Raging and Man Friends (WIAW)

Hey ya’ll! Wow, I haven’t blogged in a week. Shocker, but not really. I’ve been busy with school and MAN FRIENDS. Yes you heard it right here. I finally have a man friend (after being a jealous person over Kara and Britt’s man friends), but technically I’ve sort of had him for a while. Details don’t really matter. Anyways, he came over for dinner on Saturday night because he didn’t believe that healthy food can be delicious. Totally proved him wrong. Winning. Then we went to this insane concert. I fell in love…not with him, but with electro house music. Oh no she didn’t. Oh yeah, sadly after teasing it for so long, I finally have understood the magic behind it. Plus who doesn’t like sick lights to a dope beat? A crazy person probably. Plus you get to dance dance dance. Literally I couldn’t walk the next day. My body hurt so bad. Lets get to the good stuff: The fooooood.

Oh yeah, can’t believe I forgot to say thanks to Jenn for hosting my favorite day of the week. It is probably one of the main reasons I always remember to blog at least once a week. I need to get better about that.

This is the concert I was at in Austin. Wolfgang Gartner. Check it out.

Back to the food.
Lemon and Strawberry Heaven Pie Oats:
1 1/2 c. water
1/2 c. oats
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
1 packet truvia
1/4 c. cottage cheese
1 banana
1 tsp of Lemon pudding powder
slices of strawberries

1. Prepare oats with water in microwave for about 2:55 minutes.
2. Slice up banana into small slices then add to oat mixture and microwave for 1:15 minutes.
3. Add in vanilla, truvia, and cottage cheese.
4. Add lemon pudding powder and mix thoroughly.
5. Slice strawberries and throw into bowl.

Oh lord, this combination is so delicious. Who knew that adding a little pudding powder to your oatmeal would take it over the edge? Thank god for that discovery. The oatmeal is not overly sweet or sour, it just has a nice hint of lemon and when mixed with the strawberries it is like the perfect pairing ever. Not only is this tasty, but it is also really cheap. Pudding is like .40 cents a box. I’m going to run to the store now and load up for a lifetime. Not even kidding. I just bought butterscotch, pistachio, and chocolate. Yummmmmmy.

Speaking of pudding powder, I have discovered another lovely creation from the blog world:
Pudding in greek yogurt. Just go out, buy a huge thing of plain chobani or whatever brand you like, and add in pudding powder. This bowl here is chocolate pudding with strawberries. Can you see a trend here? Yes, I love strawberries. No, they are actually on sale right now, so the Jew in me is like MUST BUY every week until not on sale. Good deals get the best of me usually all the time. Anyways, this is such a tasty snack to have every day. I can’t wait to try out my other pudding flavors on this bad boy. Also I should probably invest in some other types of fruit. I think I’m going to go the frozen route that way I can get a variety of fruit for a cheap price. I really need to stop Jewing everything.

Mmmm my version of a burger salad. Chopped up extra lean turkey burger, sliced up pickles, onions, lots of lettuce, and top it all off with dijon mustard. So good. I love salads that are jam packed with a bunch of stuff. Especially pickles. I’m a freak about pickles. My roommate eats my pickles sometimes, and I literally want to kill her. Yes, I’m crazy. I pay for my own food, so please don’t eat it or I will turn into a bank and ask for money. Sorry. Too much drama. Can’t you tell that I’m excited to find a new apartment and live with my future roommate?

J-E-L-L-O. Jelloooooo. Totally not kosher, but when you want a low calorie snack that in my opinion tastes really good (especially with whipcream) then Jello is going to be your best friend. Make sure it is the sugar free version because I think it is actually 0 calories or something close to that. Jello should be weightlosses best friend. Beat those cravings with Jello. I should advertise for them or they should at least give me free jello packs.

Now to the dinner that shut the guy up. I used this amazing recipe from my new favorite website: Skinny Taste. Not only are all of Gina’s recipes super beautiful to look at, but they are tasty and really low calorie (also random plug, if you are doing weight watchers, she has all the points on the website for each recipe). I made the Chicken Rollatini with spinach. It turned out so amazing. I wish I would have remembered to take a picture of the dish that had all the chicken in it because it looked sooo beautiful. Anyways, I served it up with a side of spaghetti squash and gluten free rolls. Man friend was like wow this is actually good. Well obviously it is good, I made it. Also eating healthy is actually tasty, you just have to know what you are doing.

Remember how I told you I was sewing an apron? Well I actually finished it a while ago, I just forgot to post a picture of it. I made man-friend dinner in this cute little thing. I’m actually thinking about opening an Etsy account with a friend and selling them on there along with artwork and other things made by us. What do you think? Do you think people would buy these aprons? I would also do custom ones too. Let me know. I want the money, honey.

Other good news: My $200 Lulu Lemon giftcard has finally arrived (helloooo shopping), I’m going to Houston this weekend with my mom to relax from the stress of school (lezz be honest, I’m going to shop till I drop), and I have a job interview tomorrow (with a nutrition company). I’m so excited. I hope everyone is having a great week!

What are your plans for the weekend?
Have you ever been to an electro house concert?

It’s That Time of The Week (WIAW)

Hey ya’ll! Of course I am going to participate in my favorite day of the week. What I Ate Wednesday. Who cares if I’m a day late. It is always a party at my place. Sort of. Okay, not really because I’m just a typical nerd always doing my work and what not, BUT this weekend it actually is going to be a party. Today is my younger brothers birthday, so I’m going out and I’m going out on Saturday. Uh oh. Double trouble for this weekend. Anyways back to the subject at hand. FOOOOOOD. Thanks to Jenn for doing this every single week. I don’t know what I would do without having WIAW and getting to stalk a million blogs in one day. Cheers to that.

Lets see what I’ve been eating.

