Rainy day lunch yesterday at Jack's Wife Freda. Think the rain will stop all of New York's hippest from lunching at this little restaurant on Lafayette? Think again. This place is jam packed pretty much all day every day. Don't worry about the wait though- the great staff there will have you seated quickly.

You know when you have had a late start to the day and then you go out for lunch, but you really feel like breakfast? Jack's Wife Freda is the answer to that question- they serve breakfast all day. I recommend the Mediterranean Breakfast on a hot day as it is a very cool and refreshing dish, and the Green Shakshuka on a cold, gray day when you are in need of some comfort food. And to drink? A nana tea with fresh mint, please.

Easy and Refreshing Summer Dinner

After a long day at work on a hot and sticky New York City summer day, you want to come home to a delicious, light, and healthy dinner, instead of slaving in the kitchen for two hours making something that only has a slight chance of turning out edible. My new go-to summer dish is this broccoli and arugula soup from Goop. It pairs well with a cannellini bean hummus, also from Goop.

The Other Croissant 
First came Dominique's Ansel famous Cronut, and now there is City Bakery's  pretzel croissant. Like my experience with the Cronut, I was skeptical at first, but after a few bites, pleasantly surprised. I also got a mixed berry scone, which I intended to be my actual breakfast, but I ended up finishing off the speciality croissant and pushing my scone to the side. I enjoyed the pretzel croissant because it is not only delicious, but it also confused me: this pastry has the flaky and buttery texture of a croissant but the saltiness of a pretzel. It tasted like I was eating a pretzel, but felt like I was eating a croissant. Who doesn't want to try that? The pretzel croissant joins the Cronut as a clever and delicious convergence of an American classic with a French one. 

Hail to the Kale... or not
First kale chips take over... and now kale pops? While I am partial to a batch of perfectly salted homemade kale chips, the kale pop is not for me. A mix of kale, spinach, apple, pineapple, ginger, and lemon you'd think it would taste like a delicious and healthy green juice, but alas, this kale creation fails to impress. After wandering around the West Village for an hour, I managed to find Life Thyme Market, home to the kale pop. I eagerly opened the plastic wrapper and took a big lick. Unfortunately, there was too much ginger, which overpowered the other flavors. While I won't be traveling back to this market for one of these health pops, I may try doing at home version... and I do recommend this market for vegan and healthy staples! 

Coconut-everything, gluten-free pancakes from Goop, made with coconut flour, coconut butter, and raw coconut brown sugar. Tip: instead of butter in the pan, melt some cacao butter and pour a bit of that on the pan.

Breakfast done right.

Chunk watermelon cooler:
1. Mix ice and watermelon in a blender.
2. Pour into a glass and serve with a sprig of fresh mint.

Yogurt and fruit bowl: grapes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, Ronnybrook Farms plain yogurt from the Green Market sprinkled with a mix of sweetened and raw cacao nibs (all cacao products can be found at whole foods)

It's Simple, It's Easy, and It's Green 

Kale from the farmer's market done two ways.

Kale Chips:
1. Wash kale and cut off stems.
2. Spread the kale on a pan and drizzle with olive oil and salt.
3. Put in oven until dark green and crispy, remembering to turn the leaves.

Greens and Rice Bowl:
1. Wash kale and cut off stems.
2. Pour olive oil (however much you like) into hot pan.
3. Put kale in pan and generously drizzle with lemon. Sauté the kale lightly.
4. Mix sautéed kale in a bowl with brown nice and avocados. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Chili flakes would also be good if you like a little spice.