Chipotle Rubbed NY Strip

This steak is super easy to make and has a nice rustic feel too it. The chipotle in the rub give the steak a nice spicy and smokey flavor! 

You'll Need - 

NY Strip Steaks
Olive Oil
Minced Garlic
Steak Seasoning 

• Chipotle Powder
• Onion Power
• Salt
• Pepper
• Dried Oregano
• Dried Rosemary

Rub your steak with about a teaspoon of minced garlic, coating both sides. Next sprinkle a small about of each spice on both side. Let the seasoned meat sit for about 15 minutes.

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees and grab an oven safe frying pan. Turn the heat on high and wait until your pan is piping hot. Drop a teaspoon of oil in the pan and let that heat up. Gently put the steak in the pan and sear it for about 90 seconds on each side (this depends on how thick your strip is, if they are on the thin side, sear for about 60 seconds on each side) Doing this will lock in the juices. Next, place the covered pan in the oven to finish cooking. Roast the meat for 6-9 minutes, depending on how you like it cooked.

Mint & Lime Edamame

You'll Need -

Frozen Edamame
Limes
Fresh Mint


I first had mint and lime edamame when dining at the Kuma Inn. I eat edamame all of the time with just salt and had never thought about flavoring it in other ways! I loved the mint and lime combination and decided I had to try and recreate them at home. This recipe is super easy and makes a great side dish to any Asian meal! I use Trader Joe's frozen edamame. Start by preparing them according to the package directions.

While the edamame are boiling squeeze the juice from two limes and add freshly chopped mint leaves.

Pour over the edamame and enjoy!

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Roasted Patty Pan & Tomatoes



You'll Need -

Patty Pan
Grape Tomatoes
Minced Garlic
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
Lemon

Preheat oven to 350. Half the patty pan and tomatoes and season them with a little bit of of olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  

Place on a baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes. Garnish veggies with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.




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Spicy Sausage & White Bean Soup

You'll Need - 

1lb of Spicy Italian Sausage (out of casings)

10 Cups of Chicken Stock

1 Bag of Baby Spinach 

1 19oz Can of Cannelloni Beans (drain most of the liquid)

1 Onion Chopped

2 Cloves of Garlic (minced)

Oregano 

Crushed Red Pepper 

Manchego Cheese (optional for garnish) 

Start by browning the sausage in a skillet, drain the fat and then set aside. Next, sauté the chopped onion until translucent. Add the sausage, cooked onion, stock, beans, and garlic into a large soup pot and simmer for about 20 minutes. Season with oregano and crushed red pepper to taste. Add the fresh spinach and stir to incorporate. As the soup simmers you'll lose some of the broth so just add in some water if the flavors get too concentrated! Garnish with manchego cheese if desired!

Makes About 8 Servings ( 2 cups per serving)

Approximate Nutritional Value per Serving - 

Calories - 216

Fat - 7.3 (Sat 2.3)

Carbs - 13.5

Fiber - 4

Protein - 23

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Yerba Buena

I loved this place and after reading some other reviews on Yerba Buena,

it seems that I’m not alone!

Yerba Buena puts a fresh spin on Latin American cuisine... My friend who lives in the East Village took me here for dinner and right away I was impressed. Everything on the menu sounded so good! Whenever I can't decide I'll ask the waiter or waitress about their favorites! Our waiter, who was fantastic, recommended the Moqueca. When the food arrived at our table the presentation was beautiful and our meal smelled absolutely delicious!

Moqueca is a traditional Brazilian stew.  Yerba Buena’s spin is that their Moqueca is a cross between stew and seafood paella! I loved this dish, it was packed full of delicious seafood, the green rice added a nice texture, and the broth was super flavorful and had a nice kick of spice!

 

 

Moqueca

brazilian paella + shrimp + clams + calamari + bacalao

crawfish + stewed in coconut milk + palm oil + arroz verde

My friend ordered the Lechon which was also quite decadent! The pulled pork was super tasty and just melted in your mouth! The yucca added a nice mildness to the habanero. I wondered if if the habanero would would be overpowering, but it wasn't at all! On top of the pork were a few a delicious slices of chicharron (crispy fried pork skin) which added nice texture to the dish! 

 

Lechon
suckling pig + yucca puree + habanero mojo de ajo + chicharro

We also shared a side of the plantains. They were sweet and sticky and added a nice contrast to the savory spiciness of my Moqueca and the richness of the Lechon! 



Platanos

sweet plantains + truffle crema

For dessert we shared the Churros! They came to the table piping hot and were soooo yummy!!!

Churros

dusted with Mexican cinnamon + dulce de leche

chocolate sauce

 

The service at Yerba Buena was just as fantastic as the food. Our waiter was fun and personable, the manager came to the table to check in, and we were sent a free round of drinks at the end of the meal! I'd absolutely recommend checking this place out!! 

