Picture this.  You have about 15 minutes to get dressed, 17 minutes if you put your lip gloss on in the car.  You’re standing in front of your closet, and everything you see looks like the leftovers you have from dinner three night’s ago.  The vapid articles of clothing hanging before you will do, but they’re nothing for which you’re going to do the happy dance.   You moan, “I have nothing to wearrrrrrr…” just one more time before you give up on your search.  So, you throw on the first thing you can grab (and that’s clean) and head out the door.  You’re dressed, but certainly not impressed.  Sound familiar?

Image Credit – myescapehatch.blogspot.com

Well, I’ve definitely been in that situation more than a few hundred times, and more recently, this has carried over to my choices in healthy snacking.  While my fridge has the usual suspects of apples, oranges, Greek yogurt, some carrot and celery sticks, and my cupboards are stocked with raw almonds, dried cranberries and rice crackers, I can’t help but want to utter, “I have nothing to eattttttt…!”  Enter Megafruit™.

Just when I was about to reluctantly eat yet another baby carrot, the samples from Megafruit™ arrived at my door.  They came in an unassuming little brown cardboard box, but when I opened it, I was pleasantly surprised.  My samples not only came in this vibrant and adorable packaging, but they were  safely nestled in a Megafruit™-branded wooden crate.  I’m a sucker for presentation and first impressions; this knocked my socks off!  Similar to how one would bring home fresh produce from a farm or farmers market, my Megafruit™ arrived as if it were handpicked.  Plus, I can only imagine the ways I can reuse my nifty new crate (Healthy Chow’s gotta lotta schiz that needs to be organized, if you know what I mean!).

Just a plain lil’ box…

Bam!  So surprisingly cute!

According to their website, “Megafruit™ is the next generation of Superfruits; products that have exceptional nutrient and antioxidant qualities whose benefits are not yet widely known.”  My samples of Megafruit™ came in 3 different flavors (the company’s initial product offering): mangosteen, baby pineapple and lychee.  While I’ve heard of these fruits, I must admit that I had no idea about their nutritional benefits.  Here are some of my favorite facts on each fruit:

Ever seen a mangosteen?

Mangosteen

• Called the queen of fruits
• Has been called the most delicious fruit in the world
• High level of Xanthones – considered to be the most powerful of all antioxidants

Oooh, baby!

Baby Pineapple

• Contains a myriad of beneficial minerals including:
  • Micronutrients may protect against cancer and break up blood clots
  • Bromelins that may block reduces swelling related to arthritis, sore throat, sinusitis
  • Manganese, aiding the healthy growth of tissue and bones
  • Fiber that will help in digestion and stimulate kidneys and aid in flushing toxins from the body

Lovely lychee

Lychee

• Has been claimed to be the fruit the Tang Dynasty Emperor used to woo his loved one, making it a fruit synonymous with love and romance
• Just 9 lychees or a handful of the fruit meets an adult’s recommended daily requirement of Vitamin C (contains 72mg per 100 grams)
• Contains flavonoids which have proven to be effective against the growth of cancer cells

Now that’s some fruit with some mega power!  And guess what?  The taste isn’t what I would call weak either.  Even though Megafruit™ doesn’t contain any sugar, preservatives or additives, it doesn’t mean this dried fruit is lacking in flavor.  In fact, they are delicious!  I’ve never tried a mangosteen before, so I had no idea what to expect.  The mangosteen was the first fruit I tried, and while the flavor is subtle, it is unique and has an indescribable exotic taste (sweet, yet a tad sour at the same time) that had me almost inhaling the entire bag in one sitting.  The baby pineapple is naturally sweet, not artificial tasting like some dried pineapple can taste.  Because the baby pineapple comes in large pieces, they were fun to chew and had a great texture.  This is Patrick’s favorite.  My favorite, hands down, is the lychee.  If you’ve never had lychee, please do yourself a favor and try this, NOW!  My grandmother used to serve us lychee after dinner over a bowl of ice water.  She would peel the fruit and stick toothpicks in them and I swear, I would eat at least 20 at a time.  I haven’t had lychee in years, so for both nostalgic and taste reasons, the lychee is number one for me.  A fresh lychee is crunchy like a grape, but has a much more fragrant and sweet taste.  Megafruit™’s version magically captured a fresh lychee’s essence.

If you can’t already tell, I’m a mega fan of Megafruit™.  For me, there is nothing like a piece of fresh fruit.  However, fresh fruit such as bananas, pears, grapes, etc., can get a bit mundane.  But what do you do when the not-so-common fruit that you do crave, and that tickles your palate is no where to be found?  The answer is in these little goodies that graced my taste buds the other day.  Not only are the flavors of Megafruit™ probably like nothing you’ve ever tasted, but they can provide you with health benefits like nothing you’ve ever known.  Similar to the dried fruit snack I reviewed in this post, Megafruit™ is a wholesome snack that is just the fruit in its most natural form.  There aren’t any fake colors or enhanced flavorings added to the dried fruit to make it appear more appealing.  The Megafruit™ pieces are rustic in appearance, and simply delectable.

The Terrific Trio…

If you’re looking for a quick snack that’s easily portable, healthy and unique, I highly recommend Megafruit™ (available soon on Amazon).  Reach for it the next time you’re in need of a nutritious boost, whether it be sitting at your desk at the office, after a good butt-kicking workout or when you’re on your 5th hour of running errands.  Or, maybe you can snack on a handful as you’re unenthusiastically trying to pick out Monday morning’s outfit.

Some creations I made with my Megafruit™:

Piña Colada Oatmeal – Megafruit™ baby pineapple, dried coconut and nonfat ricotta cheese

Tropical Lychee Orange Delight – Megafruit™ lychee, orange sherbet, Kashi Go Lean cereal and dark chocolate cocoa roast almonds

***If you’d like to win some of your own Megafruit™, not to mention a $100 gift card to Lululemon, check out the fantastic giveaway that Megafruit™ is having here!***

If you had to pick one, what would it be – fruits or vegetables?  What do you do to get out of a ‘wardrobe rut’? How about a ‘food rut’?

Namasté,
Nicole

Initially, I was going to include a disclosure with this blog post.  I was going to tell you that while this is supposed to be a healthy food/lifestyle blog, most of the food you were going to see was by no means healthy, and something that should be consumed on a regular basis.  And then I realized, the dinner I had was mouthwateringly delicious, satisfying and each and every morsel was savored.  Thus, there was no need for an apology or a warning.

Image Source – flickr.com

A couple of weeks ago, FHC (Father Healthy Chow) invited me, Patrick, my sister and her boyfriend to dinner out in Chinatown.  While I love me some Chinese food (not Chinese-American food), I have a tendency to go a bit overboard and stuff myself silly.  It’s really quite hard to have self-restraint when everything tastes so dang good!  Plus, I like seeing the proud look on FHC’s face when he knows he’s ordered too much and then has to listen to us all moan, “Oh man!  How in the world are we going to be able to eat all of this?”  And then, I love watching him laugh when all of the dinner platters have been cleared – completely.

Being that there are so many restaurants in Chinatown, and to be perfectly honest with you I can’t tell the difference between them all, I let FHC make the selection.  He chose New Golden Gate Seafood Restaurant.  We had all been there before and had a wonderful meal, so no one had any objections to this being our dining destination.

