So I'm currently avoiding writing a lab report and studying for a different lab final...woohoo! Here's my best guilt-free procrastination methods:
1. Cooking! Somehow I always make my best meals when I'm supposed to be doing something else...or running late for school :)
2. Blogging! Whether its philosophy, cooking, or something totally random, blogging never feels like a waste of time...when I get around to it ;)
3. Phone Calls to Family! Somehow, I never feel guilty talking to my mom, dad, or sister...yet those conversations often occur on days when studying should be the priority
4. Cleaning! HAHA, like I ever actually do THAT! No really, I have been known to sort my room when avoiding something, especially when avoiding cleaning my bathroom or doing the dishes...
5. Playing with my Bird! She never gets enough attention when I'm at school, so OF COURSE I need to give her more when I'm home!
6. Studying my Bible! Yes, this can be used to procrastinate...just start reading Genesis and looking up the etymology of words and the historical background and you'll be fascinated too...I could spend hours!
And now, the guilty procrastination devices:
Somehow most of these are on the computer:
1. facebook
2. runescape
3. email
4. puzzle pirates
5. looking up grad schools :)
Also:
6. reading books
7. browsing the library
8. hanging out with friends for hours on end
9. watching movies
So there you have it, I'm sure I do more than that, but now back to my homework...
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Healthy Cooking in the College World: Breakfast
Eating a fast, healthy breakfast can be really difficult. However, breakfast is extremely important to a healthy eating pattern. I normally eat my breakfast in the car on the way to school, which really limits the options. If you have time, cereal and milk obviously makes a good breakfast, as do smoothies. Smoothies are really easy if you have some type of a blender. strawberries and bananas are a great base for any smoothie. bananas will thicken a smoothie. strawberries, other berries, and oranges all add a tartness. mango and pineapple go really well in a more tropical smoothie. Add peanut butter to a strawberry and banana one. Add yogurt to any (will add a flavor) for extra protein. Use juice or milk to make the smoothie thin enough to blend (milk will drown out the fruit if too much is used--juice is really the best way to go). Use frozen fruit or ice cubes to make it colder and thicker. Less juice is needed if fresh fruit is used, though.
Hot cereals can also be really healthy. I like to buy some good multi-grain cereals like oats or muesli from a healthier store (around me there's whole foods, sunflower market, and trader joe's). I then cook it and add frozen berries such as raspberries or blueberries and some chopped nuts (any kind works, I just chop the ones I use for snacks :).
If you're taking smoothies or hot cereal on the go, I suggest cups that can close and be left in the car, or washing the cup out as soon as you get to school, or going the not-eco-friendly way and using disposable cups. They get pretty nasty after a day in a hot car!
My other fast breakfasts are to buy drinkable yogurts, make toast and peanut butter, or to eat a protein bar...my favorites are luna bars, larabars, and the harvest whole grain powerbars. I only buy these if they're on sale though: my aim for my breakfast is to cost a dollar or less, which means a sale is needed on the energy bars and drinkable yogurts. I would also love any other suggestions in this category, as I don't have a lot of ideas for fast breakfasts!
Oh, and I also eat cold pizza whenever I have it :)
Hot cereals can also be really healthy. I like to buy some good multi-grain cereals like oats or muesli from a healthier store (around me there's whole foods, sunflower market, and trader joe's). I then cook it and add frozen berries such as raspberries or blueberries and some chopped nuts (any kind works, I just chop the ones I use for snacks :).
If you're taking smoothies or hot cereal on the go, I suggest cups that can close and be left in the car, or washing the cup out as soon as you get to school, or going the not-eco-friendly way and using disposable cups. They get pretty nasty after a day in a hot car!
My other fast breakfasts are to buy drinkable yogurts, make toast and peanut butter, or to eat a protein bar...my favorites are luna bars, larabars, and the harvest whole grain powerbars. I only buy these if they're on sale though: my aim for my breakfast is to cost a dollar or less, which means a sale is needed on the energy bars and drinkable yogurts. I would also love any other suggestions in this category, as I don't have a lot of ideas for fast breakfasts!
