Westville NYC

Westville has always supported my ‘healthy and happy’ lifestyle. And, what I love most about it, besides its cool NYC vibe (which hasn’t changed since I left NY), is the abundance of yummy veggie dishes. Yay for fiber!

After getting certified as a Holistic Health Coach, I’ve often gotten bombarded with the question, ‘How do I lose weight?’, ‘I want to be as skinny as her…’, and ‘How do I make my stomach go in?’ Valid questions for sure, but what’s the general answer to give everyone?

What people don’t realize is how important it is to eat good-quality vegetables. By eating veggies, you increase your fiber intake, which in turn, gets things moving down there and furthermore, leads to a smaller waistline. Also, when you eat tasty vegetable dishes, you tend to get fuller faster causing you to automatically reduce eating the ‘bad stuff.’ I try to aim to include different colors in my vegetable dishes so it is appealing to the eyes. Example: Add carrots and red bell peppers to your usual green salad. It really makes a difference!

This may sound like the easiest thing to do, but you’d be shocked to know most people forget to eat their vegetables. (maybe too much nagging from our Moms?)

Westville seems to have mastered that ability. My friend and I decided to catch up at their Chelsea location (they have 4 locations in total). We decided on getting a Kale Greek Salad with grilled salmon (to die for) and a plate of 4 market sides which included summer quinoa with mint, mango and pineapple, zucchini with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella, Brussels sprouts with honey Dijon, and roasted beets with goat cheese and walnuts. I walked out feeling so satisfied that I didn’t even glance at the dessert menu. I was walked out a happy camper with no guilt! Westville, http://www.westvillenyc.com

Market SidesKale Greek Salad

 

Arno Ristorante

Arno Ristorante has grown to become a favorite of my family’s. It all started as a place of convenience: It was just around the corner from my Dad’s office in the Garment District and was a great place for all of us to meet up for dinner. But, over the years, it has grown to become a familiar place, in which I can say brings back a lot of nostalgic feelings.

So, the other day we all decided to meet there before I headed off to The Lion King. I can’t even explain the excitement I felt when I saw this message on the menu.

This is definitely a new addition to the menu. I absolutely LOVE when restaurants care for and try to accommodate those of us with allergies and intolerances. Recently, I’ve been slowly eliminating gluten from my diet to support my PCOS-friendly diet. Check out this informative blog post from PCOS Diva to see why a gluten-free diet aids in alleviating PCOS-like symptoms.

Hence, why you could just imagine my excitement when I saw this option on the menu. I decided to order a mixed salad with the dressing on the side to start. I also opted for a half portion of gluten-free penne with tomato sauce and a dollop of ricotta cheese (I usually avoid cheese in my daily diet, but this was for good measure). Note to Restaurants: Offering half portions on your menu makes for happy customers with tiny stomachs.

Verdict: AMAZING. I can’t even tell you how great it tasted. It doesn’t taste like white pasta, but has a slight grainy texture. And, it is definitely lighter in flavor. This would be a repeat for me.

Thank you, Arno Ristorante for supporting us! If you work in and around the Garment District, I highly recommend this quaint Italian restaurant. Arno Ristorante, New York. http://www.delmonicosrestaurantgroup.com/arno/contact.html

Angelika Film Center

It feels good to be home. One thing that I love about NYC is the ability to do things that I probably wouldn’t be able to do in other cities — like, watch a high-budget independent movie in the middle of Soho. So, last night, I went to watch Before Midnight at the Angelika Film Center. What excited me even more than anything else was the fact that they had a ‘healthy alternatives’ section at the cafe upstairs.

My biggest pet peeve with theaters are that they don’t have any healthy options for people to munch on. Hiding healthy, fun food options like dark chocolate trail mix or a greek yogurt in my handbag gets kind of old fast. And, I always end up feeling a bit like a small-time criminal. So, you could just imagine my excitement when I saw this menu. Unfortunately, I walked in with happy, full tummy, so I couldn’t try anything on the menu. But, I have something to look forward to for the next time. Angelika Film Center, New Yorkhttp://www.angelikafilmcenter.com

PS. Sorry for the lack of good pictures. I was rushing for the movie!