The place was crowded!  Fortunately, FHC knows the management of the restaurant and was able to get us a big table.  Score! The waitstaff was rushing around taking orders and bringing out food, as their hungry patrons slurped up their meals and warmed up their bellies.  I pretended to peruse the menu, even though there was not a snowball’s chance that I was going to do any of the ordering.  FHC knows what we like, and we know we’re in good hands when he’s at the food ordering helm.  And while I was chitchatting with my sister and her boyfriend, I must have stopped paying attention for a split-second because all of the sudden, I saw an enormous sea creature coming towards me.

The one and only FHC!

People gettin’ their grub on!

They don’t call it a ‘king’ for nothing…

Oh yes!  It was an Alaskan King crab!  This is most certainly a delicacy (and an expensive one at that!), and one we only devour enjoy on special occasions.  This crustacean was big enough to feed a small army.  It was served three different ways: steamed with garlic, wok-fried with ginger and scallion, and poached (in its shell) with egg and pork.  They were each unique, and insanely scrumptious in their own right.

Steamed with fresh minced garlic

Wok-fried with ginger and scallion

All together…

Poached with egg, ground pork and scallion – ah-may-zing!

A lil’ bowl o’ deliciousness…

Next, came the vegetable (sadly, the only veggie of the night, but at least it was good!).  It was sautéed Chinese broccoli with Chinese sausage.  Chinese broccoli tends to be a bit more bitter than its American counterpart.  However, the Chinese sausage was salty and mildly sweet, which complemented the veggie quite nicely.  And if we didn’t have enough seafood already, soon arrived our deep-fried flounder.  My sister and I had asked for it to be steamed, but the waiter declined and advised that having it fried would serve as a much tastier version.  OK, twist my arm! The flounder was soft, succulent and fried to perfection.  Along with some soy sauce and fresh scallion slices, this could have been dinner on its own (but lucky for us, it was NOT!).  And just when we thought there was enough fried goodness to last us a lifetime, there was more in the queue.  However, Michelle and I requested our final dish to be ’sweet and sour pork’, and FHC heard ’salt and pepper pork’.  Not that the salt and pepper pork was something we’d send back to the kitchen, but the sweet and sour was something to which the table was looking forward.  This dish was a tad too salty, and really tasted more like batter than pork.  But who am I kidding?!  I ate it anyway!  Hehehehe!

Chinese broccoli with Chinese sausage – love that shade of green!

Crispy-fried flounder – hey fishie, fishie, fishie…!

Salt and pepper pork

At least I was eating off of an appetizer-sized plate!

We shared all of the dishes, as they were served family style.  There isn’t any ‘excuse my reach’ or ‘can you pass me that?’ going on at this dinner.  We simply Chowed and grabbed what we wanted to eat.  Dinner with FHC is usually relaxed, entertaining and filling.  That night’s dinner was no exception.  The food we enjoyed was exceptional, and the service we received was fast and attentive (I think FHC may have had something to do with that).  But, my favorite part of the night was seeing my dad and spending time with him.  He truly is one-of-a-kind.

Hi Dad!

To end our meal, we were served a warm and sweet red bean soup.  If you’ve never had this, you’re missing out.  It’s made with azuki beans, tangerine peel and brown sugar.  The combination may sound odd, but once you taste it and feel the warmth inside your tummy (and on top of all that food), you won’t find anything strange about it.  In fact, it’s said to aid in digestion.  Perfect!  And of course, no Chinese meal would be official without the fortune cookie.  Both of these sweet treats were a great way to finish our savory dinner.  I was happy as a clam (which is yet another dish FHC tried to order, but we quit while we were ahead)!

Warm red bean soup – good for digestion and for your taste buds!

Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the actual fortune!

I hope you appreciated my recap of all the indulgent and delectable dishes we feasted upon in Chinatown.  It’s such a treat when I am able to dine like this, and I always look forward to it.  I get to have dinner with some of my favorite people, happily gorge myself on lip-smacking good food and enjoy a fun family night out.  When the night is filled with such wonderful things, how can I be sorry?

***Would you like a chance to win a new kitchen accessory?  If so, check out Meghan’s blog for her incredible giveaway!***

Do you like seafood?  What’s your favorite kind and your favorite way to prepare it?  If not, why not?

Namasté,
Nicole

I think it’s safe to say that we all want to feel good and be healthy.  We all want to be our best and thus, we eat right, exercise and try our hardest to maintain a positive and upbeat perspective on life.  I know I don’t feel any better than when I’m fueling my body with clean and nutritious foods, and staying active in both body and mind.  For that reason, when my friend introduced me to MonaVie (‘mo-na-vee’), I was mo’ than elated to give it a try.

My friend, Connie, was visiting from New York and wanted a group of us to sample these blends of fruit juices she had recently started promoting.  When she took out the product, I thought she was going to pour me a glass of wine.  The MonaVie blends come in these beautiful glass bottles with a sleek logo that would make you think you were imbibing on a fine merlot, versus a non-alcoholic fruit juice.  But after one sip, I knew this wasn’t any ordinary drink.  The blend of MonaVie that I sampled (which was the MonaVie Original), was thick and concentrated, yet delicious and refreshing.  Even with a small 3 – 4 oz. sample, I could immediately feel the potency of this drink flooding my system.  It was an immediate energy booster!  So I had to finally ask, what the heck is in this stuff?!

According to the MonaVie website:

• MonaVie’s extraordinary products feature a delicious blend of the Brazilian açai berry and 18 other body-beneficial fruits from around the world.

• MonaVie’s refreshing açai blends are products with a purpose. From powerful antioxidant support to joint and heart health, each formula delivers key nutrients to help you maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.

• MonaVie is a unique and delicious nutritional beverage. The açai berry is the foundation of the MonaVie blend, but with literally thousands of phytonutrients and antioxidants found in nature’s fresh fruits, MonaVie didn’t want to focus on just one at the expense of others.  This led to MonaVie’s selection of 18 additional fruits, each selected for its unique, beneficial properties and ability to contribute a variety of phytonutrients and antioxidants to MonaVie’s premier nutritional beverage.  Together, the synergistic effect of the fruits in the MonaVie blend reaches far beyond what any single fruit could accomplish.

• Designed for easy absorption in the body, just 2–4 ounces of MonaVie per day provides you with the phytonutrients and antioxidants found in many of the world’s most nutritious fruits—including açai.

• Açai contains concentrated levels of anthocyanins—a powerful family of antioxidants that assists in neutralizing the harmful effects free radicals can have on your body.  Through an exclusive freeze-drying process, MonaVie is able to capture the vital nutrients found in this delicate fruit.  MonaVie’s freeze-dried açai powder boasts an ORAC score (a measure of antioxidant power) higher than any other fruit or vegetable tested to date, on a gram-for-gram basis.

While I love my fruits and vegetables, I have to say that I’m not a huge juicer.  The thought of throwing back a glass of orange, grapefruit or even pomegranate juice (sorry, POM) just doesn’t do it for me.  I would much rather get my vitamins and nutrients by eating the fresh produce, not drinking it.  But, sometimes, I just don’t think I am getting enough of those nutritious properties.  Knowing that I can get the antioxidant capacity of approximately 13 servings of fruits and vegetables in just four ounces of MonaVie is appealing to me.  I’ll still continue to eat my produce, but if I can drink this fruit blend a couple times a day as a supplement to my healthy eating ways, I can’t fail!

