Game Day Grub
January 19, 2010
Football season (RIP New England Patriots) brings out some of the worst (for you)/best (to taste) food known to humankind. Stuffed potato skins, pigs in a blanket and an XL bag of Ruffles dipped in creamy french onion dip oh my (…hello beer gut).
A solid alternative to the greasy bags of trans fatty chips is the aptly named line of snacks by Food Should Taste Good. Not that I would recommend making these the main event at your next Superbowl party (unless you like to suck the fun out of things), I think that a bowl of the Multigrain tortilla chips would be a great addition to the buffet of saturated fats. Made with flax, sunflower and sesame seeds, these are all natural and kosher, plus free of: gluten/lactose/sodium/preservatives/cholesterol/trans fat…the list goes on. Food Should Taste Good keeps things simple and nutritious with only 140 calories and 1 gram of sugar in their Multigrain variety – they also have Jalapeno, Olive, Chocolate (yum), Sweet Potato, Buffalo, Lime, Potato and Chive, Cinnamon, Yellow Corn or The Works. What I like best about these chips is that they have a great texture and strong nutty taste – hello game day touchdown.
Can You Handle It?!
November 13, 2009
Pinkberry was SO 2007! I feel like more and more frozen yogurt places are popping up across the city…does anyone eat real food anymore? I know that my last blog post talking about mittens and gloves got you thinking ‘Winter’ but despite the season, 16 Handles is a worthy stop to grab a healthy dessert alternative.
With literally 16 flavors ‘on tap’ and an insanely large toppings bar, this East Village spot is by far my favorite compared to all of the other faux yogurt-lands. These fro-yo’s are non-fat and Kosher certified, made fresh in the store without using artificial powdered mixes. Get your probiotics, calcium, live/active cultures, protein and vitamins in each swirl. Perfect for control freaks (i.e. ME), everything is do-it-yourself – plus you pay by the weight so you only have to buy what you feel like eating.
16 Handles also offers non-dairy sorbet and flavors with no added sugar. I like mixing Mango flavor with Green Tea Tart and adding fresh fruit and carob chips.
Perfect Pancakes
November 4, 2009
My pancakes NEVER turn out looking like the silver dollar beauties in those Bisquick commercials – they usually come out as a mutilated version of a melted snowman. It’s when I have to flip them that everything falls apart…literally. This morning, the heavens parted and birds chirped as I finally got an entire batch of perfect looking pancakes – using Purely Elizabeth’s ‘Perfect Pancake Mix’ ($8.49/mix).
Literally, perfect in every sense of the word, this mix is free of sugar, dairy, wheat and gluten and loaded with all natural and organic ingredients (millet flour, teff flour, buckwheat flour, flax, hemp and chia seeds). I love that Elizabeth combines nutritious food with delicious baking. My breakfast alone this morning contained B vitamins, fiber, protein, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids plus grains low in carbohydrates. Vegans can substitute ground flaxseed, bananas or apple sauce in place of the one egg that the recipe calls for. The thing that I noticed with this product in particular is that it still gave a nice fluffy pancake versus other grain filled mixes which come out fairly dense.
I can’t wait to try the Ultimate Cacao Muffin Mix and the Blueberry Maple Muffin Mix – both available online at www.purelyelizabeth.com
Purely Amazing
October 26, 2009
The smell of a warm turkey pot pie with a nice flakey crust gives me goosebumps… not raw beets and eggplant puree. However, I stopped drinking my Haterade (yes, I said Haterade) and took a trip last year to Pure Food & Wine to explore the world of raw cooking (is that an oxymoron?).
Pure, located at 54 Irving Place, is a raw vegan restaurant where nothing is heated above 118 degrees to preserve vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Listed five years in a row by Forbes magazine as one of their ”All Star New York Eateries,” you barely notice that the food is untouched by the heat of an oven or stove top. With a 100% plant-based menu, you won’t find any processed ingredients including tofu, tempeh or seitan. I love the Asparagus Sushi Rolls with Mirin Soaked Forest mushrooms ($16) and Thai Coconut Noodles in Galangal Red Coconut Curry ($24). The wine and cocktail menu rounds out the entire experience, made with fresh-pressed organic juices and agave nectar, like the Purple Rain ($15) which has fresh raspberries, blueberries, yuzu and sake.
Although the plates are small and prices high, the quality of the ingredients and cooking experience behind the stove…err…blender…leave you feeling well satisfied and practically refreshed.
The Best Whey To Go
October 13, 2009
Protein shakes used to be synonymous with body building competitions and men in electric blue t-back thongs (disturbing in so many ways)…but that’s so 90′s. Companies like Designer Whey now offer a less aggressive (creatine free) whey protein for those of us not strutting the stage super soaked in baby oil. All Designer Whey products are gluten and peanut free plus contain very low levels of lactose (less than 3%), making this a safe option for just about everyone.
Proteins, derived from the Greek word meaning ‘of first importance’, are the basic building blocks of life. Whey beats out soy and egg proteins in reducing appetite and voluntary eating (no more mindlessly stuffing your face). Athletes use whey to increase muscle mass and speed up body fat loss while resistance training. Personally, I have found that it has been the best source for tissue recovery and helping to reduce post-exercise soreness (you know, that kind when you sit down in your chair and can’t stand back up…)
My favorite Designer Whey is the Original Chocolate: 18 grams protein/2 grams fat/ 100 calories/2 grams sugar. I’ll mix one level scoop with water, stir and have for breakfast with a piece of whole fruit and multi grain toast. This also makes a great (and portable) post workout meal supplement. For the past few months I have experienced leaner muscle, a stronger body and a more convenient post exercise fuel – is there any other whey to go?
