One of the best parts of fall TV is the fall Halloween specials. Apparently almost every.single.show. on TV is going to be doing a Halloween episode this fall. Maybe there will even be a Hoarders where the woman’s house is filled with candy corn and pumpkin seeds. Just kidding, her house will probably be filled with dead animals (cliche hoarder).

If you want to get in the Halloween spirit with your favorite shows, check out this sneak peak of upcoming Halloween episodes.

Autumn is typically categorized by “the transition from summer into winter usually in September (Northern Hemisphere) or March (Southern Hemisphere) when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier. It is in between summer and winter.” Not to outsmart Wikipedia, but I generally look to fall as the return of hot coffee, warm sweaters, crisp, cool nights and leaves changing colors.

There are so many things to love about fall. This season, especially, I was excited to get back into my jeans. But fall isn’t limited to the changes in my wardrobe. Fall marks the beginning of all things apple and pumpkin. YES!

Who else loves going into your favorite coffee shop and seeing pumpkin spice and apple cider back on the menu? God, it’s even better than the return of flare jeans!

Since apple/pumpkin season lingers around just long enough, I’m going to embark on an apple/pumpkin challenge (before the peppermint mocha season begins). What, you may be asking, is the point of this? Read More »

It’s officially fall. It’s officially cold (boo) and it’s officially pumpkin season (yay!). Sure Halloween has come and gone but now that there is no longer a need to save pumpkins for carving… we can EAT them!

Sure we all know about the typical pumpkin staples – pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice lattes and the like – but there’s a whole lot more you can do with those giant, orange orbs. So here is a list of our top 15 favorite ways to eat a pumpkin. Read More »

Do you need a super-quick and easy dessert recipe to take to a last-minute holiday party help ease the pain of a break up? Do you love peanut butter? Do you love desserts that are indulgent and–gasp!–healthy?

Read on, my friend.

This recipe for pumpkin peanut butter mousse (adapted from The Peanut Butter Boy‘s formula) is about as close to Food Pyramid-certified as you’re going to get. The only fat in this dessert is in the peanut butter (which is loaded with “good” monounsaturated fats, as well as protein), and hey, pumpkin is a fruit!  Best of all, this recipe is multi-functional (see below) and takes less than five minutes to make.

If there were ever a sign that god exists, it is here. And it is tasty. Read More »

Got something awesome everyone needs to know about? Email your “The Know” ideas to Jill@collegecandy.com and I’ll pass them along to everyone right here, right now.

Well, not right now, but soon. Like, every Thursday.

Red Mango Pumpkin Spice Yogurt
It’s no secret by now that we love all things Pumpkin over here at CollegeCandy. We tweet about Pumpkin pie blizzards, celebrate the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte, write about lighting pumpkin candles as we write our midterm paper (or make sexy time) and include recipes that cut the cals and add the flavor by using canned pumpkin. While the sad news is that the season of pumpkin flavored everything will only be here for another 2 months, the good news is Red Mango has debuted the best pumpkin spice yogurt ever.

Fo’ Real.

And it’s healthy. Holler! They even sprinkle on graham crackers for FREE. I recommend adding their dark chocolate chips to it too, because we all know everything is better with chocolate. So find a Red Mango near you (or drive to one if it’s a state away…seriously, it’s worth it!). But Hurry! Red Mango is only serving up this cup of heaven until December. Read More »

Though it’s getting a bit chillier these days, it’s still Fall, pumpkin-flavored anything is still awesome, and there’s basically nothing better than waking up and making yourself pancakes on a blustery morning, afternoon, or night.

Ok, so maybe having some hottie do it for you would be nice, but you’ll forget all about that once you bite into these badboys.

This recipe is slightly complicated, but it’s nothing a relatively cheap trip the neighborhood grocery store and 30 minutes in the kitchen won’t fix.

And, like that thick trainer at my gym always says, “no pain, no gain.” I’m pretty sure he’s talking about a 45-minute run on the treadmill, but I just think it means all that cooking will be worth it when you’re filled with 2 lbs of pumpkin pancake bliss. Read More »

We talk about pumpkin around here a LOT. A lot, a lot. But we can’t help it; the stores and restaurants only bring out their pumpkin goodness for a few months every year and we’re trying to soak up as much of the tasty goodness as we can before it goes away. And we’re left with nothing. Except winter-induced Seasonal Affect Disorder. Sigh.