Classic Lindsay oats. Duh. Really though, I’m pretty predictable.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Oats
1/2 c. Oatmeal
1 1/2 c. water
1 banana
1/3 c. canned pumpkin
1/4 c. low fat cottage cheese (1%-2%)
1 packet of truvia
1 dash of vanilla extract
cinnamon
pumpkin pie spice
a sprinkle of chocolate chips

1. Prepare oatmeal in the normal fashion of microwaving water and oats in a container for about 2-3 minutes.
2. Chop up banana into small slices, then place in container and microwave for 1:30 more minutes.
3. Add in everything, but chocolate chips.
4. Sprinkle with a few chocolate chips.

Delicious. The pumpkin provides a contrast to the sweetness of all the add ins, and the cottage cheese gives the oatmeal a creamy flavor that resembles cheesecake. I’ve been on a cottage cheese and oatmeal kick, so don’t worry. I have more cheesecakey recipes coming up in the next few weeks. If you have leftover pumpkin from all the holidays or you want to eat this bowl of oatmeal, I recommend making it as soon as possible. Your stomach will be happy.

Hello newest obsession. Blood Orange Chobani Yogurt. Some people think that it is too tart, but I think it is perfect. When you combine the creamy flavor of greek yogurt with the oranges at the bottom it makes pure heaven in your mouth. It is tangy, so be warned, but those are the kind of flavors I like. Chobani has really outdone itself with its new line of flavors. The apples and cinnamon flavor is also really delicious. I have a passion fruit in my fridge, but have yet to try it. Once I do, I will let ya’ll know what I think. I had been cheating on Chobani with Oikos lately, but with the addition of these new flavors I’m baaaack.

Other new food obsession: Arctic Zero Cookies and Cream. When can you go wrong with cookies and cream? NEVER. I had to sample a couple of bad flavors in order to find this gem. For those of you that don’t know, Arctic Zero is a real low calorie ice-cream that is great when you want a sweet treat, but do not want to consume all the calories from milk fat and what not in normal ice-cream. Now don’t expect a super creamy texture from this ice-cream because obviously it is low calorie, but I like the semi-icy texture and the flavor of the cookies and cream is AMAZING. I topped it with a little whip cream and some mini chocolate chips. Hello delicious afternoon snack. Why thank you, I will gobble you up.

I’ve really been enjoying mangoes lately. While they are super tricky to cut, in the end they are worth it. I’m trying to consume a variety of fruits now instead of just eating apples and bananas because that is boring, plus each fruit provides a different type of health benefit, so why not knock out as many diseases as I can by consuming as many whole foods as possible. I’m smart. Like we didn’t know that. Random nutrition lesson: stay away from pre-cut fruits like mango because those type of foods are not required to have food labels, so you don’t know how these items are being prepared or where they come from. Food safety is so important. You don’t want a foodborne illness – could lead to your death over strawberries or something (that would be a great book title).

My future roomie would probably look down on this, but heck sandwiches are an easy thing to eat before class especially if I’m in a hurry. I’m actually going to attempt to switch to eating tofurkey and go totally pescatarian, but we shall see if I like those products or not. Anyways since I’ve been eating bread in small amounts, these sandwich thins are soo good. They are the perfect size and the bread is really soft. I also tend to always pair my lunch with carrots and dijon mustard to dip them in. Yes, I’m really weird, but I like the bitterness of the dijon.

Things I love in life: Curry, tofu. Curry and tofu. I think I crave it pretty much every day, so instead of shelling out tons of money and buying it from a thai place I decided to make my own. Unfortunately, I’m lacking brain cells right now due to overload from school. Instead of following the recipe, I added a little too much curry. Oh how this was spicy. My mouth was on fire. I think I chugged about 40 oz of water in 10 minutes. While it was really spicy, it was still good. Lesson learned though. Always follow the recipe unless you know what you are actually doing.

Yes my fashion is back. I got so many compliments on this skirt today that I was like I MUST share this with the world. The skirt is asymmetrical and neon pink. I was wearing some black gladiator sandals, but my feet were tired from walking back from class, so I took them off. I promise to deliver more fashion on the blog again and maybe even have some posts only about fashion or maybe how fashion relates to nutrition. That would be weird. I’ll figure it out.

Hope everyone had a great WIAW and has a happy thirsty thursday!

Anyone have big plans for the weekend?
What is your favorite flavor of Cheesecake?

Life is so Craaazy

Seriously ya’ll, where have I been? I need to stop deserting you. I was sort of pouting in my little Lindsay cave because of something that happened. Remember when I said I was super excited because I was running for social chair for my organization? Well guess what? For the first time in my entire life, I didn’t win. I guess that should humble me, but in this case I feel like I actually deserved this. Unlike the two chairs that were elected, I actually came to events and know how to be a position on board. UGH. So angry, but what can I say since girls are cliquey. Oh how the world is so messed up. Anyways, I’m done with my funk. Lets see what I’ve been doing since I last posted.

Friday afternoon I had to go work at the HEB distribution center in San Marcos, Tx. I’m currently enrolled in a class called Food Systems and Management where we have to actually go work in food service locations for two hours at a time, WITHOUT pay, and then report on it. For my first lab experience, my partner and I went here to learn more about procurement and inventory. Unfortunately, I wasn’t allowed to take any pictures inside, but this was what the outside looked like. Super intense security because apparently everyone wants to steal groceries? It was actually pretty interesting though. We got to see how different grocery products are stored, where they are sent to, how they handle them when they arrive, and more business stuff. The class is important because for most of us nutrition students we want DIETETICS DIETETICS, but there are other options out there like food service, which is actually one of the most high paying jobs out there!

I FINALLY got to hang out with my friends from my Birthright trip. You don’t understand. We went from spending every freaking second of the day together then we go back to the real world where we rarely get to see each other and that is quite depressing. I miss these people like no other. I mean helloooo one of the girl’s has an epic fur coat. What is there not to love? Haha it is fake, so don’t worry. Apparently it was an 80′s theme party we were at, but none of us got the memo. Typical.

