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Flashback Friday – Neirs Tavern

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Happy Friday!! It’s been over a month since my last post, which was on an American holiday Memorial Day.  After a month of being MIA due to several food exploration dishes, I am back on the first of July – 4th of July weekend.  To begin:

Happy Birthday America!! To celebrate food and American history, let’s explore an historic venue in American history.  This venue is not in Washington D.C. or in downtown Manhattan, but in Woodhaven, Queens.

Almost 6 weeks ago I took my parents to the oldest tavern in US history now – Neir’s Tavern.  Actually I heard about this tavern from a segment that aired on $9.99 with Dave Evans where he had the tavern’s famous coldest beer in New York City.

Neir’s Tavern opened in 1829 and was restored in 2009.  The tavern has made several appearance in famous movies such as Goodfellas and Tower Heist.  I have had the privilege of meeting the tavern’s owner at the recent Queens Taste event & samples their cotton candy wings.

When I took my parents to the tavern, the location of it was not ideal but we were lucky to find parking.  Once we arrived, I felt the historical presence that this tavern has.  I definitely took advantage of the happy hour special of the $3 draft cold beer.  Also, I discovered that the tavern also has $5 lunch special that is a steal.

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Happy Hour Draft Beer $3

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BBQ Jack Wings $7.95

To start, we ordered the BBQ Jack Wings ($7.95), they were perfectly fried with the right amount of sauce.  Other popular wings also include Cotton Candy Wings, Teriyaki wings and Thai Chili Honey Wings both for the same price!

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“Tower Heist” Sandwich $9.95

My dad is a huge steak person so every non-Thai or non-Filipino restaurant he looks for the steak options.  The only option he had was the “Tower Heist” sandwich, obviously named after the movie “Tower Heist”, which is an open face steak sandwich with lettuce and tomato.  It comes with fries and cole slaw.   The steak tasted similar to a roast beef sandwich, so it was my least favorite.

The “Mae West” Burger $8.50
The “Goodfella” Burger $9.25

After reading the food reviews of the tavern and there were rave reviews on the burgers.  Therefore, my mother and I ordered two burgers that were named after an actress Mae West, who got her start in this tavern and the classic movie “Goodfellas”.  My mother settled for the “Mae West” burger, which is made up of angus beef, lettuce, tomato, red onion, mushrooms along with cole slaw & fries.  Her burger was good, fries were not as crispy as I have had in the past and cole slaw had an acidic, sour and tangy twist that is unique from the cole slaws I have had in the past.

Finally, I went for the popular “Goodfellas” burger, another burger to add to the growing list of burgers I have had in recent years.  The “Goodfellas” burger consisted of an angus burger with grilled tomato, onions, pepper jack cheese and chipotle honey mayo.  The burger also came with fries and cole slaw.  The burger could have cleanly presently and huge that it had to be dissected with a fork & knife.  The burger overall was flavorful especially with the mayo and pepper jack cheese.

At the end of this high protein dinner, the overall service was good, but they were short staff where the bartender was also our server.  I would definitely return especially for lunch and explore the variety of wings they offer.

 

Meatless Monday – Strawberries

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Happy Memorial Day! Happy Monday.  As we are approaching the end of May, I want start off by week by sharing four very simple strawberry recipes all appropriate for Meatless Monday.

Strawberries was initially considered a luxury food prior to the 19th century.  It originated in South America and the crop was sent to Europe for breeding purposes.   There are many varieties of strawberries, but this post will focus on the health benefits of its consumption.  Strawberries have a rich source of antioxidants, manganese in particular and vitamin C.  These two sources along with other antioxidants that play role in cardiovascular disease such as decreasing fat oxidation especially in the blood vessel area, lowering LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and total cholesterol.  More importantly, 1-2 cups of strawberries per day can help reduce high blood pressure.

For families affected by type 2 diabetes, 1 cup of strawberries (approximately 47 calories) may reduce the risk by its ability to lower blood sugar levels.

For families or patients with cancer, strawberries contain anti-cancer properties that may help reduce risk or worsening of specific cancers such as breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, cervical and esophageal cancers.

