this week’s greenmarket finds – blue potatoes

I’ve never before seen a blue potato. A few weeks back I saw them at the union square greenmarket. I fell in love with them. First of all they taste nothing like a potato. Not a white potato or a sweet potato. They are unique in flavor, like nothing I can describe. They are also blue. Incredibly blue. I guess I’ve seen blue potato chips, so they can’t be a complete mystery to me, but these potatoes – small in size and decadent to nibble are quite different than even the chips I’ve sampled so many years ago.

In my love affair with color I got some yellow and orange carrots (I was hoping for purple ones, but alas could not find any), burdock root – which is wonderfully cleansing for the liver, salsify (which is black, but white on the inside), celeraic and some chicken pieces. On my stove now simmers: the roots, chicken pieces, some lamb stock from a previous night’s dinner, dried figs and a melange of spices. I can’t wait for it to be done. I’m sure its going to be delish.

Your mouth watering yet? A recipe you demand?

Here’s the best I can do:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 white onion – local if possible, chopped

1 large orange carrot, chopped

2 stalks of local celery (hard to find in these rough NY winters – can skip), chopped

about 1 pound of chicken parts (I used breast and thigh meat, just a personal preference)

1 cup stock (chicken, beef, lamb, whatever tickles your fancy – I used half chicken (boxed) and half lamb – homemade)

1 yellow carrot

2 blue potatoes (small, the size of fingerlings, each quartered)

1 white turnip (quartered)

6-8 Brussels Sprouts, halved – little stem chopped off

2-3 tablespoons of fresh dill

black pepper

curry powder about 1 tsp

lots of love

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a cast iron stock pot. When smoking add mire poix (carrots, onion and celery) and stir 5 minutes until softened. Add chicken and sear on both sides until slightly browned (2-3 minutes). Add stock, root veggies, spices and other ingredients. Cover and cook 45 minutes to one hour until cooked through, roots are soft and your kitchen smells unbelievable. You will just know. I don’t cook with salt, but if you like salt, you can add some when you add the pepper. If you need a bit more spice – add some more curry powder. The dill and the black pepper and the taste of fresh vegetables in the stocks usually do it for me. I also added just a touch of butter when I put the vegetables in before I set the simmer.

Enjoy with someone you love!

visit www.sobelwellness.com to learn how you too could have meals prepared like these in your kitchen!

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.

Chinatown Vegetables, Coconuts and other fresh finds

As I am starting to navigate the foods and supplies of Manhattan for my new cafe, I started in the food mecca…Chinatown. Perplexed by the vegetables, stands of fresh flopping fish and amazing smells (some not so amazing) I was drawn to the lights, the crowds and the buzz that is New York’s Chinatown.

I have been researching areas most Westerners don’t often go. The Hong Kong Supermarket at 157 Hester Street and the other one at 109 East Broadway. As well there is an amazing Thai market where fresh curry pastes, galangal and kaffir lime leaves abound. I never thought I would find these ingredients outside of Chiang Mai and boy was I ever relieved and delighted to find Bangkok Market on a tiny little street called Mosco Street (102 Mosco to be exact) which you get to by following Mulberry all the way down from Canal until you hit the intersection of Worth Street (if you do, you’ve gone too far).

I will be starting a tour of the Foods of New York shortly (probably in the spring) and believe me, this market will be on it. As well there are fabulous other authentic international markets in New York such as a Greek Yogurt factory in the West Village which I have not yet been to, but am dying to visit.

Exciting things abound and great vegetables await my pot. The Greenmarket in union square was just the beginning, but still a home and a favorite. Many of my vegetables will still come from there as well as smaller markets closer to the cafe, the local CSAs, a new service called Urban Organics and the 4th Street Co-op. I will be investigating suppliers as the restaurant grows and checking out who Spring Street Natural and Quartino Organics use. Any tips on suppliers would be much welcomed.

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.

vegan baking, gluten free cookies and en masse cooking

So I have been experimenting with gluten free baking. What’s the deal with gluten anyway? So many of us are inflamed and on top of it have poor digestion. My body is so attuned to eating that if I go one day eating a non-whole foods diet, I get a bit ill. Most of us however walk around stressed, overworked, underpaid, underloved and our blood is literally boiling, and we don’t even realize it. Eating non-plant based fatty foods from animals that have not been eating a quality diet, or fats that are highly refined as well as excess sugars and foods that turn quickly to sugar once ingested (high glycemic foods) doesn’t help reduce inflammation, it actually increases it. Eating a plant based diet rich in whole unaltered grains (i.e., not ground into a flour and not removing the fiber – whole grain flours are better than non-whole grain – but once a flour you are already starting to lose some of the whole gain goodness). The problem is, sometimes we want something a bit sweet. Inflamed and all. I would love a piping hot bowl of pumpkin soup sweetened with agave, but sometimes I either don’t have the pumpkin on hand or I don’t want to cut them up (thanks to my super heavy vegetable knife, its a bit easier, but sometimes I feel like I need a cleaver or a machete, which the people who run my cafe said we have somewhere, oh boy!).

