Introducing The (Delicious) 100-Calorie Dinner

Say whaaaat? Look, my “healthy” snacks barely make it under a hundred calories. How in the world can my dinner top that?

Introducing one of my absolute favorite foods – spaghetti squash. Now, this gourd was introduced to me about a year ago, but I never actually bought into it. I thought it was just another one of those healthy food items that tasted really bland and would just be a phase. Boy, was I wrong!

It’s called spaghetti squash because it is the perfect substitute for pasta. It has a medium-heavy texture that looks like spaghetti and tastes a little sweet. Want to know the best part? Here are the nutrition facts for one cup of this delicious squash:

42 calories, 0g fat, 10g carbs, 2g fiber, and 1g protein

Ummm, amazing! It tastes great paired with marinara sauce and turkey meatballs. Due to my crazy work out schedule, I have to eat more than one cup (which is a huge splurge, I know) but it’s so fulfilling. If you ever have a food cheat day, this will easily put you back on track.

I’m not a homemaker, so anything that involves lots of preparing and waiting is not my thing. Fortunately, it’s super easy to make this. Here’s the quick and easy!

1. Purchase spaghetti squash. It’s only $2.99 at Trader Joe’s and I think it turns out to be a similar price at other supermarkets.

2. Cut the squash in half or poke 10 holes in it. If you can get it to cut open, it will look like a pumpkin inside. Simply pull out all of the seeds.

3. MICROWAVE it! I know, right? It’s like making cup of noodles. Microwave the whole squash on high for about 15-17 minutes (depending on how big the squash is). You can also steam or bake it, but it takes much longer.

4. Take it out of the microwave. Use a fork to scrape the inside of the squash. It will come out in strands, just like spaghetti! So fun. It’ll be extremely hot, so just be careful.

5. Serve with marinara sauce, meatballs or sauce up your own creation.

So easy, right? I’m not skipping any steps – I promise! Try your miracle 100-calorie dinner and let me know what you think. I’m so addicted to it and I hope you love it too. Remember, a healthy body is comprised of 80% nutrition and 20% fitness. Fill your body with only the best.


The Guide to Throwing an Awesome House Party

Throwing the perfect house party can be a lot of work and a lot more stress than most people are willing to admit.  How much alcohol should you buy?  Who should you invite?  Is it worth it to make Jello Shots? Will the masking tape on the cupboards really keep people out?

While we can’t predict if your invitees will go gaga over a hand-carved ice luge, we can give you the answers to throwing an absolutely awesome house party.

1. Invest in a variety of alcohol…and lots of it

Nothing says lame party like the house that runs out of alcohol before midnight.  People at parties have this great habit of making a drink, holding onto it for five minutes, and then forgetting about their cup and pouring another drink.  Therefore, buy more.  It is absolutely okay to get cheap vodka and cheap rum if that means that more people can drink it.  You and your friends will have the leftover alcohol to use for the rest of the year.  If you need a guide, there are 17 shots in a fifth and 40 shots in handle.

2. Don’t forget the beer!

Even if you aren’t a beer drinker, a party without a keg means no flip cup, no beer pong, and a larger chance that someone will throw up in your house, since hard alcohol drinks will get people drunk faster than beer.  Set up the keg in the corner somewhere, and make sure you have lots of cups.

Read More »


59 Things to Do With a Day Off

Here are 59 cheap, fun, and easy activities that everyone can do on their day off. And yes, sleep in is one of them.

