This [f#&!-ing] weather is putting a serious dent in my plan to create the ‘perfect beach body’ – incessant rain, snow, rain + snow and other obnoxious ‘wintery’ mixes make me crave warm comfort food and long nights on the couch.

Despite my urge last night to bust out chili cheese fries, I made a Cooking Light recipe for Spicy Yellow Soybean, Lentil and Carrot Curry.  Although its geared towards vegetarians, I grilled two pieces of chicken for added protein.  1 cup of the below recipe including a TBS of yogurt equals 314 calories, 9.7 grams of fat, 22.8 grams of protein and 11.8 grams of fiber.

• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 2 1/3  cups  finely chopped onion
• 1  tablespoon  red curry paste
• 4  cups  vegetable broth, divided
• 2  cups  finely chopped carrot
• 2  tablespoons  minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1/8  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  cup  dried small red lentils
• 1  (15-ounce) can yellow soybeans, rinsed and drained
• 1/3  cup  minced fresh cilantro
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 6  tablespoons  plain fat-free yogurt
• Fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in curry paste; cook 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup broth, carrot, ginger, red pepper, and garlic; cook 6 minutes or until carrot is tender, stirring occasionally. Add 3 1/2 cups broth, lentils, and soybeans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in cilantro, salt, and black pepper. Divide evenly among 6 bowls; dollop with yogurt. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Although I can bake desserts like nobody’s business, I’m not exactly the next Julia Child when it comes to whipping up the main course.

::frozen dinner enter stage right::

One of my favorite “recipes” to make are soy buffalo wings by MorningStar (100% meat free).  These are really delicious and pretty damn spicy so no added seasoning needed.  Despite scorching them in the microwave for two minutes, they still come out crispy thanks to a lightly breaded exterior.  Five wings pack 200 calories, 8 grams of fat, 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar and 12 grams of protein.

…bon appetite!

I once worked with a woman named Angelika… German, tough as nails and always on top of her game – super cool, but absolutely not someone that projected a warm and fuzzy “I love to cook” persona.  However, my favorite East Village restaurant, Angelika’s Kitchen, thankfully reminds me nothing of my old cube mate.

Changing daily according to season and weather, Angelika’s Kitchen boasts ingredients that are most often served less than 48 hours after harvest and even better, never include refined sugars/preservatives/dairy/eggs or animal products.  This organic plant-based menu promotes sustainable agriculture and responsible business practices.  The restaurant uses renewable sources of energy and a high quality backwash carbon system to filter their water (ehhh…forget I used the word “backwash”).  Best of all, their commitment to a no bottle waste environment acts in YOUR favor…making the entire restaurant BYOB friendly.  By not serving bottled beverages, plus their composting and food donation system via City Harvest, likely puts Angelika’s Kitchen as one of the top planet friendly restaurants in the city.

Bottom line – the food is delicious, super fresh and ultra filling.  During my most recent visit, I had the Norimaki ($8/rolled veggie sushi with lemon-shoyu dipping sauce) and the Mixed Sprout salad ($8.75/snow pea shoots, sunflower sprouts, seeds, mint, cabbage, daikon and watercress) for dinner.  I left feeling healthy, full and a little bit less guilty for littering earlier that day…oops!

For lunch I’m usually a big turkey and lettuce wrap kind of girl – throw in a side of french fries and I’m all yours!  Lately however, I have been on an intense chili kick.  The super hot temps, not to mention spice, force me to eat slowly plus the fiber and protein help to keep me full throughout the afternoon (more difficult than it sounds).  My favorite pick these days is the Red Lentil from The Manhattan Chili Co with Crimson Red Lentils, celery, corn, mushrooms, hominy (dried maize kernels), parsnip & fresh jalapeños. This vegan/vegetarian/gluten free 8.75oz serving includes only 110 calories, 5g of fiber and 4g of protein – read as: zero fat and only 6g of sugar.  Ok, ok…I admit, this cup o’ soup certainly has its share of sodium (770mg) but considering the buckets that I end up sweating during my post office workouts (try to refrain from being turned on here), I’m not too concerned.

This NYC chili stand includes either a side of oyster crackers or mini corn muffin – I say skip both and eat with a piece of organic multi grain bread for additional fiber and fewer preservatives (note, I mention nothing about abandoning the fries…)

Yesterday post morning run and afternoon yoga I felt like I had to close out the day with a healthy dinner.  I stopped by Maoz, a cheap/quick service (no, we’re not talking about your date last night) veggie bar.  Pick your poison – either wrap, salad or pita pocket and fill with as much as you want from their fresh offerings.  I stuffed a whole wheat pita with beets, cucumbers, tomatoes, chickpeas, lettuce and spicy green chili sauce ($4.50) – they also have falafal balls filled with vitamin rich legumes.  Originally from Amsterdam, Maoz is my new favorite place to get a quick healthy meal.

We won’t discuss the cup of dark hot chocolate I got from Max Brenner’s immediately following…

As much as I am all about eating healthy and saving animals…blah blah blah, it can all get pretty boring very quickly.  This Szechuan-Style Tofu with Peanuts recipe by Cooking Light kicks the flavor into full gear and makes for a more interesting veggie dinner.  I added jalepenos for extra spice and used brown long grain rice instead of regular bleached white.  If you’re pressed for time, or too lazy to broil the tofu, you can definitely skip this step (it will just end up with a different consistency/texture).

