As I went to prepare dinner last night, I wanted to keep up my vegetable streak and decided to center dinner around an eggplant we had sitting in the fridge.
I made my favorite eggplant medallions, served on a bed of arugula and topped with ricotta cheese, spinach, spices, turkey pepperoni and marinara sauce.
Any time I cook with ricotta cheese, I swear I end up eating a cup of the creamy cheese during the preparation process. It’s so darn delicious!
After dinner, we took Sadie on a wet walk (it rained all day yesterday) before heading home to hang out and enjoy a relaxing night on the couch.
Workout
Today’s workout was a cardio hodgepodge!
I began with 30 minutes of incline walking/running that resembled last Wednesday’s incline walking workout, but with more running thrown in the mix.
Then I did 10 minutes on the elliptical before picking up a jump rope to jump it out for the remainder of my time at the gym.
I jump roped for one minute straight before resting for 30 seconds, repeating the sequence 10 times through.
Jumping rope is such a humbling experience. It’s tough!
Breakfast
The highlight of today’s breakfast was almond butter.
Last week, Justin’s sent me some of their nut butters to sample and this morning I polished off the remainder of the maple almond butter.
I spread the almond butter on top of a toasted whole wheat bagel, topped with bananas and chia seeds and served with a side of fresh strawberries.
One thing I really like about the maple almond butter is that it only has three grams of sugar, yet it still tastes slightly sweet. Its been hard to keep my fingers out of this jar!
New York City Bound
Over the weekend I spent a lot of time with one of my best friends, Merri.
Some of you may remember when she moved to New York from Orlando. I’ve been wanting to visit her ever since she moved to the city and finally bit the bullet and bought a ticket to fly up there next Friday to spend the weekend with her and our good friend Ashley who will be flying in from Chicago.
I am pumped!
Merri has been there for several months and has a grasp on the city, but we’d love to hear any recommendations you guys might have for “must dos” while we’re visiting The Big Apple.
NYC, here I come! 
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How fun! Tweet me if you want any particular recs, but you MUST try Max Brenner’s Chocolate Bar for the best chocolate desserts on the PLANET! Also, Katz’s Deli for great Jewish Deli food, Jin Fong for Dim Sum, and John’s of Bleecker for some totally incredible pizza!
ahh i get so excited when people visit new york and i will try not to comment on every comment. yes to all of those things. i don’t know jin fong but definitely go for dim sum – it will be chinese (lunar) new year while you’re here!
Best pizza outside of Italy is at Keste http://kestepizzeria.com/
Enjoy!
Stop by the Whole Foods in Columbus Circle. It’s huge!
Fun to get a picnic lunch and walk over to Central
Park-weather dependent.
So excited for you!!
Monday nights at Vero (2 locations) are free panini night with one drink….so you pay about $13 for amazing paninis (I got fig, prosciutto, and mozzarella) and a mojito-which you love
Inoteca-definitely pricier but some of the most incredible Italian I’ve ever had. you can get bruschetta and pick each topping like pesto, olive tapenade, etc. amazing
Dos caminos-great mexican food. A few locations. If you watch Kim and Kourtney take new york, Scott and Kourt eat there sometimes.
Cheap mexican food but great drinks-Blockheads-cheap drinks!!
when you go for bagels, make sure they are serving H&H bagels. most places in the city are, but they’ll have a sign outside.
Cannot wait to see where you end up!!
I just got back from NY last weekend and we were to Vero! The Prickly Pear drink is super tasty – I highly recommend the place!
Haha Vero is totally my Monday go to spot as well! And blockheads is THE BEST.
when I move up I will be at Vero every monday!!
haha i’ll see you there! 😉
Oh that’s so fun- girls trip are always a good time, especially when NYC is involved!
Max Brenners!!! You MUST get dessert there!
http://www.maxbrenner.com/menus.html
Have a great trip Julie!! NYC is on my list of places to see, and I’m hoping to attend BlogHer this year so I can’t wait to see where you go!
