Introducing the Characters: Helen

Helen – H

Roommate soulmate. Loves weddings, goat cheese, honey bunches of oats, and cute babies. Feels emotions, like whoa. Blues for world domination. My Maine squeeze. Will start cracking up with me at any given moment. Notorious for her catch line, “That really bakes my noodle.” Gets stuck in elevators. Can’t stand wrinkly clothes.

During CHARMS (the Georgetown roommate matching program), I met a girl so crazy similar to myself that we began calling ourselves “roommate soulmates.” A few days later, she popped the roommate question, noting our “key similarities and important differences.” I said yes. We’re both pescatarians who share an insane love of oatmeal and sweet potatoes, Greg Laswell & The Civil Wars, and videos of laughing babies. She’s my part time yuppie and full-time best friend on the planet. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

SKC Repost: How to Make Fitness Fun

I remember being 8 years old and playing “Tag” late into a warm, summer evening. Barefoot, I padded through the dewy, emerald glades of my neighbor’s lawn, as I prepared to sprint for the designated safe area.  My heart pounded to the breathless countdown in my head.

Three. Thud. Two. Thud, thud. One. And…GO!

My limbs roared to life, gathering speed beneath me with every stride. I took off flying around the corner, aware that my brother would be in hot pursuit within seconds. The wind whipped through my hair, and I heard the tell-tale rhythm of my brother’s gait close behind me. I urged my feet on faster, faster, faster. And then, as if in slow motion, I dove through the air and tumbled into the grass. SAFE. My limbs and lungs both burned with exertion, but I laughed. It was fun—pure and simple.

Fast forward 11 years, and it feels like I live in different world. That fun of my childhood days is now called ‘working out.’ But for many more, it is a chore, a personal obligation, or even a societal necessitation. As we grow older, it seems that fitness becomes valued for what it produces rather than the act itself. It is equated with calories or a weight loss target; six pack abs or buns of steel; number of miles run or pounds lifted.

As insecurity and aesthetics come into play, fitness loses its prior simplicity and becomes quite complicated. We exercise to fit into wedding dresses or to achieve the perfect summer beach bod. It becomes a way to negate the guilt we feel for something else—our body’s natural imperfections or mind’s mistakes. Quite frequently, we use fitness with the sole intent of justifying what we eat, whether that means a Thanksgiving feast or a dessert indulgence. Regardless of the reason, we often exercise with “fun” far from the mind. Honestly but no less hesitantly, I can admit that I am guilty of this. And maybe, you have the courage to admit that you are, too.

But perhaps we as foodies, college kids, man or woman can make true fitness a goal together. We can make it a goal to find a form of fitness we love, without dwelling on its latent effects. We can exercise our ability to challenge our bodies both mentally and physically. We can remember that there exists such a thing as exercise for the sake of exercise itself. Not to lose weight; to make amends for what we eat; or to beautify our bodies. But rather, just because—just because at the end of the day, fitness need only be one thing:

Fun.

**4 Tips for Making Fitness Fun**

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

SKC Repost: The 5 Best Cool Things to Grill

With Memorial Day announcing the beginning of beach days and the official start of summer right around the corner, it’s finally time to dust off the grill for barbecue season. Now admittedly, it’s easy to get stuck in BBQ chicken and grilled steak ruts. But hey, life’s too short. Not you. Not this summer.

Put your game grill face on. Turn up the heat (and the music.) Dance like nobody’s watching.

And show me your grillz…because things are about to get hot in here.

**The 5 Best Cool Foods to Grill**

But wait, there’s more! Wanna find out the best five best awesome barbeque-ables? Head on over to THIS CRAZY COOL PLACE, and check it out!

Recipe: Healthier Pecan Pie (and no corn syrup!)

This pecan pie was pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. With a perfect ratio of nuts to filling and filling to crust, the pie was a crowd-pleaser for sure in our house. And by that, I mean it disappeared within two days.

I guess we just can’t shut our pie holes.

When I first entertained the idea of making a pie (a rare occurrence considering I don’t much care for pie), I had a hard time deciding which flavor.

Fruit? Ewwwwww. I am not a fan of gloppy, cooked fruit.

Pumpkin? I wouldn’t mind, but I knew everyone else would think it out of season.

Banana or Coconut Cream? Again, not my thing whatsoever. Blake would probably love a banana cream pie though.

Eschewing the weirder flavors (mincemeat…), I decided on pecan. My whole family likes it, and I was not adverse. (Especially considering my love for nuts and nut butters!)

Pecan it was!

Of course, I had a few requirements.

1) No corn syrup – Whether or not corn syrup is truly bad for you, I don’t know. However, being that it is still considered controversial in the food world, I decided to steer clear. When pecan pie was invented, corn syrup wasn’t involved, so I knew it was do-able.

2) Healthier than the average pie – True to the nature of my love for health/nutrition (and this blog!), I wanted to make this pie a little healthier without sacrificing taste. I made the following adjustments:

• no lard in the pie crust
• nonfat sour cream instead of regular
• unbleached flour
• no corn syrup in the filling
• whole wheat flour in the filling
• molasses in the filling for a boost of flavor + minerals

I also used almond milk in the filling because I figured the subtle smooth nuttiness would compliment the pecan flavor well.

Summer Pecan Pie

I’m not generally a pie person, but this pie is good stuff. An intricately flavored molasses filling and warm, toasty pecans add a wonderful depth to the pie, while the flaky crust serves as a great canvas. Sweet and buttery without being too rich, the pie is perfect for a night at home or a summer gathering. Even better, there is no corn syrup or other icky additives!

