My Visit With Edible Schoolyard NYC

I made a voluntary visit to Edible Schoolyard and was not compensated for my time. 

I couldn't have asked for a better day to visit Edible Schoolyard NYC on Friday. The sun was finally shining and it was actually really warm but it felt SO good to be outside and what better way to soak up some vitamin D than hanging out in a large, edible garden?

Edible Schoolyard

If you are unfamiliar with Edible Schoolyards, let me fill you in. They are a non-profit organization on a mission to educate children and to transform their relationship with food. ESYNYC partners with New York City public schools to provide gardening education and hands-on cooking classes.

Alice Waters brought her vision to life in Berkley, California in 1995, founding the Edible Schoolyard Project. The goal was to implant the edible program into school's everyday curriculum to increase awareness and teach children about the connections between food, health and the environment.

Edible Schoolyard

How awesome is that? I think it is a privilege to have a garden, let alone in NYC where many of us do not have the land to grow one. Knowing where your food is coming from and watching it grow is so special and I personally don't think it should be taken for granted. I have previously counseled adults who have never tasted a fresh vegetable before. I know what some of you may be thinking - how is that possible??

Edible Schoolyard

Well, two things come to mind: lack of fresh produce accessibility and education separation. I understand that fresh produce can be more expensive vs say canned or frozen. Not to say that eating canned or frozen vegetables is "bad", if that's the only way to consume your daily intake, I fully support that. Whatever you need to do to make it work.

The other piece is the education gap. If you did not grow up eating fresh vegetables and were not informed on the positive impact it can have on your health, how would you know to eat them? You wouldn't really know the importance. This is where educators come in to help spread the word. Places like Edible Schoolyards are changing that everyday. Lets continue educating while they are young.

Edible Schoolyard

They also have a composting section in the garden where nothing goes to waste. The students learn about sustainable practices like how we can help our environment thrive.

Edible Schoolyard

Edible Schoolyard

The garden is also filled with fruit trees, including Bing cherry and Asian pear! I love the variety of produce being grown here. It is never a bad idea to branch out and try new flavors and unfamiliar foods.

Edible Schoolyard

I picked off and tried out some fresh mustard greens and they were honestly so tasty! You can really taste the difference in flavor and the quality of fresh lettuces. And don't worry, I was told I could pick and sample ;)

"94% of NYC children don't eat enough vegetables" - Edible Schoolyard NYC.

Edible Schoolyard

Cooking classes are held inside of the classroom using seasonal produce and ingredients. Students learn how to cook and incorporate produce from the garden. These students come from over 50 cultural backgrounds and I was so happy to hear that they make a different ethnic dish from each and every one of these cultures.

Some areas of the garden that I didn't capture included the greenhouse and chickens (and baby chicks). During colder months, garden classes are held inside but now that the weather is finally nice, they have classes outdoors in the garden.

Edible Schoolyard

 The Edible Schoolyard NOLA was one of my favorite rotations during internship at Tulane and it will always hold a special place in my heart. I witnessed students' eyes opening up to the reality surrounding the positive impact the garden had on their environment, health and relationships with food. I'd like to personally thank the team of Edible Schoolyard NYC for hosting my visit and allowing me to share this experience with all of you!

I hope you have a great week and happy Monday!

xoxo

Short Food and Beverage Guide: Los Angeles

This post is not sponsored.

Hi guys! Before we get to my Short Food and Beverage Guide in Los Angeles, I want to share some thoughts and say hello after a little hiatus.

What can I say...the past few months have been interesting. There is a time and place for everything and I truly believe everything happens for a reason. You may have heard me say this repeatedly but it's what helps get me through and maybe for you as well. There are some seemingly negative experiences that exist to teach us a huge life lesson and I am currently going through one, but with all of this comes major growth. So with a shift in perspective, the perceived negative is actually a positive. I am excited.

Manhattan Beach guide

And because you don't hear from me as often on this space, you can always follow along on my Insta journey!

Now back to the juicy stuff - FOOD. I spent one week back in LA for a friend's wedding and to catch up on some quality friend and nature time (don't get enough nature in NYC.) I went back to old favorites which I didn't capture but I really enjoyed these new-to-me spots that are now up there as some of my favorites! Majority of breakfasts were kept simple and eaten at home so I am sharing a couple of lunches, dinners and delicious beverages in various areas of the wildly spread out city that is Los Angeles ;)

Short Food and Beverage Guide: Los Angeles 

Coffee and tea

Coffee Commissary in Burbank. This is a local coffee and food chain throughout LA. This location is beautiful, with a bustling indoor space or chill outdoor patio. LA's #1 coffee.

latte guide

Alana's Coffee Roasters in Culver City. I immediately loved this cafe due to the name of course! The coffee is great and has an abundance of outdoor seating with a large backyard area (and puppies).

