Hello faithful friends and family! Sorry for almost a month of no posts, and thanks for waiting during my big transition and move to New York City! I've had a hectic but incredible 4 weeks, and I finally am getting settled into my own apartment with my awesome roommate Laura and our tiny kitchen.
I'll share a little bit of my experience so far in the Big Apple. I arrived in Brooklyn Labor Day weekend to stay with my roommate's family for the few weeks before we could move in. They were so welcoming and I had a great time getting to know her parents and exploring Brooklyn. I started classes that Tuesday, and I am SO happy to finally be learning about what I love with likeminded students and professors. I spent my first few weeks of lunch breaks sitting in Washington Square Park eating a salad from Fresh & Co., people watching, and reading for classes. The village is such a colorful and fun part of the city. On one of my first days of classes, I was in a tunnel in the subway on my way back to Brooklyn, and ran right into one of my best friends from college! We had been planning to see each other that weekend, but hadn't yet gotten together. It put the biggest smile on my face and it's really comforting to know she is in New York, too.
Last Tuesday, Laura and I finally got to move in to our apartment in Gramercy. We are still getting settled and doing some organizing, but it's quickly starting to feel like home and I am loving the neighborhood. We were able to fit about 20 people in our apartment Friday night for Laura's birthday, so I got to see some college friends, as well as Ben, who came to visit and help us move in! My mom drove down from Boston for three nights to help move us in, and it was incredibly helpful having her here. We had a lot of fun, and of course I teared up when she had to leave. It never gets easier saying goodbye to mom!
Since I didn't have my own kitchen, I bought most of my meals out the first few weeks, which is really unusual for me. But New York is the place to be if this has to be your situation. There are so. many. restaurants. Of all kinds. And I am in love with all the healthy options - so many different salad bars, vegan/vegetarian restaurants, and juice and smoothie places. I'm loving Juice Generation and their smoothies and kale salad. The salad has simple ingredients listed, and I knew it was something I had to recreate. So, this is it! This salad is a must try. The dressing is made from rich, creamy avocado, so it feels decadent but it is still so healthful. Chickpeas give it a boost of protein, and raisins add a touch of sweetness that complements the slightly tart hint of lemon juice in the dressing. This is a great way to make kale taste really, really good.
I'll share a little bit of my experience so far in the Big Apple. I arrived in Brooklyn Labor Day weekend to stay with my roommate's family for the few weeks before we could move in. They were so welcoming and I had a great time getting to know her parents and exploring Brooklyn. I started classes that Tuesday, and I am SO happy to finally be learning about what I love with likeminded students and professors. I spent my first few weeks of lunch breaks sitting in Washington Square Park eating a salad from Fresh & Co., people watching, and reading for classes. The village is such a colorful and fun part of the city. On one of my first days of classes, I was in a tunnel in the subway on my way back to Brooklyn, and ran right into one of my best friends from college! We had been planning to see each other that weekend, but hadn't yet gotten together. It put the biggest smile on my face and it's really comforting to know she is in New York, too.
Last Tuesday, Laura and I finally got to move in to our apartment in Gramercy. We are still getting settled and doing some organizing, but it's quickly starting to feel like home and I am loving the neighborhood. We were able to fit about 20 people in our apartment Friday night for Laura's birthday, so I got to see some college friends, as well as Ben, who came to visit and help us move in! My mom drove down from Boston for three nights to help move us in, and it was incredibly helpful having her here. We had a lot of fun, and of course I teared up when she had to leave. It never gets easier saying goodbye to mom!
Since I didn't have my own kitchen, I bought most of my meals out the first few weeks, which is really unusual for me. But New York is the place to be if this has to be your situation. There are so. many. restaurants. Of all kinds. And I am in love with all the healthy options - so many different salad bars, vegan/vegetarian restaurants, and juice and smoothie places. I'm loving Juice Generation and their smoothies and kale salad. The salad has simple ingredients listed, and I knew it was something I had to recreate. So, this is it! This salad is a must try. The dressing is made from rich, creamy avocado, so it feels decadent but it is still so healthful. Chickpeas give it a boost of protein, and raisins add a touch of sweetness that complements the slightly tart hint of lemon juice in the dressing. This is a great way to make kale taste really, really good.
NYC Avocado Kale Salad
(serves 2-4, depending on if you want a meal size salad or side)
Ingredients:
1/2 bag curly kale (about 6-7 cups)
1/2 ripe avocado
3.5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp water
dash of salt
1/2 cup chickpeas
1/2 cup sliced or shredded carrots
1/2 cucumber, sliced and halved
1/4 cup raisins
4 tbsp sliced almonds
1. If kale is not already chopped, de-stem and chop into bite size pieces. Put in large mixing bowl.
2. Add avocado, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and water to blender (I used a magic bullet). Blend until smooth and creamy.
3. Add all dressing to kale, and toss using your hands. Massage your kale! It helps make it softer and not as tough.
4. Add toppings and combine.
Serve chilled. This salad keeps well for a few days in the fridge, because kale doesn't get soggy like other greens, and the dressing soaks in even more.
Enjoy! Thanks for reading - I'll be posting more regularly now that I have my own kitchen :-)