Yes, I have been nomming on some epic Lindsay oatmeal. Right here we have some blueberry cheesecake oats with a sprinkle of chocolate chips. Mmm. So freaking good. In Israel I wasn’t as happy in the mornings because I never got to eat oatmeal. I tried some “oatmeal” one morning at the breakfast, but it was so disgusting and was pretty much pure soup that I stayed away from it for the rest of the trip. My days are so much better when I have Lindsay oatmeal. Everyone should get on that train.

I recently checked out a lot of books from the Austin Public library. Mainly cookbooks and health related books. I copied down some recipes, so hopefully I will have some successful posts coming soon on recipes I used. Unfortunately, I did make a recipe from a hungry girl book involving tofu shirataki and let me tell you I HAVE NO IDEA HOW PEOPLE EAT THAT STUFF. It makes me want to vomit. Power to you people that have the skills to digest that gummy nasty stuff because you would have to pay me a lot to eat it and I mean A LOT.

Tomorrow is going to be a fun day. After my boring technical writing class, I get to go to a private sewing lesson. I’m going to be making an apron out of this super cute fabric. Hopefully it turns out like what I picture in my head, but I am just a beginning designer, so ya’ll shall see in my post tomorrow. Also after my lesson, I get to go work at a elderly home. Weeeee. Sort of, but not really. It is for that Food Systems class, and this time we are learning about meal planning and actually get to assist in meal planning there, which will be pretty fun because that is what I like most about nutrition. Fooooood and recipes. Eventually I have to study, but that is for nerds (hahah I know I am a nerd and we all know I’ll have my face buried in a book when I get home from that).

BTW has anyone ever listened to White Panda? They do really cool mash-ups, that I’m sort of addicted to right now. They are great to have on your workout playlist to get you pumped up! Have a fab Monday!

Have you ever had to work, for free, somewhere?
What is your favorite cookbook?

Nutrition Fact Friday

Hey ya’ll! I’ve been so lazy about blogging. Bad me. I should set an alarm for myself during the day to remind me that I need to take a break from my crazy life and relax for an hour to write a blog post. After all, I really do love blogging about food. I’ve been in school for two weeks now and it has completely taken over my life. I’m currently in Biochemistry, Food Systems and Management, Nutritional Assessment, and Technical Writing. It is a handful, but I’m surviving so far. Anyways, it is Friday and you know what that means. Nutrition Fact Friday. Today’s subject is pretty special to my heart. I wonder if ya’ll can guess? Probably because I’m pretty predictable, but it is….

OATMEAL.

All you talk about is oatmeal? Well yes when I’m sober I can be pretty boring. Oatmeal is a great food because not only is it a source of whole grains, but it has many functional benefits too. I know this because I had to sit through this girl’s boring presentation on oatmeal for my functional foods class last semester. YOU HAD OATMEAL. Come on. Snazz it up. Bust out some jazz hands or at least some sprinkles for godsake. However, I did end up learning a lot about oatmeal, mainly because I was going to be tested on it for my final, but oh well.

Blueberry Cheesecake Oatmeal

 One of the first things you learn as a nutrition major OVER and OVER again (yeah, they like to teach you the same thing a lot, so it sticks in your mind for the RD exam) is that fiber is important. Insoluble and soluble fiber are both needed in a healthy diet. Well, that is why oatmeal is such a great tool to have in your kitchen cupboard. Not only does it taste good, but it also contains both kinds of fiber. Why is fiber important you say? Insoluble fiber aids in bowel function, and more specifically helps speed up your stools. While the soluble fiber ends up forming a viscous gel within your stomach that allows a feeling of fullness to last for a long time, which can eventually aid in weight loss.

Most people do not know that soluble fiber contains a special bioactive compound that has a variety of positive affects on the body when consumed. The compound is called beta-glucans. In general, the beta-glucans of soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol, which is such an important thing for most people. When you go in deeper, you see that it traps the bad cholesterol, LDL, but there has been no connection to raising HDL levels, which is the good cholesterol. Instead, it just does not affect it, so that it can provide its benefits. Another positive affect of a beta-glucan is in regards to diabetes. Its beneficial effect is shown by slowing down the absorption of glucose following consumption of food.

Oats are seriously going to takeover the world. I know a lot of people that probably are like how are these healthy bloggers obsessed with oats, but really they are good for you and if you spruce them up enough then they are pretty mind-blowing. Wow, I get off track a lot. The ADD that I pretend to have, but really I just like to joke about it. So, where was I? Umm OATS. Yes, one last highlight of oats is that they contain a large amount of phytochemicals. If there is one thing that I took out of functional foods it is that phytochemicals are a killer thing to include in your diet. Why? Well, for the instance of oatmeal, the phytochemicals have an anti-cancer effect on the body. Heck, I’ll eat any food item that has yielded large positive results in research on cancer.

In general, oats are good for your overall health and longevity of life. So go out and buy the largest tub of oats you can find. Well don’t really do that unless you actually like the taste. I have a huge tub of oats in my pantry though. Oats can be confusing with the variety of types, but I tend to stick with the old fashioned rolled oats, but if you are in a hurry buy some quick oats OR if you want to be a super health nut get some steel cut oats, but they contain a larger amount of calories than the other two options.

Since this post was about oatmeal, I obviously wouldn’t leave ya’ll without a great recipe for oats.
Gingerbread Oatmeal

1/2 c. of oats (I used Quaker Old Fashioned)
1 1/3 c. of water
1 banana
1 tbsp molasses
cinnamon
a dash of nutmeg
1 packet of truvia
1 tsp of vanilla extract
a pinch of chocolate chips
1 gingerbread man
2 tbsp chocolate PB2

1. Place oats and water in a microwavable safe container, and heat for about 2:55. Let sit in microwave for about 2 minutes
2. Slice up banana, place on top of oatmeal, and microwave for about 2 minutes or until banana is mushy.
3. Stir up so that banana “melts” into the oatmeal.
4. Add all other ingredients except PB2, chocolate chips, and gingerbread man.
5. Stir all added ingredients until mixed thoroughly.
6. Top with chocolate chips, then PB2, and put your little gingerbread man in for a nice swim or crumble him up. Either way it will be delicious.