Serendipity!!! You must try a frozen hot chocolate. It’s amazing! 🙂 Have fun and keep warm!
I think Oprah and Gayle went there for the frozen hot chocolate.
oh eggplant medallions! What a story I have found in that post 😉
YAY for NYC! So fun! So much to do I can’t narrow it down!
Go see Rent while it is off Broadway (at New World Stages). The theatre is smaller and intimate, the whole show is a really awesome experience.
Oh, and try to avoid referring to New York at “The Big Apple” while you’re there 😉
Going to New York is on my list of things to do before I die. Have a fun and safe trip!
How fun! Welcome to my neck of the woods! If you want Italian, try Seraphina! There’s locations all over the city and it’s really great. If you wat Little Italy Italian, try Caffe Napoli! I agree with the above comment on Dos Caminios, one of my faves! Have fun!
Get a cupcake at Crumbs. No, just kidding. Get several cupcakes from Crumbs!
Eeek – I always say to my boyfriend that it would be SO hard to be a tourist in NYC because it is SO big! There is so much to do. I am spoiled to live there and I still can’t see everything I want to!
One of the hidden gems of Manhattan is Brooklyn Heights! Its beautiful like the upper west side, but quiet. There is a promenade overlooking Manhattan and a great park along the east river. The best pizza in the city is there at Grimaldi’s in DUMBO. If you dont venture out of Manhattan, then definitely head to Union Square! (That’s where I live!) They have one of the original farmer’s markets and tons of shopping, great culture and lots of hustle and bustle!
Have fun!
aw, that sounds great!!
I second Brooklyn Heights! There is a great park right under the Brooklyn Bridge… first walk across the bridge from Manhattan, then hit up the park, and when you’re hungry go for Grimaldi’s pizza!
I third on Brooklyn Heights!! A great little “secret” that is a nice quiet place in the hustle and bustle.
Max Brenner’s is great however, make reservations and be prepared to wait for a long time even with reservations. It is fabulous though.
Junior’s is great (a bit touristy though) but they have the best cheesecake…huge portions and great for sharing.
The Reese’s store in Times Square….a PB lovers dream!
Definitely go to Brooklyn Heights and check out the promenade and Brooklyn Bridge park. I hate when people come to NYC and don’t even think about visiting Brooklyn 🙁 I work in Dumbo which is right in the hood and it’s one of the best neighborhood in BK!
Yes… definitely have Grimaldi’s pizza. You’ll have to wait in line but it’s some of the best pizza in the city (and I live here and have had many pizza places!)
yes to Brooklyn Heights (so beautiful – i went to law school there) and Grimaldis – but know that the line can be an hour wait….
Yes its pretty out there, and Brooklyn bagels with veggie cream cheese are the best!
Get the best chocolate chip cookie in the world at Levain Bakery… You should also go to Stanton Social for dinner if you can! They have French Onion Soup dumplings…amazing!
Yes to both of these things!
Omg, yes to Levain’s! My good friend from college always sends me their cookies- think muffin, cookie, brownie hybrid of awesomeness!
i will third the levain’s recommendation
Oh you are going to have soo much fun in the city! There is soo much for you to do, definitely wander through Central Park if it’s not too cold that is one of my favorite things to do and going to the MOMA.
There’s a restaurant called alfredo’s. (49th street I think?) they serve the most unreal fettucini Alfredo. I went to new York in July and have not stopped dreaming of that dish! It’s unreal 🙂
Have fun in NYC and bundle up! 🙂 You’re gonna have a blast!
One of my favorite places to go in New York, as a peanut butter lover, is the Peanut Butter and Company sandwich restaurant! The sammies are massive and sooooo delicious!
pretty sure i NEED to stop there!
YES you really do!!!! http://ilovepeanutbutter.com/sandwichshop
yes yes! – I had a modified Elvis sandwich of fluff, bananas and PB, and it was kind of orgasmic (and cheap)
I lived right next door to it this past summer! Ate SOOO many fluffanutter sanwhiches!
