Tag Archives: healthy

Eat Right London!

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Chicken Rice Bowl from Itsu

I have heard all of the sterotypes about London: bland food, gloomy weather,  and extremely expensive. But being a born and bred New Yorker I know there is much more to a place than its stereotypes. So far I am most impressed with the amount of healthy lunch options in London compared to NYC. There is a Pret on just about every corner, somehow I missed the fact that Pret started out in London. For those of you that don’t know: Pret makes ” proper sandwiches avoiding the obscure chemicals, additives and preservatives common to so much of the ‘prepared’ and ‘fast’ food on the market today.” They also have salads, soup, and other yummy options and list calories on all of their food. While I am not a fan of calorie counting I do think it is useful and important for people to have a sense of how many calories they are consuming. Other than Pret,which most of us New Yorkers are familair with, I stumbled upon Itsu which seemed similar to the Pret Model but serves Thai food, salads, and sushi. The Itsu Motto is Health and Happiness and you can find where they source their ingredients from directly on their website. Like Pret, they also list calories for all items served. Both options are reasonably priced and pretty darn tasty. I wasn’t too surprised to find out that the ladies behind Pret are also behind Itsu. Well ladies, I think it is about time that you bring this delicious chain to the U.S of A. I would surely eat there quite often. So while the brits get a bad name for their bland food, I am pleasantly surprised that there are some tasty and healthy options to choose from.

Do you get in your 5-9 servings of fruits and veggies a day?

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There is nothing like attending an inspiring event where you learn a lot and take away a plan of action for yourself too. This past weekend I attended a seminar through Shaklee that was focused around women’s health and I came out wondering if I get the recommended 5 – 9 servings of fruits and vegetables in everyday. You might think that as a holistic nutrition counselor all I eat is Kale, but that is not exactly the case. Even  nutrition counselors need a kick in the butt once in a while. Leaving the event I decided that I was going to challenge myself to get something green in at every single meal from here on out. So far, so good! Breakfast seems to be the most difficult, but even on Sunday when I was craving something brunchy and not my usual green smoothie I made it work with a Kale omelette using one egg, Kale, red onion, eggplant and fresh mozzarella cheese. Greens are not only full of essential vitamins and minerals, but they are also full of fiber that will fill you up and make you less likely to eat junk.  Loading up on greens is a great way to stay healthy and also drops some lbs. Double Bonus! Do you get in your 6 – 9 servings of vegetables a  day?

Yorganics – new organic lunch spot in Tribeca!

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One of my regular routines is a morning spin class at Soul-Cycle in Tribeca followed by a quick and healthy lunch in the area. I always seem to end up at whole foods for lunch due to lack of other options. Lucky for me Yorganics has answered my prayers for more healthy options in the area and has opened on Greenwich street between Warren and Murray. I finally got the chance to give this 100% organic place a try yesterday and I was not disappointed. I decided to go with the bliss bowl which gives you a bunch of different options to choose from. First you have your base which is a choice of: rice, noodles, or salad. Then you get a choice of different veggie options and different protein options and finally you choose your sauce. I went for soba noodles, spinach, broccoli, jalapeno peppers, mushrooms, and spicy chicken with the spicy chili sauce…yum! So keep in mind that I am pregnant and really into STRONG flavors, but the spicy chicken and spicy sauce really hit the spot. The chili suace was so good that I was convinced there had to be something really bad for you in it so I decided to give them a call and get to the bottom of things. The sauce contains a little bit of honey, a little bit of red agave, white rice vinegar and chili powder. This definitely gets my vote of approval for a healthy sauce and I think I am going to experiment with making my own. My only complaint about Yorganics is that they don’t have any seating. As someone who works form a mobile office I am always looking for a good place to sit and eat  in-between appointments, but lucky for me it was a beautiful day yesterday so I took my delicious organic meal to the park. If you are in the area and looking for a quick organic lunch then this is your spot! It is also a great option for offices in the area who are looking for healthy spots to pick-up or order in from.

