Eating New York

I've been absent from the blog for a few reasons, but the most interesting one is that I was in NYC for four days on my BFF foodie trip!

The whole trip was lovely. It started a little cold, but by the time we left, it was 75 and sunny!

Side note: After prancing around Central Park in the sun, we returned to the second coming of Minnesota winter. Snow and rain and more snow. April, you are dead to me. 

We ate A LOT in New York. My body was begging for mercy by the end, but it was so fun!!!

Here's a rundown of the places we ate (in order of appearance) and then I'll tell you my favorite:

Snack Box
I'm not sure this is the best hot dog in New York, but it's still fun to eat a hot dog in the middle of Times Square. Plus, I got the pineapple relish, which was weird but good.

WD-50
We did the "From the Vault" tasting menu and it was amazing. Not as crazy as I would have thought from all the hype about Wylie Dufresne and his molecular gastronomy, but that was fine with me. My only complaint is that two of the seven courses has things that tasted like Fruit Rollups and I hate Fruit Rollups.

Bouchon Bakery
Pretty, pretty pastries. We were at the Rockefeller Center location and they had run out of all the hot breakfast items by 10 a.m. on a Sunday, but I probably would have just eaten the same Chocolate Almond Croissant even if I could have ordered eggs. (Also, I brought shortbread cookies home and they were delicious.)

Eataly
This was one of my favorites. I wish I could live near this place...no, I wish I could live right there in Eataly. You're surrounded by Italian ingredients and then you can sit down and order a meal made with all the good stuff you're looking at. It was busy even though we were there around 3 p.m. but we got a spot at the bar in Il Pesce (the fish place). I didn't realize how heavenly wine and salmon carpaccio on a Sunday afternoon could be. Thank you, Mario Batali (and the people who actually made my food).

Ca Va 
Our budget hotel happened to be across the street from this Todd English place, so we had to stop in. We had lamb short ribs and martinis at the bar, which were great.

Per Se
I was actually nervous for this, even though we were only going for dessert. I had such high expectations and they were all met. The food and service were both wonderful...and I'll give you the play by play below.

Norma's
This is my go-to breakfast spot in NYC. However, now that I know better than to order things like mountains of pancakes and chocolate-peanut butter waffles, it wasn't quite as great - this was partially due to unusually bad service on this visit. But I'll still be back when I've got the kids with me.

Dickson's Farmstand Meats in Chelsea Market
I had never been to Chelsea Market despite it being featured heavily on Food Network. It's such a nice little spot. It's made up of small shops and we chose Dickson's because my travel companion wanted a sloppy joe. I opted for the pastrami sandwich, which came with apricot chutney. Yum! It was the surprise hit of the trip. (We also ate a cupcake and mini donuts at the market, but the sandwich was the highlight.)

Doughnut Plant
We went to see the Chelsea Hotel and realized that Doughnut Plant's main location is there. Score! I know this is crazy, but I couldn't eat a donut. I had coffee, but my BFF represented with a rose donut. I just loved the space - donut tiles, donut pillows on the wall...love.

Prune
We wanted to eat here after reading "Blood, Bones and Butter" and I'm glad we did. The place is tiny and adorable. The waitresses wear pink, our drinks were both pink and they were playing Pink over the sound system (which was maybe a coincidence, but cute). I had a petite filet with potatoes that was lovely. And butter cake.

Sarabeth's
I feel like Anthony Bourdain mentioned this place once, but I could be making that up. Somehow I heard about it and I'm glad I did. It has a pretty, sunny location off Central Park and they serve porridge! (Which is delicious!)

See? That's a lot of food.

Ok, so my favorite was Per Se. Maybe because it was all about dessert. Maybe because I'd been anticipating eating there for years. Maybe because the dessert was amazing. Or maybe just all of that combined. I was giddy.

The Dessert Tasting is served in the Salon (not a bar, a bar would be too ordinary). Even though the service is legendary, I wasn't sure if there'd be any hoity-toityness when we arrived only wanting dessert, while most people pay $400 to sit in the dining room. There was not. The hostesses were sweet and welcoming.

The experience was lovely and perfect and delicious and fun and without any of the pretense that can come with a fancy dinner, so I'm actually not sure if I really want to eat in the Dining Room now...but I think I still do.

