I’ve noticed in the past few weeks a lot of people complaining of feeling dehydrated. The warm weather can naturally slow us down a bit and have us (especially those of us in big cities used to the go-go-go lifestyle) searching for that pick-me-up. This can lead to cravings for extra cold drinks like frosty beers, sodas or ice-coffee. Alcohol, sugary drinks and caffeine can cause further dehydration and on and on goes the cycle. During this season, it is especially important to get your daily intake of water. Excess sweating causes us to lose fluids as well. If you want to jazz up your water a bit, try adding the following:
orange
lemon
lime
mint
basil
cucumber
We’re almost there! Vote here to make a difference in NYC. Thank you!
Week 2 brought more colors from the Bedstuy Farmshare, just in time for Pride. 
Baby bok choy, sugar snap peas, zucchini, curly kale, beets, rainbow chard, amaranth, cilantro, romaine lettuce and Chinese cabbage. On the menu: Pink habichuela hummus & lettuce wraps, raw marinated kale (love this so it will be on repeat), shredded beets & greens w/sliced oranges, cilantro chutney, gingered sugar snap peas, sauteed amaranth and garlic, bok choy & carrot slaw (also made this with Chinese cabbage), and ginger tofu & zucchini stir-fry. This is new to me in terms of menu-planning, but I am up to the challenge and am loving the freshness of the food. Can’t wait to see what next week’s share brings!
I’ve received baby bok choy in the my CSA share for the past two weeks. Baby bok choy is high in vitamins A and C and helps protect against cancer and reduces high blood pressure. It has a high-water content, so use quick-cooking methods for best results. This is a tender veggie that is great in stir fries. I have also eaten it raw using it as a substitute for cabbage in coleslaw- keep it fresh and skip the mayo!
Photograph by David Atlas
Summerstage has historically taken place in good, old Central Park. Each year brings free and benefit concerts with musical artists ranging from opera to hip-hop. This year they’ve diversified and brought acts to other parks in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx AND Staten Island!. Salsa heads are going to love all the live acts this year! So get fresh, call a friend, pack a lunch and enjoy summer at its best. Click here for all lineup details.
My beautiful client Laura shared this photo with me and I want to share it with all of you! She’s transitioning to become a vegetarian and has been concoting delicious recipes for her and her family. Who says being a vegetarian is boring? Here we have a lovely Mediterranean Chickpea dish (which I tasted yesterday- should have stolen the container while I had the chance), Tofu & Veggie skewers and quinoa. Mmmmm! I love hearing stories of someone making a change towards health in their life and the ripple effects it has on their loved ones. Next question: when is Laura inviting me to dinner?
The people of Post cereals are giving a generous $25,000 grant to a community-based organization focusing on health & wellness initiatives. Please vote for the Nourishing Kitchen of NYC so they can launch their summer Junior Chef program! This program helps to serve underserved youth ages 6-13 learn how to prepare healthy and nutritious meals to share with their families, work in a community garden and receive a membership to a local gym to incorporate excerise all while learning about wellness and nutrition. I am a volunteer at Nourishing Kitchen and am voting everyday until July 22nd to make this excellent program a reality. Click here to join me in the vote. Thanks!
My CSA began this week, woo-hoo! I will post about my lovely treats each week. This week’s share included: romaine lettuce, baby bok choy, three kinds of kale (yum), brocolli rabe, garlic scapes and collard greens. I shared some of my bounty with my dear friends Andi & Krystal who helped me out by picking up my share this week. You see, Week 1 and we are already building community. On the menu so far: garlic scape pesto, brasillian-style collards, raw marinated kale salad, garlicky kale, romaine citrus salad, baby bok choy & tofu sauté and potato kale salad. Not bad!
Legumes are a great way to add protein, fiber and folate to your diet. They are a great substitute for meat and are much lower in fat and cholesterol. Legumes aid in weight loss, lowering rates of heart disease and a slew of other less-than-pleasant conditions. They are easily incorporated into summer dishes as well: add cold beans to salads, make fresh hummus (try beans other than garbanzo), and/or serve beans with your favorite chips & salsa. And never, ever forget this when cooking your legumes!
June at the Union Square Greenmarket brings an abundance of fresh strawberries. You literally can’t walk past one or two farmer stands without seeing tons of strawberries everywhere. So for this month’s Chef Demo, I made a delicious Summer Strawberry Salad. My recipe calls for chioggia beets, which add a nice crunch and lots of fun color to the salad (think peppermint candy). Strawberries are high in Vitamin C and are especially good for smokers to clear mucus out of your lungs. Strawberries are also great in a smoothie or as an addition to your morning cereal. Eat up and enjoy while they’re in season!