Oh, and I also eat cold pizza whenever I have it :)
Healthy Cooking in the College World: Snacking
No matter how healthy your meals are, your whole diet can go down the drain if you don't watch what you snack on. If you're anything like me, snacks are something I've never been able to get cut out completely, I've only been able to modify them. My eating preferences are to eat smaller meals and snack throughout the day, which can be really dangerous are carb heavy. So, here's how I go about it:
First, the best snacks are fruits and veggies. If I'm at home, I'll just eat raw fruits and veggies. Usually I eat ones I've chopped up, because that's a good way to not eat too many at once, since the work to do so keeps me from filling myself up completely. To make it more exciting, pair slightly sour fruits like oranges and strawberries with some cheddar cheese in small blocks. Eat veggies with some dressing. Eat apples with some peanut butter. Just make sure that the fruit and veggies are the main portion of the snack and the condiment or cheese is there as an accent only.
When on campus for work or classes, carry dried fruits and nuts with you everywhere. If you're worried about cost or have a hard time keeping yourself to small servings eat peanuts or sunflower seeds and raisins. Dried fruit and mixed nuts from a store that sells bulk are often reasonably priced when on sale. I like to wait for 4-5 dollars a pound on nuts and 2-3 dollars a pound on dried fruit. I've also found reasonably priced mixed fruit and mixed nuts at target from the store brand (archer farms).
Also carry around fruit that won't get damaged or brown like whole apples and oranges. Carry them in a plastic bag so you have a way to carry the peels or cores if you're not by a trash can. If you plan ahead, carrying raw veggies that are already chopped up is good. broccoli and cauliflower are both fine if not cold, and so are carrots and celery. Tomatoes, mushrooms, sweet peppers and cucumber are also delicious. Just carry them in a tupperware container if they might get squished
I also always carry gum with me on campus. If you know you are snacking just to snack its a great way to have some flavor in your mouth but not be really eating. Altoids also work really well, and come in a lot of flavors too :)
If you're at home and trying to snack but don't want to really eat anything, frozen fruit can be a really good way to go. bananas always work well, just freeze them already in slices. They don't freeze solid so are really easy to eat. Grapes also freeze well. You can freeze them in halves or wholes. The whole ones can be a little big to eat easily but the halves can freeze together more easily, so try and decide which way works best for you. Both of those fruits are often very reasonable prices.
First, the best snacks are fruits and veggies. If I'm at home, I'll just eat raw fruits and veggies. Usually I eat ones I've chopped up, because that's a good way to not eat too many at once, since the work to do so keeps me from filling myself up completely. To make it more exciting, pair slightly sour fruits like oranges and strawberries with some cheddar cheese in small blocks. Eat veggies with some dressing. Eat apples with some peanut butter. Just make sure that the fruit and veggies are the main portion of the snack and the condiment or cheese is there as an accent only.
When on campus for work or classes, carry dried fruits and nuts with you everywhere. If you're worried about cost or have a hard time keeping yourself to small servings eat peanuts or sunflower seeds and raisins. Dried fruit and mixed nuts from a store that sells bulk are often reasonably priced when on sale. I like to wait for 4-5 dollars a pound on nuts and 2-3 dollars a pound on dried fruit. I've also found reasonably priced mixed fruit and mixed nuts at target from the store brand (archer farms).
Also carry around fruit that won't get damaged or brown like whole apples and oranges. Carry them in a plastic bag so you have a way to carry the peels or cores if you're not by a trash can. If you plan ahead, carrying raw veggies that are already chopped up is good. broccoli and cauliflower are both fine if not cold, and so are carrots and celery. Tomatoes, mushrooms, sweet peppers and cucumber are also delicious. Just carry them in a tupperware container if they might get squished
I also always carry gum with me on campus. If you know you are snacking just to snack its a great way to have some flavor in your mouth but not be really eating. Altoids also work really well, and come in a lot of flavors too :)
If you're at home and trying to snack but don't want to really eat anything, frozen fruit can be a really good way to go. bananas always work well, just freeze them already in slices. They don't freeze solid so are really easy to eat. Grapes also freeze well. You can freeze them in halves or wholes. The whole ones can be a little big to eat easily but the halves can freeze together more easily, so try and decide which way works best for you. Both of those fruits are often very reasonable prices.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Healthy cooking in the college world: veggie meals
Adding veggies to your diet is completely the fastest, easiest way to make it overall more healthy. The trick is not getting bored with whatever you're doing. There are 4 main ways I prepare vegetables by themselves, as well as trying to add them to recipes whenever possible: salads, stir fry, steaming, and soups. Oh, and just eating them raw is always good :) All of these are very flexible, and can work with many types of veggies, depending on what's on sale. All but steaming can also make the main dish of the meal if you're going vegetarian for that meal.
