Much like everything else in a college girl’s life (finding the perfect pair of jeans, balancing relationships, deciding where to party, etc.), sugar seems complicated. And I’m sick of complicated, so I’m going to break it down for you.

Should you go for natural or artificial? Low-cal or all natural? Corn syrup or aspartame? Honey or agave nectar?

Here’s your guide to satisfying your sweet tooth in the healthiest way possible.

What It’s Called
There are secret code names for sugar that you’ll find in everything from crackers to vegetables. Look for: Sucrose, Fructose, Glucose, Corn Sugar, Sorbitol, Dextrose, Maltose, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Aspartame, Lactose… and more.

What It Does To Your Body
Carbs and sugars turn into glucose, which gives us energy to function. Glucose determines your blood sugar level, which affects your appetite, emotions, athletic performance, and more. You do not want to screw with this system – ideally, you want your blood sugar level to stay pretty even all the time. Usually people do this by eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and things that get metabolized at a steady rate in your body.

Sugar has two parts. Besides the glucose, there’s fructose, which is in added sweeteners, and in smaller amounts in fruits and veggies. Either way, eating too many calories from glucose or fructose is a sure way to gain weight and mess up your blood sugar level. Read More »

Beauty products are super expensive; trust me, I know. Even as a self-proclaimed beauty addict, sometimes it kills me to spend money on overpriced creams, treatments and all that other stuff beauty companies tell us we need. Which is why, on a quiet (read: boring) Saturday night in, I scoured the internet for at-home remedies to all our beauty problems.

Turns out, there’s a cure to most of those beauty problems in your very own kitchen. And I tried ‘em all.

No more wasting $30 on a zit cream- just use toothpaste. And no need to get some fancy hydrating cream when you can use sweet, delicious, cheap honey. Watch the vid for more tips!

Is it just me or is life all around better when it’s sunny and fabulous outside?

All the constant sunshine makes me crave ice cream! But if you’re trying to be healthy and still can’t fight off your sweet tooth, fro-yo is a deliciously perfect, calorie-conscious substitute. Unfortunately, all these fro-yo shops popping up charge one-month’s rent for a small cup with a few berries sprinkled on top.

Stop wasting all that hard earned (or hard-begged-for) money, and start whipping this stuff up yourself. It’s cheaper and easier than you think. (Editor’s Note: Funny, that’s what someone said about me once….) This scrumptious recipe will sooth your throat, entice your taste buds, save you money and cool you off in the beautiful spring sun. Read More »

It’s Superbowl season and you know what that means. Well, if you’re me it means nothing as I hate sports, but to others it’s the season of greasy snack food, beer, and two toned shirts.

And to retailers it’s the season to lower prices on TVs.

Yes, this is the season to buy a new TV.  As this is one of the largest viewing events of the year, the prices of TVs are being slashed to make purchasing that new set as easy as possible for that avid football nut. I mean, it’s far easier to convince your wife/girlfriend/sig other that it’s a good buy when it’s $500 off (after mail in rebates).

But even if you’re not really into the game, now would still be a good time to upgrade from that old tube set. Flat screen TVs are easier to fit into small spaces, provide a much better picture and are just so pretty. Below are some pretty fantastic deals happening now. Read More »

I love Asian Food. Rice? OMG, perfect side. So, I used to find myself ordering out for it A LOT. That got really pricey. Cooking it on my own, though; not so much. So cheap. And so very, very yummy. Now you try it:

Honey Teriyaki Chicken

1 lb of boneless skinless chicken tenders

¼ cup of honey

¾ cup of teriyaki sauce

Teaspoon of fine chopped onions (optional)

Teaspoon of ginger (optional) Read More »

Okay, chicken wings are pretty fantastic, right? What on this good earth could possibly–possibly–even dare to challenge the deliciousness of chicken wings?

I’ll tell you: honey garlic chicken wings.

Did you just fall off your seat? Drool all over your chin? Drool on your seat and fall off your chin?