Iced coffee guide

TeaPop in NoHo (North Hollywood). This tea & art shop is legit and something special. A fun selection of homemade teas and tasty snacks/baked goods - I got the kale & chickpea salad.

TeaPop guide

Tom's in Venice. The infamous shoe designer now has several cafes spread across the country, serving up their own roasted beans and teas. The outdoor patio had a lax vibe including blankets and pillows.

Iced tea guide

Brunch/Lunch

The Butcher's Daughter in Venice. This earthy, plant-based restaurant is filled with as much plants and Bohemian-chic home decor as it is food.

Avocado toast guide

Coffee Commissary for both the coffee and veggie breakfast burrito/smoked salmon toast.

Burrito guide

Little Ruby's in Santa Monica. This Aussie cafe serves both food and alcohol in a cozy indoor and outdoor space one block away from the ocean and pier.

Salad guide

Dinner

Beauty and Essex in Hollywood. Want to scope out some vintage jewelry and have a fantastic meal? This is the place. I suggest also sipping on a cocktail at the bar if you can.

Scallops guide

Beauty and Essex guide

Doughnuts

Sidecar Doughnuts in Santa Monica. This one deserved a category all on its own. So many original and classic flavors, along with coffee. Also, do you spell it doughnut or donut? I'm curious :)

Doughnut guide

This rounds up my short eating guide in LA! There were so many more eats that were had during the week but I chose not to capture and 'gram everything. I hope you get the chance to check these places out if you haven't already. Be sure to let me know if you do!

Have a great Monday and start to another fresh week!

Best Matcha - The Ultimate Guide in NYC

Looking for good matcha in NYC? I've got you covered with The Ultimate Matcha Guide in NYC, rounding up the smoothest and best-tasting (in my opinion). Read on below to see where you can find the best matcha lattes in the city!

What constitutes "good" matcha? Fine powder (Japanese), non-bitter, not too strong or too weak & smooth finish.

1. Saltwater Coffee - my personal favorite matcha latte and go-to. They use House of Matcha ceremonial grade matcha which I find to be one of the smoothest out there. Refreshing Aussie cafe with the friendliest baristas and pretty decor.

best matcha

1. Greecologies - newest find and almost equivalent to Saltwater. They use their own Proprietary Blend from Uji, Japan (pure and fantastic). Ample seating with killer aesthetic, great place to do work. Also, solid music playlist!

best matcha

1. Cha Cha Matcha - trendy AF but it's good. A quirky, tropical vibe that is usually always packed. They use ceremonial grade matcha from Uji, Japan. I like their extensive list of milk/non-dairy beverage options.

best matcha

1. Zenchai Matcha Cafe - relaxing and quiet atmosphere. They use their own ceremonial grade blend from Japan and is proud of their artisan-approached tea service. Another great place to do work and chill. Try the truffle avocado toast too!

Some other notable places: Gotan,Chalait, MatchaBar, Boba Guys, Bluestone Laneand many more I have yet to try

best matcha

For all of you matcha lovers and those who remain curious, I hope you find this helpful!

The Best Pancakes in NYC

Pancakes

I felt the need to share this with you all because I have recently came across some seriously good pancakes here in the city. I have always loved pancakes but never bothered to order them out as much as I have over the past few weeks. Why? It's so easy to make at home and you can put whatever you want in them.Apparently, NYC has a killer pancake game and I can now attest to that. I am only sharing my top three with you but there are definitely more stacks out there that need to be eaten. FYI - I claimed each of these my favorite after eating but I think my #1 goes to Hi-Collar. The other two might be a tie. All so amazing, you're just going to have to take my word for it.Japanese-style hot cakes at Hi-Collar. So ridiculously fluffy! Comes with a side of special orange marmalade butter and maple syrup. My favorite thus far.Blueberry pancakes at Clinton Street Baking Co. These came closest to classic buttermilk pancakes.The banana pancakes from Brigitte are cake-like yet light. A must-get stack when you're brunching here.

If you have any more recs in NYC, I'd love to hear from you!

