Happiness was on the menu at Suite ThreeOhSix http://www.suitethreeohsix.com for our Saturday summer staycation in Tribeca. Chef Daphne Cheng opened the doors to her exclusive supperclub for a day of dining and downward dogging.
We rolled out the green carpets (aka Manduka’s green eKO lite yoga mats http://www.manduka.com/us/ ) for some good mood yoga with yoga guide and ray of sunshine in human form Jes Allen http://www.jesallen.com . Jes guided everyone through an energizing yet relaxing yoga class that focused on flow and movement that boosted our endorphins and harmonized body and mind. As we lay in savasana, the aroma of rich, sweet muffins and savory quiche crust baking in the oven in the nearby kitchen filled our souls. (True story. Seriously, it was euphoric.) It also made us quite hungry, so just after the yoga class, we gathered around the table for our green & glam feast.
The menu put the spotlight on mood-boosting foods, but it was so delicious, we hardly noticed it was so nutritious. As it turns out, the most heart-healthy part of the day was the positive energy of everyone in the room and the love that Chef Daphne puts into every bite that comes out of her kitchen. Thanks to everyone who came out for this event, especially on a sunny Saturday in the summer in NYC!
Voilà a recap of how we moved and what we ate. More to come soon!
The yoga:
“What do we all want? To live passionately, to have purpose, to have fun, to be free, overall, to live a happy life. Yoga and movement is freeing of both the body and the mind. Taking the time to practice that freedom on the mat begins the wide spread of freedom and joy throughout your life. Yoga wakes the body, gets the blood flowing, your heart pumping and invokes love from within. The beginning of all love and all joy begins with finding it within yourself. Take the time for you. You can only give what you’ve got, so give yourself all the love, all joy and all the freedom you can. The more you practice the more you’ll see the magic spread. The doubts, fears and insecurities will melt away and your whole life becomes playful, joyful and overall, super happy!”
-Jes
The menu:
amaranth greens + popped lentils + quinoa croutons + superberry vinaigrette
This pretty-in-pink first course redefined the word “salad.”
Cashews, goldenberries, mulberries and goji berries blended blissfully to form a creamy, colorful dressing that decorated the already gorgeous amaranth greens. Popped lentils added crunch and homemade quinoa croutons added a sweet, unique flavor and texture. The superberry vinaigrette starred Navitas Naturals http://navitasnaturals.com Trail Mix made of cashews, mulberries, goji berries and goldenberries. Goji berries are known as the “happy berry” and for good reason – they’re one of the most nutrient-rich foods on the planet, filled with all of the essential amino acids, antioxidants, carotenoids, vitamins, minerals and vitamin C. They’re energizing, but also calming to the mind. Mulberries are rich in protein, antioxidants, iron, calcium, fiber and vitamin C, plus reservatrol, the famous anti-aging ingredient found in red wine (don’t worry, these delicious berries won’t get you drunk, but they’re so good you may feel like dancing around the room for no reason. Be warned.)
This was a gourmet version using some of my favorite everyday products namely Tru Roots’ sprouted grains and beans. They’re not only more nutritious, but they take no time at all to cook – win win! Their sprouted quinoa and lentils starred in this dish and their sprouted rice and quinoa blend, sprouted mung beans, sprouted quinoa and lentil trios star in pretty much everything I make at home. Stay tuned for more recipes!
coconut yogurt parfait + purely elizabeth granola + corn + freeze dried blueberries
Chef Daphne prepared her own incredible, creamy coconut yogurt and topped it with granola, corn, freeze-dried blueberries and sprouted nuts from Living Nutz http://www.livingnutz.com. These walnuts, almonds and Brazil nuts are all raw, organic and sprouted making them rich in enzymes and easy to digest. Almonds are a great source of anti-stress magnesium and just one Brazil nut contains all of the selenium we need for the day (isn’t that nuts?) Selenium balances mood and prevents depression.
Make your own parfait at home! Try this recipe : http://beautyandwellbeing.com/well-being/recipe/green-glam-granolove-parfait/ Or, take a shortcut and use Purely Elizabeth http://purelyelizabeth.com granola (no excuses, they sell them everywhere from Whole Foods to Target !) and our new favorite local gem, Anita’s Coconut yogurt http://anitas.co
Purely Elizabeth’s granola blends are packed with happy foods. Quinoa is rich in magnesium, a mood-booster extraordinaire, amaranth is high in B vitamins that keep the mind sharp and stabilize mood, chia seeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids that also help brain function and mood, coconut oil also contains medium-chain fatty acids that give us energy. Plus, oats are one of the greatest good mood foods around! These healthy carbs are like time-release happy pills that keep us calm and smiling all day long.
Blueberries are rich in natural sugars that energize the body and their fiber helps keep your blood sugar in check, so you can maintain a more stable mood all day long.