Other research studies show that strawberries contain components that may help with aging, cognition, brain and motor function.  Another study using rats, rats who consumed strawberry extracts that may prevent gastric diseases such as Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and ulcers.  Another recent study also reveals that an antioxidant found in strawberries may help prevent and even treat retinal disease.

Since it is National Strawberry Month plus knowing the health benefits of consuming them, there are many uses of strawberries.  One obvious reason and most likely the best way to eating them is raw, only one cup of strawberries have low calories plus a multitude of health benefits.  If eating raw strawberries is not a possibility or if you want something quick, below are four pictures of recipes that do not require as many ingredients.

Strawberries can be included on a salad, such as the Strawberry Arugula Salad, that was previously posted three weeks ago here.  Personally, I enjoy eating them raw or in the morning when I am in a rush, I like to make smoothies.  My smoothies contain about:

1/2 cup of sliced strawberries (approximately 24 calories) – $3.88/2 lbs. – Stop & Shop

1 cup of almond milk (unsweetened)/1 cup of cashew milk (unsweetened) – 30 calories / 25 calories- 2 for $6 (Stop & Shop)

Sometimes, I like to add other items such as

1 cup blueberries – 85 calories or 1/2 banana sliced – 55 calories

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Cravings for dessert and don’t want to cook or bake, this sound biased, but I have had the pleasure of enjoying baked strawberry goods at the recent Queens Taste Event from Esta Joy’s Kitchen and Rudy’s Bakery and Cafe.

In the past, I have enjoyed the strawberry panna cotta dessert made by Pastry Executive Chef Zac Young at David Burke Fabrick, when it first opened in 2014.

These items are so simple to make and obtain, if there are no food allergies to strawberries, take control of your health and well being by taking advantage of this nutritional crop.  Cheers!!

 

Flashback Friday – Hamburgers

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Happy Memorial Day Weekend!! As we approach the end of the month, today’s post will celebrate National Hamburger Month.   Although I am excited about this post, I am dreading it as well.  After reviewing all my pictures and places I have been to, I discovered that I love hamburgers and I tend to order them at restaurants and bars.

After researching and reading the history of the hamburger, here is the lowdown on the emergence of the famous classic dish:

During the 12th-13th century, ground meat was developed and consumed raw by Genghis Khan and his “Golden Horde” army during battles.

19th century, German immigrants borrowed the recipe of the steak tartare from the Russians who learned about ground meat from the Mongolians.  The Germans brought the “Hamburg-style” chopped steak to America after the port of Hamburg, which was the big exporter of beef.

During the 20th century, there have been four claims of who made the first American Hamburger.  Over the course the century, the hamburger has been mass produced in fast chains such McDonalds and Wendys and by the 2001, burgers made up 71% of the beef served in commercial restaurants.

Below, are pictures of hamburgers I have ordered and consumed, which resulted in the 30 pound weight gain over the last 10 years.  My personal favorite burger is not listed in any of these pictures.  This burger is the Shack Burger with Cheese Fries and Arnold Palmer (total calories = 1,190; total cost w/ tax $12.88) from the original Shake Shack on Madison Square Park.  Shake Shack was established by Danny Meyer in 2004.

Here’s the scary thought, I used to devour this meal twice a week after 9pm before my evening commute home.  I took full advantage of the fact that I was in grad school for my first masters in public health (how ironic) and did not eat lunch or dinner.  After reading the calorie count for each Shake Shack item and graduated from the public health program, I have reduced my intake of the Shake Shack meal.  I am happy to say that I have not eaten at Shake Shack in over a year.

Although I have not eaten at Shake Shack, I have not stopped appreciating and enjoying a good burger with fries at various restaurants and bars in New York City. Here’s a reason: Health benefits of consuming a hamburger.

Ground beef consists of high levels of:

Iron: helps carry oxygen to cells, tissues and organs

Vitamin B-12: produces new red blood cells

Protein: lean ground beef helps build muscle and provide a reservoir of energy.