Healthy Options with Ready Pac Foods

This post is sponsored by Ready Pac Foods. All opinions remain my own. 

I was asked to review the latest healthy, convenient food items from Ready Pac Foods. As always, I promise to give you my honest opinion!

I was very excited to try out Ready Pac Food's newest products: Fresh Prep'd Soup Kits & Wrap Kits. This new line of product definitely holds true to their motto of, "your day is packed; we packed you lunch". We all lead busy lives in our own way and some days it's extremely nice to not have to worry about what's for lunch (or dinner). Not only are these soup and wrap kits convenient but they are a great addition to a balanced lifestyle.

The Fresh Prep'd kit line consists of five different soup and wrap flavors each. You might be wondering how they stay so fresh, being shipped all over the country or finding them in your local deli and produce isles? They first use the freshest ingredients possible. During processing, they maintain specific cutting, washing and drying technology and then use special packaging formats to ensure maximum freshness.

Vegetable wrap

Vegetable wrap

If you have ever purchased a pre-made, store-bought wrap before and came to find that is was a tad underwhelming (the worst when you are hangry!), then be prepared to have your taste buds blown. Fresh Prep'd Wrap Kits do NOT get soggy. I know, I also found that questionable at first but trust me, these wraps are FRESH. See below for the assembly breakdown: All kits come nicely packaged with individual food slots (love this) so you have the option of leaving out whatever ingredient(s) you wish. All you have to do is remove the flour wrap and fork that is with the vegetables underneath. Mix in your add-ons to the veggies and add the desired about of dressing. Stir to combine well. Remove wrap from package and unfold. Add filling to the middle of the tortilla and fold/wrap up tightly like a burrito.

Vegetable wrap

Pictured is the Roasted Vegetable & Feta Wrap. I personally thought this flavor was delicious! I love how customizable all of the wraps are.

The Fresh Prep'd Soup Kits are equally as easy and perfect for work lunches. All you have to do is mix in the add-ons and soup base, add water and heat for approximately three minutes. I was amazed at how crisp and fresh the veggies stayed in the soup and the abundance of veggies! You can also add the desired amount of soup base you wish. Pictured below is the Tuscan White Bean kit - very good!

Soup

I honestly didn't expect these to be as satisfying as they were but they did the job and I highly enjoyed them. I gravitated more towards the wraps only because I am not always in the mood for soup. Work lunches were such a breeze when I had these on hand - minimal meal planning, easy to eat and even easier clean-up. I would definitely order more of these kits and plan on doing so!

Thanks again to Ready Pac Foods for providing me with product to review!

Trader Joe's Eats July

Maine

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Omelet

Hello and happy July! I hope for those of you who celebrated had a nice July 4th holiday and took part in some self-care. I spent the holiday along with a few extra days in Camden, Maine and savored every last minute of fresh air and lobstah! I posted some food pics on Insta you can check out if you missed it. One of my favorite things to do right when I get into Maine is take a looong inhale of quality air. After being stuck in a polluted city with too many crowded streets, it is SO refreshing to get out and breathe a little.I'm sharing with you another Trader Joe's Eats - just some super simple and no-fuss recipes using new and old Trader Joe's goods. Apologies if you have already seen these on my IG feed - a little late posting this!We made homemade pizza one evening using their new cauliflower crust pizza (you can find it in the frozen section). Let me just say how much easier it is to use pre-made, frozen cauliflower pizza crust! It can definitely be a fun experience making your own, but this way, you don't have to worry about tiny pieces of cauliflower spilling all over the place and forming your own dough. I am all about easy and convenient these days and I think there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, especially living in NYC.I left the cauli crust in the oven for maybe 10 minutes longer than the suggested cooking time to get that extra crisp on it. I would probably leave it in for even longer next time - love the crispy crunch! For those of you who have never tried cauliflower crust pizza before, you need to add a lot of flavor from the sauce and/or toppings. We topped ours with this crazy flavorful eggplant garlic spread along with shredded cheese, spinach, mushrooms and pancetta. Definitely recommend this combo!I was so intrigued by these veggie patties (also from the frozen section). They taste like a combo of hash brown and pea pattie. I'm a sucker for hash browns so I thought this was tasty.I cooked one in the frying pan and ate it alongside an omelet, stuffed with this yummy chive spread and local Edenworks microgreens. I topped it with more greens because they are so pretty and nutritious.

Have a wonderful week!