The Salon is elegant and dimly-lit, which is why I could not bear to turn on my flash and the following photos are dark. But enjoy.

Amuse bouche: Tiny ice cream sandwiches
that tasted like dreamsicles.

Another amuse: An homage to the famous Thomas Keller
salmon cornets,but this was sweet with pineapple. 

"Chamomile Soda"
Vanilla Tapioca Pudding and Sake Granita
(Delicious and I loved the Alice and
Wonderland-like presentation!)

Mango Sorbet
Carribean Papaya and Whipped Jasmine Tea

"PB&J"
Candied Virginia Peanuts, Red Verjus
"Pate de Fruits" and "Pain au Lait" Ice Cream
(This was one of my favorites. Look at that tiny sandwich!
And the ice cream was incredible!)

"Coffee and Doughnuts"
Cinnamon-Sugared Brioche Doughnuts
with Cappucino Semifreddo
(This was my favorite, favorite. It looks so simple,
but those donuts were perfect and the way the cappucino
was really ice cream? I mean, come on.)

Seville Orange-Vanilla "Creamsicle"
Manjari Chocolate "Cremeux" with Mint "Genoise"
(While I hesitate to make any disparaging remarks
about this experience, we didn't like this dessert.
It didn't taste like a creamsicle and the tartness
of the orange was overpowering.)

Housemade Chocolates
(Just when you think it's over, the waiter arrives
with a box of 30 different chocolates
in flavors such as "Dirty Martini White Chocolate."
Amazing! You can pick as many as you want,
although I'm not sure they'd love it if
you asked them to just leave the whole box.) 

And that, my friends, is how you eat New York. Or at least, a small portion of New York. Maybe I can do a family-friendly round this summer when we take the kids. Until then, I'll be focused on losing the 500 lbs. I just gained. 

(Recipes to return soon!)

Chili as Redemption

Oops, I didn't blog this weekend. I really meant to, but I did not. And I even had stuff to tell you and everything!

Saturday night was our belated Valentine's Day dinner. I had planned a dinner and a movie date, but we realized there were no movies worth seeing (I already saw Silver Linings Playbook), so we managed to be smart and remember that we've always wanted to go to Travail but we never have time to wait for a table. And so, the boys were off to grandma's and we were off to scenic Robbinsdale.

Now, let it be known that I wouldn't normally advocate for a place that doesn't take reservations and therefore forces you to wait for 2+ hours for a table (in Robbinsdale no less!), but Travail is special. Bon Appetit even thinks so. I had the pleasure of eating there on my last birthday with 7 of my generous friends. (Pro tip: You can make a group reservation at the big round table if you're willing to pay a large flat fee.) 

We arrived around 5:20 p.m., put our name on the list, and ordered a drink in the waiting area. During the wait, we discovered the tots, which are made with potatoes and bleu cheese (I think) and are AMAZING. But, that's just a side note. 

Heaven is tiny desserts.

We waited about 2 hours. The scene gets a little tense in that waiting area - every time you approach the bar, people get defensive of their 1x1 space and want to be sure you know that they were there first. Even if you're not even trying to get in line...and especially when they finally call your name and you proudly walk in front of everyone to be directed to your table. 

Anyway...we got seated. They offer an 8- and 15-course tasting menu - we got the 8-course menu because I didn't think I could eat 15, although maybe next time I'll try. (Btw, they offer menu items a la carte and people might actually order them that way, but that's just a silly waste of a 2-hour wait for a table in my opinion.)

So we ate. I don't even know what it was...they just bring you stuff and some of it is a course and some of it is an "amusement" and it's all fun and lovely. There was soup that tasted like gravy and a sous-vide egg in something green that was amazing and many other things that I did not photograph because my battery was nearly dead. At one point we were asked to close our eyes and the waiter assembled a frozen peanut butter and jelly concoction on the backs of our hands. Oh, and there was dry ice and pop-rocks (which I spit across the bar). 

But probably my favorite was the last course, the "Bite Flight" (pictured above). Each one of those pairs is a mini version of a thing you want to eat! Bananas foster, s'mores, white russian, caramel apple, creme brulee, and possible my favorite idea: Pound cake 5 ways. (It's that tiny square you see all the way in back.) I was giddy. The only thing I like better than dessert is a tray full of a million choices of dessert! 