The Holiday Party Survival Guide

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Photo by Phoebe Vickers

It might have been tough but YOU did it! You survived the eating frenzy that is thanksgiving. If you are a busy New Yorker like myself than that is most likely one obstacle down with 20 more to go. At this point you are probably trying to settle back into your regular routine; eating well and of course working out. Between holiday parties, family gatherings, and celebrations with friends this can seem like somewhat of a daunting task. Trust me, I know first hand just how difficult staying on track during this time of year can be. That is why I am sharing some tips that have helped me, and of course many other New Yorkers, not only avoid weight gain during the month of December, but also lose weight. Yes, that’s right,  I said it: LOSE WEIGHT IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER.

1. Don’t treat food like your childhood allowance. This is the number one mistake made by people who are trying to lose weight. They save up for one big binge at a holiday party, or Christmas dinner by living on carrots and celery sticks for the weeks leading up to it.  The best gift you can give to yourself is eating a healthy balanced diet consisting of vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and good fats on a daily basis. You won’t feel deprived and will be less likely to binge.

2. Fill up half your plate with Veggies. There is always a salad and veggie option at holiday events. Load up half your plate with greens and you are less likely to overeat.

3. Focus on what you CAN eat and NOT what you CAN’T. It’s the age old tale of wanting what you can’t have. Don’t tell yourself you can’t have something, because trust me you will want it even more. And if you are lucky enough to get through that night without having it, you will most likely have it at your next party as a reward for being so “good” at your previous party. Focus on the things that you can have, there are always healthy options to choose from! Most importantly, allow yourself a few bites of something “bad” at every party you go to.

4. Jump, jump, and shake your booty! Staying active during the busy month of December can seem nearly impossible. Make time to get a work out in. If you work late than get your butt up in the morning. If you get to work early, than bring your gym clothes with you to work and do not got home, pass go, or collect $200 until you have hit the gym. If you get to work early and you work late, than give yourself an hour in the middle of the day to get to the gym or at least take a walk.  And don’t forget to dance! Whats the point of going to all those parties if all you plan to do is eat? Get up, socialize, and most importantly shake that booty. Don’t wait until January 1st to get moving.

Organic turkey dinner options in NYC

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Between your teenage cousin, your middle-aged aunt and your turkey dinner, avoiding hormones on Thanksgiving Day is next to impossible.  Since you are definitely stuck with your relatives, why not avoid the hormone-induced turkey and go for one that is free of antibiotics, growth hormones, and unnatural additives?  Many New York City restaurants are offering local, free-range, organic thanksgiving dinners, just like you remember Grandma making.  Combine that with the growing number of meat shops and grocery stores selling high quality turkey for you to cook at home, and you have many options to choose from.

Jean George Restaurant Group
New York City restaurateur, Jean George, will be serving thanksgiving dinners at many of his restaurants this year. Thanksgiving menus are now available on the website for the following restaurants: Perry Street (176 Perry Street; 212-352-1900), Jo Jo (160 E 64th St # 1; 212-223-5656) and Mercer Kitchen (147 Mercer Street; 212- 966-5454.) All three of these restaurants will be serving the same thanksgiving menu for $68 per person.  The menu features a roasted organic turkey from Lancaster Pennsylvania. Not in the mood for turkey dinner? You will also be able to order from the regular menu at all three restaurants. Reservations are already filling up, so make sure you  book as soon as possible.  Thanksgiving dinners will also be served at Jean Georges (1 Central Park West at 60th street; 212-299-3900) and Nougatine (1 Central Park West at Columbus Circle; 212-299-3900). This years menus are not yet available, but you can view last years menus on the website and get a taste for what is to come.