  1. Recover from the thirsty weekend without guilt.
  2. Film a lip dub. Lady Gaga is always a fun choice, and there is always the possibility that she will Tweet you to fame amongst her little monsters.
  3. Rewrite that resumé and polish up that portfolio, this is the time to apply for part-time jobs and internships that start in May! Read More »

Tuffy Luv Ranks Schoolz

Question?! Answer!! (…Maybe.) TuffyLuv@collegecandy.com

Dear Tuffy Luv,
I’m pretty sure you already answered a question like mine but I couldn’t find the answer, so here goes. I’m a high school senior applying to college and I’m having a bit of a problem with my safety school. It’s brilliant: great nightlife, safe area, amazing dorms and has a course that I love. One bad thing though: it’s my hometown. The dorms are down the road. The campus is a 10 minute drive from home. Not that I don’t love my hometown and my folks, but isn’t college my one chance to become independent and get a little space? When it comes down to it, I want to be able to stumble home drunk at 2 a.m and not have to worry about seeing people I know on every street corner.

Would staying in town for college be a waste of an experience? [Ed. Note: No! Just ask our commuter student!]

Should I apply to a worse school just because I don’t want to stay in my town? I mean, my folks think I should stay in dorms (and I will) but still. Any advice would be lovely :)

- Confused about College

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Halloween – Do It As a Group

My favorite holiday has always and will always be Halloween (well at least until Super Bowl Sunday is finally acknowledged as a national holiday).

I mean, what is not to love about Halloween? It is a night of pure debauchery devoted to stuffing your face with Twix’s and candy corn without guilt, wearing the sluttiest of slutty costumes without shame, and inevitably hooking up (a man in a mask? yum.) without judgment due to all the socially acceptable scantily clad outfits.

Halloween is basically one long session of foreplay. Only bummer about the best day of October is the walk of the shame the next morning. Maybe you thought the Lady Gaga costume was a good idea for the 31st, but you may not think so while you’re walking home the next morning in a bright blue pantless body suit with smeared eyeliner and glitter all over your face.

So to avoid being the solo slut this Hallow’s Eve, dress up in a group costume with your friends so you can walk home together.

Group costumes are interactive, more creative than the insert Sexy in front of anything costume, (ex: sexy nurse, sexy teacher, sexy plumber, sexy firefighter, sexy scuba diver, sexy nun?), and ideal for a quality Facebook profile pic.

So here are our top ideas for this year: Read More »


Welcome Week Photo Contest Finalists [VOTE]

We launched a photo contest at the beginning of the semester that challenged all our readers to send in a Welcome Week photo that said “I love being back at school.” While we expected a few good ones, we were in no way prepared for the awesomeness onslaught we got when we started looking through your photos on our Facebook wall. From slip and slides to ski shots, we were impressed with your Welcome Week spirit…and jealous of how much fun you are all clearly having.

And of course, the winner will be having a lot more fun when she goes home with $500 from lulus.com!

We chose our top five favorite entries (which was hard, let me tell you) and posted them here so YOU can vote on which one most says WELCOME WEEK. Because, honestly, we’re too busy looking through our own Welcome Week photo albums (insert nostalgia) to pick our favorite.

You have from now until noon ET on Monday, September 27th to cast your vote. Then we’ll close the polls, count the votes and announce the BIG WINNER on Twitter and Facebook (so start following us, fools). And then she’ll jump for joy and spend the next 10 hours poring over Lulus.com, figuring out how she’ll spend that $500!

P.S. If you’re one of the lucky finalists, be sure to promote your photo on Twitter and Facebook! $500 dollars worth of new clothes is at stake. This is no time for modesty!

Check out the finalists then scroll down to vote for your favorite below.

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The 11 Things You Do In Your 20′s That You’ll Regret When You’re 40

regrets-lead1

Let’s face it: we all make stupid decisions. Like choosing a fifth over a review session, or bringing that guy home…who stole our iPod in the morning. That’s part of college life… and a big part of what makes it so memorable. But there are some choices that have longer lasting repercussions; things we do now that will haunt us later.

So here are the 11 things from your 20’s you will most definitely regret when you’re 40. Read More »


Do You Suffer From Green Stress?

"I take 10 minute showers! I'm killing the planet!"

