New York Eats {w/ travel}

According to USA Today, there are more than 3500 restaurants in Manhattan. Allow me to share some of the amazing ones I visited, in what I am calling, A Very Incomplete Guide to NYC Eateries.  

Part I

Keste
Like many restaurants in Manhattan, Keste is a physically small restaurant with big flavors. This Neopolitan pizzeria also has incredible service - the host brought out a hot "pie" for us to sample while we waited for a table.

ate: the Margherita and Kesté pizzas, wine.

Alice's Tea Cup
In case you don't know, I have a thing for tea. My blog's name? It's the way I take my tea, with milk and a little sugar. I love everything about tea, especially tea parties. Alice's Tea Cup, a quaint tea shop and restaurant, did not disappoint.

ate: Alice's tea, Vanilla Almond tea, chocolate walnut scones, mixed berry scones, ham and cheese scones, Croque Monsieur sandwich, smoked chicken breast sandwich with granny smith apples and herbed goat cheese {<-- I will be replicating this someday soon}.

The Loeb Central Park Boathouse
A New York tradition, the Boathouse sits on the water's edge in Central Park. When we arrived the bar and restaurant were closing early for a private event, but we quickly ordered at the to-go station and sat outside, sipping Chardonnay while watching the boats on the lake.

drank: a California wine (oh, the irony!)

New York State of Mind {w/ travel}

It's hard to believe my trip to New York was over a month ago - the time since then has gone by so quickly!

I've already shared a few pictures in my last post about the trip, but I have yet to introduce my dear friends that made it so special. These ladies have been my best friends for 10 years!

Amanda, Erica, Ashley & me. 

I love to travel - exploring new places, trying new foods, seeing beautiful sights, immersing myself in another culture, I love it all. But travelling with the right people makes it even better.

The photo above is when we went to Washington Square Park. We expected to walk around and enjoy the park and the relatively good weather of the day. What we found was an onslaught of people with pillows. Yes, pillows. Turns out we wandered into the park on International Pillow Fight Day. It was insane - hundreds, if not over a thousand, people engaged in the ultimate pillow fight. The feathers were flying everywhere.

an aerial shot

We watched {safely} from a distance, then walked around Greenwich Village - shopping, and of course eating. Speaking of eating, get ready for A Very Incomplete Guide to NYC Eateries, debuting tomorrow.

Cherry Pie Fruit & Nut Bars {w/ recipes}

Keeping with the health theme this week (I'm partaking in the 7 day green smoothie challenge), today I'm sharing a new favorite recipe. 

I absolutely love the cherry pie LÄRABAR®. They are perfect to satisfy my sweet tooth and curb my hunger before a workout. One day I looked at the ingredients to see:

dates

cherries

almonds

That's it. How simple! The next day I picked up the ingredients at the grocery store and got busy with my food processor. 

Cherry Pie Fruit & Nut Bars

makes about 8 bars

1 cup high quality dried cherries (unsweetened)

1/2 cup pitted dates

1/2 cup raw almonds

{A note about the cherries... they can be expensive. But in comparison to the cost of a bar from the store (about $1.89 each) this way is incredible affordable!} 

Put dried cherries and dates in the food processor and pulse until a sticky paste forms...

Add almonds and mix until pieces are uniform in size....

Spread mix onto parchment paper and roll into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick....

Use the parchment paper to cover the mix when you roll so it doesn't stick...

Cut into bar sized pieces and enjoy!

Green Smoothie Challenge {w/ health}

Lately, my fitness and eating habits have been slacking. Between job interviews, travel, and actually starting the new job, I have let my once good habits slide into laziness. And they really were good habits, for months I was eating right (80/20, because there's no way I'm giving up indulging every once in awhile) and working out several times a week. But now? Um…. Not so much. It didn’t help that I stuffed myself with the most incredible food on my trip to New York, but now that I’ve been home it hasn’t been much better either.

But today starts anew… Today is Day 1 of the Green Smoothie Challenge, hosted by Katherine of Real Food Runner. Katherine’s blog is fantastic! She shares healthy recipes, workout motivation and healthy living inspiration. This week she is encouraging everyone (including you!) to add a green smoothie to your diet every day.  That’s not too hard… it’s not one of those cleanses where you can only drink juice, or that cuts out everything, but just a challenge to add some good to your diet.

Dark leafy greens are a great source of Vitamins K, C, and E. The thing I love about green smoothies/juices is that it’s such an easy way to get more vegetables. Just toss a handful of spinach in your morning smoothie and voila! You’re done.

I’m sure some of you may be hesitant… thinking that has got to taste awful.  But really it doesn’t. I made this for the husband this morning and he happily drank away.  

Kiwi Banana Juice

2 kiwis

1 banana

handful on spinach

coconut water

This is more of a juice than a smoothie, since I didn’t add any dairy elements, but it’s still blended which makes it so easy to prepare. In a blender, add peeled kiwis, banana, a handful of washed spinach, and enough coconut water to fill. Blend until smooth. You can also add chia seeds for extra nutrience.

You’re not too late. Why not add a green smoothie for dinner? Cook some quinoa and steam or roast some veggies {and perfect for Meatless Monday too}.

So if you’re thinking of making some food and lifestyle changes, why not join this challenge? It’s a simple way to eat just a little bit healthier. Baby steps right? 

Tube Tuesday {w/ fun}

Poetry, Journey, and Space Jam. My favorite things come together in this inspirational video. I know, I know...  I am about 3 months late on this YouTube phenom. But to me it is brand new. My besties always update me on the fun videos when we hang out, so needless to say our NY trip had many a nights ended with silly videos. We spent plenty of time quoting the video below, this one, and this one.

"You've just been "pep-talked"."

UPDATE: I've had this scheduled for a few days now, but in the midst of the Boston bombings it has taken on new meaning. My heart aches for the people affected by this tragedy. 

“If life is a game, aren’t we all on the same team? 

I mean really, right? I'm on your team. Be on my team."