Good Eats in NYC

What I found when I searched "pigs eating" on Pinterest.

This weekend might as well have been titled "Meri eats Manhattan" because that's pretty much what it was. Starting with a delicious home-cooked Blue Apron meal on Friday evening (followed by a slice of pizza at a party and then late night mac cheese (it was a fun Friday!)), Saturday included two delicious meals out (more on those in a minute) and Sunday started with Dim Sum, took a trip to Citi Field for a Nathan's hot dog and ended with sushi and bubble tea from the restaurants attached to my apartment building. I consider weighing anything less than 300 lbs this morning a modern miracle. But because all good meals should be shared, I wanted to tell you specifically about Saturday's eats so that you can venture out and (over)indulge just like I did.

* Cafe Habana (17 Prince St. at Elizabeth)

I have been walking past this little blue Cuban shop in Soho for years, reading that its a favorite of Matthew Mcconaughey's and keeping it high on my "for someday" places to eat list. Well, Saturday was the day and Cafe Habana did not disappoint. Ever since going to see Chef, I have been craving some delicious Cuban cuisine and Cafe Habana totally nailed it! A tiny restaurant that did require a 15 minute wait (not too bad for 2pm on a sunny Saturday) Dr. H and I sat at the bar counter and enjoyed every last bite of our Cuban and Molletes sandwiches (I also highly recommend the spicy bloody mary!) And though we didn't order the "famous corn", it was only because I went for chorizo and avocado on my molletes and even I would have had capacity issues at that point. Obviously we will have to go back. The perfect spot for summer brunch with your ladies or an informal but quintessentially ethnic NYC dinner with your man, check out Cafe Habana today!

* Babbo (110 Waverly btw 6th & Washington Sqr Park West)

Babbo is a fancy pants Greenwich Village spot serving up high-end Italian fare from the infamous chef Mario Batali. Thanks to a generous gift certificate from Mommy-in-Law and a fortuitous stroll past the restaurant that afternoon nabbing a reservation for that night (more on that in a minute!) we enjoyed a 3 course meal of impeccably prepared and served food. Babbo is one of those spots where everything on the menu is delicious and unique. From grilled octopus and warm lamb's tongue with a 3-minute egg to chianti stained pappardelle and black spaghetti with rock shrimp, it's nearly impossible to go wrong. And considering the prestige of the place, with main courses all priced within the $20-36 range, Babbo is certainly expensive, but by NYC standards not at all outrageous. Getting in on the other hand can be tricky, since reservations are almost all scooped up promptly 1 month in advance. But for my fellow night owls, Dr. H and I dined at 10:30pm on Saturday and once before  at 10pm (and neither time with much (any?) advance planning) so you can be organized or flexible, either way being worth the trip!

One Bad Bite.

I know dude. It's over.

The other day I was eating a huge salad, one of those "you combine the ingredients and we'll chop em up for you" lunch favorites, when I got a bite of "tough" grilled chicken. You know the kind... sort of rubbery, chewy and generally ick? Mid-chew, only about 1/3 of the way through my salad, I had to spit the bite out (because I'm super mature like that) and afterwards the entire salad seemed suspicious to me. My stomach pretty much did a 180 and I went from really hungry to nauseated by the idea of ingesting another forkful. Lunch was officially over thanks to that one bad bite. 

About 45 minutes later, when the offending salad was long gone and my appetite had returned (as you might have guessed, I'm not the type of gal that can skip a meal without complaint!) I thought about how ridiculous it was that one bad bite had turned me off to what was likely an otherwise perfectly fine meal. But that's my thing.... an icky chicken bite, a visually unappealing "slimy" part of the turkey breast, if it looks weird or acts funny, I'm out. So food... bring me your tasty, your unusual and your adventurous, but leave your imperfections on the cutting board.

Healthy Habit of the Month X.

So bright. So refreshing.

This post is the tenth installment of SeektobeMerry's "Healthy Habit of the Month" series. Sourced from my bff's at Weight Watchers, online articles and my own efforts to keep fit and trim, throughout 2013, I will attempt to integrate one new healthy habit into my life each month. Join me!

Another month gone by, another chance to check in and see how healthy we're feeling. For me, this is always a difficult time of year - as I pull out the warmer (bulkier) clothing and gravitate towards hardier meals, I also seem to have less free time for exercising (fall is always so busy!) and less motivation to "make the right decision" when it comes to what I eat. October's lack of focus leads to November's holiday feast and then before you know it we're surrounded by holiday party booze and h'ordeuvres reaching without thought for another round of peppermint bark (yum). With so much going on, I thought we'd benefit from a super easy and (supposedly) highly beneficial new daily habit...