For the past few months I’ve been talking your ear off about why the earth is in trouble and how you can go green to save our environment.  And while it’s great to do whatever you can to protect the planet, there is such a thing as caring a little too much. According to the New York Times, there has been an increasing amount of people that report anxiety and stress because they feel like they are never as green as they would like to be.  And, believe it or not, such anxious thoughts about the environment can have negative impacts on your emotional state, your health, and your relationships.

How do you know if you’re just a concerned citizen or full-blown green stress case?  Read on for the answer and for ways to manage if you’re glowing green just a little too brightly.

Are you green stressed? There’s a huge difference between being concerned and being down right obsessed.  Before you go any further, ask yourself a few questions:  Are you happy with your efforts to help the environment?  Do you feel like you’re doing enough to go green?  Are you willing to give up your green efforts to preserve some of your favorite activities?  If you answered yes to all of these questions, then congrats!  You are helping in a way that is both healthy for the environment and healthy for your well-being.

Didn’t pass the test? Then you may have some anxiety issues related to going green. With all of the information out there, it’s hard to feel like you’re ever doing enough to counteract the rest of the world’s indifference.  Before you start ripping your hair out, realize that this is more of a psychological issue than an environmental issue.  An obsession with going green is just the same as an obsession with losing weight or making money – you never feel like you’re doing enough. Read More »


Shopping for Sex Toys 101

Sex-toys

We’ve heard it all our lives: diamonds are a girl’s best friend.

While I agree that diamonds are fun and sparkly and pretty, most of them can’t give you an orgasm (unless that rock is HUGE). And I think every girl’s best friend should be able to do that. Therefore, I’m going to disagree with Ms. Monroe on this one and argue that my vibrator is my best friend, and is probably the best friend any of us could hope for.

Not gonna lie, I’ve always been a big fan of masturbation. I’ve been doing it since I was fairly young, and have always believed that it’s a healthy thing to do.

I spent most of my formative years manually stimulating myself, but counted down the days until I turned 18 and was finally able to buy my first vibrator. (What? It’s healthier than counting down to buying cancer sticks!) Once my long-awaited birthday finally arrived, though, I realized that I had no idea what to look for. There were hundreds of different kinds – waterproof, G-spot, realistic, dildo, vibrator, with testicles (who really wants that?), ones that you can stick to the wall, and the list goes on.

I had always prided myself with being fairly knowledgeable about all things sex (which I accredit mostly from watching Talk Sex with Sue religiously since 6th grade), but sorting through the oodles of synthetic phalluses to find something that would make me scream like a banshee seemed somewhat daunting. Read More »


Tuffy Luvs Some Summer Dates

summer love thumb[Got a question?! Get an answer!! To be featured in Tuffy Luv’s weekly column, just shoot her a lil ol email at TuffyLuv@collegecandy.com and shiz.]

Dear Tuffy Luv,

Summer date ideas? Thanks, Tuffy!

Olivia

P.S. Cheap ones would be good because I’m still in college! Thanks!

Dear Olivia,

Do I have some ideas for you? Answer: Yes. Yes, I do.

(1) Go Swimming

Find out where the neighborhood pool is. (Even better if you can find a neighborhood beach!!) Slather each other with sunblock and head over for a guilt-free indulgence. Yeah, you’ll have to put up with all the neighborhood kids, but it’s so much cuter that way, anyway. At the end of the day, when you’re done splashing and sunbathing, take a cool nighttime walk home.

(2) Paint Each Other

Pick up some cheap supplies (don’t worry about quality here–this is just for fun) and paint pictures of each other. Laugh hysterically at what you each come up with–and compliment each other for seeing things other people would never have seen. Got a little messy? Shower’s this way…

(3) Have a Neighborhood Date

Do all the stuff you’d do if you were visiting your town. Do the local tourist attractions (no matter how lame). Look in the paper and find events. Spend the whole day like you were on vacation in your own town. Eat at the neighborhood favorite. And then go home and finish the vacation with dessert! (Winkyface.)

Read More »