The Food I’m Loving Lately

Normally, I cook a large portion of my weekly meals. But lately, I’ve had zero time to cook — and since I’ll be traveling to New Orleans, Mexico and Chicago over the next few weeks, things are about to get even crazier.

So, here’s how I’ve been feeding myself lately. It’s a combination of local discoveries and new favorites. And as always — each edible is aesthetically beautiful.

Sauteed fiddleheads at Souen in the East Village.
Fiddleheads at Souen in Union Square

Last time I did a food post, I mentioned how much I loved Souen’s Soho location. Over the past weekend, I visited the Union Square location, which had a dark, wood-paneled vibe.

The food was exquisitely tasty, especially these fiddleheads which came off the specials board. Fiddleheads are actually ferns — I’ve often read about them in cookbooks but never seen them on a menu. The fiddleheads would have been great on their own, but the peanut sauce was dangerously addictive. (PS: If you ever find fiddleheads at your farmers’ market, here’s a recipe that’s probably worth trying.)

The "magical marinara" from Magic Mix Juicery.
The “magical marinara” from Magic Mix Juicery.

I hesitated sharing this photo because it simply doesn’t look that appetizing. Don’t be fooled. This food is culinary alchemy — a totally vegan version of pasta marinara made from zucchini noodles (“zoodles”). The meal is available to-go from Magic Mix Juicery in the Financial District, just a few blocks away from my new office.

The meatballs are meat-less and made from a mystical mixture of portabello mushrooms, flax meal and pumpkin seeds. They are strangely addictive.

Magic Mix Juicery in the Financial District.
Magic Mix Juicery in the Financial District.

Magic Mix also has a fabulous variety of cold-pressed juices. I have a passion for the algae concoction, which tastes a bit like a pretzel.

Speaking of juices, here’s my final pick of the week:

My favorite shot from Juice Generation.
My favorite shot from Juice Generation.

I’m a bit of a juicing obsessive — I love trying new places — and this Juice Generation shot is by far my favorite. The cayenne pepper is a real kick in the teeth, but whenever a mid-afternoon headache seems to threaten, I try to reach for this instead of a painkiller.

Let me know if there are any NYC places — or Nola/Chicago foodie destinations — I should try next!