The best sushi in town...

One of the first and the best sushi restaurant I've ever tried out in the city! So for all you sushi lovers there is no place like Iron Chef's Masaharu Morimoto's own meatpacking bi-level casual chic Japanese restaurant: Morimoto...

Soft Shell Crab roll, California roll, Spicy Tuna roll, Spicy Salmon roll, Eel Avocado roll

From my plate to yours, 

Maria 

Read More

Healthy Fast Foods

Who said fast food cannot be healthy?

What you think fast food should look like! 

If you are not really a fan of cooking don't worry I won't call the Martha Stewart police on you! When you are always on the run whether its to catch the train, a gym class, an actual class, or for a quick lunch break there are always so many options.

Fast food is cheap, quick, filling and convenient. With so many places serving healthy and nutritious food in a fun, fast, and affordable way healthy can now be yummy! So here is my list on the best health fast food ideas:

• Make your own Salads on the go. Whether its tossed, chopped, or both those customized salads are really the new deal. Choosing your own base for greens, toppings, and dressing what else do you need? 
• Make your own Burrito or Bowl. Hola! Mexican food can be healthy, and including the correct amount of veggies and protein can make your burrito or rice bowl delicious, satisfying, and nutritious. 
• The old fashioned chicken noodle soup. Soups are the typical comfort food they are usually low in fat, have high water content, and are filling. A cool fact about soups, people who consume low-calorie vegetable based soups before their main meal consume up 20% less calories than people who don't. 
• It's all about the juice! There is a new hype about juice cleanses, detox juices, and smoothies. Well yes, yes, and yes. Although it's always better to eat whole fruits and vegetables. Juices and smoothies can be a tasty snack on the go. One of the best ways to get your daily fruits and veggies if you are not a big fan! 

                                                 

What fast food can be! 

From my plate to yours, 

Maria 

Read More

Liquid Candy

Don't drink your calories! Eat them!

Sugar sweetened beverages? Say what! From soft drinks, vitamin water drinks, sweetened tea, energy drinks, and fruit drinks. Sugar sweetened beverages include any beverage with added sugar. It can also include your coffee or tea with that extra sugar or honey touch.

What SSBs really are! 

Here are some facts on Sugar Sweetened Beverages (SSBs):

• A typical can of soda or soft drink contains around 15 to 18 teaspoons of sugar and more than 240 calories. So drinking 1 can of soda per a day equals 50 pounds of sugar a year according to the NYC Department of Health.
• SSBs are the largest source of added sugar in people's diet 
• High consumption SSBs may lead to adverse health effects such as tooth decay, diabetes, and obesity

Why drink liquid candy when you can actually eat candy? 

So here is the solution instead of drinking SSBS why don't you:

• Drink sparkling water 
• Drink skimmed or low fat milk 
• Drink 100% fruit or vegetable juice
• Drink ice water with sliced cucumber, lemon, strawberries, ginger or lime

     

Now that's more like it! 

From my plate to yours, 

Maria 

Read More

4 Quick Tips When Eating Out!

Who said eating out cannot be healthy?

Eating out or ordering in is getting more and more popular these days. Unfortunately making healthy and tasty foods choices is easier said than done. While eating out in NYC or any other city there are a few simple tricks to indulge without overindulging.

4 quick steps to savor the best while cutting back on those calories:

• Rule number 1: Sharing is caring! Although Joey does not like to share food. The easiest way to enjoy a three course meal without having the post-guilt feeling is to share. Easier said that done? Well not really. Why don't you share an appetizer and dessert and enjoy your entree. That way you are getting the full experience without the full amount of calories. 
• Rule number 2: Salad? Yes please! Starting your meal with a salad or having a salad as a side order instead of fries ensures that you are getting your veggies for the day and helps keeping you satisfied. 
• Rule number 3: Grilled, Baked, or Broiled. Restaurants are notoriously known to add more than the needed amount of oil or butter while cooking. That's why going for grilled, baked, or broiled options in meat, fish, or poultry really helps cutting down on those calories.
• Rule number 4: Walk it out! Pick a restaurant that is around a 10 to 15 minute walk from your apartment. It's simple walk on your way there and way on your way back. By doing so you'll enjoy your meal and also get 30minutes of physical activity out of the way. 

                        

So whenever you go out or order in remember to enjoy it! 

From my plate to yours, 

Maria 

Read More

Chapter I

When in New York,

Reservations, Take out, Home Deliveries, Cooking or all of the above? Food, food, it's all about food in NYC. Whether it's the cozy french bistro right around the corner in the West Village, the hole in the wall shops in the East Village, the loungey restaurants in the Lower East Side,  the New American cuisine in Flatiron, or even the hipster restaurants in Williamsburg it's all here in the big Apple.

Someone once told me that on a given day if you wanted to try out all the restaurants in NYC it would take 50 years of eating out everyday. What's hot and what's not changes by the minute. Being a foodie, an explorer, and a nutritionist my goal is to try all the cool and trendy places in the city. So far I have come up with quite an impressive list of the cool places and the not so cool places.

In this blog I will be sharing my thoughts about chic places to go grab a bite, have a romantic dinner, have a crazy night out, or simply have comfort food. This will be my guide to eating and living healthy. Taking over New York's Wicked Spoon & Making Health Mainstream!

From my plate to yours,
Maria 

Read More