So instead, I turn to whatever else is available…and then I pay for it. Yesterday I was preparing a miso soup, greens stir fry with bean casserole. Pretty healthy right? I also was planning to sell these gluten free ginger snaps made with sorghum flour and rice flour. I am not sure what sorghum is, but they were pretty good. However, no one wanted dessert and I was stuck with an open bag of cookies. There are all kinds of rules I am learning about selling things that are open and how long they can last, so basically, I can’t sell them. So then I got stuck with them. And they were really good, too good. Often times though these store bought cookies are a) super expensive and b) sugary. I’ve been experimenting to see what I can sell in my cafe. Despite training under a pastry chef, pastry and dessert has never really been my thing. I mean I love to eat it, but its so much more of a science than cooking, which is truly an art.

Many of my cafe and catering clients however love vegan baked items and want them, so I am experimenting with vegan baking. I do a lot of vegan cooking in the cafe, although I am not a vegan and despite 20 years of avoiding eggs, I do love my organic brown eggs, especially when I get them from Traditional Nutrition Guild or the Union Square Farmers market and they are all different colors with the speckles. Its amazing. I still don’t quite understand what makes an egg brown, white or any other color for that matter. I do understand the taste difference between a fresh organic egg and a store bought one. But I am trying other things: egg replacer (I feel like this stuff is unnatural and nothing more than cornstarch, so I am still looking for something more natural), applesauce, honey (some vegans don’t like me to use it). I’d love any feedback from vegans who are as natural as possible and have ideas for me. I can do gluten free baking, but vegan baking has been incredibly difficult. I tried vegan quiche as well and it didn’t quite come out right.

This morning I poached an egg and enjoyed it with curry powder and two slices of gluten free bread made from flax, tapioca flour and cornstarch. I think the fact that its made with corn starch, delta glutalactone (what on earth is that?) bothers me a little…but I am not yet baking bread myself. This is also a yeasted bread. I think a bowl of brown rice or quinoa or whole grain cereal from Bob’s Red Mill is still a better choice for my carb intake. Otherwise that bag of gluten free cookies is going to be calling my name.

ways to make restaurant food healthier

So the other day I walked by this restaurant that advertised spa-tinental cuisine. It looked great. They did some stuff with whole grains. I didn’t see any quinoa or buckwheat on the menu…their pasta was white, but they used seven grain bread and multigrain wraps. A step in the right direction. On further analysis of their menu however their smoothies contained only fruit and sometimes apple juice as a base. I was reminded of the nutritional content of smoothies at Juice Generation – some of which had 74 grams of sugar and only came in 24 ounce containers. I think spatinental cuisine is a great idea, but so many restaurants still have so much to learn. I had a conversation with the chef/owner of this restaurant and gave him a few tips such as adding hemp seeds or bee pollen to the smoothies to lower the glycemic index. Even something as simple as adding ground almonds would lower the glycemic index and add a bit of protein. I just urged to stay away from whey protein and those other powders because of how processed and artificial they are.

I was surprised to find out that Gabriela’s Mexican Restaurant on 93rd and Columbus had a quinoa salad on the menu. One of my favorite hummus bars also has quinoa salad. Its caled Nanoosh. its also on broadway in the 60′s somewhere near the Lincoln Square movie theatre. I always forget the exact location and find myself wandering around looking for it, but I always find it. They don’t have much other than hummus and quinoa salad – so its not really a dinner place – but they have fabulous mint tea made with real mint leaves which is a new favorite of mine.

I also read in men’s health today how oregano is really good for preventing men’s cancers. There were pictures of fresh green oregano leaves. I remember the first time in culinary school when I saw and smelled fresh oregano leaves. I didn’t recognize the leaves or the smell and when our instructor asked us what they were I guessed incorrectly. They are hard to find, but not impossible – and make such a difference in your pasta, chicken, fish, shrimp and other dishes. I encourage all you men to get some fresh oregano and start cooking with it.

Lastly today I went to cafe metro on west 57th street right near 7th avenue today for lunch with a new naturopathic doctor I am creating a professional relationship with. I am learning so much and I think everyone needs to see a naturopath. At lunch, cafe metro had a make your own pasta bar complete with several fresh vegetables. Since they only have whole wheat penne and I am still not sure if they use 100% whole wheat flour in those pastas and wheat doesn’t tend to agree with me – I chose to go pasta less and just get shrimp sauteed with as many fresh vegetables as they could give me and a touch of pesto sauce. Delicious, healthy, wonderful. The shrimp were a bit overcooked – next time I will ask them to do the veggies first and put the shrimp in last. The great thing they did was to water saute instead of oil. It was the first time I saw that. I encourage you all to go to cafe metro (there are dozens of them in new york) and try this out. Some hot and crusty locations also have pasta bars and the shrimp there is raw.