I hope you enjoyed a little health lesson about oatmeal. My blog may be going in a more serious place. BUM BUM BUM. Yeah right. I won’t be getting serious because lets be honest I’m a total goof, but I want to focus on more health related stuff like the food service industry, government regulations, nutrition in the news, and life as a nutrition student. OBVIOUSLY there will still be tons of food because I’m a pig. Really though. I wish I had one of those cute little tails, but I like to eat HEALTHY nutritious foods unlike the majority of the US population. Sad, but true.

I’m out for the night. It is Friday afterall. You know what that means. SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS….of biochemistry homework because I’m going out raging tomorrow night. I’m going to leave you with some of my favorite oatmeal recipes that I have seen out in the blog world.

Ya’ll should really check out Angela’s post about this delicious oatmeal recipe called Cherry Chocolate Bomb Vegan Overnight Oats. Drool worthy. Oh how I wish I had a nice camera to turn out such delicious photos like this one. She had me at chocolate and cherries. I’m obsessed with cherries, so throwing this classic combo in an oatmeal form. Oh god. Yes please.

One of my favorite blogs to check out for oatmeal recipes is Heather’s amazing blog, Kiss My Broccoli. She has crazy, creative recipes that include favorites such as Sante Fe Oats that have an egg, salsa, and avocado topping them. Ummm delicious. Can I hire you to make this for me please? Fine I’ll stop being lazy and do it myself, but if you want some delicious ideas check out this blog because the girl sure knows her stuff about cooking!

Do you get enough fiber in your diet?
How much do you know about phytochemicals, beta-glucans, and fiber?

Favorite Foods Of A Health Freak College Girl (Guest Post)

Hey ya’ll! I’m getting sad right now because my Israel trip is getting close to over and knowing myself I probably have fallen in love with some Israeli guy or I just don’t want to leave because I’m having a blast. At least I’ll be in New York City in a couple of days, so my dreamy vacation won’t be totally over. You got it. I have another guest post lined up for you! Today I have the lovely Haley writing on my walls. I’m so excited because she is a health obsessed college girl, much like myself, but she is probably a little better because she is super talented and a runner!

Hey Surviving Candyland readers! I hope you are all having a wonderful day. Before I get to my guest post, can we just all agree how jealous we are of Lindsay for being out of the country? Okay. Perfect.

 I’m Haley from Health Freak College Girl I am a freshman in college, trying to find my place. I came to my current school on a basketball scholarship but I ended up quitting due to basically not liking it anymore. On my blog, I write about healthy food, fitness, body confidence, college, and my goal of 21 before 21. What is 21 before 21? Glad you asked. My goal is to run 21 half or full marathons before I turn the age 21. Right now, I am on race 6. Just 15 more to go!

So for today, I am going to talk about some of my favorite foods. A lot of times, people think of college as being full of junk food. Yes, that is true, unless you make healthy decisions. You really have to be creative sometimes in the dining hall in order to come up with the healthiest meals. So how do I survive healthy living in college? Some of my food staples…

Nut Butter

A blogger who likes nut butter?? What a shock I used to be scared beyond belief of any sort of fat, but now I am nut butter is a staple in my diet. My favorite is peanut butter. I put it on top of bananas, oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, toast, rice cakes, anything! Not only does peanut butter taste good, but it also helps keep you satisfied for those countless hours of studying
Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is a great source of protein and calcium to keep in the fridge. I usually like to sweeten mine up with stevia or agave and vanilla. Then, the toppings are limitless! (Okay…maybe they are limited based on what you have in the dorm, but you know what I mean.)
Cereal

Oh, cereal. Glorious, glorious cereal. This is the greatest snack to have for anytime of the day. Whenever hunger strikes, I know that I can count on cereal.

Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds
Have a chocolate craving? Then these will do the trick! Some stores sell them in their bulk bin section, or you can get them at Trader Joes. Either way, they are the perfect way to help with that sweet tooth.

Sweet Potatoes

It’s totally normal to eat your sweet potato like a burrito, right? Okay, good. Glad we agree. After a couple weeks living off of dining hall food, I began to realize that I was missing sweet potatoes. To cook, I poke a sweet potato with a fork a few times, wrap it in a paper towel, then microwave for four or so minutes. Then, I eat it straight up, skin and all.

Bars

There are so many different types of bars out there. These are great for on the run or when packing a lunch to go somewhere.

Oatmeal

99% of dorms have microwaves so oatmeal is perfect. All you need to do is microwave for a little bit and then top with something. May I recommend peanut butter? 

Here’s a look into my mini fridge. As you can see, it’s packed.

You’ve probably thought, “I can’t eat healthy in college. I’m on a budget!” I’m on a budget too, but that’s where coupons come in.

• Whole Foods has montly coupons. They can be found online or at the store.

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/coupons/

• Healthy Life Deals sends out emails daily of new coupons.

http://www.healthylifedeals.com/

• Organic Deals also sends out emails like the one above.

http://www.organicdeals.com/

• Mambo Sprouts sends out emails every once in awhile. They also have a monthly booklet of coupons that can be found online or at health food stores.

http://www.mambosprouts.com/

 I hope this helped And even if you aren’t in college, there it’s always good to save money.

 Come on by Health Freak College Girl and say hi Hope you all have a great day!

Being Healthy In College (Guest Post)

Hey ya’ll! Hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend. I know I’m having a blast traveling through Israel right now, so I have yet another amazing guest post for you. Today the post is from one of the cutest bloggers in the healthy living community, Ashley. She has seriously some of the greatest style and fashion sense, and trust me I am a trusty opinion because I think I have pretty great style myself. Anyways, she is going to take over my blog, so I hope ya’ll enjoy!

Hey Surviving Candyland readers! I’m Ashley from almostveggirlie, where I blog about my favorite foods, (mostly) vegan recipes, fashion and crazy college shenanigans. I’m so honored to be doing a guest post for the beautiful and hilarious Lindsay–I’ve loved her blog since I first discovered it.

Hi guys, I promise I don't bite!