The whole thing was just fun. (I know, such amazing descriptions, right? I'll probably never be a food critic.) And it was nice being there with my husband because the whole meal is served to be shared between two people...which is okay to do with friends, but probably better to do with your sweetheart. 

So that was my Valentine's Day/Saturday. It was NOT healthy or even remotely gluten, dairy or sugar free. In fact, it was so indulgent that I couldn't even bring myself to bake a healthy treat on Sunday.

But, have no fear, I've still got a Smart and Good recipe for you - and it's so healthy that it can redeem you from any food sins you may have committed the day before. (that's how it works, right?) 

The prettiest chili can be.

My Favorite Vegetable Chili in the Crockpot (gluten/dairy/sugar free!)

2 tablespoons red wine (this has sugar, you can skip if you don't want it to be AMAZING) 

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 jalapeno pepper, diced into tiny bits

1 rib celery, finely sliced

6 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 can black beans, , rinsed and drained

1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cups fat-free chicken or vegetable broth

1 can (6 ounces) natural tomato paste

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1. Heat red wine and olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until hot. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir until onions are tender. Put it in the slow cooker. 

2. Add all the other ingredients and stir it all up.
3. Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours.

I usually serve it with sour cream and cheese on top, but you can do whatever you want. And it's even better as leftovers the next day! And the next! And it's ALL good for you!

Meet the Doke

This weekend wasn't great. The hard drive on my computer suddenly died. And even though I had backed it up about 3 months ago, I feel this strange sense of loss about it. As far as I can tell, all I really lost was our Christmas photos (backup all of your photos to the cloud right now!), but it's just unsettling when you are reminded how reliant you are on machines.

Ok, so rather than bringing you a Smart and Good recipe today, I'm bringing you a Dumb and Ridiculous recipe, which is a little bit how I feel about grieving my hard drive.

Two years ago I started the tradition of attempting a crazy dessert-inside-a-dessert on Superbowl Sunday. It began with Pake (pie inside a cake) and then came Pookie (pie inside a cookie - from the Cakespy cookbook), so this year I attempted Doke...donuts inside a cake.

But before I take you through the Doke, I want to say that I also made these Mathematically Perfect Nachos and while they were awesome, I'm pretty sure you could achieve the same thing in less than half the time with Tostitos Scoops.

Now back to dessert. In previous years, I had a recipe. This year, I just dreamt the creation up with the help of some of my Facebook friends.

It started with donuts and a cake mix. Sure, I considered making both from scratch, but artful cooking isn't really the point of this annual tradition.

(Btw, I'm sure you could make this whole thing gluten and dairy free, but...there's probably a better thing for you to make if that's what you want to do.)

I made the cake batter as directed on the box and then I poured it into my angel food cake pan because I had a stroke of genius: Make the donut-cake IN THE SHAPE OF A DONUT!

I poured the batter in the pan with the intention of standing the donuts up on their sides, but there wasn't enough batter to cover them up that way...

So I shoved the donuts in as so (I fit 5 in there). We debated face up or face down and decided on face down thinking we'd flip the cake out of the pan at the end.

 I had to do some shaking, but the batter eventually covered all the donuts.

I baked it for 45 minutes, as the box said, but the batter above the donuts stayed wet, while the spaces between the donuts started getting crispy...I baked it for another 10 minutes or so before deciding it would be better to risk part of it being soft rather than burning it beyond recognition. It wasn't so pretty.

It got even less pretty when I tipped it out of the pan. The poor cake couldn't really set with all those giant donuts in its way, so it was a bit crumbly. But look! Doke!

I made my own buttercream frosting before we started. Had I not made it ahead of time, I would have skipped it because clearly there was no good way to ice this thing. However, I was still maintaining the hope of making it look like a giant donut, so I decided to try piping it on (despite the fact that it was still too warm).

Ta-da! It's Doke! Melty, lopsided, falling apart doke, but doke nonetheless.

How did it taste? Pretty good, actually. The donuts didn't even appear to notice they had been baked for another 55 minutes and the cake and frosting were yummy. I think a different pan and possibly mini donuts rather than the full-size model could produce a more cohesive (literally) dish.

So happy Superbowl and sugar rush to you! Tomorrow we get back on the moderation wagon.

Winter Blues and Banana Bread

We're in my least favorite part of winter. The part where the holidays are all over, the shiny newness of the new year has worn off, and the spring is still so, so far away.

