Soy is a discrete and cozy little restaurant in the lower east side – if you didn’t know to look for it you might walk by every day and never notice it. Eating there is almost like going to your friend’s mother’s house for dinner – if your friend’s mom was a really good Japanese cook. The space is cute, whimsical and comforting, with its cheerful green walls, kimono and lobster wall hangings, wooden tables, and mismatched chairs. It’s really casual; it’s the sort of place you could go to by yourself, bring a book, read and eat at the counter and not feel self-conscious. The food is mostly vegetarian, Japanese home-made cooking, and it’s wonderful. For appetizers I recommend the hijiki (seaweed cooked with tofu, carrots and shitake mushrooms) and the shira-ae (broccoli with creamy tofu-sesame sauce). For entrees the tofu steak (pan fried tofu slices with mushroom sauce) and vegetable curry (mild curry with potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, tofu and soybeans) are great. Soy also has green tea and red bean smoothies and tofu puddings – what a treat!
cook organic!
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound button or cremini mushrooms, cleaned and halved
1 ounces dried wild mushroom mix
2 teaspoons tomato paste, sodium-free and sugar-free
3 cups reduced sodium vegetable broth
1 cup whole hulled or pearled barley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
sea salt, fresh ground pepper
extra virgin olive oil
1. DAY BEFORE: Soak barley in water overnight. Rinse, drain and pick through.
2. BEFORE VEGETABLE PREP: Soak dried mushrooms in 3 cups of warm water for 20 or so minutes. Squeeze out any excess water and cut into bite size pieces. Set water aside for use later.
3. In a large stock pot, add some olive oil, the onions and garlic. Season with sea salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until the onion starts to brown, 5 minutes or so.
4. Add mushrooms, stirring often, until they are tender and the pot is almost dry, 5-10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
5. Add broth, barley, oregano, and leftover mushroom water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered until barley is tender, 30 to 50 minutes.
6. Add more water to thin the soup, as needed. Season with sea salt and pepper, stir in vinegar.
7. Serve and garnish with parsley!
Note: You can use quick cooking barley, but it is processed and lacks in it’s nutritional value.
Serve with some crusty whole grain artisan bread and a salad to make a wholesome meal with friends and family.
serves 4 cook organic!
extra virgin olive oil
.75 lb broccoli, include the stem - the stem grounds you
6 eggs
1/2 cup water or soy milk
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
sea salt, fresh ground pepper
1. Preheat oven to 350. Oil four 8-ounce ramekins or a 9-inch pie dish and set aside. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Break up broccoli into florets. Chop the stem into 1/2 inch pieces. Cook broccoli in water for 1 minute. Drain well and dry (blot with towels, or save paper and use a salad spinner). Chop broccoli coarsely.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, water/soy milk, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and freshly ground nutmeg. Then stir in cheese, then the broccoli.
4. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and ladle egg mixture into ramekins evenly. Bake 35 to 45 minutes until top is golden brown.
1.5 cups dried split peas, rinsed and picked through
.75 pound Russet potatoes, skin on, 1/2 inch pieces (the skin provides more fiber! but make sure to scrub any dirt off)
3 large carrots, 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium onion, 1/2 inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
sea salt, fresh ground pepper
1. In a large pot, combine split peas, potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, thyme, and 2 quarts of water. Â
2. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer.
3. Cover partially and stir occasionally for 1 hour. I like to use a hand blender to achieve a smoother, but still slightly chunky consistency.
4. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste!
Counter is a restaurant of contradictions. It serves upscale vegetarian food that’s fine-dining in presentation, yet it retains an accessible, friendly, and sometimes humorous vibe. The restaurant is candle-lit and romantic, yet it’s also urban and modern, with its exposed white brick walls and bright art work. The wait-staff is extremely friendly and attentive, almost to the point of making you feel guilty. My favorite part of the meal was the bread served before our dishes arrived – not because my meal lacking – but because the bread was so amazing. It was fresh and warm from the oven and tasted almost like a foccacia, and was served with a fantastic tofu garlic dip. The drinks were similarly wonderful; be sure to order (or at least browse) the drink menu. The playful cocktails such as “tie me to the bed postâ€, “married in a feverâ€, “not tonight dearâ€, and the naughtier “deep throat†and “XXX†not only make for fun trashy reading, they’re also really good. For the food – I recommend the cauliflower risotto – crisply sage polenta, translucent Shitake and an emulsion of baby arugula – and the Italian farmhouse panini – walnut lentil pate, plum tomato, and rosemary aioli – on a crunch Italian ciabatta. Counter changes its menu and introduces new dishes frequently, so be sure to ask the waiter for new recommendations.
Elegant dining for raw food fans, this upscale restaurant offers seasonal dishes that never top 118 degrees – in an elegant, red and dark wood setting, complete with candles and an outdoor garden for those breezy New York City evenings. Favorites include the marinated shitake and avocado sushi roles (chopped jicima and pine nuts substitute for rice) and the zucchini and golden tomato lasagna with basil pistachio pesto (thinly sliced marinated zucchini substitutes for noodles). And the desserts… after the rhubarb wild strawberry crisp you’ll be swearing allegiance to the raw food movement in no time!
Gobo dishes up international vegetarian cuisine in chic Zen-like atmosphere, making it the perfect place for either a romantic first date or for take-out after yoga. Popular dishes include the sizzling soy cutlet platter with black pepper sauce and the soy protein and spinach rolls with jade mushrooms. My favorites are the creative small plates – especially the avocado tartare with wasabi lime sauce and the black sesame mushroom rolls with mango salsa. Gobo also boasts an impressive wine list and an organic juice bar. It’s chic without being too expensive and makes a great date spot.
