Tag Archives: One Lucky Duck

Swoon-Worthy Smoothies at One Lucky Duck

sarmas-green-shake

If you appreciate a delicious smoothie made with top-notch organic ingredients as much as I do, then get yourself to One Lucky Duck in Gramercy Park tout de suite. Do not pass Go, and do not collect $200 (unless you need it for your smoothie budget).

I’ve only tried two of One Lucky Duck’s smoothies (or “shakes,” as they call them), and both have blown my mind. The first is the oddly named “Spanking” ($12), a blend of fresh coconut, blueberry, banana, cashew milk, cinnamon and vanilla that will rock your socks off. It’s an indulgent, delicious treat, sweet but not too sweet, and of course, loaded with nutrients. The second shake I tried, which quickly became my Very Favorite Smoothie in the Universe, is called “Sarma’s Favorite Green Shake” ($14, pictured above), and I’ll boldly claim that it is the tastiest green smoothie you will ever encounter. Continue reading →

5 Take-Out Spots for July 4th

Before this year’s fireworks begin, we had to narrow down the best places to eat. While the lot of firework-watchers flee with pizza boxes and Chinese takeout on a scram to 12th Avenue (the barges are on the Hudson between 20th and 55th Streets again this year), all you’ll need to focus on is bribing your Chelsea-based friend to lend his rooftop or finding a clean place to park your to-gos on the West Side Highway.

With Cajun-spiced seitan, a salad with miso-ginger dressing and a goji berry shake, we think these takeout spots will get you oohh-ing and ahh-ing well before the first sparks shoot over the river. We even have a slow-roasted alternative for you fried chicken-craving folk.

One Lucky Duck
Quickly becoming a go-to among health conscious celebs in the city, this Chelsea Market (and Flatiron) locale earns its fame with the likes of spicy Thai wraps of mango, pea shoots, mint and tamarind sauce; a falafel salad with tabouli, lemon tahini and red pepper hot sauce; and the zucchini-tomato lasagna with pistachio basil pesto and pumpkin seed macadamia ricotta—the latter two, gluten-free. Finish with the moon pie and a goji berry shake.

Better Burger
From beef to chicken, turkey and even soy, all Better Burgers come antibiotic- and hormone-free with a toasted whole wheat bun, lettuce, tomato, red onion and pickles. Add a side of organic, air-baked Better Fries, dairy-free smashed potatoes or the veggie chili with organic beans.

Blossom Du Jour
For the non-meat-eaters, pack some sandwiches from this joint that’s helping to change the stigma of fast food. Take the Midtown Melt (Cajun-spiced seitan, agave guacamole, lettuce, chipotle aioli), the Raw Burrito (flax-seed wrap, pico de gallo, brazil nut sour cream) or the gluten-free quesadilla with black beans, corn and salsa. Wash it down with kombucha, a fresh-pressed juice or smoothie.

Organique
Here you’ll find classic combos that always work: panini with grilled vegetables, smoked mozzarella and basil mayo; country ham sandwich with gruyere, greens and dijon mayo; smoked salmon with cucumber and dill cream cheese. Also find create-you-own-salads with sun-dried cranberries, artichoke hearts and a miso-ginger vinaigrette.

Dirty Bird To-Go
We didn’t forget about you fried chicken eaters. This place deserves our seal and that of any lover of a good crispy-skinned fowl. Choose from the buttermilk-dipped batch (if you must) or the slow-roasted with a side of beets, sautéed kale or smashed potatoes. All-natural Boylan sodas are on offer as is homemade lemonade. Then finish with a pack of freshly baked “bad-ass” cookies.

Photo via pixietart, Flickr

Summer Essentials: Healthy Eating During the Outdoor Event Season

In New York, summer doesn’t just mean sky-high temperatures–it also means the return of outdoor event season. In July and August, it can feel like every inch of public space is colonized by concerts, plays, or film screenings.

Though visiting new corners of the city is part of the fun when attending these events, eating healthfully while in unfamiliar neighborhoods can be challenging. But fret not! We found restaurants with the Clean Plates Seal near four of the biggest summer event sites. Pack this list alongside your sunglasses and your picnic blanket, and you’ll never go hungry.

Central Park Summerstage:
Summerstage bans outside food from all pay performances, and has mostly unhealthy snacks for sale inside its gates. But near the park’s East 72nd St. entrance, you can find healthy options–Le Pain Quotidien, which offers rustic vegan soups, salads, and sandwiches with organic breads, and Candle Cafe, which serves simple, naturally sweetened, and gluten-free vegetarian fare, like BBQ-tempeh-and-sweet-potato sandwiches, are both in the East 70s. A few blocks north in the East 80s, you can find the New York Times-acclaimed Gobo, and snag some affordable vegetarian delicacies, like truffled mushroom paninis.

HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival:
This film screening series, located shouting distance from Times Square, can seem like it’s in the middle of everything except healthy eating. But located directly across the street are two healthy on-the-go favorites: Pret a Manger, purveyors of pre-made, preservative-, hormone-and antibiotic-free sandwiches and soups; and the well-sourced, antibiotic-free-meat and organic dairy-based Mexican cuisine of Chipotle. Venture further from the park and you’ll be rewarded with FreeFoods, the all-organic soup, sandwich, and juice cafe created by an original owner of Pure Food and Wine.

South Street Seaport:
While not on many New Yorkers’ itineraries during the rest of the year, the Seaport has a secret summer life hosting the 4Knots and River to River festivals. A quick trip away from the traditional-fast-food-laden pier reveals healthy fast food mini-chain The Pump, which serves hormone- and antibiotic-free meats and organic tofu in sandwiches and salads. The area is also home to Pret a Manger and Chipotle locations.

High Line:
Healthy culture mavens taking in the High Line’s summertime arts offerings are in luck–this neighborhood boasts easy access to healthful food options like Cookshop, a New American spot that combines local sourcing and organic meats with old-fashioned favorites, like an antibiotic-free chicken salad; and Simple Kitchen, which specializes in natural, sustainable, and organic soups, sandwiches, and hot entrees. Nearby Chelsea Market features healthy eateries like Green Table, which puts local, seasonal spins on Americana classics like a locally-raised beef burger, and One Lucky Duck, a raw foods café known for its freshly pressed juices, snacks, and naturally-sweetened treats, like a cashew-and-cocoa-based “mallomar.”

Photo credit: Eschipul

Beginner’s Guide to Juicing in NYC

Drinking more fresh-pressed, veggie-filled juice (ideally using organic and locally grown produce) is a great way to get lots of nutrients and help your body clear out built-up toxins—if done correctly.

Overindulgence has become synonymous with the holidays, and after this excess, the next step is naturally to want to get healthier. We wine, we dine, we feast, and now we cleanse.

The juice cleansing craze stretches from daily home use kits to juice bars, raw food stops, and professionally-monitored cleansing clinics. With so much hype and different products out there, it’s important to be informed before you decide to commit to a cleanse.

So Why Juice?
Juicing is a great way to infuse your body with a large amount of nutrients while simultaneously giving it a break from all the hard work of the digestive process. And by juicing we don’t mean store bought cranberry or orange juice. We’re talking greens-based drinks loaded with tons of vegetables like kale, spinach and broccoli with carrot, pineapple or apple to sweeten them. The liquid nutrients you’ll find in these juices are a treat for your body; unlike those received from most meals, they are easily absorbed and quickly broken down.

OK, Then How Do I Juice?
There are many ways to introduce juice into your diet, such as simply adding a juice in as a snack a few times a week, making it a daily meal replacement or doing a full-juice cleanse/fast. However, it is important to understand that a juice fast is not for everyone. If this turns out to be you, don’t fret! You can introduce better nutrients into your body and allow yourself a chance to cleanse by eliminating certain foods such as gluten, sugar, dairy and meats and replacing them with “cleaner” foods with higher density nutrients such as vegetables, fruits, beans and, of course, fresh-pressed veggie juices.

I’m Ready To Do A Juice Fast. What Happens Next?
The benefit of doing a full fast is that you give your body a break from digesting whole foods, and you eliminate the toxins that are part of the modern day diet so that the body can relax, restore and heal. A typical juice fast/cleanse lasts between three to ten days, but before you choose from the various juice cleansing/fasting options, you may need to consult with a medical professional, doctor or nutritionist (our own founder of Clean Plates, resident nutritionist Jared Koch, is happy to help). Please understand that juice cleansing/fasting is only effective and safe when done correctly and according to your individual needs.

There are a few key things to think about when embarking on a juice fast. Before the cleanse you will need to reduce (or even better, eliminate) certain foods from your diet including wheat, dairy, sugar, caffeine and meat. During the fast you should rest and relax so that your body optimizes the energy necessary to cleanse. Post-cleanse you will want to slowly ease back into a very clean food plan limiting harder to digest and processed foods at first and, ideally, never returning to poor quality fare.

Below you will find some great options in and around Manhattan to satisfy your juice fix and kick start your New Year’s Reso’Juicin.

Juice Stops in Manhattan:

Liquiteria (East Village) (212) 358-0300 liquiteria.com

Pick up some juice, kick-back and relax at this staple East Village juice bar catering to locals, NYU students and celebrities alike. Liquiteria offers pressed juices, smoothies, liquid remedies and fresh squeezed juice, as well as some light nibbles: breakfast options, sandwiches, wraps and soups. They deliver locally (between Houston and 23rd and Avenue D and Fourth Avenue) and also ship nationally. In addition, Liquiteria is now offering a cleanse at home program, uniquely tailored to fit your lifestyle. Call for details.

FreeFoods (Midtown West/Times Square) (212) 302-7195 freefoodsnyc.com

Offering organic and market-driven food crafted for vegans and carnivores alike, this Midtown West outpost caters to the bustling streets of business people and shoppers during the day and late-workers and locals at night. Stop in for juice or a smoothie, take home some organic bakery goods, including vegan and gluten free-items, or munch on an organic burrito or free-range chicken Caesar salad. You’ll be sure to leave happy and your body will thank you.

