[Got something awesome everyone needs to know about? A really rad singer? A wicked new book? A new way to discover music? Email your “The Know” ideas to Jill@collegecandy.com or tweet me and I’ll pass them along to everyone right here, every week. Make your kindergarten teacher proud and share!]

To the man (actually, I have a feeling it was probably a woman with PMS) who first decided to mix salty and sweet all in the same bite, I tip my fedora to you. Why we don’t have a chapter dedicated to you in our history books (between the first space expedition and the Civil Rights movement), I’ll never know. Because you were a revolutionary. A game changer.

You saw a gap and you filled it with sweet and salty goodness (and if you’ve ever had caramel popcorn or a chocolate covered potato chip then you know JUST what I’m talking about).

You REALLY understood what it means to be a w-o-m-a-n and our inability to make up our minds. First we want salty, then sweet, then a tuna sandwich (or is that just me?), then the whole cycle repeats itself.

But you went ahead and put it all together into one perfect little package and all was good in the world. And in my belly. Thanks to you, these 5 delectable sweet/salty treats were made possible. And thanks to me, everyone can know about and indulge in them. Read More »

After pulling on your Nikes and adding that new Jason Derulo song to your iPod, you drag yourself to the gym for an hour. It’s hard to get started, you’re just so tired, but twenty minutes later the endorphins are kicking in and you’re feeling great. You finish your workout, do a little stretch, and walk home feeling happy as a clam.

But that happy feeling won’t last if you don’t eat a little something after all that exercise. You need something to replenish your body, girlfriend! You want to get stronger, not burn yourself out. Your friends have suggested everything from protein shakes to lemon juice.What should you really eat after you workout? I’ll give you a hint: it’s not lemon juice.

Let’s start out simple. First, drinking water is essential for replacing what you  lost in that intense cardio sesh! Everyone knows you should drink 8 glasses of water a day, but you should increase that to 10-12 on days you’re working out.

Now for food: when it comes to eating after a workout, the key is getting a snack in within 45 minutes of finishing. But that doesn’t mean chowing down on a piece of cake or snacking on a few celery sticks. Post-workout snacks should have both carbs and protein in them. The carbs help replenish glycogen, and the protein helps rebuild and rehydrate muscle tissue, as well as stimulate your immune system to keep you healthy. Read More »

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 »

As I was researching for what was supposed to be a post on green snack foods, I realized just how eco-harmful the food industry can be.  Looking at Newsweek’s Green Rankings for 2009, only 28 of the top 500 companies are from the food and beverage industry. Yes, a measly 5%.  Plus, the best ranking food company (Brown and Forman) ranks in 374^th place overall!  In other words, the large-scale food industry blows.

I knew I just couldn’t lie to the intelligent ladies that you are, so I scrapped the article and came up with this.

Here are some of the worst snack options and their greener replacements to reduce your environmental impact… and your waistline. Seriously, think about this next time you go shopping; we’re all probably doing more harm than we even know.

Culprit #1: Tyson
Why it sucks: Tyson is one of the largest companies in the meat industry.  According to the movie Food, Inc. (which you all should see!), such large scale farming contributes to pollution, greenhouse gases, depletion of resources, antibiotic resistance and illness in workers and consumers, and poor employee treatment.
Don’t eat: Tyson’s fried chicken fillet sandwich. For so many reasons. Gross.
Eat instead: Gardenburger’s Original Veggie Burgers Read More »

Sadly, this is not a picture of the snack mix. My roommate ate it before I could snap a photo. No joke.

Thanksgiving to New Year’s (and the few days after when you’re lying around attempting to kick the hangover) is pretty much the universal stuff-your-face time period. It’s suddenly acceptable to drink gallons of Starbucks holiday drinks and eat desserts like there’s no tomorrow.

It isn’t the healthiest thing, but we’ll worry about that tomorrow when our ambitious “go to the gym at least 5 times a week” resolution kicks in.

Or we won’t, because there are some things in life that are more important than your flat abs, and this snack is one of them. Seriously, this stuff is the reason I go to the gym. Not to burn off the calories from eating bowls full of it, mind you, but to work up an appetite so I can eat more of it.

My grandma has been making this snack mix for years and it never fails to make it into my belly. It’s just the perfect combination of salty and sweet resulting in a savory, dessert snack mix combo. It’s super easy to make, looks great in a bowl on the table and will be the hit of any party you may be throwing. It also happens to go swimmingly with long study sessions, a few back-to-back episodes of 30 Rock, or when you’re barefoot and standing over the counter late-night.

Or, you know, whenever.

The good news? You can adjust the ingredients to make it your own. You can use dark chocolate to make it a bit healthier, or mix all three for a fun (and delicious) tie-dye batch.

Ingredients:
10 oz. pretzels
1 can (14 0z.) cashews
5 cups corn Chex
5 cups Cheerios
2-12 oz. packages of white chocolate chips
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Recipe:
1)    Mix pretzels, cashews, corn Chex and Cheerios in a large bowl. Set aside.
2)    Melt the white chocolate and vegetable oil in the microwave (2 minutes).
3)    Add chocolate mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix until covered.
4)    Spread out on wax paper and let cool (it will dry into one big block).
5)    Break into pieces and eat away!!

Warning: Do not sit in front of the bowl, I repeat: DO. NOT.  It is extremely addicting and you will eat the entire thing. Instead grab handfuls as you pass through the room to control consumption.

You know that really annoying friend of yours who feels the incessant need to point out that they were the first to know about a now really popular band? Every. single. time. it comes on the radio?