Because I practice hot/power yoga close to a daily basis, Connie gave me a bottle of the MonaVie Active to take home and try.  She mentioned that this blend contained glucosamine, which promotes healthy joint function, targets mobility and flexibility and it is designed to support joint performance and recovery.  While I don’t have bad joints, nor do I experience many aches or pains, my muscles do tend to get tired and sore from yoga.  Thus, sampling a bottle of the MonaVie Active for a week was something I gladly volunteered to do.

When I drank my first 2 oz. ’shot’ of MonaVie active (a blend of Açai, white grape, apple, acerola, aronia, purple grape, cranberry, passion fruit, prune, kiwi, blueberry, bilberry, wolfberry, pomegranate, lychee fruit, camu camu, pear, banana, and cupuaçu), I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  I had eaten pretty lightly during the day and was on my way out the door for an evening yoga class.  I figured drinking my juice blend couldn’t hurt and if anything, it would just be a tasty treat before exercising.  But, I had this enormous burst of energy.  My mind felt clear, my breathing was smooth and I wasn’t tired at all.  In fact, I was surprised when my class came to an end.  I felt as if I could go on for hours!  However, when I took my subsequent shots, I didn’t quite get the same effect.  Don’t get me wrong, they still tasted fantastic.  But, I just didn’t feel ‘different’.  I’m not quite sure if I was expecting to feel a significant surge in energy, or if I was expecting the MonaVie Active to transform me into a whole new person.  I just thought this fancy drink was going to do more than just taste fancy.  I emailed Connie to get her opinion and she wasn’t surprised by my reaction.  Her exact words were, “I think because you are a healthy gal to begin with, your body won’t have too many changes, but I can assure you that it is getting exactly what it needs.  Sometimes it takes a few weeks to feel major changes.  Preventative care and wellness should just feel good and normal.”  So true!  I guess I just never looked at it that way.  I thought the MonaVie was going to cast a magical spell on me.  But, when you’re already doing all the right things, the magic’s already there.

All in all, I really enjoyed MonaVie.  It has a unique taste, it’s chock full of fruits I wouldn’t even begin to know where to find and it’s good for me.  While it is a bit on the pricey side, I would recommend it.  Plus, when you know you’re starting your day (I decided to drink it with my breakfast) with something that is high in vitamins and nutrients as this little drink is, it certainly sets a positive tone.  When you start off healthy, you want to continue healthy, and do all the things that will prolong and accentuate that feeling.  Whether that feeling stems from exercising in the morning, having a shot of MonaVie or perhaps a practicing a morning meditation, it all begins with just taking that first step.  And I think we can all drink to that!

*If you’re interested in purchasing MonaVie, or in becoming a distributor of this amazing product (they have some pretty fantastic business opportunities), you can contact Connie through her website or via email at conx123[at]gmail.com

What’s one beauty ritual you must do every day?  What is one food that you swear makes you feel healthy as soon as you consume it?

Namasté,
Nicole

I love my husband.  And while I know he loves me, I know he also loves his food.  Patrick will try and eat anything I make.  He has his favorites, he’s been the guinea pig for some of my ‘not-so-ordinary’ creations and he has even compared one of my dishes to tasting like fast food (but in a good way!).  But sometimes, Patrick just wants what he wants.  And sometimes, Patrick just wants a cheeseburger.

Image Credit – cafepress.com

Now, don’t get me wrong; there’s nothing wrong with a cheeseburger.  In fact, I enjoy eating them myself.  However, I can’t remember the last time I had a real cheeseburger.  I usually opt for a turkey burger or a veggie burger.  I think the last time I had a beef burger, it didn’t quite agree with me and thus, I’m now a bit leery.  So the thought of having a burger for dinner, would not be my first choice.  But the last time I ‘denied’ my husband of a meal, the restaurant ended up shutting its doors.  Lesson learned.  That said, we were off to satisfy Patrick’s craving.

Four Burgers is a cute little restaurant located in Central Square, Massachusetts, that serves, you guessed it, four different kinds of burger.  I first heard of this burger joint on the Phantom Gourmet, and I remember the rave reviews it received.  Since I’m a believer in the Phantom and this restaurant was only about 10 minutes away from our house, we figured we’d give it a go.

Cute, huh?

Notice the four circles?

This is such a fun and cozy place!  The four burgers that Four Burgers serves are all natural beef, vegetarian, turkey and wild salmon (they also had a lamb burger on special the day we were there).  I loved the decor and how the ‘four burger’ theme carried throughout the restaurant.  In addition, I really appreciated Four Burgers’ mission: To become the most “unique” and “original” burger concept in the market by providing top quality burgers and service. We are dedicated to making burger lovers out of everyone! Four Burgers also has some admirable core values.  Some of my favorites are that they use only the freshest, high quality, local products whenever possible, and they are mindful of their impact on the environment and the community.  And if that isn’t enough, their menu didn’t look so bad either.

Who needs a bigger menu?

Patrick took all of two seconds to figure out what he wanted to order (grass-fed, all-natural beef hamburger with cheese, lettuce, tomato, bacon and mushroom).  I couldn’t decide if I wanted a turkey burger (with apple & cranberry chutney, lettuce, tomato) or an organic vegan black bean burger.  They both sounded beyond good, but finally, I decided to go the meatless route.  And of course, no burger meal (meat or veggie) would be complete without a side order of french fries.  But in our case, we ordered what Four Burgers called, the ‘half & half’, which was half regular french fries and half sweet potato fries.  In our case, the side was more of an entrée!

So how did our burgers taste?  One word.  Phenomenal.  I’ve had my share of veggie burgers, and this one was one of the best I’ve had in quite some time.  It was flavorful, moist, thick and filling.  And, it was green in tint!  I’m guessing this was from all the fresh herbs that were inside.  My veggie burger also came with lettuce, guacamole and salsa (I could have also ordered it with mango BBQ sauce) all within a fluffy whole wheat bun.  While I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner, Patrick was on cloud nine with his.  To quote him exactly, “This is soooooo good!  The burger is juicy, has a slight char-grill taste, which you know I like.  And, the bacon is crispy.  You know how I like my crispy bacon!  I can’t believe we didn’t come to this place sooner!“  Um, yeah.  I think it’s safe to say Patrick really liked his dinner.  And what about the fries?  Perfection.  Both the regular french and the sweet potato were so, so, delicious!  I really hate to admit this but, we polished off the whole plate.  They were so worth it!

YUM!

My black bean burger close-faced…

And, open-faced…

Patrick’s ultimate cheeseburger…

Look at all of those layers!

Drooling…

Patrick and I give Four Burgers, four stars and four thumbs up!  The atmosphere was excellent, the food was excellent and the fact that they only use the highest quality ingredients and are environmentally sound is excellent.  We couldn’t have been more pleased with our meal.  While the menu was simple (in addition to the four burgers, they also offered an all natural hot dog, a mesclun greens salad, as well as a few sweet treats), the taste was nothing short of extraordinary.  But then again being able to provide great food with friendly service, coupled with a good conscience, doesn’t have to be complicated.

Pretty cool, huh?

(these might be the noisiest chairs on the planet!  just sayin’…)

What’s your favorite kind of burger?  What toppings do you like to put on your burger?

