At this stage of my life, it's important for both my health and emotional well-being that I have snacks on me at all times. In fact, it's an ususual day that I can be found without a stash of nuts or dried fruits in my tote at the very least. So, when graze hit my radar, my interest was piqued. Currently invite-only, graze is a snack-delivery service, offering up four single-serve, healthy snacks for just $5/week delivered.
But graze snacks aren't just healthy - they're also quite delicious. After becoming a member, you can view available snacks on site and rate those that pique your interest, which means that each box is tailored to suit your tastes, be they savory or sweet. My favorites to date have been the very nori-ish (a mix of Japanese seaweed crackers ringing in at 59 calories) and the Jaffa Cake (which included orange-infused raisins, hazelnuts and dark chocolate buttons at about 218 calories).
If you'd like to learn more about graze, explore their site here. For an invitation to join (you'll get your first box free and I'll get a $1 credit), email me at eye4style (at) gmail (dot) com - I have six codes available!
UPDATE: ALL INVITE CODES HAVE BEEN CLAIMED, SORRY GUYS!
I'm an irresponsible worker-outer, if there can be such a thing. I often hit my weekend classes at best tired, at worst hungover, and almost definitely hungry. So, when I leave class, I'm desperate for a delicious brunch, but at the same time, hoping not to undo all of the goodness experienced in a class like Bar Method (my workout du jour today, for example.)
Solution: Chobani's GENIUS (a word I do not use lightly) Yogurt Bar. Conveniently located at Prince and West Broadway, the Chobani Yogurt Bar takes the brand's already-delicious and healthy Greek yogurt add adds fresh toppings to create what is essentially my dream snack. Seen above is one of my favorites - the Peanut Butter & Jelly - which includes not only the obvious ingredients, but also fresh sliced grapes and half peanuts. Another that I love is the Cucumber & Olive Oil, which, with it's fresh sea salt, perfectly satisfies my salty cravings. Yum!
It's almost impossible to miss with a flavor at Chobani, but if you're in the market for experimentation, be sure to try the newest concoction, which is Smoked Salmon & Dill - yogurt topped with cold smoked Atlantic salmon, fresh dill, salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil and a splash of lemon juice, complete with a side of crunchy “everything” bagel chips for dipping.
Learn more about Chobani SoHo here, and the next time you're in the neighborhood and tasty for a healthy snack, stop by!
If there's one thing I'm terrible at (and trust me, there are actually several things I'm terrible at), it's COOKING. It just...seems like so much WORK, you guys. Particularly living in a city like New York, where cheap yet DELICIOUS food is bountiful. I mean, there's the whole recipe sourcing, hunting and gathering for ingredients, getting said ingredients home and then actually...cooking. I'm exhausted just thinking about it, if we're being completely honest. That said, eating out every night is an untenable pace even for me, so when Tamar at Fashion Binge (who's equally uninclined to cooking) clued me into Blue Apron, I had to give it a go.
This new delivery service, available in the Northeastern US, offers subscribers ALL of the raw ingredients (see above - that's how perfectly packaged and labeled even spices are) they need to produce 3 meals for the week, in exactly the right portions (you opt in to a vegetarian menu or meat/fish, as well as the number of people you'll be cooking for - 2, 4 or 6). Each meal is designed to be well-balanced, healthy and delicious. And rest assured, guys, it's IDIOT PROOF, as each delivery includes full-color recipe cards and step-by-step instructions with PHOTOS!
Last night, I made myself a Moroccan Beef Tagine with dates and honey, and while it needed a little salt and pepper, it was delicious and took even kitchen-phobic me just under 30 minutes to make.
If you're as helpless as I am, check out Blue Apron online - deliveries begin at just $59.94/week or $9.99 per person/each meal.
While I have many downfalls, sugar is perhaps highest on the list. Behind shoes. Shoes may actually be number one. But I digress.
Despite my love of sugar, in recent months, I've been doing my best to make more strategic choices about the sugar I do eat and of course, how much of it I'm ingesting.
But all of that went out the window at Fortnum & Mason yesterday. This quintessentially British department store boasts one of the finest food selections in the free world, and included in that mix are some truly divine sweet treats, like the Glacé Fruit shown above.
Preserved in a sugar syrup and then glazed with syrup in a tradition stemming back to the 14th century, Glacé Fruit (think strawberries, cherries, clementines, kiwi, plums and even star fruit!) is delicious eaten alone or in baked goods (and I must confess, the drunkard in me in dying to try the figs steeped in vodka.) The taste of Glacé Fruit is almost sugar overload - just a few bites will satiate you - while the unique flavor and mix of textures are a delicious little burst.
While you can purchase Glacé Fruit in other specialty shops, Fortnum & Mason's happens to be the best I've had. If you're in London, stop by their Piccadilly store to purchase.
Photo snapped by Felicia "Is that a Jil Sander?" Sullivan
While the Pinkberrys and Red Mangos of the world continue to war with one another, I've discovered a new fro-yo to love, thanks to Gilt City.
16 Handles is an East Village-based, self-serve frozen yogurt mecca that offers a dozen flavors of sweet and tart yogurt and COUNTLESS toppings. Whether you lean healthy or prefer your sweet treats to be of the artery-clogging variety (see my concoction below, which included chocolate covered pretzels, cookie dough and cheesecake bites), there's bound to be a combination to please your palate.
To join Gilt City and snag deals like this one ($20 worth of frozen yogurt for just $8 - still available!), visit this link: www.gilt.com/invite/eye4style.
Image courtesy of Felicia Sullivan.
If you told me yesterday morning that I would have run out today to buy the ingredients for a homemade kale salad, I would have declared you OUT OF YOUR MIND. But that was before I hit Southhampton for Blueprint Cleanse Day Camp with my pals Katie, Kristin and Aly yesterday.
Hosted by Blueprint Cleanse, the well known NYC-based juice company, day camp introduced me to the idea of cleansing to kick off a healthier lifestyle, as opposed to cleansing to lose weight (though that would be a welcome side effect!)
I've been curious about Blueprint for some time now, and I had the opportunity to taste several of the juices yesterday. While the green was a bit tough going down, the others were divine, which leads me to believe that perhaps the cleanse wouldn't be as hard as previously imagined. I'll be trying a 3 Day Cleanse later this month, so stay tuned to see if my inclination is right!
Oh - and back to the kale salad...here's how I made the yummy dinner you see to the left:
- Tear the leaves off approx. half a bunch of kale and place in bowl.
- Sprinkle olive oil, sea salt and squeeze fresh lemon to taste over the leaves and then gently 'massage' into the salad (the oil, salt and lemon work to soften the leaves to give the effect of steaming.)
- Once the leaves are soft, mix in sundried tomatoes and chick peas (this is entirely flexible but if you choose to use fresh veggies like tomato or avocado, mix them in last.)
- Splash a bit of apple cider vinegar and raw agave nectar (the sweetness adds balance) into the bowl.
- Continue to massage and then add in a generous spoonful of tahini (to taste) to add creaminess.
- Massage and finally add fresh ground black pepper and red pepper flakes or cayenne to taste.
Y-U-M! It will be no surprise to you that Blueprint is coming out with a cookbook early next year once you taste this baby!
More to come on Blueprint Cleanse...stay tuned.
