Ahu Eats

Even though I’ve only been to Boston a few times, I’ve always felt an affinity towards the city, even the idea of it. Boston seems so romantic, with its rich history and the thought of it bubbling with some of our country’s most brilliant young minds. So when I had the opportunity to spend a few days there over Thanksgiving weekend, I was very excited to visit after 7 years!

One of the loveliest aspects of Boston is that despite being tremendously cosmopolitan and rife with culture, it has the warmth and feel of a not-so-big city (population about 600k!).

Now onto the good stuff..the eats! Before I get to the actual food, I want to touch on an interesting topic: when you’re in a new city, how do you pick a place to eat? Do you like to visit the most popular places or venture off the beaten path? And who do you trust more for recommendations – friends or Internet strangers (ie Yelp) ? Over the years, I’ve found it harder and harder to rely on sites like Yelp. How can you trust the opinion of somebody you know nothing about? Personally, I find Yelp to generally be a good indicator of what to avoid – the over trendy, overloaded joints with a line around the block – no thank you! Ask those whose taste you trust, rely on Yelp judiciously and use your own judgement (or nose) to guide you the rest of the way.

We were generally pretty successful with our stomachs in Boston, the highlight being a very cheap but very tasty dinner at a vegan Thai restaurant called My Thai Vegan Cafe. Nestled on the 2nd floor of a shabby building in Chinatown, My Thai is kitschy, unpretentious and an amazing value for super tasty food.

Vegan Pad See Ew @ My Thai Vegan Cafe in Boston

The next stop, Trattoria di Monica, was on the other end of the dining spectrum. A tiny, trendy eatery with a line of reservation-holding patrons wrapped around the block, Trattoria di Monica was not what it appeared to be. So overcrowded that the server told both us and our neighbors the specials simultaneously (“charming”), it was awkward to say the least. And while the fried artichokes were decent, the homemade pasta was served in one giant clump the plate – now I’m no Italian grandmother but I’m pretty sure that’s disappointing for a place that touts its homemade pasta!

Fork and Knife outside Trattoria di Monica Boston

As always, dining is a roll of the dice, and even the best of restaurants have off days. Onwards and upwards! The next day, searching for a place to fuel up at before visiting the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, brought us to Koy, a Korean fusion restaurant just off of Quincy Market. A sizzling bowl of rice, tofu, vegetables and an egg was the perfect lunch – oh and don’t forget the extra kimchi and gochujang!

Vegetarian Bibimbap at Koy Boston

It was a lovely weekend, and somewhere between the New England Aquarium and the heart of Chinatown, I reconfirmed my love of Boston. Can’t wait to be back!

p.s. Here are a couple bonus clips from the aquarium!

Braised Lentils with Spinach – the ultimate healthy, hearty quick weeknight meal. Vegan (without the yogurt) it will fill you up with out fat or lots of calories. Spiced with turmeric which is known for its healing properties.

Braised Lentils with Spinach

I’ve gone back and forth for a while on whether I should share this recipe with you all. It’s neither glamorous nor trendy, but it’s hearty, easy and I find myself making it at least twice a week. After several requests from Instagram friends , I decided to finally share it with you! 🙂  I find myself turning to this Braised Lentils with Spinach recipe so often when I want something warm and filling, yet healthy. Not only is it surprisingly tasty, but it’s incredibly healthy and vegan or vegetarian! The spices add just the right depth of flavor and I love topping off a piping hot bowl with a healthy dollop of greek yogurt – the coolness and creaminess are the perfect complement to the lentils.

Braised Lentils with Spinach

You may already know that lentils are one of my favorite (and most under-appreciated, in my opinion!) legumes. Not only is this recipe non-fat, low-calorie and high in protein, the turmeric has tremendous health benefits known for treating ailments ranging from arthritis, stomach problems, headaches, fibromyalgia and even skin conditions. And we all know that spinach gives you the muscles and strength of Popeye, so eat up! What I’m saying is, not only are these braised lentils tasty but they may be able to cure what ails you 😉

Braised Lentils with Spinach

 

Author: Ahu Shahrabani

Nutrition Information

• Serves: 2

• Serving size: 1 cup (half recipe)
• Calories: 123

• Fat: 0
• Saturated fat: 0
• Unsaturated fat: 0
• Trans fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 26
• Protein: 12

Recipe type: Entree

Cuisine: Meditteranean

Prep time:  5 mins

Cook time:  40 mins

Total time:  45 mins

Print

Braised Lentils with Spinach - the ultimate healthy, hearty quick weeknight meal. Vegan (without the yogurt) it will fill you up with out fat or lots of calories. Spiced with turmeric which is known for its healing properties.

Ingredients

• 1 10 ounce package frozen spinach
• ½ cup dried lentils (I prefer green)
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• Water or optionally broth
• Greek yogurt (optional)

Instructions

1. Add the dried lentils into a non stick pan with a lid and cover with at least 2-3 cups of water.
2. Add the spices and simmer, while covered for 20 minutes over medium heat. Check often to make sure there is still a lot of water inside.
3. Uncover and add the frozen spinach directly to the pan - add additional water to cover.
4. Cover and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes.
5. Uncover, stir and continue to simmer until the water has completely evaporated (usually another 5-10 minutes). Season to taste with additional salt / pepper.
6. Serve alone or topped with Greek yogurt.

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