Today I wanted to share my tips on how to stay healthy while in college. College can be a really fun time but unfortunately, it’s also a time when many people aren’t their healthiest. However, I do believe that you can have fun and be healthy during your college years. And here’s how!

1. Try to get enough sleep

I know that this can be extremely hard to do, with all the studying/partying/friend time that goes on. But sleep should be a big priority, because it really does affect your health. If you’re exhausted all the time, you’re less likely to feel motivated to exercise, eat right or even stay focused in class. Not everyone needs 8 hours–some need more or less–so try to get as much as your body needs to be its best.

2. Stock your fridge and pantry with healthy, delicious food

Greek yogurt is convenient, protein packed, and yummy!

If you live in a dorm like I do, you might not think you have much room to store food. But think again! Even last year, when I had a roommate and a smaller room, I was still able to keep plenty of healthy food around. A mini fridge and a microwave come in really handy. I hate the dining hall food, so I mostly rely on what I have in my room to make all my meals. If you live off-campus, you probably have access to a kitchen, which is awesome! But make grocery shopping a regular habit, and choose whole foods over packaged ones. Some prepackaged things are actually fairly healthy, like hummus and soups, so you can definitely use those if you’re running low on time.

3. Turn your room into a gym

You don’t have to get all fancy with it, like this picture, but having some space and basic equipment right where you are can help motivate you to work out. In the year and a half I’ve been in college, I have yet to check out the rec center, but that doesn’t mean I’m not exercising. I have enough space to do quick cardio circuits, and I have a yoga mat that’s perfect for stretching. I’d love to get a set of weights to round out my workouts. And if you have to walk to classes like I do, that also counts as a workout. I get in probably 45-60 minutes of walking in a day, and it doesn’t even feel like working out!

4. Eat breakfast every day if possible

I love starting my day with a bowl of overnight oats!

 I know that some people don’t eat breakfast for whatever reason, but it’s really important. It gets your metabolism revving for the day, gives you fuel to make it through those tough morning classes and is just darn delicious! I personally love sweet breakfast foods, like oats, cereal and Greek yogurt, but if those things don’t appeal to you, try eggs and toast, or leftover dinner! Whatever it is, make sure it’s fairly healthy (no donuts!) and you get in some protein to keep you full.

5. Take breaks

This time of year can be especially stressful, with the last few days of classes, projects and final exams. But you can definitely avoid feeling so stressed that you just want to pull your hair out. If you’re studying, take breaks. Go for a short walk, watch your favorite TV show or have a quick snack. During your studying, stay as comfortable as possible, and listen to music if that helps. If you prefer peace and quiet, go somewhere that no one can bother you. Take one day or night per week where you can just unwind and try to forget all about school. And think about how close you are to the end of the semester!

6. Don’t feel guilty about eating

Froyo is too delicious to give up!

Everyone has some healthy or not-so-healthy indulgences that they love, and that’s okay! Feel free to enjoy them in moderation, without guilt. Personally, I like to have something sweet every single day, but because it’s usually pretty healthy (like dates with nut butter or peanut butter Puffins) I don’t feel bad about it. Even if you love something that’s not really that healthy, don’t beat yourself up about eating it. Just enjoy it, and move on. Having a healthy attitude about food is really important to being healthy in general.

What is a tip you have for staying healthy and happy in college?

Thanks again Ashley for hosting my blog for a day! I really loved your guest post. Especially that pinkberry. I’m definitely getting myself some of that when I get to NYC after Israel.

Eat Your Eggs

Hey ya’ll! Hope everyone had a good Friday night. I tried to go to bed early, but no someone wanted to ruin my good night of sleep by throwing a loud party next door, screaming bloody murder about things I could not even understand, and talking loud on the phone or computer (not really sure which one). Enough with complaining because that won’t do anything for the situation. It has been a productive morning though. I have gotten through most of my ten page anatomy and physiology review, so I’m in a good mood again. Plus UT women’s volleyball won last night in an extremely close match against Kentucky in their home stadium. Oh yeaaah. Tonight we play UCLA and I’m super nervous already because they sweeped Penn State (an enemy of UT).

Today I’m bring something new to my blog. I’m going to start focusing on more food, health, and nutrition related stuff because when I started this blog that was pretty much the purpose, but my funniness and goofiness sort of took over. Each week, usually on Fridays, but because I got that award I’m doing it on Saturday this week, I will do a post totally focused on some important nutrition fact. Today I’m focusing on breakfast. My favorite time of the day. Ya’ll know why. OATMEAL, but there is more to breakfast than just oats.

In my mind, breakfast is probably the most important meal of the day. Due to the gap between our last meal from the night before and the next morning, our brain and muscles need a source of energy to function. Without a real meal, you will still be able to get through the day, but having a hearty meal allows you to concentrate better, be more productive, and feel less lethargic. Besides providing general body function, eating breakfast has shown to actually help you lose weight instead of gain. Most people assume the opposite, but by not eating breakfast people tend to eat more later on in the day not realizing that calories add up quickly. Metabolism is key in this because by eating breakfast it allows your body to keep your metabolism running instead of slowing it down, which is key in weight loss.

“I don’t like breakfast foods”, “I don’t have time to eat breakfast”, or “I don’t get full from breakfast” are some of the common things we hear when it comes to morning meal discussion, but don’t worry I have some healthy choices for you to eat.