Red Bamboo is one of those rare veggie restaurants that pleases meat eaters almost as much as vegetarians, and is always the place I take my non-vegetarian friends when I want to impress. The “asian soul food†includes a wide variety of fake meats, and you’ll be hard pressed to find any other restaurant (veggie or not) with a menu that includes both roti canai and blackened catfish and collard greens.
Tiny’s giant sandwich shop, LES, vegetarian restaurantWhen your grease buds strike for a large and sloppy sandwich, Tiny’s is your place. Tiny’s does both meat and veggie sandwiches – in half and whole sizes - and almost all meat sandwiches (sans the chicken) can be ordered with fake meat. I’m a huge fan of the spicy rizzak: sliced turkey, crisp bacon, melted cheddar and hot chipolte mayo on a toasted sesame semolina hero, and the big mack daddy: veggie burger with mild cheddar, tofu bacon and special sauce. Hot & sticky summer days call for the cold turkey special: turkey, avocado, mozzarella, and swiss with herb mayo. And if you’re thinking greens, try a small salad (I like the Ceasar) with a half sandwich – for the best of both worlds.
Soy is a discrete and cozy little restaurant in the lower east side – if you didn’t know to look for it you might walk by every day and never notice it. Eating there is almost like going to your friend’s mother’s house for dinner – if your friend’s mom was a really good Japanese cook. The space is cute, whimsical and comforting, with its cheerful green walls, kimono and lobster wall hangings, wooden tables, and mismatched chairs. It’s really casual; it’s the sort of place you could go to by yourself, bring a book, read and eat at the counter and not feel self-conscious. The food is mostly vegetarian, Japanese home-made cooking, and it’s wonderful. For appetizers I recommend the hijiki (seaweed cooked with tofu, carrots and shitake mushrooms) and the shira-ae (broccoli with creamy tofu-sesame sauce). For entrees the tofu steak (pan fried tofu slices with mushroom sauce) and vegetable curry (mild curry with potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, tofu and soybeans) are great. Soy also has green tea and red bean smoothies and tofu puddings – what a treat!
 
Counter is a restaurant of contradictions. It serves upscale vegetarian food that’s fine-dining in presentation, yet it retains an accessible, friendly, and sometimes humorous vibe. The restaurant is candle-lit and romantic, yet it’s also urban and modern, with its exposed white brick walls and bright art work. The wait-staff is extremely friendly and attentive, almost to the point of making you feel guilty. My favorite part of the meal was the bread served before our dishes arrived – not because my meal lacking – but because the bread was so amazing. It was fresh and warm from the oven and tasted almost like a foccacia, and was served with a fantastic tofu garlic dip. The drinks were similarly wonderful; be sure to order (or at least browse) the drink menu. The playful cocktails such as “tie me to the bed postâ€, “married in a feverâ€, “not tonight dearâ€, and the naughtier “deep throat†and “XXX†not only make for fun trashy reading, they’re also really good. For the food – I recommend the cauliflower risotto – crisply sage polenta, translucent Shitake and an emulsion of baby arugula – and the Italian farmhouse panini – walnut lentil pate, plum tomato, and rosemary aioli – on a crunch Italian ciabatta. Counter changes its menu and introduces new dishes frequently, so be sure to ask the waiter for new recommendations.
Elegant dining for raw food fans, this upscale restaurant offers seasonal dishes that never top 118 degrees – in an elegant, red and dark wood setting, complete with candles and an outdoor garden for those breezy New York City evenings. Favorites include the marinated shitake and avocado sushi roles (chopped jicima and pine nuts substitute for rice) and the zucchini and golden tomato lasagna with basil pistachio pesto (thinly sliced marinated zucchini substitutes for noodles). And the desserts… after the rhubarb wild strawberry crisp you’ll be swearing allegiance to the raw food movement in no time!
Gobo dishes up international vegetarian cuisine in chic Zen-like atmosphere, making it the perfect place for either a romantic first date or for take-out after yoga. Popular dishes include the sizzling soy cutlet platter with black pepper sauce and the soy protein and spinach rolls with jade mushrooms. My favorites are the creative small plates – especially the avocado tartare with wasabi lime sauce and the black sesame mushroom rolls with mango salsa. Gobo also boasts an impressive wine list and an organic juice bar. It’s chic without being too expensive and makes a great date spot.
Red Bamboo is one of those rare veggie restaurants that pleases meat eaters almost as much as vegetarians, and is always the place I take my non-vegetarian friends when I want to impress. The “asian soul food†includes a wide variety of fake meats, and you’ll be hard pressed to find any other restaurant (veggie or not) with a menu that includes both roti canai and blackened catfish and collard greens.
Tiny’s giant sandwich shop, LES, vegetarian restaurantWhen your grease buds strike for a large and sloppy sandwich, Tiny’s is your place. Tiny’s does both meat and veggie sandwiches – in half and whole sizes - and almost all meat sandwiches (sans the chicken) can be ordered with fake meat. I’m a huge fan of the spicy rizzak: sliced turkey, crisp bacon, melted cheddar and hot chipolte mayo on a toasted sesame semolina hero, and the big mack daddy: veggie burger with mild cheddar, tofu bacon and special sauce. Hot & sticky summer days call for the cold turkey special: turkey, avocado, mozzarella, and swiss with herb mayo. And if you’re thinking greens, try a small salad (I like the Ceasar) with a half sandwich – for the best of both worlds.