The parfaits also featured sweet almond oil from our favorite French cold-pressed oil family, Emile Noel http://usa.emilenoel.com Almonds are packed with mood and energy-boosting magnesium and this “buttery”and delicious oil is so good it’s impossible not to smile after consuming it. These non-GMO, organic, fair trade oils fresh from France are my all-time favorite oils and I am so happy that they are now sold in the US! We also love their olive oils, sesame oil, sunflower oil, pumpkin seed oil and hazelnut oil (this one is particularly unique and incredible), macadamia oil and the amazing, incredible roasted sesame oil. Just a drizzle of any of these over a summer salad or veggies and grains can transform any dish into a gourmet work of art. Plus, they’re French – très chic!
buckwheat muffins + miso coconut butter + chia + cacao nibs
Miso is a magical ingredient for a happy belly and, as we all know, a happy belly means a happy you, right? Miso is rich in probiotics that balances the flora in the gut.
Our favorite? Chickpea miso by South River Miso http://www.southrivermiso.com This is naturally gluten-free and so filled with flavor. Chef Daphne used this typically savory ingredient to add a salty kick to her mouthwatering buckwheat muffins.
They really maki miso happy! (See: the cutest cards ever à la Troy Cloth & Paper company http://troyclothandpaper.com that were the perfect ingredient for this sweet interlude in our menu.)
And, just because she chocoloves us, Chef Daphne added some sweet cacao nibs for an extra boost of happiness. Cacao is a great source of magnesium, a mineral that naturally reduces stress levels, plus theobromine, a natural mood booster. Cacao’s tryptophan boosts serotonin to reduce anxiety and act in much the same way as love (yes, l-o-v-e) in our brains.
And just when we thought these muffins couldn’t be any happier, Chef Daphne topped them off with Happy Hemp
http://happy-hemp.com seeds! Hemp seeds are one of the greatest sources of omega-3s that naturally boost mood and energize the entire body and brain. Happy Hemp are the happiest hemp seeds we know. They are GMO-free and grown with love. Go au naturel with their raw-some, nutty and buttery shelled hemp seeds or opt for a toast-tastic version, dry-roasted and brushed with sea salt.
edamame quiche + purple sweet potato + sunflower sprouts + arugula pesto
Purple sweet potatoes are so sweet to both body and mind. These dark purple beauties are a wonderful source of healthy carbs that boost energy and fiber that keeps blood sugar in check and balances hormones and mood. They are truly nature’s candy!
açai strawberry smoothie
We ended the day with some purple power à la Sambazon! http://sambazon.com. These chilled treats were the perfect end to a chill afternoon and a great refresher before we headed out to enjoy the rest of a sunny Saturday in NYC. Acai is a superberry from the Amazon that is packed with nutrients and health benefits. It’s anti-aging, makes the skin glow, keeps the digestive system in check (again, happy belly = happy you), provides an amazing boost of energy and balances mood.
Throughout the day, we hydrated in true green & glam style with Jax Coco http://jaxcoco.com Coconut water. This 100% pure coconut water in sleek glass bottles is extracted from young Thai coconuts and provides an incredible boost of energy. Coconut uplifts mood naturally – think of it as a liquid (and delicious) anti-depressant!
We also sipped filtered water from our très chic SOMA https://www.drinksoma.com/?ref_id=aff_rleffler water filters and added to our lovely Vapur http://vapur.us water bottles for “eau” on the go!
Vapur are actually “anti-bottles”. These BPA-free, flexible, ultra-durable plastic containers are easy to pack, light enough to carry around all day and they’re dishwasher-friendly so easy to clean. I love glass bottles, but come on, who really has the room or the strength to lug that around all day long in a big city like NY? Enter… Vapur! (It may sound French – Vah-puuuuuuuuur- but they’re actually made in the USA – yay!)
Everyone left with a huge smile … and of course a green & glam gift bag filled with our favorite products!
Think: Troy Cloth & Paper’s adorable notecards (a few lucky guests even walked away with “The good fat” Avocado t-shirts and totes and “Harness the power of the sun: Eat plants” tees), healing hemp lip balms made from organic cold pressed hemp seed oil, organic calendula in virgin olive oil and other essential oils and herbs, Living Nutz snacks, Happy Hemp hemp seeds, Navitas Naturals Superfood+ blends (think: maca cashews, goldenberry ginger almonds and chia pepitas) and sweet cacao nibs, Purely Elizabeth granolas, Vapur water bottles, Sambazon acai frozen smoothie packs and sorbets…
Also adding to our happiness inside and out were Young Living’s essential oils. My favorite? JOY! http://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/essential-oils/blends/joy-essential-oil
So many of the oils not only smell delicious, but the aromas can really affect the signals to our brain to keep us stress-free and happy. Plus, many of them can also be used to cook (or uncook) with. Mint chocolate avocado mousse using YL mint essential oil for example is true happiness in a bowl. Try it! http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-12384/mind-blowing-mint-chocolate-mousse.html
Want to come to our next OM APPETIT event, learn more about ordering essential oils or any of our favorite products or get top secret recipes to make at home? Email greenandglam@lafleurparisny.com.
À bientôt!