Given the cliff notes of the benefits of consuming hamburgers, below is a list of burgers I have consumed over the last year:

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Top left: Kitchen Burger – David Burke Kitchen; Top Right: Korean BBQ Burger – 5 Napkin Burger Union Square; Bottom left: Dorian’s Classic Burger – Dorrian’s Red Hand; Bottom Right: Wagyu American Kobe Burger – Frites N Meats

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Locksmith Burger w Yucca Fries – Locksmith Bar – Washington Heights

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Hamburger – La Dama – Financial District

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Angus Burger w truffle fries – Uncorked Wine & Tapas

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Happy Hour Burger Special ($6) – McKenna’s Pub – Union Square

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Cravin’ Bacon Burger w Fries – Bowlmor Lanes – Chelsea Piers

There are other burgers I have enjoyed but I did not have the opportunity to take pictures:

PJ Clarkes Burger, Five Guys Burger, Grass Fed Angus Burger at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Fishtail Burger, Donovan’s Burger at the Donovan’s Pub in Woodside and the Hamburger at the Fame Diner.

There are other burgers I definitely want to try, especially, the ones listed in Zagat, Time Out, Serious Eats, and PureWow.

Social Saturday – Queens Taste 2016

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Happy weekend! It has been over a week since I last posted and it was a very overwhelming week.  Today, I am introducing a temporary weekly post called Social Saturday where I will be posting an experience attending an event that focuses on restaurants and various types of food.  I will begin this post with my first event I have had the privilege to cover, Queens Taste 2016.

On Thursday May, 3 2016, the New York Hall of Science hosted the annual Queens Taste 2016.  The event showcased about 50-60 restaurants, products and small businesses.  It was ideal for the Queens foodie.  The event overall highlighted classic dishes such as hamburgers and root beer floats while celebrating the diverse cuisines from Italian to Caribbean Chinese.  Proceeds from the event will support the Queens Economic Development Corporation (QEDC).  QEDC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to “attract, create, and maintain jobs in the borough through business services, neighborhood development, the Entrepreneur Space (our food-and-business incubator), and marketing attractions through the Queens Tourism Council and the It’s in Queens and Discover Queens brands”.

After a conversation with the organizers of the event, they were wondering as to how I will be able to incorporate these sample tastings and promote them as being healthy.  So, after sampling some of the food provided I decided to highlight and organize the dish I sampled according to the following:

  1. National Strawberry Month
  2. Gluten Free
  3. Classic and Comforting Desserts
  4. National Hamburger Month
  5. Catering Classics
  6. Diverse Dishes
  7. Bar Snack, non-alcoholic shake & an Asian fusion classic
Scenes from Queens Taste
Scenes from Queens Taste

Scenes from the Event

National Strawberry Month – Strawberry Sweets

Gluten Free Desserts

Classic and Comforting Desserts

Catering Classics

Diverse Dishes

Bar Snacks, Non-alcoholic drink, Asian Fusion twist on a classic

Flashback Friday – Ayada

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Happy Friday, after a week of planning and cooking healthy meals on a budget for Cinco de Mayo, it is time to head to one of my favorite Thai restaurants to date.  Ayada Thai is a neighborhood gem and a great place to eat with a group of friends.  I usually take my relatives from out of town here and even have held small birthday parties here.

Ayada Thai is located in Elmhurst, Queens.  The restaurant offers authentic, affordable and tasty Thai food that will feed an entire family.  The restaurant received a lot of press and awards for their amazing cuisine.  They have been covered by ABC News, New York Times, Village Voice, New York Magazine, and even was voted as one of the best Cheap Eats and best Thai Restaurants in Zagat.  More importantly they received recognition of  Bib Gourmands by Michelin Star.