Salads:
Salads are great either with a leafy base or not. Spinach is probably the healthiest green leaf, but any type of lettuce or cabbage are good, and will give different flavors to the salads. Pretty much any vegetable that can be eaten raw is good on a salad. Just chop it up fine enough to eat easily. The traditional ones are sweet peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, and carrots. Other fun ones are celery, broccoli, zucchini, summer squash, onions (red or green have the most flavor). Nuts are really good on salads, especially sliced almonds and walnut or pecan halves. Fruit can be good: I like sliced strawberries, mandarin oranges, raisins, and dried cranberries. Chicken, fish, black beans, and couscous are also really good to make a salad a satisfying meal in itself. The dressings are also important. I really only eat a few kinds though: I like ranch on salads with mostly vegetables. I like a sweeter sauce like a ginger poppyseed for salads with fruits or nuts. I really like balsamic vinegar in salads with couscous and black beans. That's one of my favorite salads right now!
Salads and raw veggies are definitely the easiest way to take veggies along in a packed lunch. Just remember that both tomatoes and dressings will make some the lettuce and delicate veggies like mushrooms wilt during the day.
Stir Fry:
Again, many veggies can go into a stir fry. My favorites are sweet peppers, carrots, and broccoli. Also good are mushrooms, asparagus, tomatoes, onions and zucchini. Any veggie that will keep its crispness is good. Veggies like mushrooms, tomatoes, and zucchini should be added in near the end if you don't like them soft. Chicken goes really well in a saute for a more solid meal. Sauteed veggies also go over rice really well, although they are then better with a little bit of a sauce. I usually saute them with olive oil. Lemon juice or soy sauce taste good with some types. A lot of the more savory spices also go well, especially basil. There's a lot of good recipes on the internet if you don't want to just experiment.
Steamed:
There are two ways to steam veggies (3 if you count the microwave). You can put them in a pot with a steamer (which doesn't cost very much, and you can get it from target) or in a pot with the bottom layer of veggies half covered. You can also steam them in the oven. Steaming on the stove is usual for veggies that are in bite size pieces beforehand, such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and asparagus. Steaming in the oven I mostly use for cooking squash. Steamed acorn squash is great by itself or with butter, or a brown sugar sauce. Steamed spaghetti squash makes a great substitute for pasta in recipes! Its actually really easy to make, too! I sometimes put a parmesan alfredo sauce with veggies that were steamed on the stove, as well. In some later post I will detail how to make an alfredo sauce, but you can also just buy it in a jar from the store.
Soups:
I will just briefly explain veggie soups here, and save the full amazingness of soups for a later post. Veggies soups are made with a chicken or vegetable stock as the base and adding veggies to that. I like a lot of veggies in soups, including carrots, celery (the leaves are actually really good too), tomatoes, potatoes, turnips, and onions. The ratio of liquid to veggies is totally up to you, I'd start half and half. If you want it thinner then add more liquid, if you want it thicker than either let some of it boil off, or cook your potatoes longer. both potatoes and turnips will start disintegrating as they cook, making the soup thicker. To make a veggie stew that is a whole meal, add some beans or lentils. Lentils only take 15-20 minutes to cook, usually, and beans can either be pre-cooked, or used from a can to keep the time down. Many spices and flavors go well in soups. The taste of the stock can be good on its own, otherwise add any set of spices that smells good at the time, or add tomato puree for a tomato-y soup :) The biggest trick with soups is knowing the cooking times of the different ingredients, so that you add them in a staggered fashion to allow all to cook the right amount without getting over-done. To avoid this, and to make the soup-making faster, you can saute the veggies before-hand and just add them all together and simmer for a short while. Using the normal method, it usually takes me 20 to 40 minutes to make a vegetable soup.
