Food for Fall Healing

I always seem to start these blog posts with “so, it’s been awhile” but this time it’s REALLY been a while! I have nothing to say on that except the past few months have been busy and full in so many ways. I feel like as a second year student in my MFA program and a second year New York city resident, I also have not been exploring as many new food places. I am both too busy to eat out as much, and also finding more and more repeat spots that have become go-to’s.

I have also struggled this fall with feeling as connected to food as I usually am. I debated even writing this blog about food - do I really have much to say about it? I have gone through periods of not feeling super hungry, or not feeling super enthused about what I’ve been cooking, or just cooking the easiest thing instead of the tastiest because I don’t have enough time. This week, I am in a rut of not feeling like eating much of anything except snacks. A couple nights ago I had ice cream & pita bread for dinner; the next night it was popcorn and animal cookies.

It’s weird to feel like I don’t have much to say on this subject that I’m usually so eager to voice my opinion on. My energy has gone towards other things this season. And as my good friend Abe said at the end of August, “it’s time for a healing fall”. I’ve been thinking of starting to expand the blog to more of the “everything else”, and maybe write about some different topics - other things on my mind.

But despite everything I just said, this blog will still be about food. There have been some great foods that have brought me joy, nourishment, and comfort during “healing fall”.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Seven Grams Caffe

Bibble & Sip

Chip City

Abe at Chip City

I mean, you can’t get more healing than chocolate chip cookies. They are a classic for a reason. I crave these so often and so strongly, that I usually have a bag of semisweet morsels in my cabinet so I can be ready to bake a batch at the drop of a hat. There’s nothing like homemade cookies, fresh from the oven. However, there are also some amazing chocolate chip cookies in the city that do the deed as well.

Seven Grams Caffe is famous for their chocolate chip cookies. They are perfect in pretty much every aspect: size, aesthetic (almost weirdly perfect) shape, crunchy outside, soft inside, slightly bitter chocolate chips. I am only sad that there isn’t a Seven Grams near me so that I could have these more often.

I recently tried the jumbo brownie cookie from Bibble and Sip. Bibble and Sip is more known for its adorable and intricate Asian inspired desserts. However, they also have a great cookie with chunks of brownies and chocolate. The cookie has a crumbly texture that makes it feel heartier than your average chocolate chip cookie. It’s great alongside a hot cup of their blueberry tea.

My new favorite chocolate chip cookie in the city might have to be the latest one I’ve tried. I recently was introduced by Abe to the dairy free chocolate chip cookie at Chip City. It’s got a great texture and chew, not too sweet, and of course the dairy-free doesn’t hurt for my lactose intolerance. It’s what you want out of a classic chocolate chip cookie. My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it. I am delighted that Chip City recently opened an Upper West Side location; I know I will be frequenting that spot.

The Joys of White Wine

Delle Venezie Pinot Grigio

A to Z Riesling (Oregon!)

My friends know I have turned into a bit of a “wine mom” as of this past summer. It really started when I had a glass of Sancerre at NYC restaurant week last February, on recommendation of my friend Shaun. I wasn’t really a big wine person before, but that was when I really discovered what wine could be. It was so refreshing and crisp and lovely. From then on, I’ve been quite into wine, mostly white and rosé.

I like my wine not too sweet, but also not too dry. Somewhere in between, maybe a little fruity. I like Sancerre a lot. I like a Riesling. I recently had the Delle Venezie Pinot Grigio at a wine bar called Wine Escape and liked that a lot. I’m no connoisseur, but I’ve started to know what I like and I’ve taken to writing down the names of wines I enjoy at restaurants.

It’s not a nightly indulgence by any means, but for me, a nice glass or two on the weekends (or let’s be real, after a hard week day) is good for the soul and very much a part of healing fall. And of course, it’s best shared with friends and maybe with a bowl of pasta.

Copycat Sweetgreen Harvest Bowl

It’s hard to have a food that is both comforting and healthy. That is both nourishing, yet has a lot of greens. I have found my new favorite salad, which is basically a version of Sweetgreen’s infamous Harvest Bowl. I found a version of this on TikTok and have adapted it to my own liking.

I start by preheating the oven to 425 and chopping up…

• 1 large sweet potato

• 2 large carrots

• 1 package of extra firm tofu (drained and seasoned with salt & pepper)
  

I then spread these on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, and a random mix of whatever spices I have. The original recipe calls for Five Spice Mix, but I don’t have that so I use a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, garam masala, and rosemary. And salt and pepper. I just freestyle it, so do whatever your heart desires. I then roast these for 20-30 minutes until the veggies are nice and soft.

While that’s roasting, I make the miso dressing which consists of…

• 3 Tbsp miso paste

• 1/4 cup tahini

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 3 Tbsp vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)

• 3 Tbsp maple syrup

• 1 garlic clove (minced)

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• salt & pepper

• 1-2 Tbsp water to thin

Mix those together well. This dressing is really what makes the meal. It is SO GOOD. Both sweet and savory. I then prep my kale leaves (I usually use 2 bunches of kale for meal prep), massaging it with olive oil & salt and letting it sit.

Once the veggies are out and cooled (though you can eat them hot too), I portion them out on top of the kale. I top the salad with chopped dried cherries, whatever nut I have on hand (pistachios last time), and crumbled goat cheese. I also once added some pickled red onions that I had in my fridge which was good. You can really do whatever you want with whatever you’ve got!

Add the dressing on top, mix well, and you’ve got yourself a truly delicious and nourishing salad. I seriously feel so healthy and happy and cozy when I eat this. It keeps well, so I'll make a batch on Sunday and eat it throughout the week. And it’s perfect for healing fall.

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I used to say fall was my least favorite season. It meant summer was over. It meant going back to school. It meant a time of transition, and transitions are uncomfortable and hard. This fall has certainly been a time of transition, but I've come to love this season. The crisp air, the blue skies, the orange and yellow trees in Central Park - it all somehow lends itself to healing, growth, and new beginnings (even as the leaves fall off the branches and die). Maybe you're having a healing fall as well. Maybe you've just decided to have one after reading this. If so, I hope some of these foods bring you joy as they have done for me.

That's all for now, and hopefully the next post is sooner than five months from now! (Though I wouldn't put it past me)

- Evan