I can definitely testify to Ayada’s success by the food portion and quality of food that is provided to us.  Below are images of my family and my personal favorite dishes:

BBQ Pork $10

BBQ Beef $10

Satay Chicken $7

Shrimp in a Blanket $5

Crispy Chinese Watercress Salad $15

Crispy Catfish Salad $15

Shrimp Pad Thai $11

Chicken Pad Thai $9

Beef Pad Cee Eiw $9

Fried Banana (only sold on Saturdays)

Thai Ice Tea $3

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1) BBQ Pork 2) Beef Pad Cee Eiw 3) Fried Banana (sold on weekends), 4) Crispy Catfish Salad, 5) BBQ Beef and BBQ Pork 6) Chicken Satay and Shrimp in a Blanket, 7) Crispy Watercress Salad, 8) Shrimp Pad Thai

Best times to go is during lunch and early dinner before 7pm.  I have not tried their lunch special yet because I work on the weekdays.  Given that half of my heritage is Thai I can testify to the authenticity and taste of the food.  Food is overall consistent and I will definitely return for another family meal.

Throwback Thursday – Fonda – East Village

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Happy Cinco de Mayo! Also did you know that it is National Enchilada Day! Personally I have not eaten enough enchiladas at restaurants because I usually go for nachos, quesadillas and tacos.  However, two summers ago, I decided to take advantage of the summer restaurant week at Fonda an urban Mexican restaurant located in the East Village location.  They have two other locations, one in Chelsea and the other in Park Slope (Brooklyn).  The restaurant was a winner of the 2014 “Love New York” Awards and the 2015 winner for Diner’s Choice from OpenTable.  I recalled visiting the restaurant on a weeknight and they had a great deal on a prix fixe that included a margarita.  The items listed below are still on the menu.  Also, this was the first and only time I actually ordered an enchilada as recommended by my server.

Cocktail: Frozen Rosalita Margarita $11; $7 happy hour

Appetizer: Guacamole $12.95 dinner; $7 happy hour

Entree: Enchiladas Suizas $19.95 dinner

Dessert: Morenitas $7.95 dinner

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I believed that the prix fixe was offered on either a Monday or Tuesday evening during happy hour.  The portion size were exact for one person.  The overall food experience started well and expectations was diminishing by the end of dessert.  My favorite items out of the four images were the rosalita and the guacamole.  The enchilada was on the greasy side and the morenita was way too sweet especially after the consuming the dishes I had prior.  I have not returned to the restaurant and yet to try the other two locations.  The happy hour and daily specials are appealing in the East Village location so since I enjoyed the drinks and the guacamole, I would definitely return on a Sunday night for the Guac and Cocktail Sunday Special.

As mentioned in my Sunday Game Plan – 1st week of May, I plan on making enchiladas to commemorate National Enchilada Day, but due to circumstances beyond my control, I decided to make this dish over the weekend – Mother’s Day weekend possibly.  Stay tuned!

Meatless Monday – 2 courses – 7 ingredients

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Happy Monday! Following my game plan posted yesterday, I created a two course meal that only requires a total of eight ingredients. These two dishes commemorate three monthly food observances:

National Egg Month
National Salad Month
National Strawberry Month

The first dish requires only two ingredients. It is gluten free and Paleo friendly.

Banana Pancakes
1 ripe banana = 110 calories = $0.49/lb. this week at Stop and Shop
2 eggs = 90 calories/egg

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Second dish requires five ingredients:
Strawberry Arugula Salad
1 cup arugula = 6 calories
6 strawberries sliced = 35 calories = $2.99 a package on sale this week at Stop & Shop
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted = 350 calories
1 tablespoon spoon extra virgin olive oil = 120 calories
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar = 30 calories

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Sunday Game Plan – 1st week of May

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I am so glad to be back and feeling rejuvenated.  I have visiting my local library to read books on food and the various diet types that have been already published.  One of the books I finally was able to read and somewhat apply was The Genotype Diet by  Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo, a naturopathic physician.  I was introduced to naturopathic medicine by my previous employer and I am currently still on the fence on whether to pursue it, but that is a story for another day.   Anyways, I have been fascinated by his findings and research especially in my search to foods related to inflammation e.g. rheumatoid arthritis.

I decided to perform some of the assessment tests outlined in Dr. D’Adamo’s book.  The assessment was based on blood type, rH type, leg length, torso length, finger length and height.  My results revealed that I can be either the Gatherer or the Nomad.   Therefore, this week’s Sunday Game Plan I am using most of the ingredients that is allowed from either genotypes.  In addition, on Tuesday 5/3/16 I have had the privilege to cover the annual Queens Taste 2016 event.

