During my vegetarian kick this winter, I was determined to get enough protein and, ironically, fat in my diet. Cheese was good, milk was fine, and I cannot say enough about my obsession with avocado, but what I needed was something of the nut variety to add a little to my meals. Peanut butter was the obvious choice.

It’s cheap and easy. It’s pre-made. It’s delicious. But I can’t eat the Jifs or the Skippys. They’re too sweet, no matter how choosy my mom is. In actuality, because my mom is diabetic, she was the one who considered them too sweet, and so, by default, I went natural.

Initially I was a little repulsed, because the peanut oil settles on top of the mashed-up peanuts themselves and it requires stirring, but I soon got over this. Contrary to popular belief, I’m not (quite) that lazy. The good news is, if you are that lazy, you can buy pre-mixed natural peanut butter; I just prefer the Smuckers glass jars of it. Essentially, I go through about a jar of this stuff every ten days, and I think you get the idea of how much I love it. Before you judge me for eating it out of the far with a spoon, I am going to share with you the amazing and different ways to enjoy your PB au Natural: Read More »

So, I wouldn’t necessarily advocate this, but if you want to eat a cookie for breakfast, this is totally the cookie to go for. It has a serving of healthy (flour), a serving of delicious (chocolate), and a serving of WAKE UP (instant coffee). Really, to be honest, there’s nothing better.

Here’s what you need: ¼ c brown sugar, 3 tablespoons of soft unsalted butter, 1 egg yolk, ¼ teaspoon of vanilla, just under ½ c flour, 2 teaspoons of instant espresso powder (woo-hoo!), ¼ teaspoon of baking soda, 1/8 teaspoon of baking powder, a sprinkle of salt, 1 tablespoon of milk, and 2-3 tablespoons of chopped chocolate. Chopped chocolate—not chocolate chips, so don’t even think about trying to substitute. The real deal makes all the difference.

This makes six nice-sized cookies, by the way.

First, warm your oven to 350. Then use an electric mixer (or do it by hand if you must, but a mixer is better for this recipe) to combine the sugar and butter until it’s creamy. Read More »

Rice Krispie treats turn me on. They’re easy, they’re delicious, and you can get away with calling them “breakfast”…

If you’re like me, and enjoy sugar first thing, try this recipe out for a morning snacker. Any excuse to eat dessert for breakfast is a good excuse to me, and thanks to Snap, Crackle and Pop…8:30 AM is going to taste just a little bit sweeter.

DIRECTIONS: Read More »

I love granola so much that it nearly borders on an unhealthy obsession. I buy my favorite kind, Bear Naked, by the bagful (the best flavor is peanut butter), and I normally go through an entire huge bag every week. This is certainly delicious, but at almost $5 a pop it’s pretty expensive, too.

Before you get so attached to Bear Naked that you also find yourself whittling away your life savings on it, let me turn you on to something even better: making your own granola.

Is that even possible? Yes, yes, it is, and it’s sooooo worth it.

This is a good starter recipe, but unfortunately it makes 30 servings and uses a full cup of vegetable oil. Luckily, I’ve done the work for you and am here to offer this scaled-down, simpler (yet still every bit as good) recipe:

You’ll need one cup of oats, two tablespoons of wheat germ (this is optional, but it adds great health value), three tablespoons of your favorite chopped nuts (I like walnuts and almonds), two tablespoons of flaked and unsweetened coconut, and a quarter of a teaspoon of cinnamon. You’ll also need a few wet ingredients: about one and a half tablespoons of brown sugar, one tablespoon of honey, and no more than two teaspoons of maple syrup or vegetable oil. Read More »

There is nothing I love more than a scone in the morning. Sometimes I’ll sit at my table and devour one while sipping a cup of tea, just to feel intensely proper and English.

The problem with most scones that you can purchase at Starbucks is that they’re absolutely packed with calories and fat–just one scone can run at least 400 calories. When you make your own, they taste just as good but they’re a lot healthier because you actually know what you’re putting in them.

I’ve tried a LOT of scone recipes over the years, but I’ve never, ever found one as good as the following. I imagine it’s pretty versatile, so if you don’t like craisins or almonds you can probably sub in raisins or dried apricots or chocolate chips or whatever else you like. It makes 14 scones, so you can either share with friends or freeze the extras and take one out whenever you need a quick, scrumptious, and pretty healthy breakfast.

Without further ado, here is what you need and how to make the best scones in the world: Read More »

Thanks to my dad making breakfast for me every morning until the day I left for college, I now feel incredibly weird and sick if I don’t eat it, like I’ve left my nose or my left leg at home.

But I know it’s not that way for everybody, and some of us struggle to find the time to even make breakfast. Is it worth it? Hell, yes! Eating a great, healthy breakfast will prevent mid-morning munchies and leave you feeling much more alert and energetic. Not a fan of oatmeal or cold cereal, though? No problem. Try these fab alternatives:

Breakfast Burrito: No, I’m not talking about that abomination they serve up at McDonald’s that’s stuffed with sausage, cheese, and trans fats. I’m talking about utter deliciousness. In a bowl, mix two tablespoons of peanut butter (crunchy or creamy, your choice) with one sliced banana, a generous dollop of honey, and a few walnuts or bits of crunchy granola. Spread the mix on a tortilla, pop it in the microwave for 10 seconds, and you have a tasty power breakfast to go.

Mighty Muffins: I’ve tasted a lot of muffins, and these are hands-down the best and healthiest I’ve ever tried. You’ll need one banana, 2/3 c of whole-wheat flour, ½ tsp baking soda, 3 tablespoons of shortening or butter, 1/3 c of sugar, one egg, 1 tablespoon of honey, ¼ tsp salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and ¼ c sour cream. Read More »

When I lived in the dorms I was always looking for a way to make food preparation really quick. Also, in case you were wondering, the healthy factor wasn’t really an issue. Pickles for breakfast, yogurt for a meal, leftovers at midnight. If it was in the fridge, I’d eat it.

Then came weekends, when my hungover ass would stumble out of bed in search of aspirin, water, and food. I was craving a homemade meal. I usually got…like, Saltines or something. So leave it to science to come up with the best thing ever created when it comes to both eating and being lazy.

Spray Pancakes!

You guys, it’s like that spray cheese crap your mom would never buy because “it wasn’t real food”! It’s like whipped cream only you can chew it! It’s the future!

If you’re like me you probably want to see it in action, so here you go. Prepare to be amazed:

But on those hungover mornings, try not to mix it up with your Reddi-Whip…I imagine that batter isn’t good for aching stomachs.

It’s Friday! As soon as the clock strikes 5 (or 6…or whenever you’re finished with class…) it’s time to let your hair down and get going with what the weekend is made for: getting waaaaasted!

Which sounds awesome…until you wake up in the morning with the worst hangover of all time. After running to the bathroom to puke a twice and promising God that you will never drink again if He lets you make it through this pain, you return to your bed and contemplate just what will make this horrible feeling end.

Unfortunately, you are fresh out of Vicodin.

Lucky for you, there are other ways to get rid of the spins/headache/dry mouth/sore muscles/anything else that comes along with a hangover (besides the smokey smell in your hair and ugly dude lying next to you). Read More »