Namasté,
Nicole

I know it’s been cold all around the country, but it seems it’s been especially cold up in the Northeast.  I mean, when you’re wearing two pair of gloves, two pair of pants, two fleece jackets and a winter coat and you’re still numb, that’s not good.  Fortunately, this bitter cold spell is ending and we’ll soon have just regular winter temperatures.  Phew!

Other than practicing yoga in a hot and humid studio, drinking absurd amounts of hot water with lemon and herbal tea, never taking off my Snuggie (just kidding.  I don’t have one, but right now, it doesn’t seem like a bad idea!) and soaking in a bubble bath until I start looking like a prune, the only way I can stay warm physically and mentally is by eating vats of steaming hot soup.  Can you blame me?

Image Credit – mediabistro.com

Last night, I had a big bowl of broth on the brain.  I just couldn’t let it go.  All I could picture was that warm and toasty feeling in my stomach and how happy I would be.  I had to have my soup.  But, just any soup wasn’t going to do.  I had a hankering for Thai.  I needed soup from one of my favorite Thai restaurants, Dok Bua.  It’s just too bad that the timing of my soup hunger had to coincide with the Celtics/Lakers game.  And we can’t forget that I am married to Sport Billy.

Lucky for me, Patrick was also in the mood for Thai.  However, we had to make a deal.  We could have dinner at Dok Bua, but it had to be quick so that we could make it back for the last quarter of the Celtics game.  Done and done.  As long as I could have my soup, I didn’t mind having to rush back home to see the end of the game.  Healthy Chow knows how to compromise!

Dok Bua is a charming, little Thai restaurant in Brookline.  The prices are great, the food is delicious and the service is always prompt and exceptional.  While I have many favorites at this place, without question, I had to have my chicken noodle soup (guay-tiow-kai) tonight.  It’s simple, hearty, delectable and a nice bang for your buck.  Plus, soup takes me a good 10 minutes longer to inhale eat than a noodle dish would, and being able to eat slower is always a bonus for me.

Because we were dining on the earlier side, we were one of the only patrons in the restaurant.  Thus, our food was served immediately.  Obviously, Patrick was psyched about this as he was trying his hardest to make the end of the game, and I was psyched because I could finally eat my soup!

My chicken noodle soup was perfect.  The broth base was savory and bursting with flavor from the fresh scallion and cilantro.  The rice noodles were plentiful and the chicken gave this dish just the right amount of protein.  To top off my soup, I was given fresh bean sprouts and Thai basil.  I love adding bean sprouts to my soup as it gives a healthy crunch and adding Thai basil to anything is always wonderful.  It’s fragrant, sweet and has a mild licorice flavor.  It definitely made my soup even better, if that was even possible!

Patrick seemed to really enjoy his meal as well.  He ordered the chicken pad-si-ew dinner special, his all-time favorite.  Pad-si-ew is sautéed wide rice noodles in a spicy and savory brown sauce.  The dinner specials at Dok Bua come with a cup of tom yum soup, two egg rolls, two fried pork dumplings and steamed jasmine rice.  Needless to say, this is a lot of food, but certainly one of the best Thai food deals you can get in town.  Now you know why we love this place!

While my dinner tonight was most enjoyable, it was quickly coming to an end.  The Celtics were up and the clock was ticking.  But there’s always time for fortune cookies.  It’s just the right amount of sweetness to curb my post-dinner sugar craving.

“The future is the most expensive luxury in the world.”
“There is no reference for beauty.”

We got home just in time to catch the last few minutes of the game.  Literally, Patrick was running from the car into our condo building.  I don’t know why, but I thought this was the most hilarious thing!  Unfortunately, our night did not end in a ‘win-win’ situation.  While my giant bowl of soup was able to keep me warm and take some of that chill out of me, the Celtics lost their game to the Lakers by one point.  Oh well.  Nevertheless, we had a great dinner out and this was a relaxing way to end our frigidly cold winter weekend.  When you have wonderful company that warms your heart and a hot meal to warm your belly, how can you complain?  It’s just what the dok-tor ordered!

Better luck next time, C’s!

How do you keep warm during the winter?  Are you a soup person?  What’s your favorite kind of soup?

Namasté,
Nicole

***I wrote this post a few months back but wanted to post it after our friends, Matt and Laura, left for Italy.  As a tribute to them, I thought I would post it today.  Matt, Laura and Giulia – I hope you are having fun in Italy! ***

I have a sweet tooth.  While I think I have more of a french fry tooth (and no, I don’t have a ranch tooth.  But that would be hilarious if I did!), my sweet tooth does have a tendency to rear its ugly head more often than I would like.  So, while I try to quell it with things like dried figs dipped in honey, dark chocolate melted over strawberries and peanut butter covered apples, sometimes all Healthy Chow wants is a little brownie.

Image Credit – allstarhealth.com

Now, I’m not trying to say there’s anything wrong with craving a real baked good every now and again, but the problem is, once I start, I just can’t stop.  So instead of denying myself the pleasure of having a piece of pastry, I allow myself to have that treat.  But, I try to do it in as smart of a way as I can.  Thus, when my friend, Laura, asked if I would like to come over to her house to bake and then test the No Pudge Brownies, Healthy Chow was all in!  Plus, I had the chance to cook in someone else’s kitchen (which I love) and it was a good way to spend girls’ night in with two of my favorite ladies – Laura and her two year-old daughter, Giulia.

Laura was as excited as I to try out this product.  We had seen it at Trader Joe’s, the regular grocery stores and even at Target, and while we were both intrigued, we had both never opted for a pudge-free baked good.  Laura is one of those lucky people that just doesn’t seem to have a craving for sweets.  Unless she hides it too damn really well, I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen my friend indulge in a baked good.  She claims she just really doesn’t crave sweets.  Huh?! Is this possible?  Not in the world of Healthy Chow! Hell to the no!  But Laura and I both strive to eat well and know the importance of a well-balanced diet and exercise.  That said, we’re constantly trading health and fitness secrets and sharing tips on how to make everyday meals and the foods we love a little more figure friendly.  And we could both chat for hours on just about any topic, so our ‘bake n’ bitch’ was a perfect way to end a long week.

After getting Giulia bathed and settled into bed with one of her favorite DVD’s, we made a b-line to the kitchen to get our brownies going.  Like any other brownie mix, the instructions could not be any easier.  You simply take the mix out of the box and dump into a bowl and then mix in some nonfat vanilla yogurt (or you can substitute plain nonfat yogurt with a teaspoon of vanilla extract).  Once that is blended well, you dump it into a greased pan.  Bake and voilà!  The brownies are done!  Easy as pie (actually, pies are a lot tougher to make).

We used a food processor instead of hand mixing in a bowl – gotta make sure it’s smooth!

We used Stonyfield Farm yogurt…

with vanilla extract…thanks for modeling, Laura!

Ooohh, looks like ice cream!

While the brownies were baking and Giulia was still trying to find Nemo, Laura and I enjoyed a cup of tea and caught up on just about everything.  We talked about her upcoming job interview in Milan and how if things went well, she and her family would be moving as soon as the beginning of next year.  While it was sad to know a close friend of mine could possibly be moving to another country, I was happy for her and excited that she had this amazing opportunity.  Selfishly, I wish she and her family would stay in Boston because they are such great friends and support systems to both me and my husband.  Patrick and Laura’s husband, Matt, are very close friends, practically brothers, and Giulia is our goddaughter.  Needless to say, there’s going to be a void in our lives if Laura is offered the job and accepts.  But life is about exploration, growth and change and as good friends, the only feeling we can have is true happiness.

