interesting new restaurant – fat hippo and my green meal service

So, one of my favorite health newsletters did a piece on a new restaurant in the home of one of my former favorite New York Restaurants. The restaurant is called Fat Hippo and it is situated in the east village at 71 Clinton Street, where 71 Clinton Fresh Food used to live. That restaurant has long gone out of business. Wylie Dufresne opened another place down the street WD-50 where I dragged my family for my 30th birthday – but they all hated it (I liked it – but some of the food was too out there even for me). I’ve not spent much time in the east village as of late, so I can’t say much about the new WD place, nor do I know if its still open, but when I saw the review for Fat Hippo I needed to make some comments.

Here is their website: http://nymag.com/daily/food/2009/02/a_first_look_at_the_fat_hippo.html

I just took a brief look at their website and although the burger fondue and pan fried cheese balls made me revolt, I was surprised to see a few healthy options as well like free range turkey meatloaf and a grapefruit salad. Hooray for restaurants even as decadent as Fat Hippo taking a step in the right direction.

I’ll miss 71 clinton as it reminds me of a different time when the east village had so much more unchartered exotic territory. Now it is any other yuppified cappuchino bar on every block losing some of its heyday character. There’s still a bit of anarchy left in the east village – but not enough to keep vox populis, my favorite anacharist cafe on the bowery, open. Vox had to close its doors in February and move to Brooklyn. This happened around the same time as I closed my cafe.

But rest assured – Luscious Green Home delivery and personal chef services are very much alive here in Manhattan. I operate out of the Upper West Side and can prepare health oriented, local, seasonal and sustainable cuisine and deliver to your door or cut down on delivery charges and carbon footprint by preparing the meals in your kitchen.

For more information, visit the website: www.sobelwellness.com/meal-delivery.html

100 mile diet

So I have been inspired by Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Vegetable Miracle to only eat foods in my local environment. I have some frozen raspberries in my freezer – which I bought myself when they were in season and I cave every so often because my clients crave green. I try to stick to only what grows in the Northeast at this time of year – which these days is a lot of kale.

I’ve been shopping every Friday or Saturday at the union square greenmarket. I’ve been considering joining either urban organics or from farm to table to get things delivered so I don’t have to schlep – but so far – I’m a bit picky and I’m not sure if its a better value yet. Perhaps soon I will join.

I’ve been doing so much with root vegetables lately. Inspired by a meal I had last week at the Union Square Cafe: Earth and Turf – braised short ribs, roots and greens. It was a great plate. I’ve been eating things like it ever since. Everyone always wonders and asks me – are you a vegetarian? Well, I answer – I am in a normal restaurant, but if I know where the meat comes from – I definitely eat meat. I usually buy my meat from a local supplier through my CSA, Weston A. Price Foundation or at the market. There’s a new meat guy at Morningside Park on Saturdays – I keep meaning to try him out. I’m addicted to union square – I’m sure Morningside is cheaper – I should really check it out. I’ve heard great things about the Inwood market – but somehow I haven’t quite been able to haul ass up there. I’m waiting for spring and getting back on my bike.

But mostly I’ve been eating a lot of meat: lamb, venison, goat, pastured chicken (I never knew I could love chicken so much), turkey (same, until you’ve had a pastured turkey you haven’t lived…no dryness here!). There are some other interesting looking cuts – but I’ve stayed away. I tried Buffalo and did not like it. Too tough. Tried marinating it, even for two days and could not tenderize it. Oh well, I guess I still have a lot to learn about marinating or there are some cuts that just can’t be tenderized to the texture I like, but I don’t like sirloin either, so I’m just me with my own unique tastes and preferences. No disrespect to the Buffalo ranchers!

I’m waiting for that asparagus, god am I waiting. And the raspberries! But until then, I’ve been doing a lot with salsify, purple, yellow and orange carrots, and fresh eggs with all different colors – I’m amazed to learn that the only reason that white eggs are cheaper is that people think they are less healthy than brown ones.  In fact the truth is, different breeds of chickens lay different colored eggs.  Sometimes, I do wonder why grocery store eggs look so white and they don’t have any specs of any color in them, and if perhaps something happens to those eggs like bleaching – but I won’t turn down white eggs from the market. Some of the farmers actually bring chickens with them. That was  a bit unnerving, especially since they were also in a cage – so much for free range chicken!  I just keep trying different ones. I had eggs that were $7 a dozen. They were delicious and worth every penny – came from an Araucana chicken. Splendid.