This time of year makes the perfect scenario for weight gain, as all I want to do is curl up under a blanket and drink wine, or, if I'm feeling really ambitious, put on my slippers and bake something...and then probably crawl back under the blanket to eat it.

This year is a little different because I'm so scared to go back to my regular way of eating, for fear that I will also return to my bloated, puffy self who wants to lose 10 lbs., rather than 6 (mentally, there's a big difference). In fact, I didn't reintroduce gluten until tonight at dinner, with spaghetti. (And, honestly I do feel that familiar puffiness returning after eating that pasta.)

Yep, I've been living gluten free totally of my own volition in the 6 days since the cleanse was over! I actually didn't even have any alcohol until this weekend either, so there's definitely been a shift in the way my brain is thinking about food (and drink) - I think maybe, just maybe, I'm learning to value how I feel over what tastes good in the moment.

The thing is, I'm not going to say "never" to any food - not only does that make eating out really hard, but it's just not fun - but I can learn to eat LESS of the stuff that makes me feel gross. If it turns out, for example, that chocolate mousse makes me feel like dying, then I guess I'd try to avoid it under normal circumstances, but if I were to find myself at, say, a fancy dessert tasting in New York and the waiter was to bring me chocolate mousse, well...I'd probably accept that I was going to feel like shit for a little while and decide it was worth it. And it probably would be.

However, I'm not willing to accept that I have to live without baked goods if my body turns out to hate gluten, which brings me to my Smart and Good recipe of the week, which I found comforting and perfect for this arctic, depressing weather.

Gluten-Free Banana Bread (recipe adapted from Betty Crocker)
1 1/4 cups maple sugar (you can get it at Whole Foods)
1 stick butter - softened
2 large eggs
3-4 mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups gluten-free flour
1 1/2 tsp xantham gum
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Spray loaf pan with gluten-free baking spray
3. Use mixer to combine butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix until combined. Add bananas, milk, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
4. Add dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.
5. Pour batter into pan and bake for 60-75 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

I recommend eating a warm slice with coconut butter. Yum!

I Feel Good

You'll probably be happy to know that my cleanse is coming to an end tomorrow. It hasn't been easy and a lot of it hasn't been fun, but a funny (yet predictable) thing has happened: I don't want to binge on sugar and gluten and dairy anymore.

Here are the key things I've learned:

• Paying to be on a cleanse instills much more accountability than trying to do it on your own for "free". (Signing up with a friend is even better!)
• Sugar is in virtually everything and we're all addicted (and my kids eat WAY too much sugar).
• It's possible to cook amazing food that doesn't contain dairy, sugar or gluten. 
• Shopping at Whole Foods will easily double your grocery spend (this is a problem).
• This is the best way to lose weight without exercise that I've found (I've lost 4 pounds - if I lost 6 more, I'd be at my goal weight...also, yes, you should exercise).
• Vegan food tastes better once you've deprived your body of refined sugar and dairy for a week or so.
• Cooking with whole foods takes a lot more time than cooking with packaged foods (at least when you're first learning, it does).
• There are a lot of alternatives to gluten, dairy and refined sugar if you're willing to do the work and spend the money (see above)

As always, it's good to try new things and I'm glad I did this. I'm actually excited about learning to bake with less gluten and sugar. (Or not bake, as in the case of these awesome Coconut Snowballs I made today.)

It's bittersweet, I suppose. I feel great. I'm really grateful that I've learned another way to eat. I got some really great recipes and my jeans fit better. But...I'm worried I will never fully enjoy dessert again. I'm worried that I won't ever be able to drink another glass of red wine without thinking about it's sugar content. I'm worried that food is going to feel daunting and dangerous rather than fun. I'm sure all of this will wear off as I get farther away from eating such a strict diet, but that's what I'm feeling at the moment.

But, enough with fake problems, this should all be a happy thing! In one more day I will have done yet another thing I never thought I could do: 15 days without a Starbucks fancy drink! (but I did have coffee) 15 days without dessert! 15 days without chocolate! 15 days without baked goods! I did it! Yay me! And if any of you are inspired enough to try this thing out for yourself, there's another round starting in February!