Like her mom, little Giulia likes shoes…

After about 30 minutes, the brownies were done baking and we were ready to eat.  They smelled incredible (but then again, when do baking brownies don’t?) and looked just like the any other brownies would.  And the taste?  They were quite good!  They didn’t have that velvet-y and soft consistency like a traditional fudge flavored brownie and they certainly weren’t as dense and rich, but then again they didn’t have the added oil and/or eggs either.  Considering we only added yogurt to the mix, these brownies were not dry at all and were quite chocolate-y tasting.  I’d even venture and say that they almost had a ‘dark chocolate’ taste versus a ‘milk chocolate’ taste.  Combined with our hot tea, these brownies were definitely a winner!  Although making your own ‘healthier’ brownies from scratch would not be that much more difficult than making the No Pudge brownies, this was definitely a great option if you’re looking to fix your chocolate craving in a fast and ‘less-pudgy’ way.  We both thoroughly enjoyed our baking job for the evening and savored each and every bite.

Hmmm, fresh out of the oven…

A few days ago, Laura made the announcement that she was offered the job in Milan and accepted.  While we weren’t shocked that she was made the offer (Laura is a very hardworking and talented individual), we were surprised that Laura would have to move as early as this November (the whole family would move in January 2010).  Moving to Italy was always something Laura and Matt considered doing, but when it became a reality, it definitely hit me hard.  Being able to have such wonderful friends live so close by and being able to watch our goddaughter blossom into a beautiful little girl is truly a blessing.  It’s that comfort of knowing you have your very close friends living only minutes away from you that I’m honestly going to miss.  But it’s the strength our our friendship that I’ll always value and our strong bond that will continue – no matter how many oceans apart we are.  Spending time with Laura and Giulia at our girls’ night in is something that I’ll cherish and remember, especially after November.  But like the brownies we baked tonight, life must be enjoyed and can’t be kept in a box.  We have to be open to trying new things and see the possibilities that our lives can brings us.  And when we do take the chance to venture out and spread our wings, life can be sweet and definitely worth indulging in.

Delish!

hello, sweetie…

As Sting says,

If you love somebody,
If you love someone,
If you love somebody,
If you love someone, set them free
Set them free…
Set them free…
Set them free…

So maybe in Italy I’d be called Healthy Ciào?!  I like the sound of that…!

Would you ever move to another country to take a job?

Namasté,
Nicole

When I started reading healthy/lifestyle blogs, I noticed there were some foods that these bloggers could not stop raving about and could not stop eating.  Among these foods were oatmeal, kale, spinach, pumpkin, beans and nuts.  Nuts were put on just about anything and everything.  I saw them on oatmeal, yogurt, salads, in sandwiches, baked goods, soups, paninis, and stuffed in gourds.  Back then, I liked nuts.  But, I was always afraid of their high calorie content and the fact that I could inhale a pound of them in one sitting.  Now, I’ve grown to fully enjoy all kinds of nuts and have learned to consume them without abusing them.  I’ve become quite fond of raw almonds, walnuts, cashews and even the occasional peanut.  However, pecans didn’t play a role on my grocery shopping list.  I’m not sure why?  I think I just stuck with what I liked and never moved beyond that (remember, I am a creature of habit).  A few weeks ago, that all changed.

Marta from The Pecan Store (a division of The Green Valley Pecan Company) had emailed me asking if I would be interested in sampling some of their prized pecans.  At first, I wasn’t quite sure what to say.  After all, I wasn’t much of a pecan eater.  But once I had the chance to look at their website and learn all the facts about this powerful little nut, I was sold!  Within a few short days, my package arrived from Marta and inside was a half pound of pecan halves.  Wow!  I was shocked!  It was quite a hefty bag to sample, but I certainly wasn’t complaining.  Now, I just had to figure out what I was going to do with all these pecans…

Before I ripped open the bag to sample my little goodies, I took a peek at the informational brochure that came along with my package.  Honestly, I don’t know where I’ve been because I had no idea pecans were this amazing! Check it out:

The latest research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirms pecans are one of the highest antioxidant-rich tree nuts and are ranked in the top category of all foods for antioxidants.

Pecans are a good source of fiber, providing 10% of the Daily Value for fiber in a single serving.

Scientific research at Loma Linda University shows the addition of pecans to the American Heart Association’s Step 1 diet lowered LDL (bad cholesterol) levels more than twice as much as the AHA Step 1 diet alone.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has acknowledged this and related research and approved the following qualified health claim: “Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pecans, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.”

After reading all those benefits, I was even more excited to try my pecans.  I can’t believe I’ve been missing out.  Thank you, Marta, for sending me these amazing nuts to sample.  And while I’m grateful for the half pound of pecans, your other products don’t look so bad either (hint, hint).  In fact, they look almost too good to be true: Butter Toffee Pecans, Dark Chocolate Pecan Bark, Arizona Pecan Brittle, Oliver Pecan Amaretto Pecan Honey Butter, San Saba Blackberry Pecan Preserves, Milk Chocolate Pecan Fudge and Oil Kinloch Plantation Pecan Oil.

The pecans were delicious!  They were softer in texture than an almond or walnut but still had a nice, subtle crunch.  They’re rich and buttery in taste and complement both sweet and savory dishes.  In fact, these pecans were so tasty that it didn’t take me too long to get through the entire bag.  Aside from the few handfuls I would grab out of the bag to munch on as a snack, I made some great creations.  Take a look…

Buzzy Spiced Banana Pumpkin Muffins

Sweet Sweet Potato with Cottage Cheese, Raisins, Honey and Pecans

Pumpkin Pie Cake with Dried Cranberries, Pecans and Agave Nectar (inspired by KathEats.com)

Thanksgiving Brussels Sprouts with Goat Cheese, Dried Cranberries, Chickpeas and Pecans

Sweet Potato Brownies with Coconut, Flaxseeds, Pecans and Walnuts (Say what?  Yup, you heard right.  Stay tuned for the recipe…)

After reviewing and consuming these pecans, I’ve decided that The Pecan Store sells a good nut and that pecans must now become a staple in my kitchen.  Like all nuts, the pecan is versatile.  You can put them on and in just about anything, and whatever you’re eating will taste that much better.  Plus, it’s a great way to get some more protein and healthy fat into your diet.  Pecans have always reminded me of the more decadent desserts such as German chocolate cake, butter pecan ice cream (one of my Dad’s faves), pecan pie, pecan turtle clusters and cinnamon pecan rolls.  Perhaps that’s the reason why they’ve been void from my nut repertoire? But now that I know I can add pecans to foods and still have them be healthy, I guess I was the nut for not trying them sooner!

What’s your favorite nut?  Do you like receiving food as gifts (ex: fruit baskets, Harry & David Gift Towers)?

Namasté,
Nicole

I wouldn’t say I’m an addict.  But, when the aroma of a freshly brewed cup of coffee hits my nose, I just can’t resist.  And when someone offers to buy me a cup of coffee, I don’t usually say no either.  And no matter how I much I want to deny it, I don’t seem to feel quite right in the mornings if I don’t have my hot cup of joe.  For that reason, when Blue from POM Wonderful had contacted me asking if I would be interested in trying some samples of their newest product, POMx™ Iced Coffee, I immediately said yes (thanks Blue)!  Who am I to resist free caffeine?!

