Cranberry and Walnut Buckwheat Pancakes

Cranberry Walnut Buckwheat Pancakes

As much as I curse winter – when the temperature outside approaches single digits and the walls of concrete skyscrapers lining 5th avenue turn into gale-force wind tunnels with threatening speeds that almost knock you into oncoming traffic; as much as I loath hurdling over the puddles of dirty ice water on every street corner, and the tingling sensation you get from defrosting your extremities on the overpowered radiator in your apartment, the same heat source which causes you to wake up in the middle of the night with feverish sweats because your management company decides to blast the heat with no concern for the environment or your sanity, yea..as much as I think I hate winter, I’m reminded on lazy, Saturday afternoons, gazing out the window overlooking snow covered sidewalks littered with discarded Christmas trees, that winter is really not so bad.  Continue reading

Blueberry Coffee Crumb Cake

Blueberry Coffee Crumb Cake

I went blueberry picking with my family a few weeks ago in beautiful Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Since we don’t really have “pick your own” in NYC, I try to take advantage of the gorgeous produce at the local farms near my family’s home every chance I get.  The blueberry bushes at Solebury Orchards were brimming with perfectly ripe berries, practically falling off their stems , ready to be picked.  With little effort, we had 6 full quarts of plump blue berries, certainly more than we knew what to do with.  Continue reading

Kohlrabi and Summer Squash Fritters with Yogurt-Dill Sauce

Kohlrabi and Summer Squash Fritters with Yogurt Dill Sauce

Kohlrabi and Summer Squash Fritters with Yogurt Dill Sauce

I have made it my mission to cook as many healthy, locally sourced and seasonal recipes as possible this summer.  Not just because it’s summer and I have to be seen in a bathing suit in a week (eek!), but  mostly because when I eat well, I feel well, and that is really the most important thing to me when it comes to my diet eating habits. I hate using the word diet because I really don’t believe in them.  I feel that by restricting the foods I eat I often crave them more, leading to binge eating which is never, ever a good look.  I am quite petite, so I do have to eat less than other non-vertically challenged people, but watching what I eat is far different from restricting what I eat.  As you can see on this here blog, I do have a pretty strong sweet tooth, which I used to always try to deny.  But I found when I didn’t have that cookie, I’d wind up eating 10 later in the week, and that just wasn’t working.  When I allow myself to eat smaller portions of things I like, and truly enjoy them without feeling the guilt, then the cravings disappear and it turns into a lifestyle of conscience eating, rather than endless weeks of diets that fall short.  Continue reading

Kale Salad with Ricotta Salata and Creamy Avocado Dressing

Kale Salad with Ricotta Salata and Creamy Avocado Dressing

A few weeks ago, my boyfriend, Jordan, and I took a much needed long weekend away from the city. I love everything about living in NYC… the energy, the skyline, the food (obviously), the endless list of things to do at any given hour of the day… but let me tell you, it can get to be a lot. The noise, the crowds, the inconvenience of having to be anywhere on time, it can be unbearable sometimes.  If you live in NYC you will absolutely know what I’m talking about.  If you don’t then it’s hard to put into words…it can sort of feel like this.  Especially after this wretched winter, when everyone was surly and miserable because the weather was so incredibly oppressing, we were just over it and needed a weekend away. So we booked a long weekend at a small lake house in the Berkshires.  Just Jordan, our dog Brody and myself.  Continue reading

My favorite Banana Bread

My favorite Banana Bread

Whenever I buy a bunch of bananas, it never fails that I have at least 2 or 3 left at the end of the week that have turned completely black and are no longer very appealing for topping cereal or sliced on peanut butter toast. I realized this past weekend that I’ve probably been doing it on purpose…because you can’t make banana bread without over-ripe, almost rotten, bananas.  Continue reading