Today, I broke down and got some chocolate from Ecuador. I don’t know quite where chocolate can grow in New York State…or coffee for that matter and I’m not sure if I am going to give up either of those any time soon. Its odd, I was off coffee for about 3 years and I just started drinking it again. I’m not sure why – I’ve become more of a morning person lately – till it snowed in New York today…but I was still up at 6:30 and I’ll be up tomorrow at that time too. There’s just something wonderful about getting up that early – but the smell of coffee and the taste – I just have one cup is just something I associate with those early mornings. Also, the caffiene tends to help focus me with my ADD. I’m taking some B12 in Ola Loa as well. We’ll see if I can wean off coffee and go back to just vitamins in a few weeks. I’m sure Ola Loa’s ingredients aren’t quite local either…but I am trying. 90% local, how’s that? Life is all about the 90:10 rule, isn’t it?

Advising the great chefs

I went to a fantastic dinner a few nights ago.  However, I was not full. There was no dessert. There was no meat and it was winter. The meal tasted delicious and I knew it was healthy…but I being a type O blood type was missing my protein. As well all the food was from local sustainable sources, but cooked for a long time where frankly much of the nutrition was lost through cutting the food finely and cooking. 

Last night I went to dinner at a regular, non-sustainable or locally sourced restaurant. Missing my protein, I went for the hanger steak. I haven’t had steak in months…the steak I usually have is grass fed and I know where it comes from. But coming from the meatless meal and practically a meatless winter where I’ve actually been craving meat, I wanted the steak. But it was a corn fed, fatty piece of meat. Hanger steak is usually leaner than most other cuts, but it wasn’t. I found myself bloated several hours later. I slept heavy and well, but too well. Something I always advise my clients is not to eat large amounts of protein.

Today I had a wonderful lunch, but no more than 20 minutes later I was hungry again.  Was it the flourless chocolate cake that sent me to the pantry for carbs or was it the miniscle portion of short ribs, even by health counselor standards?

There are many restaurants attempting to provide local, sustainable and organic food. Many do it well, but the plates aren’t necessarily balanced. As humans, in winter especially, we need some protein, not too much. It should be as “raw” as possible (or lightly cooked) and plant protein is effective, but doesn’t always “fill” us up. That’s because we often need fat to fill us up. I find I am most full when the fat, carbohydrates and protein come in a balanced package – usually from the purest ingredients possible.

3 ounces of steak doesn’t seem like a lot – but its pretty much a good portion 4 ounces would be an ideal portion. 6 times a week if you have that little, 3 times a week if you have 6 ounces. 10-12 ounces – 1x a week makes more sense. What do you eat? Vegetables. Its Winter, Meredith, what grows in winter?

Rutabagas, turnips, beets and other roots as well as many green things such as 3 or more varieties of Kale, Collards, bok choi, pak choi and its cousin tak choi. Apples and pears are bountiful at greenmarkets and citrus is in its prime in florida right now, but there are arguments as to whether we, not living in Florida, should be consuming it.

I had some wonderful rutabaga with buckwheat honey glaze, ginger and pak choi. The honey and ginger are bound to help alleviate colds and digestion. There’s much work to be done and great foods at your market. Balance it out!

If you find the job of balancing your plate too daunting, I can do it for you. I am offering a green meal delivery service that is inspired by New York City’s greenmarkets and local farm produce.  At different price points you can enjoy basic vegetarian cuisine that is local, sustainable and organic. For a few more dollars you can enjoy the best meats, cheeses and other delights 100 miles from New York City has to offer. I’ll use a few other health affirming items such as coconut milk and olive oil that might come from a bit further away. Check out my website: www.sobelwellness.com and click on the tab for meal delivery to find out more. I also offer customized chef services and catering in your home or rented studio space. Contact me for more information.

luscious organics cafe

I am excited that I just put my first press release together for my new cafe. www.sobelwellness.com/luscious-organics-cafe.html. I want to share a copy with you all and I’d love if anyone could help me get this into time out or other fun publications that are looking for health oriented restaurant and food options. I am hoping to kick off a lunch and dinner deliver service to wall street analysts (those who still have jobs) and other people in the downtown area that are looking for a healthy alternative to take out Chinese, pizza and sushi.

An enticing new healthy oriented organic café, juice bar and lunchtime take out opportunity has just come onto the downtown New York scene and diners throughout the city looking for an intimate environment that is more similar to a posh loft-like living room than a typical restaurant are invited to sample the unique sights, sounds and tastes of Luscious Organics, a vegetarian organic café and juice bar, conveniently located in the Atmananda Yoga Studio, at 324 Lafayette Street, on the border of SoHo and the Central Village one block south of the world famous Bleecker Street. The space is a downtown gem, an urban oasis for all things healthy and holistic offering classes, workshops and now an incredible new café and juice bar where you can have a juice, enjoy a full meal or order a healthy lunch to pick up or be delivered to your office.