As you can see, the more flexible and experimental you are with your meals, the longer it takes for each type to get boring :)
Salads:
Salads are great either with a leafy base or not. Spinach is probably the healthiest green leaf, but any type of lettuce or cabbage are good, and will give different flavors to the salads. Pretty much any vegetable that can be eaten raw is good on a salad. Just chop it up fine enough to eat easily. The traditional ones are sweet peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, and carrots. Other fun ones are celery, broccoli, zucchini, summer squash, onions (red or green have the most flavor). Nuts are really good on salads, especially sliced almonds and walnut or pecan halves. Fruit can be good: I like sliced strawberries, mandarin oranges, raisins, and dried cranberries. Chicken, fish, black beans, and couscous are also really good to make a salad a satisfying meal in itself. The dressings are also important. I really only eat a few kinds though: I like ranch on salads with mostly vegetables. I like a sweeter sauce like a ginger poppyseed for salads with fruits or nuts. I really like balsamic vinegar in salads with couscous and black beans. That's one of my favorite salads right now!
Salads and raw veggies are definitely the easiest way to take veggies along in a packed lunch. Just remember that both tomatoes and dressings will make some the lettuce and delicate veggies like mushrooms wilt during the day.
Stir Fry:
Again, many veggies can go into a stir fry. My favorites are sweet peppers, carrots, and broccoli. Also good are mushrooms, asparagus, tomatoes, onions and zucchini. Any veggie that will keep its crispness is good. Veggies like mushrooms, tomatoes, and zucchini should be added in near the end if you don't like them soft. Chicken goes really well in a saute for a more solid meal. Sauteed veggies also go over rice really well, although they are then better with a little bit of a sauce. I usually saute them with olive oil. Lemon juice or soy sauce taste good with some types. A lot of the more savory spices also go well, especially basil. There's a lot of good recipes on the internet if you don't want to just experiment.
Steamed:
There are two ways to steam veggies (3 if you count the microwave). You can put them in a pot with a steamer (which doesn't cost very much, and you can get it from target) or in a pot with the bottom layer of veggies half covered. You can also steam them in the oven. Steaming on the stove is usual for veggies that are in bite size pieces beforehand, such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and asparagus. Steaming in the oven I mostly use for cooking squash. Steamed acorn squash is great by itself or with butter, or a brown sugar sauce. Steamed spaghetti squash makes a great substitute for pasta in recipes! Its actually really easy to make, too! I sometimes put a parmesan alfredo sauce with veggies that were steamed on the stove, as well. In some later post I will detail how to make an alfredo sauce, but you can also just buy it in a jar from the store.
Soups:
I will just briefly explain veggie soups here, and save the full amazingness of soups for a later post. Veggies soups are made with a chicken or vegetable stock as the base and adding veggies to that. I like a lot of veggies in soups, including carrots, celery (the leaves are actually really good too), tomatoes, potatoes, turnips, and onions. The ratio of liquid to veggies is totally up to you, I'd start half and half. If you want it thinner then add more liquid, if you want it thicker than either let some of it boil off, or cook your potatoes longer. both potatoes and turnips will start disintegrating as they cook, making the soup thicker. To make a veggie stew that is a whole meal, add some beans or lentils. Lentils only take 15-20 minutes to cook, usually, and beans can either be pre-cooked, or used from a can to keep the time down. Many spices and flavors go well in soups. The taste of the stock can be good on its own, otherwise add any set of spices that smells good at the time, or add tomato puree for a tomato-y soup :) The biggest trick with soups is knowing the cooking times of the different ingredients, so that you add them in a staggered fashion to allow all to cook the right amount without getting over-done. To avoid this, and to make the soup-making faster, you can saute the veggies before-hand and just add them all together and simmer for a short while. Using the normal method, it usually takes me 20 to 40 minutes to make a vegetable soup.
As you can see, the more flexible and experimental you are with your meals, the longer it takes for each type to get boring :)
healthy cooking in the college world: healthy, fast, cheap
so since my sister asked me to tell how I go about trying to eat healthy without a lot of time to do so, I thought the easiest thing would be to make a few blog entries about it. When I plan my meals, my focus is to make healthy meals without taking too much time to do so, and keeping it cheap.