Some nights I would honestly offer up my left kidney to not have to cook dinner…when I’m feeling this anti-domestic and my bank account is in the single digits (yes, I’m in my mid twenties and this still happens to me) eating out isn’t an option.  Thankfully, for canned food + the microwave, I always have a no-cook/cheap/healthy meal ready to go.

The other night I “made” burritos using Amy’s Organic Refried Beans, a can of Goya Black Beans and brown rice (I’ll spare you with details on how my body reacted to this bean binge).  I pre-made the rice in a rice cooker and microwaved the beans (full of cholesterol-lowing fiber and loaded with antioxidants) in separate bowls – added a scoop of all three ingredients to a whole wheat tortilla wrap and tucked together to make a nutritious but also filling vegetarian burrito.  Next time I’ll save my pennies and add a protein like tofu or grilled chicken.

I know everyone loves Rachel Ray but personally, I find her annoying.  All of that pep and 30-Minute Meal business get’s to me!  However, I can’t deny that she does sometimes offer easy and healthy recipes – this one in particular is delicious and very simple to make (add extra wasabi for more kick and include snap peas to balance out the texture of the tuna with some crunch).

• 1 ahi tuna steak, 6 ounces
• 2 teaspoons five-spice powder, available on spice aisle
• 1 teaspoon grill seasoning, such as Montreal Steak Seasoning, or salt and coarse pepper
• Cooking spray or vegetable oil, for brushing the grill pan
• 5 ounces, half a sack, mixed prewashed baby salad greens
• 2 radishes, sliced
• 1/4 European cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons -virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Coat your steak with a combination of five-spice powder and grill seasoning or salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan or griddle over high heat. Spray grill surface or wipe with a thin layer of oil. Add tuna steak to the hot cooking surface and sear tuna 2 minutes on each side. Remove tuna from heat.

Combine greens, radishes and cucumber in a bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk wasabi, vinegar and soy sauce. Whisk in oil to combine dressing. Drizzle dressing over your salad and toss to coat evenly. Slice tuna on an angle and arrange on the salad.

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.

I admit, I rarely venture North of 21st Street unless it’s for work or a run in Central Park…and even then, I feel like I need my passport (I’m being dramatic).  However, I’ll make a trip to the Upper East Side any day for a chance to eat at one of NYC’s greatest health spots.

Candle Cafe, located at 1307 Third Avenue , serves seasonal organic vegan cuisine with a focus on sustainability, eco-friendly practices and compassion for animals (menu also includes a large range of gluten free items).  Although my go-to is the Ginger Miso Stir-Fry ($15), I can see the Tuscan Lasagna made with grilled zucchini and tofu basil ricotta ($16) as the perfect cold weather dish.

Don’t think that you’ll be stuck slugging down H2O with your tofu.  Candle Cafe also offers fresh blended smoothies, mixed green veggie juices, natural sodas (think Maine Root Ginger Brew) and organic wines/beers.

I figured after 24 years of ignoring my Asian roots I would finally pay homage to my inner Korean and make a few trips to K-Town.  Of course, the BBQ hole in the walls are fantastic (who knew my heritage was so delicious) but the one place that I can’t wait to go back to is HanGawi at 12 East 32nd Street. 

HanGawi, a Vegetarian Korean restaurant, embodies the principles of Um and Yang – Korean version of the yin and yang (I admit, I didn’t know this until reading their website).  The menu balances these two forces by combing green vegetables and fruits (the um foods) with roots, radishes, carrots and potatoes (the yang foods).  The flavors are rich but not overly doused in sauce, producing creative items like Kabocha Pumpkin Pancakes with Mung beans ($11), Spicy Kimchi Mushroom Pancakes ($12) and Watercress Tofu Dumplings ($9).  There is a separate menu using all organic ingredients for the die hard foodies.  Believing a nutritious meal requires thoughtful consideration to both the food and space, the HanGawi vegetarian sanctuary is dimly lit and beautifully decorated with dark wood and artifacts.  Although, I hope you’re nimble –  even I felt a little clumsy trying to lower myself onto the floor cushions without knocking over my neighbor’s silken tofu.  The entire experience was more relaxing than being in 10 minute Savasana (yoga “corpse” pose).

Grapefruit Lollipops. Kimchi Doughnuts. Jalapeno Hush Puppies.  These are a few things Amanda Cohen (Angelica’s Kitchen alum) dreams up in her kitchen at Dirt Candy located at 430 East 9th Street.  Committed to providing beautiful healthy treats using ingredients found literally in the dirt (half of the dry items are from Organic vendors), Cohen offers a small but impeccable menu of fresh healthy meals (everything on the menu can be made vegan on request).  I can’t wait to go back to try the asparagus paella ($19) and zucchini ginger cake ($12).  Just watch out, the bill can quickly add up…but I guess that’s the price you pay for good dirt!

One of the benefits of having ‘healthy living’ enter the NYC trend scene, is that restaurants are now paying closer attention as to how they can transform sterile tofu and broccoli stalks into a medley of tastes, colors and smells.

Gobo, a vegetarian restaurant that creates “food for the five senses,” incorporates Zen compassion with global organic cuisine.  Aside from the food being fresh and filling, the interior space is sleek with light stained wood and includes an organic juice bar.  During this visit, I had the five spice tofu rolls with mango puree ($6), pine nut vegetable medley with lettuce wraps ($13) and soy filet with coconut curry rice ($19).  The next time I go back I’ll plan to bring a larger group of friends so we can order several items to try tapas-style.

New Yorkers would expect nothing less from Gobo considering that the leading chefs, Darryn and David Wu, are the children of founding partners of New York’s Zen Palate.