Blackberry Cheesecake Oats (Gluten Free)
1/3 c. Gluten Free Oats
1 1/3 c. water
1/2 c. low fat cottage cheese
3/4 c. blackberries
1 packet of truvia
1 tsp of vanilla extract
2 tbsp of PB2

1. Make the oats either the day of or the night before by microwaving oats and water for 2:55, letting sit in microwave for 5 minutes, then placing in the fridge.
2. Place cottage cheese, truvia, and vanilla extract in oats and mix well.
3. Microwave half of the blackberries for about one minute or until warm and there is blackberry juice present.
4. Pour microwaved blackberries in oatmeal and mix well.
5. Top with remaining blackberries and 2 tbsp of PB2

Of course I’m going to say oatmeal is a good option for breakfast, but it is not just because I love it. Oatmeal is a good source of fiber, protein, and it is low fat. Due to its fiber and protein content, it allows you to stay full longer than a sugary cereal or granola bar would. Besides having just a good nutrient composition, oatmeal can also be considered a functional food because oats have shown to lower cholesterol, blood pressure, blood triglycerides, increases insulin sensitivity, and lowers the risk of coronary heart disease. Sign me up please. Besides the oats, adding fruit increases the fiber content even more and blackberries are also a functional food. The cottage cheese is a source of dairy, and the peanut butter is a healthy fat. Now that is a meal that packs a healthy punch, will keep you full for hours, is easy to make if you are in a hurry, and you can create a bowl of oatmeal to your liking.

Finally I make a perfect omelet and the picture comes out blurry. Just my luck. Anyways, eggs are always a good option for breakfast. Personally I use egg whites instead of whole eggs because the yolk in eggs contains high cholesterol and fat, and when you switch to egg whites you are still getting a ton of nutritional benefits. Most of an egg’s protein is actually from the egg white or albumin, so by consuming egg whites only you are not missing out on benefits. The protein will help keep you full until your mid day snack or next meal. Egg whites are low in calories, so you can increase your nutrient intake and add more food items to bulk it up with flavor and calories. I usually fill my omelet with a minimum of two vegetables (but usually more) and another source of protein. In this omelet, I have mushrooms, onions, green peppers, slices of ham, and low fat shredded cheese. The vegetables provide fiber, the ham increases the protein amount, and the cheese is a good source of healthy dairy. This is pretty easy to cook, the eggs coagulate pretty quickly, and yet again you can customize an omelet to your liking. I choose to make this breakfast before I go to the gym and head to class after I work out, and it tends to keep me full until after my class. Pretty successful, don’t you think?

While I’m not an advocate of quick breakfasts, sometimes you are in a real rush and you don’t have time to whip up an omelet or a bowl of oats, so frozen products can be a healthy alternative depending on what you are choosing. Obviously you shouldn’t be eating toaster pastries, but by choosing products that have flaxseed and more nutritional ingredients you are saving yourself from the harms of high fat foods. These are Vans Gluten Free Blueberry Waffles with sliced strawberries and sugar free syrup on top of them. In order to make a quick product more filling, add things such as fruit to increase the amount of filling fiber in a meal. Another alternative you can do with waffles is make a sandwich with an egg, a couple slices of meat, veggies, and cheese. This way you are eating a more filling meal that will help you get through the long hours in a day.

Some of my random breakfast advice:
1. Drink a glass of water while preparing your breakfast, and then another while you eat. This will help you make sure you get all of your daily water intake.
2. Do not eat bars for a meal. They will not fill you up, they do not provide an adequate amount of nutrients, and you will end up consuming more. If you do this at least make sure you pair it with some fruit and other small items like a greek yogurt.
3. Just don’t skip breakfast!

Hope everyone has a lovely Saturday! I will hopefully be attending the UT mens basketball game, but if not I’m going home to my mom’s for a couple of days to do some last minute things before Israel and to get some peaceful sleep before my two biggest finals.

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
What is your best advice to others in regards to breakfast?

An Award..Must Be A Joke

Hey ya’ll! It is definitely not a joke. I got the versatile blogger award from my girl Haley at Health Freak College Girl. She is a health obsessed chica in college (duh – sorry, some people can’t read), and she is studying kinesiology, which is totally dope and there are some hot guys in that field too. Get it girrrrl. Some even more amazing facts about her is that she is a runner, and I am so jealous of that. Eventually one of these days I will make it through a run without ending up crippled the next day. Yes arthritis, you will not get the best of me. Wait, we are talking about Haley. God Lindsay, stop being so self centered. Anyways, she is a pretty cool girl and you may hear from her in the near future. Cough cough she is doing a guest post cough cough. What? That wasn’t obvious or anything.

Hmmm…Seven facts about me:

1. I had a tumor in my foot when I was 8 years old. WOAAAH. No, don’t worry, it was benign. The problem was that it was sitting right on my nerve tissue, so pretty much I couldn’t walk because it hurt so bad. I had one surgery done, but because it was on my nerve tissue they couldn’t get it all out. We thought it was all good, but I ended up having to fly to Utah to see a specialist. Thankfully, the pain went away, I learned to walk on it again, and I’m all good. I have this gnarly scar on the bottom of my left foot, but I don’t want to take a picture of it, so toooo bad.

2. Meet Hippo. He is my friend. Yes, I actually talk to him like he is an actual person. I may be crazy, but it is all good. I’m totally not ashamed to admit this, but I sleep with him every night. Otherwise I have a hard time falling asleep. He is one of those bead pillows, but in an animal shape. I love him. Unfortunately he is depressed right now because he is not coming to Israel, so he is camping out in my suitcase trying to get a spot for the flight. Sorry Hippo, but I need room for all my fabulous clothes.

3. When I listen to music, I pretend that random dreamed up events are occurring. Pretty much my ipod and the music on it is the soundtrack to my life, but an imaginary one. Yeah, I’m crazy, but I guess whatever helps you get by, and this is definitely entertaining during working out. Seriously I can spend hours on the bike and forget that I’m actually riding the bike. Okay Lindsay…..

4. I have a slight obsession with oatmeal. Ya’ll probably know that though. It doesn’t get boring to me though. Every day it is like I’m eating something new. That is probably because I make creative bowls, but I probably would still eat it all the time if it was just oats, some brown sugar, and raisins. Nothing like plain and simple. Nom nom nom.
This is actually a pretty plain bowl of oats for me. It is just my normal oatmeal prep method, smashed blackberries, some gluten free chocolate chips, cinnamon, and a tbsp of PB2. See, pretty simple. I could actually eat even plainer oats, but that probably will never happen because I have a fun time making up new flavors to try out and post for ya’ll to see.

