No it’s not Valentine’s Day… Easter or even a holiday. It’s just appreciate someone you love day. Send random flowers to a friend, BF, family member, and simply put a smile on their face.

Got these guys last week! Thank u.

Went upstate this weekend with a few friends to relax, run, eat, and most importantly… go tubbing! How can something so simple be so much fun?

So this dish may look simple, but it has incredible flavor and texture. It’s kale marinated in lemon and pepper, topped with a sesame seed and tahini pate. Swing by Bonobos on 23rd Street and try it if you’re ever in New York.

One of my favorite neighborhood hangouts is Cookshop on 10th Avenue in Chelsea. They mix up their menu every month – which is kinda exciting…

I munched on their green market lettuce with mustard-shallot vinaigrette. Delicious!

”If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you always got, and you’ll always feel what you always felt”

(Image from almostfree99.com)

I try to spread out my meals and eat every 3-3.5 hours.  Why? To keep my metabolism and energy up, to calm my body by creating a routine, and so I don’t become ravenously hungry (and eat my entire kitchen).

Yesterday afternoon I stopped by One Lucky Duck to grab a smoothie at 3:00pm – always try to get one with good fat in it to keep me going until my 7:30pm dinner. This one had almond milk – yum.

How long do you wait between meals?

Gianina visited from Miami this weekend, and since we’ve checked off the tourist ”must-sees” in NYC during her past visits, we thought we’d go for something classic and watch the Yankees play. Good for us – they won!!

I do have to say though that the food they serve is plain out disgusting – nachos smothered in fake cheese, soggy french fries with garlic powder, lots of soda, hot dogs, artificially colored cotton candy, beer galore, etc. I stuck with water and grabbed watermelon at a nearby store. I just don’t get it, don’t you need to fuel your body with the right stuff to play sports?

Are you an apple type of girl? Well, try exploring the fruit world once in a while. When was the last time you had papaya and let your body enjoy these benefits below?

• Increases quality of proteins in whole organism.
• Revitalize the human body and maintain energy and vitality.
• Encourages the renewal of muscle tissue.
• Supports cardiovascular system.
• Boosts up the immune system.
• Helps with the digestive system, by breaking down the proteins and supporting production of digestive enzymes.
• Papaya can also be used externally as a treatment for skin wounds that don’t heal quickly, for this you can use papaya peel or ointments made out of papaya.
• Prevents the cataract formation.
• Due to high vitamin A, it lowers the risk of emphysema in smokers and passive smokers.
• Alleviates inflammation.
• Helps with the nausea and constipation.

(Information from http://www.traditionaloven.com/articles/124/papaya-sweet-pawpaw-answer-to-well-being-and-health)

Put a cherry on top of your health. Here are two benefits that you get from munching on this yummt fruit…

Heart Health
A study at the University of Michigan found that a diet that includes a lot of cherries lowers all the overall risk factors for heart disease, including inflammation, body fat, and cholesterol.

Cancer Protection
Researchers have found sweet cherries to be cancer fighters thanks to their high level of an antioxidant called cyanidin. Cyanidin is an important free radical scavenger and may also promote cellular differentiation, an important process in the body’s fight against cancerous cells.

(Info from http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/7-health-benefits-of-cherries.html)

Then to throw a hat party? Which is exactly what we did on our rooftop on Saturday. Made a huge salad for our guests – among other dishes.