I have no recommendations on NYC, but what do you do after you walk Sadie in the rain? Do you towel dry her off and let her back in the house? I can never get my two dogs dry enough to let them back inside so we leave them in the mudroom til they’re dry enough. What do you do?
we towel her off. she LOVES it: https://www.pbfingers.com/2010/03/12/towel-off/
I love how spontaneous you are :)!
go to pb and co! Ive never been, but c’mon.. its pb and co cafe- you have to!
Go to Chelsea Market – it’s food heaven! It’s actually where the food network is and sometimes you can even catch them filming a show while you are there. They have the most amazing little food places ever!
I second that! I’m here in NY now and literally *just* finished taping a piece for “From the Kitchens Of…” in the Food Network studios. They are setting up for Chopped, but usually don’t have anything taping on the weekends…Chelsea Market is definitely worth a stop though. Make sure to grab gelato from L’Arte Del Gelato at the 10th street end. The pistachio, hazelnut, and coffee are the BEST.
Have a wonderful and safe trip!! I cant wait to hear all about NY!!!
Yay! You’re coming up to NYC! Be sure to check out Calle Ocho in the Excelsior Hotel on the Upper West Side for brunch. They offer unlimited sangria with your entree! If you want to go out dancing, I would go to the Dark Room in the Lower East Side. They play really good music and have one room for the bar and one for dancing. Have so much fun!
good luck with that…u need to make reservations like 2 months in advance for calle ocho
OMGosh yes, you need reservations for Calle Ocho – and there is no wait list :p found that out the hard way once! lol
Levain Bakery is no joke – best cookies in the world omg
Ohh you’re going to have so much fun! Definitely stop by Topshop!
Oh and I agree with Liza. Go to Chelsea Market! You’ll love all the shops and cafes. There’s even an Anthro there. Also, if you have a chance (meaning weather-permitting), you should check out Highline Park for a good walk. Sorry for the separate comments. There’s just so much to do in this city!
Chelsea Market, Levain’s Bakery, Momofuku Milk Bar (malt chocolate truffle), Dylan’s candy, Lombardi’s Pizza, Murray’s Bagels, Max Brenner’s (chocolate pizza).
I’ve lived here for a year and apparently only eaten desserts.
Katz’s deli for a yummy sandwich is always a good decision but my favorite is Carmine’s for the best italian food served family style! The white sangria there is to die for, too!
My favorite happy hour in the city- $3 dollar menu w/ sushi rolls, salads,apps and beer/wine, super good and worth the money, one of my favorite deals in nyc (and they have a happy hour on Saturday too!)
http://www.yelp.com/biz/jin-new-york
MOMA- favorite museum (I don’t know a ton about art and love being able to see tons of famous paintings I recognize, bad I know)
and my FAVORITE thing to do, if you buy day of you can get half off broadway tickets, just can’t be too picky about what show you want to see, waiting in line can take an hour or two and it can be cold but you save lots of money, so worth it!
http://www.nytix.com/Broadway/DiscountBroadwayTickets/TKTS/
HAVE FUN!!!
we’re definitely gonna try to do the 1/2 off tickets thing!!
if you’re going to get tickets from TKTS, go to the booth at the south street seaport. the line is SO much shorter!
I hope it warms up for your trip, it’s 10 degrees out right now here!
I know, right? I’m FREEEEEZZZING right now. So weird that just two days ago it was in the high 40s/low 50s here. Snow forecasted for tonight too!
Do one of the food tours
http://www.foodsofny.com/.
My husband and I did the Greenwich Village tour in December and had a blast. You learn a lot about the cultures in the different parts of New York and taste some really great food.
Bundle up!! It’s been getting pretty cold here.
Levain Bakery has the best (and biggest!) cookies, and delicious chocolate bread. It’s a must!
I went to Union Square a few weeks ago for the farmers market, I’m thinking they are still having them. There is a lot of fun stuff to look at.