5. My favorite thing in the entire world is cupcakes. But wait, aren’t you gluten free? Well yes, but that doesn’t mean I can’t love them in non-edible forms too. I actually will eat cupcakes in New York when I’m there because I’m dying to try Crumbs. It will totally be worth hanging out in the bathroom later that night. I’m also going to try out babycakes since it is a gluten free bakery! I’m super pumped.
See you can have your cupcake and not eat it. This is the top of Hey Cupcake trailer in Austin on a set of coasters. I got them for my birthday. Probably one of the best gifts EVER. Other cupcake paraphernalia that I have includes a cup, an apron, and some lipgloss. I just looooove cupcakes.

6. I’m an amazing dancer. No, not professional, like ballet, tap, jazz, etc etc, but in the club I can bust a move or two. It just comes naturally to me, and I love it. It sort of makes me uncomfortable to see people that can’t dance, unless I’m really drunk because then I just don’t have a care in the world.

7. I’m an artist. Sort of? I’m not sure really, but I’ll just make the bold statement that I am. When I applied to colleges, I decided to apply to RISD and SCAD as a last minute decision. Worst idea ever? Probably because I had to turn in a 20 piece portfolio and create three new specific pieces for RISD, but I guess it was worth it. It pushed me as an artist, and I learned what going to art school would be like since I was cranking out a bajillion pieces in such a short time. I ended up getting almost a full ride at SCAD and got into RISD, but I decided that I liked to cut open things instead, so art school was not for me. Waste of time? No because it just validated my artistic skills and probably made me cockier than I need to be.

Anyways enough about me because my head is about to explode, but now its time to nominate a bunch of people in no particular order:

Kalie’s Thoughts

Each Day Ray

Fun, Food, and Free Weights

Kat’s Health Corner

Almost Veg Girlie

It’s Friday, friday, everyone is going out on Friday. No, don’t lie to us, everyone is not going out on friday. I’ll be staying inside working on a ten page anatomy review packet and a functional foods review packet. What is my life?!? I have $25 to the liquor store and I can’t even spend it yet because I have so much studying to do. Booooo. I hope ya’ll have a great weekend though and don’t hit the books too hard because then you might go insane.

What is a random fact about you?
What is the craziest thing that has ever happened to you?

Partying Hard (WIAW)

Hey ya’ll! It is that time of the week again. Another What I Ate Wednesday Post. I should learn how to document my food more, so I actually have more delicious food to post and less of my jibber jabber. Although I do think I’m rather funny, so I subject ya’ll to that more often than I should. Sorry, but not sorry. Anyways, all of us bloggers that participate in this lovely holiday must give it up to the wonderful Jenn for hosting and creating such a great day in the week. Without this day, I probably would not have discovered some great food items out there or met some amazing people. Plus it doesn’t hurt having people stalk your blog more. Enough with the chit chat, lets get to why ya’ll really came to my page, the food:

Baked Apple Pie Oats (Gluten Free)
1 Braeburn Apple
cinnamon
Brown Sugar
crushed walnuts
raisins
1/3 c. Gluten Free Oats
1 1/3 c. Water
1 tbsp of PB2
truvia packet
1 tsp vanilla

1. Prepare oats like the normal method of microwaving, letting sit, and refrigerating the night before.
2. The next day slice up apple into really small chunks, sprinkle with cinnamon and a pinch of brown sugar, put in a microwave safe dish, cover in plastic wrap, then microwave for 5 minutes.
3. While apples are cooling, reheat oats from the night before, then mix in a packet of sugar and a tsp of vanilla.
4. Mix in hot apple mixture, but leave some apples on the top.
5. Top with sprinkle of raisins, walnuts, a little cinnamon, PB2 and a pinch of brown sugar.

Hands down the best oatmeal combination I have come up with yet. Besides tasting good, your apartment will smell of sweet cinnamony apples. For once, I actually liked going out of my room since it smelled lovely. I definitely recommend everyone make these as soon as possible because they are life changing. If you don’t want the oats, I still suggest that you make the cooked apples because it is a super low-cal, healthy, filling, and did I mention delicious snack?

Today I went to the library to study for my Food Science final that is tomorrow. Ah. Yeah, I feel like I’m ready for it, but I just never know. I really just need to get a B on it, so I can keep my A. Enough with that. You can’t go to the library without amazing study snacks. So I brought along for the journey a bag of baby carrots, a bag of berries (strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries), and a bag of special trail mix (almonds, gluten free pretzels, and raisins). I also had two babybell light cheeses, a sugar free vanilla snackpack, and a gluten free marshmallow bar, but I crammed those in my mouth really quickly and didn’t get any pictures. Who wants to see that anyways?

My friend that went to the library with me was getting hungry for lunch, so we decided to take a break and walk all the way to Subway. I have all these giftcards there, so I am always down to get a salad with all the toppings on it. Today I got a turkey and ham salad with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, banana peppers, pickles, and regular mustard. I love subway, and I just discovered that the one we went to is open 24 hours. Hello late night munchies at like 3 am. Haha. No, I actually won’t be going to a Subway that late at night because I would rather eat something sweet or salty. After our lunch, I decided to trek all the way back to my car and go to my apartment because I had wasted 2 hours at the library chatting away and playing words with friends and hanging with friends. Damn you evil IPhone games.

I had pork chops and apple sauce for dinner. What a winning combination. I should always trust traditional southern food, but I actually have never had it before this. All I did to make my pork chops was sprinkle them with tenderizer and let them sit for about 20 minutes before tossing them into a hot pan with some oil. Let me tell you that tenderizer does some amazing tricks. I learned about this secret in my Food Science lab when we did the section on meats. It makes the meat really juicy and tender. I paired it with my famous green beans…from a can. What a perfect meal. Atleast in my mind. Totally unkosher, but thankfully I’m not religious.

Mango is on sale at the grocery store right now, so what did the Jew in me say? BUY BUY BUY. Good choice though. Not just for the pricetag, but mango is a really delicious snack to have at night. The citrus flavor definitely woke me up to study some more for my exam. The only thing is that the darn fruit is really hard to cut, which is no wonder so many people buy it already sliced and peeled in packages.