But there’s another reason to be obsessed with pumpkin; beyond tasting amazing (especially in Hershey’s Kiss form), pumpkin is GREAT for you. It’s full of antioxidants, nutrients and a bunch of other great stuff your body needs. If the only pumpkin you’re enjoying comes in a pie crust, you’re doing your body a disservice. Look at these facts, grab yourself some pumpkin, cut a funny little face into it, then eat the rest.

Pumpkin is full of Vitamin A, most in the form of beta carotene, an antioxidant that helps to neutralize free radicals in the body! Sounds confusing, but believe us, it’s a good thing! Studies have shown that people who eat a diet rich in beta carotene are less likely to develop certain forms of cancer than those who don’t get enough beta-carotene in their diet. Nice.

“Is canned okay?” – YES! Plain canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) is still full of beta-carotene and great to use in recipes! One serving of canned pumpkin contains 300% of your Recommended Daily Intake for Vitamin A! One serving also counts as a serving of vegetables (look mom – I’m eating my vegetables at college!) and contains five grams of keep-you-full fiber. Canned pumpkin is faster than scooping out a pumpkin and preparing the flesh for use, and at only 40 calories per half-cup serving canned, it’s good for your insides and your outsides (AKA hips). Read More »

It’s hard not to smile when you first see this now-notorious picture from last month’s Glamour. Whether fashion mags are just trying to cash in on a long-neglected market or they’re actually making a concentrated effort to diversify their glossy pages, it’s incredibly refreshing to see a “plus-sized” woman with a tiny paunch being portrayed as confident and sexy rather than dumpy and in need of an emergency juice fast.

And the lady on page 194 isn’t this week’s only bright spot—our posts since Monday have been full of pluses. For example:

- Something called the Amethyst Initiative wants to lower the drinking age, which should come in handy when your study group wants to start pounding shots. Drunk studying for midterms: CC tested, commenter approved.

- Dressing up for Halloween doesn’t necessarily mean looking like a hooker, unless, you know, you want to look like a hooker with a sense of humor.

- Getting ready for unscheduled boot-knocking is simple…

… as is buying fresh, healthy produce.

- And speaking of produce: it’s finally pumpkin season! Mmmmm, pie.

- There are bright-eyed, bushy-tailed freshmen out there who are somehow excited about writing papers. That’s just heartwarming.

- AskMen.com’s list of 2009’s most influential dudes is light on substance, but heavy on eye candy. As far as I’m concerned, Don Draper can top any list he wants.

Of course, this week wasn’t all sunshine and pumpkins—we had to deal with bad kissers, Spencer Pratt’s continued douchitude, and, er… how to deal when your guy wants to use the back door. But for now, let’s focus on the positive. Have a great weekend!

It’s officially fall, and I’m going bananas over pumpkins right now. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin pie blizzards, pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks; you name it I’m obsessing over it.  Simply the aroma of pumpkin pie baking in the kitchen is enough to send me over the edge. There is a valid reason for that, however. Well, at least for men.

According to Dr. Alan Hirsh, there is a significant connection between Thanksgiving and sex. The mere scent of pumpkin pie alone increases blood flow to a man’s penis by 40%, therefore increasing his sexual appetite. Just another reason for us women to learn how to bake, am I right, ladies?

But sexual stimulation is not the only benefit of this staple fall fruit (yes, it is a fruit). Pumpkins are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and nutrients. And one cup of pumpkin will only dock you 50 points from your daily calorie intake. Also, pumpkin seeds are chock-full of protein, not to mention magically delicious. Read More »

"OH MY GOD!! THEY'RE BACK!!!"

Don’t get me wrong – I love me a summer day at the beach. The smell of sunscreen, flip flops, and feeling the hot sand beneath my feet makes me very, very happy. But there is nothing quite like a crisp Fall day. I love jean-jacket weather. I love busting out all my fall clothes from that duffel under my bed. I love getting my back-to-school dramatic haircut. I love anything and everything that has to do with pumpkins (especially the candy corn ones).

Fall, I heart you.

With Labor Day just around the corner, it’s time to say goodbye to our white sundresses and helloooooo (nurse) to leather boots, college football and Pumpkin Spice lattes at Starbucks. (Note: I said hello to those twice…on Monday.) Oh yeah, and also to long nights in the library, 40 pounds of textbooks and early morning classes. But let’s ignore that stuff for a moment and celebrate the best season ever.

Here is what the CollegeCandy writers love most about Fall. What’s your favorite part? Read More »