GustOrganics (Chelsea, Village)
519 Avenue of the Americas; (212) 242-5800

For a 100% organic Thanksgiving dinner at a reasonable price, GustOrganics is a great option this Thanksgiving. For something different enjoy a special cranberry cocktail with your organic turkey. Another great option is the turkey meatballs with cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes. You will also be able to enjoy some red and white sangria for 50% off on Thanksgiving Day.

Ottomanelli Brothers
If you’re looking for a quality, local bird to cook at home then you should check out Ottomanelli Brothers, which has locations on the upper west side (395 Amsterdam Ave;212-496-1049), upper east side (1549 York Avenuen at the Corner of 82nd St; 212-772-7900) and in Queens (190 21 Union Turnpike Flushing, NY; 718-468-2000) . Ottomanaelli Brothers’ all natural turkeys come from Lancaster Farms in Pennsylvania. You can order a 14 – 16 pound frozen bird online for $59.95 plus shipping or you can order a fresh one for $2.95 a pound and pick it up yourself or have it delivered. (Delivery is based on how close you live to the butcher shop).

Whole Foods Market
With locations all around the city, Whole Foods, is a clear and convenient option for Thanksgiving Day. They have nine different selections when it comes to whole turkeys for Thanksgiving. The Whole Foods Market free-range turkey, raised on Jaindl Turkey Farms in Pennsylvania, seems to be the best value at $1.99 a pound. They are also offering certified organic free-range turkeys for $3.99 per pound, also raised on Jaindl Turkey Farms. You can order and arrange a pick-up day and time online through their website, in person, or over the phone. Not in the mood to cook? Whole Foods also offers complete thanksgiving dinner options, starting as small as dinner for two. The price varies based on what you order. Whole Foods customer service has knowledgeable staff that will answer just about any question you have when it comes to quality and placing orders. Orders must be placed by November 23rd and must be picked up. They do not make Thanksgiving deliveries. Visit their website for the store in your area’s contact information.

Fairway Market
Fairway Market is also offering many options for high quality birds, ranging from certified USDA organic, free-range, and hormone/antibiotic free turkey. Their website has a very user-friendly format for ordering your Thanksgiving turkey; select the size and type of turkey you would like to buy. Once you have indicated your turkey choice, you can then indicate which store you plan to pick-up from and when. Orders for a pre-brined turkey should be made by November 19th, while the deadline for a regular turkey is November 22nd. Fairway also has great catering options, including oven ready organic turkeys starting at $49.99 for an 8 – 10 pound bird.  Catering orders can be picked up or delivered in most areas of New York City. Due to the high volume of Thanksgiving orders there will be no specific delivery time, so you will have to be home to receive the order all day long. Catering orders must be placed by noon on November 21st.

For more information on places to get organic turkey on thanksgiving check out CleanPlates.

NO more excuses! Cooking is easy! Soba Noodles and Mixed Veggies in a peanut sauce!

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“I am too tired to cook when I get home”, “cooking is so difficult and I have no time”, ” who has the time to go grocery shopping?”, “I am too broke to afford organic food”.

Are you someone who makes one or many of the above excuses on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis? I am here to put these excuses to rest TODAY. Lets say in an ideal world you could have your groceries delivered to your door and you could make a delicious, well-balanced, organic meal for 4 for $8.67, would that solve all of your problems? Would you still make excuses? Well, I am here to tell you that it is your lucky day, it is an ideal world, and I have the answers.

How does soba noodles, with stir-fried mixed vegetables, and a peanut sauce sound for dinner? You might be able to pick up the phone and order sesame noodles from the local Chinese food restaurant and call it a day, but I challenge you to do something healthier and even easier. You guessed it, make it yourself:

Soba Noodles and stir fried veggies in a peanut sauce

Serves 4 and takes 10 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 Box Soba Noodles

1 bag organic frozen mixed vegetables

1/2 cup organic peanut butter

1/4 cup tamari sauce or soy sauce

1/3 cup warm water

1 medium garlic clove

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon sriracha sauce ( Hot pepper oil, or hot sauce of any kind will do)

1 tablespoon agave nectar

1 teaspoon ginger

Directions: Boil Water. Once water is boiling add soba noodles and cook according to directions on the box. It should take from 6 – 8 minutes. Steam Frozen veggies. In a bowl mix together the rest of the ingredients. When the noodles are done cooking run them under cold water for 1 – 2 minutes and add them to the peanut sauce along with the steamed vegetables.