Healthy Habit of the Month #10: Rise & Shine with Lemon Water
Once upon a time I incorporated a cup of hot lemon water into my morning routine and while it lasted (errr... 2 weeks?) it was good. You see, lemons are packed with nutrients, including vitamin C, B-complex vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and fiber and research shows that consuming some lemon right after waking up is really good for you: "This is the best thing to consume upon waking, as it flushes the kidneys and the liver and alkalizes the blood. It also allows you to tune into whether or not you're really hungry." Lemon water has also been shown to de-bloat you, flush out the toxins in your body (by enhancing enzyme function, stimulating your liver), improve complexion annnnnd aid with weight loss!!! (because of pectin fiber's presence in lemon, lemon water has the effect of reducing your hunger). Is this not the easiest and most wonderful idea? This month, vow to start every day with a glass of lemon water and get ready to feel like a brighter, lighter you!! (More information and sources for my factoids HERE, HERE and HERE).

Be sure to check out past "Healthy Habit of the Month" posts here: 

- Month 1: Adding a fruit or vegetable to every meal

- Month 2: Schedule a workout
- Month 3: Find an accountability buddy

- Month 4: Keep track (of your movement)

- Month 5: Challenge yourself

- Month 6: 1 Perfect Week
- Month 7: Sleep on it

- Month 8: Pack a Snack

- Month 9: Drink up!

What we've been eating...

"It's chow time b*tches!" 

Happy Friday my merry friends!!! To send you into the weekend I thought I would share a bit about how Dr. H and I have been feeding our faces lately. It's been a glorious mix of cooking and Restaurant Week adventuring, with a little Citi Field deliciousness headed our way tonight. I think your belly wants to get in on the good times! Happy eating:)

Get on a roll... a Shrimp Roll!

I took THIS recipe for a test run the other night and was pretty pumped about the results. I followed the recipe almost exactly, only adding a bit of Old Bay for some extra kick (we like it spicy:) Quick, barely any ingredients and a thumbs up from Dr. H? Doesn't get much better than that.

Cheese makes everything better (even
your veggies!)

Confession - I need to try this recipe again. I overcooked the green beans by about 10 minutes (I never said I was a focused chef!) and they got a bit too well done. That said, the potential for greatness was definitely there and it's a quick and easy way to get tasty greens on your plate, so it's in the queue for another shot.

Taboon - 10th Ave. at 53rd St.

For our first Restaurant Week night on the town Dr. H and I hit up Taboon. A 15 minute walk from our apartment, we'd never been before, but I promise you we'll be going back! Not only was their prix fixe menu AWESOME, but there were so many other tasty options that it was hard not to deviate from the original prix fixe plan (which we did... nothing wrong with a little Sambuska and sauteed calamari on top of your three-course meal right!?)

I'm comin to eat with YOU Mr. Met!!

Fact: I have actually dined with Mr. Met (so what if I was the oldest "kid" at "Brunch with Mr. Met"? My Sis sure know how to nail a birthday present!) Tonight when Dr. H and I head to Citi Field (go Mets!) I'm going to bypass the new, fancy Shake Shack and Blue Smoke for a Shea Stadium classic that survived the trip to Citi - Mama's of Corona. Tucked into the World's Fair Market by section 109, I promise a Mama's italian sub will knock your socks off. Don't forget to add the mushrooms!!

You can call me Sporty Spice.

I just got home from a Knicks game and the BCS Championship Game is on tv. I saw over 5 hours of NFL football on Sunday and last week I watched the final episode of HBO 24/7 Road to the Winter Classic. Twice. At the moment, my hunger for sweatpants and the couch (my annual "winter hibernation") is being deliciously satisfied by a plethora of sports television. It's a good time of year to be a sports fan.

In honor of my sports-centric brain, because sports viewing means hearty eating with friends (so true) and to bring some merry-foodie-ness to the wide world of sports, here are a few sporty recipes from around the web:

Bring on the meat at: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2009/11/17/thick-and-hearty-chili/

Football requires something buffalo flavored: http://sweetpeaskitchen.com/2011/09/24/buffalo-chicken-bites/
Perk - these are WAY healthier than regular wings!

Easy peasy: refried beans, sour cream, guac, salsa, cheese, decorative peppers and MORE cheese!
Make it a bit healthier by using fat free beans and low fat sour cream and cheese (no one will know!)
Put it in individual glasses like THIS genius for easier sharing during the game.

Perfect for Superbowl Sunday at: http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/2011/02/you-gotta-see-this.html

Ohmagawd. please feed me this: http://thatssomichelle.blogspot.com/2011/08/oven-baked-chili-cheese-dogs.html

If you make THIS, you will be my hero.

Wow. An entire post about tv, eating and sports. Ooooh winter.