This is what I eat for lunch on Fridays. Why only Fridays? Because Fridays are for treats, and it gives me something to look forward to for the whole week:
Falafal from Blue Dog Cafe
Blue Dog is a mainstay for a lot of people in my office, and they have a daily rotation of fresh salads, soups, and sandwiches. I’ve never seen the same dishes there, and they use seasonal ingredients which keeps everything feeling new and exciting. My two favorite are the baked falafal salad, and the baked polenta salad. Both have these little balls of baked falafel or polenta (both are gluten-free, I’ve asked) and a ton of veggies.
The falafal salad has roasted carrots, asparagus, celery, tomatoes, zucchini, chickpeas, and arugula. I opt in on the black olives and feta cheese, but say “no, thank you” to the croutons.
At $7.07 for a small salad, it’s a bit pricey for an everyday item, but for once a week, I’ll take it. The portion is very filling, and I usually end up putting some in the fridge for a mid-afternoon snack.
Blue Dog Cafe – 101 West 25th Street (between 6th and 7th Ave). No website – just go there.
My usual lunch? Whole Foods salad bar. All of the ingredients are listed and organic – and I usually end up paying under $5 for a nice, filling portion. Spinach/romaine, salmon, beets, some kind of Asian slaw, almonds, quinoa = super salad.
Gluten Free? Gimme Three! 