Within a few short days, my POMx™ Iced Coffee samples had arrived.  I received all three of the available flavors – chocolate, café au lait and vanilla, along with some additional information on POMx™.  I really had no idea what to expect.  I had never seen or heard of this product and usually get my iced coffee at local coffee shops and franchises.  Thus, I had nothing with which to compare these bottled coffees.  I figured if POM Wonderful was the company behind these free samples I just received, they had to be good and they had to be healthy.

According to the POMx website, their iced coffees contain a super-ingredient, POMx™, which is a 100% natural blend of polyphenol antioxidants that contain all the health benefits of POM Wonderful pomegranates.  In other words, you can get your healthy on as you’re getting your buzz on!  And the coffee that is used in this drink isn’t from just any old beans.  POMx™ only uses “premium Italian-roasted Arabica beans for a delicious, intense, full-bodied coffee.”  In addition, the coffee beans are from “ethically sourced, shade-grown environments, which means the trees haven’t been slashed and burned.  And therefore, the wildlife hasn’t been disrupted.”  So let me get this straight, this coffee is good for me, will give me the boost I need to help get me going and is kind to the environment?  Why am I waiting to try these little goodies?

Chocolate

• Ingredients – nonfat milk, organic cane sugar, POMx (POM Wonderful Pomegranate Antioxidant Extract – patent pending), brewed Rainforest Alliance Certified™ coffee (water, coffee), erythritol (natural sweetener), cocoa, natural flavors, natural caffeine, carrageenan.
• Nutritional Facts – Serving Size: 1 bottle (10.5 oz), Caffeine: 175mg/10.5 fl. oz, Calories: 190, Calories from Fat: 0, Total Fat: 0g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0g, Sodium: 160mg, Total Carbohydrate: 49g, Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 30g, Sugar Alcohol: 10g, Protein: 10g, Vitamin A: 0%, Vitamin C: 0%, Calcium: 30%, Iron: 8%

The chocolate flavor reminded me of chocolate milk, something I haven’t had in ages.  I remember as a kid I used to squirt chocolate sauce into my milk and make chocolate milk (mine was usually more chocolate than milk).  This iced coffee tasted just like that!  I felt like a kid again drinking this beverage.  I really didn’t get the sense that I was drinking coffee as this tasted more like milk.  It was quite sweet and very dessert-like.  I think this is a coffee I would have as a post-dinner drink versus for my morning shot of caffeine.

Café Au Lait

• Ingredients – reduced-fat milk, brewed Rainforest Alliance Certified™ coffee (water, coffee), POMx (POM Wonderful Pomegranate Antioxidant Extract – patent pending), organic cane sugar, natural caffeine.
• Nutritional Facts – Serving Size: 1 bottle (10.5 oz), Caffeine: 175mg/10.5 fl. oz, Calories: 170, Calories from Fat: 30, Total Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 15g, Sodium: 130mg, Total Carbohydrate: 29g, Fiber: 0g, Sugars: 20g, Protein: 7g, Vitamin A: 0%, Vitamin C: 0%, Calcium: 25%, Iron: 0%

With the chocolate flavor, I could barely taste the coffee.  With the café au lait flavor, it was all coffee.  Actually, I was quite surprised with the rich coffee taste that was in this beverage.  It tasted like a gourmet iced coffee drink that one might purchase at a coffee shop.  It was smooth and creamy, just what an iced coffee should taste like.  When I first started drinking iced coffee, I would add whole milk, sugar and maybe even a splash of cream.  This reminded me of those days.  It felt very decadent drinking this little delight!

Vanilla

• Ingredients – nonfat milk, brewed Rainforest Alliance Certified™ coffee (water, coffee), organic cane sugar, erythritol (natural sweetener), POMx (POM Wonderful Pomegranate Antioxidant Extract – patent pending), natural flavors, natural caffeine, carrageenan gum.
• Nutritional Facts – Serving Size: 1 bottle (10.5 oz), Caffeine: 175mg/10.5 fl. oz, Calories: 180, Calories from Fat: 0g, Total Fat: 0g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0g, Sodium: 160mg, Total Carbohydrate: 49g, Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 30g, Sugar Alcohol: 10g, Protein: 10g, Vitamin A: 0%, Vitamin C: 0%, Calcium: 30%, Iron: 8%

The vanilla flavor was also delicious! The coffee flavoring was there, but it wasn’t overly potent.  I felt as though the vanilla tasted like a scoop of melted caramel/vanilla ice cream.  Similar to the chocolate, this drink was again very dessert-like.  I almost wanted to add it to some ice and frozen yogurt and blend it in my blender to make a vanilla milkshake (I just might do that!).  I really enjoyed this flavor and while they were all yummy, this one was my favorite.  It reminded me of the General Foods International Coffee my mother used to buy when I was young.  She would always bring it out whenever company was over, and I would take a sip when she wasn’t looking.  Those sneaky sips of coffee were scrumptious then, and this iced coffee is just as scrumptious now.

Overall, the POMx™ Iced Coffees are very tasty.  Knowing that these little bottled wonders (or ‘wonderfuls’) are not only going to give me the little extra kick I need, but that they are also healthy for me, makes me give this product a thumbs up.  I’m all about killing two birds with one stone, so if I can get my antioxidants in while I’m caffeinating myself, it’s a win-win situation.  However, I do need to state that because I’m a black coffee drinker and a skim milk only iced coffee drinker, the POMx™ Iced Coffees are not something I would normally drink.  They’re a bit too sweet to drink for me as my main source of coffee for the day.  I usually have my coffee as soon as I wake up or right after a sweaty morning yoga class, and having such a sweet beverage as the first thing to consume in the day would not be my choice.  However, I wouldn’t mind drinking this as part of a dessert or to curb my late-day sweet tooth.  Just a few sips is enough to perk me up and to make me not want to go on a cookie hunt.  And that’s always a plus in my book!  I also liked how these coffees allowed me to reminisce my childhood.  I’ve been fascinated by coffee ever since I was a young child, and these iced coffees took me back to those days.  Oh, and in case you were wondering, these iced coffees do NOT taste like pomegranate at all!

While I probably would not replace my usual morning hot coffee or iced coffee with POMx™ Iced Coffee, that doesn’t mean that I won’t have some of these little guys for breakfast.  Huh?  That doesn’t make sense, Healthy Chow!  If you say you’re not going to drink the POMx™ Iced Coffee to start your day, how are you going to have some for breakfast? Easy.  I’m going to cook with the POMx™ Iced Coffee!  I’m going to use it as one of the key ingredients in my breakfast foods.  But just what in the heck are you gonna make, Healthy Chow?

Well, you’re just going have to wait until tomorrow to find out…

Muahahahahahaha…..! (that’s evil laughter, in case you’re wondering…)

What are you looking forward to most this holiday?  What’s your favorite thing to eat on Thanksgiving?

