Hannah Black

This gallery is part of 20 Ways to Feel Better in 2020, a collection of our best ideas for getting you to whatever version of "better" feels best to you. February in upstate New York can be...bleak, to put it generously. The days are short; the nights are cold; the swimming holes and hiking trails that bring out-of- towner energy during warmer months are frozen and buried. But it’s also when Lil’ Deb’s Oasis feels truest to its name.

Close Menu Icon At Lil’ Deb’s Oasis in Hudson, New York, chef-owners Hannah Black and Carla Perez-Gallardo love the idea of braising meat in soda to tenderize and caramelize, but swapped in tangy kombucha to avoid the sugar rush. “We want people to have that ‘what the f*#%?!’ reaction when they take a bite,” Perez-Gallardo says. Ingredients 5 whole star anise 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds 1 Tbsp. cumin seeds 1 Tbsp. mustard seeds 1½ tsp. whole cloves 4 dried chiles de árbol or 2 tsp.

Close Menu Icon The high-low tension of this very healthyish dessert—fresh tropical fruit and chia seeds paired with dollar-a-sleeve cookies—is peak Lil’ Deb’s Oasis, says co-chef-and-owner Carla Perez-Gallardo. She uses Thai coconut milk brands like Aroy-D: naturally sweet and free of stabilizers. Ingredients 1 13.5-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk 3 Tbsp. chia seeds 2 tsp. granulated sugar ½ tsp. vanilla extract Kosher salt 2 Tbsp. dark rum 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice 2 Tbsp.