As annoying as they are, there is something exciting about the knowing of a new band, new clothing brand, great sale, awesome book or recipe, and sharing it with the ones you love. And by ones you love, I mean the ones you go back and forth with right here on the CollegeCandy message boards.

So here’s the deal: every week, we will feature things that YOU think other CollegeCandy readers just have to know about. Anything at all. Nothing is off limits. You share it with me and I’ll pass along the goodness.

Old Soul, New Heart
If there is one great way to make that old black frock new again it’s with accessories. And if there is one new amazing accessories website to do just that with it’s Old Soul New Heart. This mother/daughter duo has made a brand new spot in my big ol heart. I’m obsessed. Obsessed as in, I’d buy the whole line. Obsessed as in, if Old Soul New Heart were a boy, I would be standing outside his window right now proclaiming my love for all things feathered and sequins. (And I wonder why I’m single.) And if the sheer cuteness of the product wasn’t reason enough to go stalker crazy on this line, it’s price point will having you make room in your heart and your closet, as well. Read More »

You know that really annoying friend of yours who feels the incessant need to point out that they were the first to know about a now really popular band every. single. time. it comes on the radio?

As annoying as they are, there is something exciting about the knowing of a new band, new clothing brand, great sale, awesome book or recipe, and sharing it with the ones you love. And by ones you love, I mean the ones you go back and forth with right here on the CollegeCandy message boards.

So here’s the deal: every week, we will feature things that YOU think other CollegeCandy readers just have to know about. Anything at all. Nothing is off limits.

Guffly.com
We all are trying to be green: wear more green, eat more green, recycle more green, earn more green. But sometimes it’s hard because we don’t know where to look for the best products. And let’s face it – some of those eco-friendly fashions have been hit with the ugly stick one too many times. Not to mention the sometimes way-out-there price tags – I mean I could buy some Jimmy Choo’s for the price of some of these reusable forks, frocks and eco-friendly gym bags! But thankfully, Guffly has come to our rescue. Guffly is a one-product-per-day online store (perfect for those of us who get overwhelmed by too many fabu products at once!). They feature eco-friendly products and fair trade lifestyle goods like home, pet, clothing, office and personal accessories. They have made it their jobs (literally!) to find only the most stylish eco-friendly and fair trade products out there.  Now you can actually do something good for the environment, feel good about yourself AND still look cute. Sign me up.  Read More »

Who doesn’t love a little Southern cooking? Fried, greasy goodness? I wouldn’t trust someone who didn’t dream about it once in awhile.  And better yet, who doesn’t love a little Southern dessert? There is nothing. better. on earth. (I love you, Paula Dean!)

This recipe comes from my best friend’s mother, Mrs. D, a Southern mom who doesn’t have time to bake like all those other mommas.  These Oreo Balls are easy, quick and delicious, which is perfect for the college girl with a sweet tooth. You’ll need zero to no cooking experience or talent, so don’t fret if you’re not Betty Crocker. Hell, you don’t even need a full kitchen; you can make these balls of heaven right in your dorm room.

There are a lot of different recipes for Oreo Balls out there, but, again, I’m sticking with Mrs. D on this one. That woman totally knows her shiz. Read More »

Spring Break is right around the corner, and I’m hoping to escape from the freezing winter temperatures on a warm, sunny beach somewhere. If you’re headed to the beach like me, make sure you bring all the essentials with you:

1. Sunglasses - With the sun reflecting off the ocean and the sand, you need dark shades to protect your eyes. Plus, you can check out the hotties playing football down by the water without looking like a total creep.

2. A magazine or trashy novel – It’ll keep you entertained when you’re lounging in the sun, and it’s also a good way to look like you’re doing something else when you’re really staring at afore-mentioned hotties.

3. Sunblock – Again, seems totally obvious, but the LAST thing you want is to come back from your vacay looking like a lobster. Not to mention that you’re putting yourself in danger for skin cancer without it!

4. Beach-friendly makeup -If you can’t go out without makeup, even at the beach, know that your regular makeup routine isn’t going to hold up to the heat, sand, and water, so just keep it simple with some basics: tinted moisturizer (don’t forget the SPF!) and tinted lip balm or an all-over color stick to keep you looking fresh and naturally pretty all day (like this one from E.L.F.).

5. A cute cover-up – A tunic or minidress is perfect, because it’s small enough to fit into your bag, and you can throw on over your bathing suit if you and your friends decide to browse the beachside shops or grab some much needed margaritas. Read More »

It is really easy to throw caution to the wind and dive headfirst into holiday dinners, cocktails and leftovers (a few hours later.) Unfortunately, it is not so easy to rid your body of the fat and calories the next day. So, instead of letting yourself go crazy for the holidays this year (“But my mom only makes this peanut buttery chocolatey heavenly dessert once a year!”), why not try a little moderation?

Don’t worry; you can still eat some of the chocolatey peanut butter thing.

1. Exercise: Whether it is Christmas dinner, or a plate full of latkes, you know you will be eating something out of the ordinary (and off the charts in terms of calories) this holday season. Prepare in advance by getting a workout in. Most gyms are open – even on Christmas day – so don’t use the holiday as an excuse to take a vacation from fitness. Unless you want everyone to buy you a size up in the clothes on your holiday wish list.

2. Eat Before You Go: Whenever I go to holiday meals I tend to starve myself all day to make room for the scrumptious treats that will be served. That is a good idea in theory, until I find myself taking second and third servings of very unhealthy foods (and feeling horribly guilty/angry at myself later). Don’t go to these meals hungry! Eat a little snack before you go to curb your hunger, that way you can have a little bit of the foods you love without going completely overboard. Read More »