As a way of ensuring that I don't totally abandon this newfound perspective once I finally get a taste of some sweet, sweet chocolate and wine, I'm pledging to post what we'll call a "Smart and Good" recipe every week. I'm not promising they'll all be totally gluten/sugar/dairy free, but they will probably be at least one or two of those things and they won't have refined sugar in them, because honestly, I'm throwing that shit out.

Holy Date Balls

Greetings from day 2 of being gluten-, sugar-, dairy-, white food-, and alcohol-free. It turns out that I did not have to give up caffeine entirely! I am allowed one precious (small) cup of coffee per day...with coconut milk and without any sugar.

I am going through gluten withdrawal. I thought it was sugar withdrawal, but the experts say it's the gluten. I feel half hungover and half asleep...and slightly like I have the flu (which I'm hoping is not the case, as it has been going around my house). I felt fine yesterday, but this morning it hit me hard. It's pretty crazy that one day without it can have such a big effect. (Yes, yes, I know, this is what all of this is supposed to teach me...I am learning.)

I feel like I did the night before I had sinus surgery, when I couldn't eat or drink anything and I was terrified that I would absent-mindedly just start eating. I haven't been tempted to cheat, but I'm worried I'll just forget what I'm doing and reach for one of the twenty bazillion candy dishes around my office.

So yeah, this is not the fun part of the cleanse. However, I believe the fun part is coming. The part where I feel amazing and maybe lose some weight. I just have to make it through the next 2 or 3 days...please don't let it be any more than that.

On the bright side, I've been cooking lots of new stuff! Kale chips, protein bars, black bean soup, chicken quinoa green olive stew...all of which have been really, really good. Oh yes, and the date balls (pretty much dates, honey, nuts and coconut flakes in a food processor), which I had a lot of doubt about, but which have turned out to be a friend indeed.

Oh god, I'm eating date balls and liking it. What if when I emerge from this, I can never truly enjoy dessert again? What if when I see a salted caramel crepe, all I can think is how much sugar and gluten it contains?

I suppose that's a problem to consider in 14 days...right now I'm focused on making it to bed without accidentally shoving a truffle in my mouth. Stupid after Christmas clearance.

Impending Doom, or How I Unwittingly Agreed to Stop Eating Dessert

You guys, I think I'm about to do something stupid. Sure, sure it's good for me, but I can't help wondering if the "good for me" card isn't sometimes trumped by the reality card.

I'm starting a diet detox/cleanse thing on Monday. It's 15 days long. I signed up back before Christmas because I knew I'd want to do something healthy to kick off the new year. And because I really want to lose 10 lbs. and because I'm going to need to wear a swimsuit in 127 days (but who's counting?) when we go to Las Vegas.

I didn't realize when I signed up that it was so drastic. I thought I'd reduce the bad stuff but not give it all up. For real, I have to give up everything: dairy, gluten, soy, caffeine, alcohol and sugar! ALL sugar...except for fruit and we all know that doesn't really count.

ME! Giving up sugar! And Starbucks! Is it smart or even reasonable for a sugar enthusiast and caffeine addict such as myself to take such drastic measures? What if I am healthier but slip into a deep depression from lack of coffee and dessert joy?

I realize of course that the fine ladies leading this cleanse (my stepsister being one of them) would say I'm the perfect candidate for this cleanse because I'm so hooked on all bad stuff. I know they would tell me that I'm going to feel a new kind of joy when I see how I feel without sugar, etc. and I actually do believe them...even though this conversation is hypothetical. I know that I like things that are not always good for me and I know these things counteract my efforts to be healthier and yet...

Is life really worth living if you can't eat dessert?

Ok, I know it's only 15 days. I'm just having a temper tantrum and thinking of all the reasons why I should quit before I even start. Buying all these crazy healthy groceries will be expensive. I'm going to have to cook entirely separate meals from my family. I can't eat out, except I have a date with my husband next Friday at a sushi place, so I'll basically have to eat sashimi without soy sauce OR a martini. And we can't reschedule because it's a Living Social deal that's about the expire and I can't also give up my love of a good deal!

Sigh. I know these are not real problems. It's time for an attitude adjustment.
I can do this! This morning I ran 2 miles in 12 degree weather! I survived premature babies and my father's death and my stepson's nightmare of an adolescence. Sugar will not be the thing that takes me down!

Now excuse me while I go binge on coffee, cheese, chocolate and beer. Monday is still a good 30+ hours away.