Namasté,
Nicole

I don’t know about you all but when I’m hungry, I’m hungry! If I don’t have something quick to reheat or make in the fridge when the dinner bell (or the breakfast, brunch or lunch bell) rings, my fingers start getting itchy and I reach for those crunchy snacks (and I’m not talking about the baby carrot or celery kind either!).  And then I figure if I can’t whip up something that’s quick and healthy, I might as well just eat snacks for dinner or get some greasy easy takeout (there are way too many convenience options when you live in a college area).  I wish I could say that this doesn’t happen too often, but that wouldn’t be honest.  And then one day as I was doing some blog reading, I came across a post from The BroccoliHut.  If you aren’t already a reader of Caroline’s blog, you should check her out!  She’s quite creative in the kitchen and makes some killer hummus.  But what caught my eye that day was Caroline’s fast and hearty soup.  Not only did it look and sound delicious, but it was something that I could totally put together in that instant.  I had the exact same ingredients in my cupboard and fridge and yet, the idea never came to me.  That’s why I love all you creative and expressive bloggers! You always know how to inspire me and you always know how to shake some sense into me!

I love Trader Joe’s Soups: Carrot Ginger and Latin Style Black Bean

The nutritional facts

Not bad, huh?

Spicin’ up my soup!

My The Broccoli Hut-Inspired Soup (thanks Caroline!)
Serves 1

• 1 cup of Trader Joe’s Carrot Ginger Soup
• few dashes of curry powder
• few dashes of cumin
• 2 TSP of freshly grated ginger (I love fresh ginger – but this can be omitted)
• 1/4 cup of chickpeas (I used canned)
• 1 cup of frozen cauliflower florets
• 1 cup of frozen cubed butternut squash
• handful of spinach leaves
• salt
• white pepper

1) In a medium saucepan, heat the carrot ginger soup on medium heat.  Add the curry powder, cumin and freshly grated ginger.  Give the soup a stir to get the seasonings well-blended.

2) Once the soup starts to heat up, add the chickpeas and frozen vegetables.  Stir the soup well to make sure all the frozen veggies get heated.

3) Add the spinach to the soup and stir.  Once the spinach starts to wilt, cover the saucepan with a lid.  Turn the heat down to medium-low and let the soup simmer for another few minutes.

4) Eat immediately!

I’m so happy that this soup came together in a hurry because my appetite was growing by the second!  But instead of my usual mindless snacking (OK, I admit I had a few raw almonds), I saved my appetite for this hearty soup.  And boy, was it worth the wait!  Similar to the soup I made a few weeks back, the seasonings and ginger were the show stoppers of this soup.  The curry powder and ginger added a nice warmth to the soup without it being spicy.  But having chunks of cauliflower and butternut squash to sink my teeth into while eating this soup (versus drinking/sipping) made me feel fulfilled and satisfied.  Adding the chickpeas to the soup was a great way to get some protein into this meal.  Plus, I love the way chickpeas taste with spinach.  Is that just me? Being a visual person, I also enjoyed seeing the orange, dark green, beige and white colors mixed together.  It’s so much more interesting when your food looks good, in addition to it tasting good!

I’m not quite sure why I have a tendency to feel a healthy meal can’t come together in a few minutes.  It’s really not that I don’t think it’s possible, it’s that I don’t think I will have the ability to pull it all together.  I tend to rely on recipes and ideas that I see online and in magazines and cookbooks, so when I have to pull something out of thin air, it’s not as easy as I would like.  But, I’m learning and I thank all you healthy living/food bloggers for always pushing me to do so in your own special ways.  Those Trader Joe’s boxed soups are a staple in my house and I tend to just eat them as they are.  I never dreamed that these little boxed wonders could be transformed into a speedy and simple meal.  But that’s the beauty of cooking!  You can take something as plain as soup and with a bit of creativity and experimenting, you can have something as wonderful as this meal.  There are no right’s or wrong’s; if it tastes good, you win! No one ever told me that ‘cooking’ meant having to slave over a hot stove for hours upon hours, for some reason, I just had this preconceived notion.  But after being inspired by Caroline and realizing that there is magic in simplicity, I know there’s a whole other world to explore when you can think outside of the box.

Speaking of  ‘my soup in a box’ (or that famous skit brought to you by JT and Andy Samberg), what’s your favorite SNL skit?

***Do you like sparkly things?  Well, if you do, you’re in luck!  Check out my giveaway!***

***BTW, if you like natural sodas, go and check out the Zevia giveaway on Morgan’s blog.  Better hurry up, it ends tomorrow, 11/20!***

Namasté,
Nicole

Back for some more New York City action, huh?  Well, I can’t blame you!  In yesterday’s post, I gave you the lowdown on our first day and night in the big city.  Boy, did we have a great time!  We checked into our lovely and fabulously located hotel, we had a quick and delicious lunch at Cranberry Café, we witnessed the grandeur that Times Square has to offer and we enjoyed a laugh-filled dinner at Connolly’s Pub and Restaurant.  But that was just the tip of the iceberg! Thank goodness, we all got our much needed beauty rest.

After getting a good night’s sleep in preparation for our Sunday celebratory festivities, we were refreshed and had a full tank of gas, just rearing to go.  With our breakfast scheduled at 9:30am, I knew we had to be up by no later than 8am to get our day started.  However, I’m not sure if it was the cool temperature in our hotel room or the fact that I was electrified by the fact that we were in the New York, but I was wide awake at 7am (that’s not a normal thing without an alarm clock for Healthy Chow).  Patrick must have been on the same sleeping pattern as me, because he was also ready to greet the day before the alarm went off.  That said, we jumped into our workout clothes and made good use of the hotel’s fitness center.

The Millennium Broadway Hotel’s fitness center was pretty impressive.  There were two separate areas to work out in: one was for weights and weight training and the other was for cardio.  The gym was clean and had multiple televisions available for use.  Other than two other people, Patrick, David and I were the only ones in the gym.  It was great! No lines and no incessant yapping from other guests.  Plus, I got to stare at the tops of the New York City buildings as I was speedwalking and working up a good lather.  With a few yoga stretches, 25 minutes of speedwalking and regular walking on the treadmill and some cool down stretching, I was completely energized.  While I got a good workout in, I probably could have pushed myself further.  But, I also didn’t want to be tired (or sore) for the rest of the day.  My quick cardio session was just enough to get my blood pumping and to do some much needed detoxification.

Wow, it looks like we both worked up a good sweat!

After quickly showering and getting dressed, we only had a few moments to spare before it was breakfast time.  And this wasn’t just any ordinary breakfast, it was a special breakfast for a special girl.  In addition, breakfast wasn’t going to be served at just any ol’ restaurant, it was being held at a place that is undeniably, a little girl’s fantasy.  For Casey’s 5th birthday party, Lisa and David planned a breakfast at none other than American Girl Place.  I really wasn’t sure what to expect, but when we arrived, I was blown away.  To be able to see all the children so giddy with excitement and joy was truly endearing.  Plus, this place was amazing and huge! There were about four or five floors filled with shopping, activities for girls and their dolls, a restaurant and more shopping.  I could not believe how popular this store was – it was filled to the brim with families and dolls! Crazy!

Our breakfast destination!

