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Healthy Eating can be Delicious too! May 05 2017
This week at school they were handing out blue and white cookies in celebration of Israel’s Birthday. One of the parents said ‘No thank you, I’m doing The Whole 30 Diet.’ He only looked slightly disappointed as the cookies passed him by. The truth is we sometimes go on these extreme diets with the hope that in the end they will modify our eating habits. The good news is no matter what your eating habits are, healthy doesn’t have to equate to tasting bad.
At my house, we did The Paleo Diet almost 6 years ago. That meant for 10 days we had no caffeine, alcohol, carbs, dairy or salt. We did get to eat a lot of protein, fruits, and vegetables. The diet made me realize that some of the meal choices I made weren’t giving me the energy I needed. From this 10 day experience I made some changes for the better. Our house is now mostly carb-free. We rarely have pasta or potatoes as part of a meal and I must say I don’t really miss them. Here are some tricks to keep your healthy eating delicious.
- Season Your Food – The spice blends from La Boîte add an amazing amount of flavor to vegetables and proteins. That means you don’t need a heavy sauce to coat what you are cooking to make it taste delicious.
- Stick with Dark – Chocolate that is. Dark Chocolate doesn’t have any dairy mixed in which makes it much healthier for you to consume. The single origin bars from Palette de Bine take dark chocolate to the next level and really are out of this world. Now you might thinking, chocolate isn’t healthy. When you eat a bar as amazing as these you need just a little bit to satisfy even the biggest sweet tooths.
- Go Nuts – Almonds, Walnuts and Pecans make a great snack and pack a lot of energy into something easy to take with you. Our Ranch Salad Almonds are perfect for keeping your energy levels up during the day with something delicious and tasty.
I hope these tips will help you keep to your healthy eating goals and be the in the shape you desire before swimsuit season begins 😊
Happy Friday,
Julie
Our trip to The BIG Chocolate Show October 14 2016
Last Saturday I was able to attend The Big Chocolate Show in New York City. As you can imagine, it was a chocolate lovers dream. The show was at the Terminal Stores in New York, which once was a long tunnel trains passed through and is now a spectacular event space. It also is home to many offices, Colombe Coffee and The Porchlight. The setting was great and the chocolate did not disappoint.
I was really excited to try chocolate from newer producers. I can assure the bean-to-bar movement is still going strong. I tasted single origin chocolates made in everywhere from Mexico to Hoboken, New Jersey and Brooklyn too! I also got to learn more about the Fine Chocolate Industry Association and see what is on the horizon for the chocolate industry.
Here are the products that really stood out to me:
Gotham Chocolate: These chocolate bars and truffles are made in the kitchens at Gotham Bar and Grill in New York City. They had intense dark chocolate with coffee and white chocolate with smoked cinnamon from our friends at La Boîte. The packaging is stunning and the chocolate was really smooth and tasty.
John & Kira’s: This chocolate company is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They use delicious Valrhona Chocolate in their creations and the rest of the ingredients are typically local products. I tasted a divine honey caramel made with honey from a local farm. I bought some Pumpkin Spice Caramels to save for a special treat on Halloween.
Wolter Chocolate: This is one of the finest chocolates I have ever tasted from Mexico. It goes from tree to bar in the Tabasco region of Mexico. The company is just starting out and it was great to hear their stories of making chocolate and finding their way into the US market.
I left the show with a belly full of chocolate and a smile on my face. I have to say my two-year-old did too! I still think our collection of Rococo Chocolates and Cacao Prieto are outstanding among the competition. Now that the weather has cooled off it is time for chocolate to take center stage. We're busy getting ready for our open house next weekend. Stop by and enjoy a bar or two or three!
Happy Friday,
Julie
Fall is Here! September 23 2016
Yesterday marked the first official day of fall, if you are looking at the calendar. The weather in New York seems to be paying attention as we have relatively cool temperatures ahead of us. I’m excited to get out my jackets and sweaters. I just love being outside with a little chill in the air while still enjoying lots of sunshine.
While the beginning of fall marks a change in weather it also marks a transition from the freedom of the summer to the structure of the fall and the rest of the school year. My son is finishing his second week of school and we are starting to get into a routine. Having a daily routine helps me stay focused and also let’s me plan ahead. Right now I’m working on the details of our Fall Open House. Save the date for Sunday October 23rd. If you are in the New York area I hope you’ll make plans to pop by and see what we are all about. I’m not going to spoil all of the surprises just yet, but know it is going to be a fantastic day filled with delicious samples from our magnificent marketplace!
I hope the autumn weather is sneaking in wherever you are. Have a great weekend picking apples, raking leaves and watching football.
Happy Friday,
Julie
What's Trending... September 09 2016
I love keeping up with what is happening in the food world by watching cooking shows, eating out and reading lots of magazines. I may not be the best source of information on where to eat out in New York City anymore, but I do have my eye on what is happening in regards to producers and artisans around the world. I recently was reading an article about the current culinary trends taking America by storm. Like the Cronut, these trends may not last too long.
- Center Plate Vegetables: When I go to a restaurant I often order a dish based on what vegetables it contains, not what the protein is. As it turns out, I am not the only one doing this. Chefs are starting to showcase vegetables more and more and in some cases they stand out much more than their meat or fish counter parts.
- Rediscovered Jewish Deli Classics: I’ve always loved a good bowl of Matzah Ball Soup or a delicious Reuben Sandwich. These classics are being rediscovered in an upscale setting. The meats are still delicious and smoked but they are being offered in a more refined way. We have our eye on one of the up and coming rediscoveries and will definitely share the excitement with you when the product reaches the marketplace.
- Creative, Ethnic Fried Chicken: Some believe it doesn’t get much better than Pop-eyes or Kentucky Fried Chicken. Chefs across the country are doing their best to make this classic American dish even better. I had a delicious Fried Chicken Sandwich at Red Rooster in New York a few weeks ago. They call it the ‘Crispy Bird Sandwich’ and it was crispy and messy. Topped with Barbecue Sauce and cheddar cheese, I had to use a fork and knife to get through it!
- Insects on the Menu: This is one trend that I just cannot wrap my head around. When I used to go camping we would joke about eating insects for protein. Now you can get cricket flour and use it to make many amazing recipes. Just thinking about insects has me itching all over so I’ll leave this trend for someone else.
- Real Food and Mindful Eating: People often say to slow down and smell the flowers. In the food world, we say slow down and taste the food. These days more thought is going in to how food is grown and how it gets from the farmer to our table. We learn to treat ingredients with respect and enjoy their flavor much more than we did before.
While it is always interesting to see what is new and trending, I tend to stick with what I love. Delicious food made with the best ingredients possible. I hope you’ll find this in all of the products in the marketplace at Julie’s Beet. Some of them are definitely on trend for the moment and I believe those are the trends that are going to last.
Happy Friday,
Julie