From the moment you enter into the inviting surroundings at the newly re-managed restaurant, the holistic experience begins. Floor to ceiling windows, high ceilings, warm inviting lighting and the intimate environment of your living room and beautiful communal table are a beautiful complement to the subdued red-shaded lamps, elegant multi-colored floor to ceiling curtains and dark wood flooring throughout the studio that surround the open kitchen and juice bar just one block from SoHo, New York, NY.

Seated at either the juice bar or a real dining seat at one of Luscious Organics’ dark wood communal tables, accented with highly contemporary, white dishes, flatware and tall vases of fresh lilies, enjoying the scents of fresh herbs and spices wafting from the kitchen, you know you’ve come to the right place to sample the delicious fare of health supportive vegetarian organic cuisine. You don’t even realize after a while that there’s no meat, very little dairy and eggs and that everything coming out of this kitchen is fresh, minimally processed and wholesomely delicious.

The Luscious Organics menu embraces the culinary style of health and the yogic lifestyle. The menu highlights the bold fresh flavors of nearby Chinatown, the union square greenmarkets and other sources of local produce that support community agriculture and local farm eggs characteristic the New York Hudson Valley and surrounding farms in upstate New York and Pennsylvania. Savor such dishes as velvety butternut squash soup with local greenmarket pears, heartwarming lentil soup with fresh market root vegetables, lightly stir fried bok choi with black sesame ginger glaze, braised Brussels sprouts, sesame and honey accented Asian cabbage slaw, tarragon infused spinach quiche accented with local farm fresh goats cheese, coconut brown basmati rice, orange walnut quinoa with ginger and orange rind, lime-chili marinated tofu with fresh vegetables and many other delights. Complete your meal with one of the tempting hand-crafted desserts, many of which are gluten free and naturally sweetened without refined sugars prepared fresh daily in the kitchen. Top off your meal with a delicious cup of chef and owner Meredith Sobel’s proprietary “Creative”tea, a mix of teas, fruit flavors, fresh ginger and chai spices that captures the whimsical creative yet inspirational nature of her cooking and her personality. And as Meredith herself, the knowledgeable owner of Luscious Organics greets you with a warm smile, you are immediately captivated by Luscious Organics’ thoughtful, savvy service and the love that is freshly infused into each and every dish.

The relaxed sophistication of the dining room of this café in New York, NY flows into the adjoining yoga studio where you can stop by and take a class. There are classes in the early mornings, midday and many in the early and late evening to accommodate a variety of schedules. Take a class and stay for dinner or pre-order you meal to go and it will be packed and ready for you to take with you upon finishing your class. Our express yoga, chill and lunch service will be kicking off in the New Year and will include an express yoga class and to go lunch which you can enjoy at your desk after class. There are two showers in the studio to accommodate your midday needs.
Luscious Organics is situated off the living room of the Atmananda Yoga Studio in downtown Manhattan in the area of Soho. Luscious Organics is open Monday to Wednesday from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Juices and Smoothies available some Thursdays. Dinner is served at approximately 7:30pm-9pm. Selected weekend lunch service will also be available twice a month. A website will be available shortly with detailed weekly hours. Interested guests are encouraged to call 646-209-4519 for a recording of weekly hours or email lusciousorganics@gmail.com. Weekday lunch take out or dine in service is available by order only and all orders must be placed by 10:00am. To order lunch or to make a dinner reservation, please call 646-209-4519 or email lusciousorganics@gmail.com. Complimentary delivery service is available in the downtown area and will be expanded throughout Manhattan shortly. Call for more details. Seamless web service will also be available soon.

About the Atmananda Yoga Studio
Discover a beautiful New York oasis of all things organic, health oriented and focused on connecting your mind to your body. The calming, sophisticated space includes dramatic 14-foot ceilings. For more information or to make a lunch or dinner reservation, please call 646-209-4519 for the café directly or 212-625-1511 for the studio or visit http://www.atmananda.com. The studio and café are located at 324 Lafayette Street, between Houston and Bleecker Streets, on the 7th floor. Take the #6 train to Bleecker Street or the B/D/F or Q trains to Broadway/Lafayette and exit at Lafayette and Houston. Walk one half a block north to 324 Lafayette Street. The café’s website will be up and running soon. For immediate cyber-information, please visit www.sobelwellness.com/luscious-organics-cafe.html.