restaurant Milk Bar to enjoy a locally-sourced breakfast while completing a project. I opted for a hot cup of spicy chai tea and this bright toast, a secret attempt to enjoy my favorite fruit one more time before it's totally out of season. Strawberries are amazing, both for their health benefits and because they remind me of the way my mom would slice them up, throw them in a bowl, and stick them in the fridge for my brother and I to enjoy. Until late spring, strawberries...

Nutritional Highlights: 6 grams of fiber in the toast and strawberries, 65% vitamin C in the strawberries

Thursday, October 11, 2012

kale for breakfast

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

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Italian flavor

Wednesday Night

Food: Baked Parmesan-Oregano Tomatoes, a slice of whole grain toast, and sauteed tofu; 2 pieces of dark chocolate for dessert

Body: A 30-minute walk during lunch today

Mind: Talking to my mom and dad on the phone

Tonight, I made a flavorful dish that I've made many times before (and thus, am using a photo from a few weeks ago). I used to make it only for dinner, but lately have made it for breakfast, due to inspiration from a friend in Spain who gushes over tomato-based Spanish breakfasts. These deliciously flavorful tomatoes are great with a slice of toast and some sauteed tofu (protein!) on the side. Mmm... recipe below!

Nutritional Highlights: about 30-40% daily value vitamin C in the tomato, 15 grams of protein in the 3/4 cup serving of tofu, 3 grams of fiber in the whole wheat toast. Straight up happiness in the dark chocolate.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

squash fettuccine

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

Monday, October 8, 2012

warm apples

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

indulgences

Monday Afternoon

Food: tofu pad thai, vegetable dumplings, vegetable spring rolls; tart frozen yogurt with dark chocolate chips and fresh strawberries

Body: a 30-minute stroll around Union Square

Mind: catching up with a friend while lunching and getting manicures

Today I had lunch scheduled with a friend, Rebecca, who I used to work with in Boston. It had been about a year since we'd seen each other and I was thrilled to meet up at Bodhi Tree, a charming Thai restaurant in the East Village. They have a fantastic lunch deal where you get two appetizers and an entree for around $8 - sign me up! While not the healthiest of fare, I indulged in tofu pad thai with lemon juice and two, small, vegetable side dishes. After lunch, Rebecca insisted we visit a frozen yogurt joined called 16 Handles, where I further indulged in the original tart topped with dark chocolate chips and strawberry slices. The perfect "treat myself" lunch as we headed in for manicures! :)

Nutritional Highlights: approximately 13 grams of protein in the pad thai; 30% daily value vitamin C in the strawberries

morning tea

Monday Morning

Food: Earl grey tea with a dash of skim milk; plain Greek yogurt with frozen mango slices and chia seeds

Body: 8 hours of sleep

Mind: reading fashion magazines in bed

Happy Columbus Day, and even more so, happy day off if you're not working today! I woke up this morning after a full eight hours of sleep and was thrilled to be able to enjoy my morning tea and breakfast in a leisurely manner. After flipping through the latest issue of Glamour in bed, I steeped a hot cup of earl grey and am currently sipping slowly. Mmm...

Nutritional Highlights: 35% daily value calcium in the yogurt; 40% daily value vitamin C in the mangoes; 25% daily value fiber in the chia seeds

Sunday, October 7, 2012

cold night for hot soup

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

greekish salad

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

Saturday, October 6, 2012

new vegan restaurants and old friends

Saturday Night

Food: Mushroom Lentil Ravioli: house-made ravioli filled with chickpeas, lentils, smoked eggplant, in a shiitake-tahini cream sauce, topped with herbed greens.

Body: Four hour walk around upper Manhattan and Central Park, in the beautiful early-fall weather.