To keep it healthy I focus on adding a lot of fruits and vegetables, keeping my snacking to mostly fruit, nuts, and veggies. I also keep my meats to a minimum, since they're generally pretty unhealthy for you if you don't have the money to buy a pasture-fed farmshare, or the like. This means that I eat a lot of dairy and beans to get my proteins, which then means I get a pretty high percentage of my calories from dairy fats, which are unsaturated. This is the main area of my diet that is not the healthiest, but it still works quite well if the rest of my diet is well balanced. Also, I come from a carb-addict family, so high fat is a LOT better than high simple carbohydrates, which turn to fat anyway. I also limit myself to one meal out a weak, and one dessert a day (sweet tooth that I have). Right now I'm fasting sugar completely, which is making everything taste sweeter!
To keep it fast I have a list of meals that take only about 10 to 15 minutes to prep and cook. I also have a lot of ready to go things for breakfasts and lunches. When I take the time to cook, I try to always make leftovers so that I can have quick dinners and lunches in the next couple days. A lot of leftover containers is a must! I also will freeze and work with frozen foods a lot. I tend to use only frozen meat (if you buy it fresh you can still freeze it in tin foil really easily). I also invested in some good freezer-safe ziploc bags to freeze single servings of entrees for quick dinners and foods like brown rice and made-from-scratch beans that take a long time to cook but form the basis of many recipes.
To keep it cheap I always cook based on what I already have rather than buying for a meal I want to make. That being said, I always have the ingredients on hand of meals that I make a lot :). I'm always watching for sales of fruits and veggies to be able to make those meals I've been waiting for. I like to use tortillas, rice, and pasta as the basis for meals that include carbohydrates. I buy brown rice at all times, and whole grain pasta whenever I can find it at an affordable price. I cook from scratch whenever I can. This is almost always the cheapest way. Using beans instead of meat cuts down the prices too. Not eating out much at all also keeps costs down a LOT.
Those are my basic shopping-and-food-choices rules, actual recipes to come...
Also, I will probably organize my posts by making one for each general category, then adding specific recipes later.
To keep it healthy I focus on adding a lot of fruits and vegetables, keeping my snacking to mostly fruit, nuts, and veggies. I also keep my meats to a minimum, since they're generally pretty unhealthy for you if you don't have the money to buy a pasture-fed farmshare, or the like. This means that I eat a lot of dairy and beans to get my proteins, which then means I get a pretty high percentage of my calories from dairy fats, which are unsaturated. This is the main area of my diet that is not the healthiest, but it still works quite well if the rest of my diet is well balanced. Also, I come from a carb-addict family, so high fat is a LOT better than high simple carbohydrates, which turn to fat anyway. I also limit myself to one meal out a weak, and one dessert a day (sweet tooth that I have). Right now I'm fasting sugar completely, which is making everything taste sweeter!
To keep it fast I have a list of meals that take only about 10 to 15 minutes to prep and cook. I also have a lot of ready to go things for breakfasts and lunches. When I take the time to cook, I try to always make leftovers so that I can have quick dinners and lunches in the next couple days. A lot of leftover containers is a must! I also will freeze and work with frozen foods a lot. I tend to use only frozen meat (if you buy it fresh you can still freeze it in tin foil really easily). I also invested in some good freezer-safe ziploc bags to freeze single servings of entrees for quick dinners and foods like brown rice and made-from-scratch beans that take a long time to cook but form the basis of many recipes.
To keep it cheap I always cook based on what I already have rather than buying for a meal I want to make. That being said, I always have the ingredients on hand of meals that I make a lot :). I'm always watching for sales of fruits and veggies to be able to make those meals I've been waiting for. I like to use tortillas, rice, and pasta as the basis for meals that include carbohydrates. I buy brown rice at all times, and whole grain pasta whenever I can find it at an affordable price. I cook from scratch whenever I can. This is almost always the cheapest way. Using beans instead of meat cuts down the prices too. Not eating out much at all also keeps costs down a LOT.
Those are my basic shopping-and-food-choices rules, actual recipes to come...
Also, I will probably organize my posts by making one for each general category, then adding specific recipes later.
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