Spinach Stuffed Chicken

You'll Need


2 Chicken Cutlets (pounded very thin)
1/2 bag of Fresh Spinach
I Clove of Garlic (minced)
4 Thick Slices Cheese
1 Scrambled Egg
Parmesean Breadcrumbs
Salt & Pepper

Start by sautéing the spinach in a little bit of water and once the spinach starts to wilt add the garlic. Continue to cook on low heat until most of the moisture has evaporated from the spinach.

Next, season both sides of the cutlets with salt and pepper. In the middle of the seasoned chicken place down one slice of cheese (I like habanero cheddar for a kick, but Gouda or fresh mozzarella would be great too). Add spinach on top of the cheese and then top with another slice of cheese.

Fold the chicken around the filling and secure with toothpicks or skewers. Make sure they are folded up nice and tight so that all of the cheese doesn't melt out! Next, dip chicken in the scrambled egg and then coat with breadcrumbs. Place on a greased baking sheet and give the top of the chicken a little sprits of cooking spray. 

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes (time will vary depending on thickness of chicken)

Approximate Nutritional Info per Chicken Breast- 

Calories - 428

Fat – 23 (12 Sat)

Carbs - 10

Fiber - .5

Protein - 42

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Kin Shop

The executive chef at Kin Shop is Harold Dieterle who was made famous by winning Top Chef's Season One! He most recently opened Kin Shop in the West Village but he is also the chef/owner of Perilla which is just a few blocks away.

Chef Dieterle is known for intense flavors and now I know why! Kin shop serves a Thai-influenced menu of items that are meant to be shared and come to your table as they are ready.

We started with the Spicy Duck Laab Salad which may look like any standard lettuce wrap but once they are in your mouth you’ll realize that these are not your standard wrap at all…the spice is aggressive and I was thrilled! (I’m obsessed with spicy food and normally when something is marked spicy on the menu, I'm not impressed) This dish however caught me off guard, it was actually super spicy and soooo good! 

Spicy Duck Laab Salad -- toasted rice, ground chili & romaine hearts

The next thing we tried was the Bone Marrow which was served with some wonderful warm flatbread! I've been both freaked out and intrigued by bone marrow the last few months (here's my issue...my dog's favorite treat is a raw marrow bone but I've also seen them on multiple menus recently and have been told it's somewhat of a delicacy.) My curiously finally got to me and I ordered Truman's favorite snack for myself...yikes! The moral of the story is, I'm happy I gave it a shot because I'll try anything once and now I can knock this one off the bizarre food list! 

I'm sure in the world of bone marrow Harold did a fine job, the texture just isn't for me and I don't think I'll be ordering this again anytime soon!

 

Roasted Bone Marrow - crisp taro root, radish sprouts, roti & yellow bean sauce

Buttery Roti Flatbread

The last thing we ordered was the Northern Thai Style Curry Noodle. This also had nice clean and bold flavors. I expected this to be a noodle dish but it came out as more of a stew. The braised short ribs were served in a thick curry broth and a plate of additions came on the side. Fresh noodles, carrots, peanuts, bean sprouts and fresh herbs.

Northern Thai Style Curry Noodle - braised brisket, cucumber, peanuts, & fresh herbs

My friend and I had a great dinner here and I'm sure I'll be back! The menu is full of other things I'd like to try and the service was great...definitely my kind of place!

Lemon Chicken Couscous

You'll Need-

1 Large Chicken Breast (diced)
1 Cup Couscous (dry)
1 Cup Chicken Broth
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Lemon
1 Clove Garlic
1/2 Large Bag of Fresh Spinach


In a large saucepan add the chicken broth and butter and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the couscous and stir. Cover and remove from heat. After 5 minutes remove lid and fluff couscous with a fork. While you are waiting on the couscous grab a large skillet and saute the diced chicken. Add the couscous into the skillet with the chicken and grate in one clove of garlic and add the juice and zest of one lemon. Top with the fresh spinach. Add about 1/2 cup of water and cover the skillet so that the spinach steams and starts to wilt. Once the spinach has started to wilt, remove lid and stir to incorporate into the couscous. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I also like to garnish with more fresh squeezed lemon juice on top!

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Food World's Mongolian BBQ

At first glance you’d think that Food World is just one of many large delis in midtown serving everything from soups, salads, and sandwiches to sushi, hot buffet items, and pizza…but there is something special about Food World…and it’s their Mongolian BBQ!

With so many fresh veggies, meats, pastas, and sauces you really could create a different and healthy meal everyday for a year...or longer! One of my favorite things is that you get to serve yourself…just walk in, grab a bowl and fill it up with exactly what you want.

(Before)

One thing that I dislike about most delis in midtown is the salad bars. They aren't help yourself and the attendant usually gives you a tiny ammount of each veggie, and if you want more than a few veggies the price goes up! I love that it's self service at the Mongolian BBQ bar!

Once you’ve created your masterpiece you simply hand your bowl to one of the chefs and they’ll cook it right in front of you! Another bonus is that they don’t use fat on the grill! It’s a huge circular flat top and they cook each bowl with just the sauce that you add to your bowl and steam.

(After)

Food World is located on East 46th between 5th and Madison...A delicious AND healthy lunch option for those who work in the area, like me!