Ingredients:

Crust 2 cups flour 1/2 cup butter, very cold and cubed in small pieces 1/4 cup nonfat sour cream, heaping 1/4 tsp salt

Filling 1 cup brown sugar 2 tbsp white sugar 2 tbsp molasses 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted 2 eggs 1 tbsp whole wheat pastry flour 1 tbsp almond milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup pecans, chopped extra pecans (for garnish), optional

Directions:

Crust

1. Before you begin, make sure you’re butter is very cold. Cut butter into flour with a knife, fork, or pastry cutter. Continue incorporating butter into flour, working quickly until a coarse sand-like texture is formed. (Note: Do NOT melt butter into the flour mixture.)
2. Place mixture in the freezer for 10 minutes.
3. Remove bowl from freezer and pour contents onto a wooden cutting board. Using a rolling pin, roll the butter into the flour—beginning to form a dough with the flattened butter.
4. Then, add the sour cream and continue rolling to form a ball. The dough ball should be moist but not wet. If necessary, you can add a little bit more flour, until this consistency is reached.
5. Return the dough to the freezer for 20-30 minutes.
6. Take the dough out of the freezer, and roll out into a circle, roughly 10 inches in diameter (to fit your pie pan).
7. Take circle and fit it in a greased pie pan, crimping the edges if desired.
8. At this point, you can return the dough to the freezer and save for later use or proceed with the recipe.

Pie

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, whisk eggs until foamy. Stir in melted butter, brown sugar, white sugar, molasses, and vanilla. Whisk again until even mixture is formed.
3. Add the milk, flour, and pecans. Again, stir until thoroughly combined.
4. Pour filling mixture into unbaked 9 –inch pie shell. Garnish with extra pecans, if desired.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees, then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go shut my pie hole, so I can a) go do hot yoga and b) you can go make this.  

Happy Memorial Day!

Small Kitchen College Re-Post: The 5 Best Birthday Breakfasts

<<Note: This is my latest post for Small Kitchen College. For the full post and other fun tidbits, head over to http://college.biggirlssmallkitchen.com/2012/05/the-5-best-birthday-breakfasts.html!>>

The 5 Best Birthday Breakfasts

by Lexi Cotcamp

When it comes to food (and hey, just about everything else), holidays are kind of a big deal.

However, the truth is, not all holidays are created equal. Christmas may be the main squeeze, but I can guarantee you that few people know the date of Columbus Day or the story behind it (#occupyNorthAmerica?).

But there exists one holiday that each individual holds in higher regard than Santa Claus himself.

Birthdays.

Birthdays are the icing on the cake of a year—an ingenious moral holiday of shameless self-promotion celebrating the one and only Y-O-U. From candles and cakes to singing and toasts, birthdays are the crème de la crème for a foodie in particular.

Posh lunch date? Sure thang.

Classy dinner bash with a friend group the size of Jamaica? Obviously.

Dessert? Is that even a question?

Amidst the delicious food coma that is a birthday though, the best meal of the day is often mercilessly thrown to the wayside. Breakfast gets relegated to the birthday backseat—smushed somewhere in between “whatever” and “ehhh.” Eager to begin the day’s festivities, one often forgets about the humble mindblowingness of breakfast.

But worry not. I’m here to tell you that breakfast can still be part of your own little individual anniversary. I’m here to tell you that a glorious breakfast is like the trailer of a great movie—just a peek of what is to come. I’m here to tell you that breakfast is one birthday present to which you shouldn’t forget to write a thank-you note.  So close your eyes; make a wish; and get ready to celebrate your birthday, a friend’s birthday, or any birthday…with breakfast shenanigans. Because you really can have your (pan)cake(s) and eat it too.

**5 Best Birthday Breakfasts**

1. Pancakes. I am wholly convinced that there is no better birthday present in this world than a heaping stack of buttermilk pancakes with warm maple syrup. To jazz up your hotcakes for a birthday, simply get creative with mix-ins. Treat your ‘cakes like a real birthday cake, and find your favorite flavor. Try adding nutella and  strawberries for a Parisian flair or apples and cinnamon for an all-American twist. And if some cake batter happens to get thrown in the mix? Well, I won’t tell. Don’t forget a candle in the middle for a true birthday (pan)cake experience!

But wait, there’s more….!

The Five Trendiest Foods of College Living

<<Hiiii all, I'm in accounting heaven (or hell), depending on the way you see look it. While I'm studying like a busy bee, check out my full post at Small Kitchen College (http://college.biggirlssmallkitchen.com/2012/04/the-5-trendiest-foods-of-college-living.html)>>

When it comes to food, style is kind of a big deal.

For a generation that is often driven by refined aesthetics, the way food looks isn’t a mere minor detail. As any chef will tell you, the presentation of a food can make or break the overall execution. That brings us to the world of food trends. From sushi to açai, from gourmet burgers to cupcakes.

We’ve always cared about the taste of food, but now we care that it’s tasteful too.

So without further ado, I’d like to introduce you to the uber stylish, the très chic, the staples and the newcomers of the collegiate food scene.

Ooh la-la, work it. Now this is what I call haute couture.

...BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! 

http://college.biggirlssmallkitchen.com/2012/04/the-5-trendiest-foods-of-college-living.html