Chelsea Market has a lot of good eats. There is a crepe place that makes sandwiches that look so amazing.
Have fun!!!
How sweeeet! Have fun! Definetly go to Magnolia’s 😀
I also have an eggplant in my fridge and plan to make a roasted eggplant pasta sauce!
I’ve been there once with my friends but you should def. go eat at ALICE’S TEAHOUSE by central park!
My friend went during Christmas break and she visited there again to tell me that its one of the best. She’ll go every time she visits NY! 🙂
Also, if you’re craving some asian, definitely check out the Chinatown/Korean town.
HAVE FUN!
Try Yakitori Totto for delicious Japanese food!
UWS- Levain (BEST chocolate peanut butter cookie)
West Village- Do Hua (Korean BBQ), Keste (amazing pizza), Alta (Tapas)
Chelsea- Chelsea Market, Artichoke Pizza, Donut Plant (coconut creme or creme brulee)
Tribeca- Bubby’s (it’s all good), Smith & Mills (drinks)
East Village- Xi’an Famous Foods (Spicy Lamb Cumin Noodles), Crif Dogs (not healthy but the best hot dog you’ll find), Chicklicious (dessert bar)
Nolita- Little Cupcake Bakeshop (Nutella Banana Cake), Fonda Nolita (Tacos)
Lower East Side/Little Italy- Mulberry Project (Speakeasy with good drinks/small plates)
There are SO many more but there’s a start. While you’re here, I would suggest also walking the Highline in Chelsea
Have fun! But pack some warm clothes cause it’s been super chilly!
You’ve got to do a cupcake tour (Magnolia, Billy’s, Baked by Melissa, etc etc)!!
Also, I know you’re into frozen yogurt, so you MUST try 16 Handles. SO SO good!!
I just got back from NYC, and this morning’s post was about the food. You have to do Levain bakery for the massive cookies, and UVA for a really mindblowingly delish Italian dinner.
This is my first comment ever!!! I absolutely love your blog and have been following for a couple months now…. I live in NY on Long Island and I was in Manhattan last weekend.
If you can you must do “the ride”… it is awesome – you ride on a bus and do a tour and every few blocks there is a show going on for you. It was amazing!!!! The ticket booth is at the Marriott Marquis.
(website: experiencetheride.com)
Dress warm and eat all the good food in NYC!!!!
dress warm!!! i went to NYC last winter, thinking for some reason that I would be okay not packing tons of layers. boy, was i wrong. wear lots of layers and WARM boots…it gets cold when you’re walking around all day seeing the sights, plus it could be snowy-you never know with NY weather 🙂 have fun!
You HAVE to go to Ninja!!
http://www.alyssaarminio.com/things-to-do-in-nyc-part-6/
Go running through Central Park! And eat at Dino BBQ in Harlem for the best barbecue ever. Also don’t forget to check out Little Italy and Chinatown!
Ohh I’m so glad you’re going to NYC! You will surely enjoy your visit! I love giving recommendations – I happen to be absolutely head over heels in love with my city :).
For a phenomenal slice of pizza go to Artichoke.
Wander around Chelsea Market in the Meatpacking District, it’s one of my favorite places to explore. After that you should wander through the West Village, it’s like walking through a movie set and you never know what neat store/cafe/restaurant you will discover.
I may be biased because I live in the Lower East Side but it’s one of the best neighborhoods for food. If you like smoked salmon/bagels then the BEST of the best is Russ & Daughters – seriously my mom and anyone else that visits me texts me all the time telling me how much they NEED a bagel from there now.
You must go to Eataly! It is absolutely the most amazing place for food lovers. It’s Mario Batali’s Italian market. http://eatalyny.com/
YAY for going to NYC! I LOVE that city so much :D. You are going to have a great time.
Check out Chelsea Market, and before or after, take a walk along the Highline, which is right next to it. The Highline is only a few years old and it is a park that is built on historic rail lines elevated above the streets!
http://www.thehighline.org/about/park-information