Mind: Vintage clothes shopping with my cousin

After four hours of wandering the beautiful Central Park, I met up with a friend of mine I hadn't seen in 3 years. Carolina and I had gone to college together, but had known each other since we were young teens. She's lived in the Upper East Side for a few months now, and suggested we meet up at a highly-recommended vegan restaurant, V-Note. After enjoying a glass of organic red wine, we ended up ordering the same meal: the delicious, mushroom-lentil ravioli. High in protein, and a solid source of iron thanks to the chickpeas (yay, iron for vegans!), it was delicious and satisfying. It was the type of dish that always leaves me wondering what ever made me think I needed meat to feel satiated after a meal...

Nutritional Highlights: approximately 20 grams of protein; 20% daily value vitamin C

the last fish?

Saturday afternoon

Food: Salade Niçoise (romaine lettuce, black olives, hard boiled egg, haricots verts, tomatoes, red bell peppers, tuna).

Body: A 30-minute stroll around midtown Manhattan, people watching and window shopping

Mind: Listening to favorite music while sitting by Rockefeller Plaza

As a teen, I lived in Nice, France for a summer. Thus began my love affair with Salade Niçoise. As I contemplate becoming a total vegetarian, instead of the infrequent seafood-eating kind, I must admit my love for spicy-tuna sushi and baked salmon. If anyone has any suggestions for making the pescatarian-to-vegetarian transition, please chime in! The green beans and tomatoes were delicious, and while I almost never eat eggs, they were cooked well. On this particular sunny Saturday, as I sat on the balcony at at French restaurant in midtown, this vitamin-rich, protein-packet salad was almost perfection.

Nutritional Highlights: 46% daily value vitamin B12 and 46% daily value folate; 22 grams of protein

green juice and green trees

source: yelp review

Saturday Morning

Food: Super Green Juice (Kale, Cerely, Parsley, Apple, Spinach, Cucumber + Lemon and Ginger)

Body: A 15-minute walk around Brooklyn, where most of the trees are still bright green.

Mind: Catching up on pleasure reading on the train

Saturday was a beautiful day to live in Manhattan. It was sunny in the high-60s/low-70s, and people were in an especially friendly mood. I was in Brooklyn to get a bit of work done, and decided to stop by the highly-rated Brooklyn Crepe and Juice Bar. The men working there were incredibly friendly and helpful as I order their famous Super Green Juice. It was the perfect breakfast: rejuvenating, nutrient-dense, and "one-hand-required" so I could use my other hand to read while on the train back to the city!

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

Friday, October 5, 2012

introductions

Introductions

If you've stumbled across my blog, allow me to introduce myself.

My name is Tara. I'm a 25-year-old vegetarian living and working in Manhattan. And I really want to commit myself to everyday, healthy living.

I'm generally a healthy person. I don't eat fast food, I drink plenty of water, and eat fruits and veggies. But I want to be more deliberate about it, and more focused on it for the right reasons. I don't need to "get skinny" - I'm a healthy, slender woman. I want, instead, to constantly feel great: physically energized, mentally focused, and happy about the choices I make regarding food and exercise.

I became a pescatarian in April. Nope, it's not a religion as my wonderful boyfriend first thought. It's a fancy term for a "vegetarian who eats seafood" if you will. The greatest inspiration for this change was a rainy weekend during which time I watched two documentaries: Food, Inc. and Forks Over Knives (both available on Netflix and iTunes). While the ethical implications of eating meat were certainly moving, it was ultimately the health consequences that pushed the change for me. This past weekend, I committed myself to going fully vegetarian to see how I feel. I thought about going vegan (and sometimes, still do) but know that if I'm honest with myself, I do enjoy occasionally eating feta cheese or mint chip ice cream. Animal-based foods are not a constant in my diet, but are a "once-in-a-while" food so long as they're humanely obtained.

So what is this purpose of this blog you may ask? I suppose it will serve as a personal history of my health and wellness journey, as ridiculously hippie as that may sound. I simply want to be able to look at what I'm eating each day, and share fantastic recipes and exercise tips with anyone who wants to read. If you live in Manhattan, this may be especially helpful as I check out the top vegetarian restaurants and menu items in the city!

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you have a wonderfully healthy day.

- t