Not only did the guest of honor, Casey, have a blast at her birthday party, but we all did as well.  The staff was hospitable, friendly and prompt.  In a large restaurant with so many customers, one usually expects and receives less-than-stellar service and not-so-great food.  This was the complete opposite!  Our main server, Anthony, couldn’t have been more accommodating and polite.  Plus, the menu offered more than ‘kid friendly’ options and everyone seemed quite pleased with their selections and the quality of the food.  The decorum of the dining area was also fantastic.  I felt like a doll living in a dollhouse or at least, a big (but not that big) little girl having her dreams come true.  As the conversation flowed, the coffee flowed and the good times and laughter were continuously being rolled out much like our hot breakfast entrées.  There were even souvenirs (a hair elastic with a hot pink bow) for all the guests and fun little conversational question cards available at the table.  It’s truly a blessing to be able to spend time with your family and to be able to be in the presence of such wonderful company.  I can only imagine the greatness that both Dan and Ellen felt just watching their family interact and have such a joyous time and knowing that this all stemmed from the love they created 40 years ago.

The guest of honor with her dolls

Taylor with her Papa

Taylor with Grammy

Who’s the bigger doll?

Everyone smile for the camera and say, “Healthy Chow!”

How’s that smoothie?

The American Girl Breakfast Menu

My Breakfast: Eggs Benedict Florentine - poached eggs served with wilted spinach and English muffin topped with hollandaise sauce (I had mine on the side) and accompanied by home-style potatoes and fresh fruit

Flower Power Pancakes with Fresh Bananas and Whipped Cream – served with fresh fruit and sausage links (and some Country Breakfast Eggs)

Country Breakfast - scrambled eggs with home-style potatoes, onions, sausage and peppers topped with cheddar cheese and served with a side of avocado, salsa and sour cream

Classic French Toast – topped with warm apples and cinnamon fresh fruit kabob, served with a side of apple wood smoked bacon and maple syrup

Chocolate Mousse Flowerpot with Butterfly Cookie

The whole gang

Question: Who would you want to trade places with for one day?  Why?

Taylor’s Answer: “I pick you, Nicole, because you’re a lot of fun and you look like a teenager.  For real!”

Too much!

Once breakfast was over, the gang broke free to explore the rest of American Girl Place.  While the little ladies got their shopping on, I managed to check things out and get a lay of the land.  Holy moly, words can’t describe the magnitude of this place.  If you have an American Girl doll, this is the place to go for your doll.  There is everything and anything you could possibly want or need here for your American Girl.  I think both Taylor and Casey were more than happy with their purchases.

An hour and a half?!

The Doll Hair Salon

After getting back to the hotel to drop off our purchases, we freshened up and decided to make a trip to the Empire State Building.  While most of the group was in on visiting this tourist attraction, some decided to make good use of the amazing weather and make a visit to Central Park.  Since my MIL and I love shopping and enjoy each other’s company (we share the same sense of humor!), we decided to branch off from the group and have some mother-in-law and daughter-in-law time.  We ventured off and hit some of the nearby shops as the rest of the group made the trip to the top of the Empire State Building.  Patrick was in the Empire State Building group and thus, became the interim photographer for my blog.  He did a pretty fancy job snapping some great pics.  Thanks Patrick!

By the time all of our tours were over, it was late in the afternoon.  But with our dinner reservation at 6:30pm, we had only a few moments to rest and recharge.  But when you’re in New York, who needs to rest, right?  For our final dinner and celebration in the big city, we decided to have dinner at the Italian restaurant, Becco (thanks for the recommendation, Billy!).  Becco was about a ten minute walk from our hotel, which was key since it was about 6:15pm by the time we left.  We made it just in time and with even a few minutes to spare! While we all congregated in front of the restaurant, we decided it was the perfect time to take a group photo. Don’t you love it when you can grab a complete stranger off the street and ask them to take a picture and it actually turns out well?

What a night to remember!

Becco’s menu was incredible! There were so many delectable sounding choices and quite fairly priced for a New York City restaurant.  After much deliberating both to myself and out loud, I finally chose the Pesce Spada (grilled swordfish paired with spaghetti squash, stewed cherry tomatoes, roasted pumpkin seeds & pumpkin seed oil).  It was divine and certainly had its fair portion of both vegetables and fish.  Not to mention the swordfish was grilled to perfection and the stewed cherry tomatoes were deliciously sweet.  While I originally thought I had ordered ‘the best’ entrée on the menu, I soon questioned my belief after sampling some of Patrick’s Sinfonia di Paste (Becco’s renowned unlimited table side service of Becco’s Chef’s Three Daily Pasta Preparations) and David’s Costolette di Maiale alla Maniera dello Chef (brined double cut pork chop grilled, topped with figs poached in Apianae & roasted fingerling potatoes), I soon realized that there was just more than one ‘best’ entrée at Becco.  Actually, everyone was more than thoroughly pleased with both the food and the service at this restaurant.  You really could not go wrong with any item ordered off the Becco menu.  Our waitress, Anne, was a pleasure and was gracious throughout our entire meal.  And while the food was excellent, the restaurant itself was quite charming as well.  It had a rustic feel and almost felt like a North End restaurant with it’s exposed brick and close fitting dining area.

Our coat check tag and table reservation number from breakfast- both were 40, like Dan and Ellen’s anniversary!

Fresh mozzarella with roasted red peppers, toasted pine nuts & golden raisins

Fresh prosciutto

Caesar salad – very tasty but way too much dressing for my liking…

Now that’s a meatball!

Pesce Spada – Grilled swordfish paired with spaghetti squash, stewed cherry tomatoes, roasted pumpkin seeds & pumpkin seed oil

Costolette di Maiale alla Maniera dello Chef - Brined double cut pork chop grilled, topped with figs poached in Apianae & roasted fingerling potatoes

Sinfonia di Paste - Becco’s renowned unlimited table side service of Becco’s Chef’s Three Daily Pasta Preparations

Trancio di Salmone – Pan-seared salmon with braised cauliflower & extra virgin olive oil

Bistecca – Grilled Black Angus rib eye, dry-aged & rubbed with porcini mushrooms
with garlic mashed potatoes & seasonal vegetables

Of course, we had to have dessert!

Happy 40th Anniversary!

Once dinner was over, we made our way through Times Square once again to get one last look at the the city lights.  They were as bright as ever and the city was even more jammed with people than when we last saw it.  I saw a bunch of cameras and even brighter lights at the center of Times Square and people clamoring around as though there was something being filmed.  As we made our way over, I realized that it was Entertainment Tonight’s The Insider being filmed.  With my MIL, Ellen, being a huge fan of The View, as soon as I realized it was Star Jones sitting on stage, I just knew this would be one of the highlights of her trip.  Not only was Ellen excited to see Star, but she was even more thrilled to see that the guest anchor was none other than Levi Johnston! Ellen, I will have to admit, Levi was pretty cute!

Hey there!

Our trip to New York City was certainly a memorable one.  We shared as many laughs and smiles as we did bites of food and dessert.  When you’re in a special city celebrating occasions such as a wedding anniversary and a birthday with your entire family, everyone is lucky enough to receive a gift.  I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful family and to have been able to be a part of the New York trip.  It is sure to go down as one of my favorite family vacations.  And while we were able to see so many sights and do so many things in the city, there was one common theme that remained throughout and that was love.  Like the lights in Times Square that brighten up the sky morning, noon and night, and guide the city’s people, it is the love of family and the love between an extraordinary couple, like Dan and Ellen, that remains a constant and continues to fuel the fire of life.

What’s your favorite city you’ve ever visited?  Do you wish you could live there or would you rather keep it as a favorite vacation spot?

Namasté,
Nicole