One Lucky Duck (Gramercy) (212) 477-7151 oneluckyduck.com

A takeaway spot located next to their sister restaurant, Pure Food and Wine, One Lucky Duck is a great stop in Gramercy for all things juice and raw food. From taco salad and lasagna to ice cream and moon pies, each dish is made with clean, organic, vegan ingredients, raw and never cooked beyond 118 degrees. If you happen to find yourself on the West side instead, One Lucky Duck recently opened a new Chelsea location in the Chelsea Market. Also, One Lucky Duck just debuted the Not-Just-Juice Cleanse, allowing for anyone from juice fasting pro’s to particularly gluttonous eaters to give their bodies a rest and get some clean nutrients through juices and raw food. Each cleanse starts on Mondays, so call for the particulars.

The Juice Press (East Village) (212) 777-0034 thejuicepressonline.com

The Juice Press is committed to clean eating and is a one stop shop for this mantra, offering everything organic including juice, smoothies, salads, sandwiches, raw foods and dessert. With a wide variety and a wealth of knowledge on clean foods, you’ll be sure to leave The Juice Press satisfied. They also offer an at-home cleanse consisting of three different levels, based on your ailments and experience with juice cleansing. Stop in or call for more information.

B.Y.O.J. – Cleanse at Home:

Blue Print Cleanse (212) 414-5741 blueprintcleanse.com

Rated the “best juice cleanse” by New York Magazine and “the cleanse for foodies” by Food and Wine, the Blue Print Cleanse is a user-friendly cleanse that allows each client to choose their fast based on their individual needs and history. Whether it’s just juice or juice and food, call BPC to consult on what is best for you. The cleanse can be picked up from various locations around the city or simply have it delivered straight to your door in no time.

Cooler Cleanse (212) 531-1110 coolercleanse.com

Backed by Salma Hayek, who specifically requested a cleanse that would be “as effective and enjoyable as possible,” this cleanse “is so good, you’ll never know it’s Vegan,” according to the Daily Candy. Offering a variety of cleanses including three-day, five-day, custom cleanses or juice and food delivered nation-wide, this organic cleanse is sure to fit your criteria for taste, ease and squeaky-clean feeling insides.

Organic Avenue (212) 358-0500organicavenue.com

The food of “LOVE”: Live Organic Vegan Experience. All the food and juice contained in these cleanses are raw and unheated, have no added chemicals, and contain no animal by-products. The idea is to “nourish the body and spirit” and Organic Avenue has five programs available that do just that. Stop in to one of their three locations in Manhattan or call them on the phone and find out what is best for you.

Escape to a Juicy Retreat:

American Yogini (866) 964-4649 americanyogini.com

The Hohm juice cleanse retreat and the Hohm juice cleanse delivered are the signature detox rituals American Yogini offers. They have a variety of cleansing options to best suit your needs; whether it’s a few days stay on the East End of Long Island where you can escape the bustling city streets, practice yoga from 9:30-10:30 a.m. daily and cleanse on your own time or attend a workshop weekend of cleansing and yoga. Or you can opt to Hohm at home with their juice cleanse delivery program. American Yogini offers private raw food coaching and raw juice fasting for individuals or groups.

The Juicy Naam (212) 876-6000 thejuicynaam.com

Begun by a worn-out Wall Street Yogi turned wellness-guru, The Juicy Naam is a juice bar and healing center that, along with using local organic produce from neighboring farms, provides an outlet for cleansing, yoga and healing bodywork treatments from June-October. In addition to two Long Island locations, The Juicy Naam has a store in The Hotel Wales in Manhattan.

This article was updated in January 2012 to reflect the new location and phone number  The Juicy Naam.

Sarma Melngailis of Pure Food and Wine

By Pervaiz Shallwani

There is nothing militant about Sarma Melngailis’ approach to raw food. It started as a two-week experiment to see what eating raw was like and became a lifestyle approaching six years. She did feel better, but what she noticed was that most people eating raw had no idea how to make it “lovely and appealing” to the mainstream.

At Pure Food and Wine, Melngailis takes her traditional culinary training and combines it with raw principles (no processed or refined foods, no meat and cooking nothing over 117 degrees) to create high-end, restaurant-quality food using the best local and organic ingredients.

What she has created is a restaurant that appeals to everyone, but happens to be friendly to eaters with vegetarian, vegan or raw food diets.

“We are trying to make it something that people can integrate into their lives. Most of our regulars are not raw food people at all.”

She loathes fake, processed meats such as seitan or tofu. She and her staff — many of whom come from some of the best restaurants in the city and rarely have a background in raw food — take whimsical approaches to classic dishes, using mushrooms to create their own take on meaty sushi rolls or creamed cashews to hand-craft aged cheeses.

She has applied the same principals to her popular desserts, avoiding impurities with soft coconut in place of cream and agave nectar for refined sugar, to guarantee not skimping on taste.