Anyway, they’re delish. So make ‘em and throw a party. Here’s how:

You Vill Need:

(For 4 servings)

2 lbs of chicken wings

1 1/2 cups of honey

2 cloves of minced garlic

6 tbsp of soy sauce

You Vill Do:

(1) Heat the garlic and honey and soy sauce in a saucepan. When it’s boiling, go to step 2. Read More »

This happens to me all the time: I want to eat a nice, healthy salad, I really do—but I crave sugar instead. Usually, I end up eating a square of chocolate instead of a bowl of Romaine.

But now I’ve found the perfect solution: sweet spinach salad!

This takes less than five minutes to make, and it’s DELICIOUS. I feel like I am eating a dessert salad whenever I make it, no joke. All you need is some spinach, a few strawberries, a dab of honey, and a squirt of lemon juice.

Easy process: slice the strawberries and cut off the tops. Rinse the spinach and chop or tear it into smaller pieces. Toss the spinach and the strawberries in a bowl, and poke them for a few seconds to combine them.

Now for the fun part: squirt the lemon juice (I use about half a teaspoon) over the salad, then drizzle the honey over it. Mix everything up with your fork, and that’s IT! Dig in and enjoy… it’s the perfect side for a warm, summery day.

My friends are constantly complimenting me on my cooking. It’s always difficult for me to figure out exactly how to respond to a, “THIS IS SO F&*ING GOOD” remark. Typically, that’s because now in my post-Ramen noodle days; it really does seem so simple to me. I can just imagine ingredients that will taste good together.

Granted, some recipes CAN take all afternoon. However, since I have a life…I try to stick to those 15 minute or less recipes when I can. I seem to find that chicken is great for this. I’m always thinking of new flavors for chicken and making them happen WITHOUT taking the time out to marinate. Surprise, surprise: meats can soak in awesome flavor if they’re just cooked with a sauce. You no longer have to plan your meals three hours in advance.

So here are some concoctions I’ve come up with for my chicken. AND how to make them healthy–without sacrificing any of their yummy goodness.

These are all for four skinless chicken breasts. And they’re all pretty great in wraps, too.

CHEDDAR RANCH BACON Read More »

Suspicious, desperate lovers rejoice! There’s now a way to trick your significant other into cheating on you!

The Honey Trap is an agency out of the UK designed to help people who suspect their mate is having flings on the side.

“You know your partner is up to something but cannot prove it – perhaps they have had affairs before and you simply want an excuse to throw them out! Whatever your reason we have the answers” claims the website, offering “a vast selection of investigators of all ages, all descriptions and with different levels of education. Each one is trained and equipped with video and visual recording devices and their aim is to encourage a further meeting by telephone texting and emails.” Read More »

Days as a Freshman: 61

Mood: Heavy

“So…” Sasha pulled a chair from an empty table over to the one I was sitting at, holding a paper cup of tea and chewing on a plastic stirring straw. I watched him sit, look down into his cup, chew on the straw, and blink. What was he waiting for?

“Should’ve put honey in this. Green tea sucks without honey.” He looked up and grinned, the straw bending with his smiling lips, his messy brown hair falling into his eyes.

I wanted to freeze everything; take a picture of him just how he was right now with my eyes and keep it in the back of my head. I wanted to find a way to memorize the little dimple on his left cheek. I wanted to come up with an exact recipe for the smell he carried with him; a mixture of fresh deodorant and warm fuzzy dryer sheets. I needed to never forget the way a simple plastic straw could make someone irresistible.

The moment of realization that you’re sitting across from someone who could actually be everything you’ve ever dreamed about is strange. It’s not a big feeling, not a sharp feeling either. It’s mostly just a warm sensation, like someone’s poured bubbly, fizzy water into your limbs and into your chest.

“People make fun of me for drinking tea.” Taking the straw from his mouth, Sasha stirred the liquid in his cup absently, looking up at me and then back down at his hands, smiling in a quieter way. “It’s not cool or something. But I like it.”

And I like you, I thought, holding my own cup between my hands and breathing as carefully as I could. It seemed like a strong exhale could ruin the moment, blowing away the comfortable yet electric energy between us. Read More »