Who has had one of these before? Gluten Free, organic, super tasty. No complaints over here. One of my favorite gluten free products is this peanut butter with chocolate drizzle rice bar. Satisfies that sweettooth craving, especially when you are wanting something like a brownie or chocolate cake, but you can’t have it. I tend to go through these really quickly because they are so good. They come in 4 different flavors – wow I sound like an advertisement.

It is time for me to get off the internet, so I can get back to some last minute studying. Hope everyone had a wonderful Wednesday and good luck to all of those taking finals right now!

What are your favorite study snacks?
When are your exams, if you have any?

Back to the Party (WIAW)

Hey ya’ll! It is my favorite day of the week. I always consider it a little holiday because many bloggers take a break from their normal routine and post up an awesome spread of their eats. Best stalking site ever. Seriously, how do you think I found most of ya’ll? We have to give a big thanks to Jenn for hosting this weekly party. I seriously do not know what some bloggers would do without her. Enough talking, lets get to the good stuff: the eats.

PB&J Oatmeal (Gluten Free)

1/3 c gluten free oats
1 1/3 c of water
1 banana
2 tbsp organic raspberry preserves (or any jam/jelly of your choice)
2 tbsp PB2
1 packet of truvia
1 tsp of vanilla

1. Make oats the night before, using normal method.
2. Next morning, slice up 1 banana, place on top of oats, and microwave for about 2:50
3. Stir up everything until banana is “melted” in oats
4. Add in vanilla and truvia packet
5. Then swirl around one tablespoon of preserves at a time
6. Top with PB2 and you are ready to enjoy

I love peanut butter. I love jelly. I’m not really a fan of the sandwiches unless they are made just right, but I thought why not try this classic combination in one of my bowls of oats. I have the best ideas. The natural sweetness from the raspberry preserves made a perfect combination with the saltiness of the peanut butter. Next time I am going to through in some actual raspberries to make the meal even better than it already is.

Yes, for once I actually recorded some of my snacks. Lets not get ahead of ourselves because I did not manage to catch everything. I may have missed a cheesestick or two, but I’m trying here. I want to live up to the WIAW greatness.
I’m being a typical Jew when it comes to my grocery shopping lately, but I buy so much produce that I have to hit up the deals otherwise I will be dropping mega wads of cash all the time on fruit. Right now, Rome apples are on sale. Rome you say? Well, unfortunately the apple does not bring back memories of a warm summer day strolling through the Roman forum while ingesting coconut gelato, but I’m not going to complain because it is still a really tasty apple. I try to eat an apple a day; however, it definitely does not keep the doctor away because I have been having some arthritic pain lately.

Thanks to my school I have made one of the best discoveries. Okay, technically I did not discover it since they came to lecture about their company, but hey I did go out and try it on my own. Welcome to My Fit Foods. The company has pre-packaged healthy meals (with all of the nutrition information on a label) for each meal of the day. They serve vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free products. It is amazing. I went in this past week when they were having a 40% off sale and got two meals to try for the price of one. Jew heaven. This is the Salmon stir-fry, and it was so delicious. There was a wide variety of vegetables with a nice side of rice and a good chunk of salmon with a spicy rub on top. What a perfect lunch time meal.

Yes, I eat green beans out of a can and I like it. No, I love them. I may be weird, but I don’t really care. I’m getting my servings of vegetables, so who cares where they are coming from. That is a lot more than I can say for most people in America. Don’t be hating on my can veggie loving.

One of the best gluten-free snacks out there. Rice pudding. These little snack packs are the perfect sweet treat to hold you over for a while. Topped with fat free cool whip to make pure perfection. Also I have a kerropi spoon that I got from this guy that worked at yogurtland. Thanks for all the free spoons. Now eating my pudding is so much more fun. I think Katie would approve, especially because I have Hello Kitty, Chococat, and My Melody.

Turkey Meatballs with Spaghetti Squash (Gluten Free)
1 lb extra lean ground turkey meat
1 diced onion
2 egg whites (I used egg white substitutes)
1/2 c. gluten free oats
1/8 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c. fat-free milk

1. Turn on oven to 400 degrees, coat baking sheet with spray or use a piece of aluminum foil
2. In a bowl, mix egg whites, oats, and milk until combined
3. Add oregano, onion, garlic powder, and salt and mix.
4. Mix in turkey meat until all into a solid mass
5. Makes about 32 meatballs, roll with your hands, and place on baking sheet
6. Bake for about 10-12 minutes

I placed my meatballs on spaghetti squash. I know ya’ll are probably sick of seeing spaghetti squash, but I bought two of them and I just used up my second one. I can’t help it that I’m a little obsessed with this low calorie pasta substitute. I know nothing will replace the doughy taste of fresh pasta (trust me because I have eaten pasta all throughout Italy), but for those who are health conscious this is a pretty good sub. The meatballs had a great flavor from the oregano and garlic powder and went well with the squash. I’ll be eating these leftovers for a while.

I’m ending my day with a nice cup of hot cocoa, marshmallows, fat free cool whip, and some sprinkles. I feel like sprinkles makes everything better or at least prettier. This hot drink is soothing my throat, which is randomly sore, and making studying for my anatomy exam a little better. Although studying for anatomy, not really fun, ever. Luckily I’m a whiz when it comes to that stuff otherwise I would be screwed like 95% of the class. Three points for being smart.

Of course I’m going to leave ya’ll with a little fashion. This is sort of my low-key look. Yeah I know, low key, haha this is still dressing up for most people that go to school where I do. I just will never get into the lazy look. Its just not me. Anyways the top is forever21, pants are macys, boots are DSW, and scarf is JcPenneys. I paired it with a black leather jacket from Urban Outfitters for when I went to class.

 Hope everyone had a wonderful Wednesday and thanks again to Jenn for allowing me to shamelessly whore out my blog through WIAW!