Ok, easy enough right? Everyone knows how to boil water, steam vegetables, and mix together some ingredients to make a sauce. So now I bet you are wondering how you will get these ingredients into your home and how this only costs $8.67.  So I am assuming that you already have a few things hanging out in your fridge: Tamari sauce or soy sauce, Sriracha sauce (hot sauce of any kind), garlic, ginger, agave nectar, and red pepper flakes. If you don’t already have these things in your home then you should get them. They are excellent and healthy ways to flavor your food and will last you months. You will need to buy Mixed organic  frozen veggies, Creamy organic peanut butter, and soba noodles. No time to go shopping? Log onto Freshdirect and have them deliver directly to your door. The cost of these three items on the Fresh Direct website is:

$2.89 = mixed organic veggies

$2.19 = soba noodles

$3.59 peanut butter

Total = $8.67

If you live alone you now have leftovers for 3 more meals. Still have any excuses?

Giveaway: Brad’s Organic Whole Wheat Pasta!

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Who doesn’t love pasta? The question that it seems everyone wants to know is if pasta is good or bad for you. Many people think that cutting carbs is THE trick to losing weight and  pasta is one of the first things to go when carbs are cut from a diet. I can tell you first hand that too much pasta will make you gain weight, but the reality is that too much of just about anything will make you gain weight and cutting any major nutrient from your diet is never a good idea. When it comes to eating pasta it is all about moderation and picking the right brand!

Picking the right brand of pasta is the same as picking just about anything you buy in the grocery store; it is all about reading labels. When looking for a good pasta I always look for a whole wheat pasta made of 100% whole wheat. 100% whole wheat should be the first ingredient listed. I recently came across Brad’s Organic Whole Wheat Spaghetti. The ingredients are: 100% organic Durum Whole Wheat Flour. (This means the whole grain has been ground into a flour. Durum is a type of wheat.) Simple and to the point, so I decided to give it a try. This is now my go to brand of pasta! It is delicious and a lot healthier than many of the other whole wheat pasta’s I have seen. I have also tried their Penne Pasta which is equally delicious.

Now for the giveaway! Brad’s Organic is offering a fabulous giveaway to ONE fabulous reader. The giveaway package includes: Whole Wheat Linguine, Whole Wheat Farfalle, and Rotini. If you are one of those non-believers in whole wheat pasta give this brand a try, it is truly delicious. Brad’s Organic sells many other products besides Pasta and I have slowly been trying many of them. I recently bought their creamy peanut butter which is also seriously good! You can order Brad’s Organic products directly from the website and they have a flat rate shipping fee of $5.95.

To enter the giveaway please do ONE of the following:

1. Leave a comment with your favorite pasta dish. Recipes are not necessary, but totally welcome :) .

2. Tweet the following: @eatrightnyc is giving away Brad’s Organic Whole Wheat Pasta, enter to win at www.eatrightnycblog.com.  Leave a comment letting me know you tweeted.

3. Become a fan of EatRightNYC on facebook and leave a comment letting me know.

The winner will be announced on this Friday the 24th of September.