Meatless Monday: Egg Banana Pancakes & Arugula Strawberry Salad

Traditional Tuesday: Queens Taste 2016

Wednesday: Tentative dinner plans with co-workers in Chinatown

Thursday: Cinco de Mayo

Friday: Meeting in NYU, Charity work 20160501_201213So excited on what is ahead for the week and the month as I will attempt to incorporate national food observances to develop meal and find dishes that are elevated, healthy yet on a budget.  Stay tuned!

Traditional Thai Dish – Kra Prow

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Happy Songkran!! Happy Thai New Year! Today is the new year and to celebrate, I want to post a traditional Thai dish.  This Thai dish consists of only five ingredients and if you want a sixth ingredient add a fried egg.  Anyways, this dish is not only healthy but cost effective.  The dish I am writing about is called Kra Prow, which is translated into Holy Basil.

Kra Prow is a popular Thai dish throughout almost all restaurants in NYC.  The dish can be made with any meat stir fried with vegetables, but it has to have garlic, fish sauce and most importantly holy basil or basil.

Below is a healthy and cost effective version of Kra Prow.

Ground Turkey Kra Prow (serves 2)

1/2 lb. Perdue Ground Turkey = 160 calories/serving = $2.99/lb. at Stop and Shop

2 tablespoons minced garlic = 38 calories

2 tablespoons olive oil = 120 calories/serving

3 tablespoons fish sauce = 27 calories/serving

15 snow peas = 15 calories = 0.99/lb = H Mart in Flushing

2 cups of basil = 12 calories = $2.00 = Asian Supermarket

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Meatless Monday – Mung Bean Pudding

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Happy Monday, technically Tuesday.  Well, this week there is no game plan because, I had an accident working out and I am recovering from the aftermath.  Therefore, since this week is Songkran aka Thai New Year, I will dedicate this week to posting healthy Thai recipes and recent places I have eaten at.

Therefore, the first of two Thai recipes for the week is meatless for Meatless Monday.  This dish is a Thai dessert, which personally can be versatile and be served as a meal.  The meal can be made with two ingredients or up to four ingredients.  The star ingredient of the dish is Mung Bean, a popular ingredient in Asian cuisine and it is very nutritious and detoxifying.

Health Benefits of Mung Bean Consumption:

Contain high soluble fiber, which lowers cholesterol

Contain protease inhibitors, which block the copying and reproducing of tumor and cancer cells especially breast cancer

Contain isoflavones that regulate hormones, estrogen, in particular, which helps women with post-menopause.

Low glycemic making it diabetic friendly.

High in protein

Recently, an article was published at the BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine suggesting the possibility that the extract of mung bean sprouts can serve as a potent antiviral property.  The extract’s potency can economically and effectively fight against the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Herpes Simplex virus −1 (HSV-1).

Tau Suan – Mung Bean Sweet Dessert/Pudding

This dish is very easy to make and it cost effective.  Total cost of the dish can range between $5-$10 at most Asian supermarkets.  This dish serves two people.

8 tablespoons of dried mung beans = 361 calories/2 servings

2 cups of water = 0 calories

4 tablespoons tapioca starch  = 84 calories/2 servings (optional)

4 tablespoons sugar =186 calories/2 servings (optional)

5 tablespoons coconut milk = 100 calories/2 servings (optional)

Ingredients
Final dish
  1. Boil beans in water for approximately 20 minutes.
  2. Mix tapioca starch with water, keep stirring so nothing sticks in the bottom of the pan.
  3. Add sugar (optional)
  4. Warm coconut milk but do not heat it all the way (optional).
  5. Pour warm coconut milk to the lentil dish (optional).

Personally I have made this dish several times, using three ingredients and performing only the first two steps because my father does not eat sweets.  Recently I have made this dish using all the ingredients listed to obtain the sweet and creamy texture.

Cheers to better health! Off to the next recipe.  Stay tuned.