Most and Least Contaminated Produce and Purume Restaurant – NYC

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I recently wrote a post about the importance of Organics and how it is important to eat chemical free food as often as possible. Don’t worry I don’t plan on repeating myself, I will spare both of us the boredom. Instead I am going to help you shop organic and smart all at the same time. The most common excuse I hear for not eating organic is that it is too expensive. How can you shop smart, but at the same time shop organic? Below is a produce cheat sheet for you to bring with you to the grocery store:

12 Most Contaminated

Peaches

Apples

Sweet Bell Peppers

Celery

Nectarines

Strawberries

Cherries

Pears

Grapes (imported)

Spinach

Lettuce

Potatoes

12 Least Contaminated

Broccoli

Cabbage

Bananas

Kiwi

Sweet Peas ( Frozen)

Asparagus

Mango

Onions

Pineapples

Sweet Corn (Frozen)

Avocado

Next time you go shopping stick to this list and you should be able to save a little cash and still keep your body chemical-free. Another good rule, (which doesn’t work all of the time), is to buy organic when you are buying produce that does not have an outer layer on it that needs to be peeled off. (Example: Onion)


Not in the mood to cook? One of the things I love about living in NYC is that we have tons of organic restaurants to choose from. I’m not saying we have one  on every corner, but we have a lot in comparison to the rest of the country. I recently went to Purume which is located on 13th street between 5th and University. Like most organic and vegetarian restaurants in the city, Purume’s menu is Asian inspired. One of the things that I loved about GustOrganics was that it is organic American cuisine, which is not something we see as often. I went with a friend and we shared the vegetable dumplings and spring-rolls and I got mixed vegetables in a curry sauce. While I give this place a thumbs up for being fresh and organic, it’s not great in comparison to other similar restaurants. I have had the inspired vegetable curry from Souen and it is about one thousand times better than the one served at Purume. When I go to new restaurants I always like to ask about the items on the menu that I am not familiar with. There were quite a few of these at Purume, but unfortunately the waiter was not able to tell us what they were; this was pretty disappointing.  I would definitely go back to Purume in the spirit of supporting organic, fresh food, but it is certainly not one of the best organic restaurants I have ever been to.

Lemon and Cucumber Water

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There is a ton of debate right now about sugary drinks and how much they contribute to obesity in the United States. While there is really no question in my mind that Americans drink way too much soda, Gatorade, and even fruit juice I think we should be focusing on what ELSE people can drink rather than penalizing people who might not know what a healthy and satisfying alternative is. Before we get into alternatives I want to point out how important it is to read labels. It is so easy to fall into the tricky traps that are set for you by advertising companies; a great example is vitamin water. By the name you are lead to believe that you are drinking vitamins and water, right? If the name was Sugar Water would you drink it? One bottle of vitamin water contains over 32 grams of Sugar! So if we can’t believe the claims on the outside of pretty bottles what do we drink? Water is the healthiest and most hydrating beverage we can drink. We need water to be healthy and to live.

Since you are working so hard to lose weight and ultimately be healthy, don’t sabotage yourself with the empty and unhealthy calories found in Sugary Beverages! Drink water and have fun with it. The same way we add spices to flavor up our food, you can add all sorts of healthy options to flavor your water. One of my very special readers sent me this satisfying and healthy way of flavoring water:

Fill a pitcher with water

Slice up a cucumber and a lemon

Add Cucumbers, squeeze lemon over top, and add lemon to let sit

Stir!

keep in fridge to chill and keep refilling with water as you use it. Refresh with lemon and cucumber every 3 days or so

Calling all New Yorkers: $200 giveaway!!

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A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post about GustOrganics, an 100% organic restaurant on 14th street and 6th avenue in NYC. I love supporting organic restaurants in the city and I especially love supporting organic restaurants that serve organic wine! Nothing better than eating clean and getting a small buzz on :) . I am really excited to share that GustOrganics is offering a $200 gift certificate to their restaurant for one very special reader.  To enter this giveaway please do one of the following:

1. Tweet the following: @eatrightnyc is giving away a $200 gift certificate to GustoOrganics. Enter at www.eatrightnycblog.com. Leave a comment and let me know that you tweeted.

2. Leave a comment letting me know why you think it is important to eat organic.

I will announce the winner this Friday, August 13th. Good luck!