Nom nom nom.

[Everyone’s got a vice, a bad habit, something they know they need to change. Unfortunately, everyone also has a million excuses why they just can’t do it. Not anymore. Every month we will be following a different CollegeCandy writer as she takes on a personal challenge. Last month we followed Meredith on her quest to give up junk food. This month, Emmy's going 31 days without beef. Or chicken. Or turkey. Or....you get the idea.]

Let me start off by saying that I love meat. Like a lot. If I could eat a steak for every meal, I would. And if it weren’t gross to bathe in burger meat, I’d probably do that too. (Don’t judge.)

So why on earth would I give it up for a month? Surprisingly, I have loads of reasons. First, I was inspired by the Vegan/Vegetarian club here at Loyola and their participation in Meatless Mondays, the idea being that we can all improve our health by just giving up meat one day a week. That got me thinking: if I could get healthier by trading out meat just once a week, imagine what I could do if I cut back even more? And seeing that it might not be that hard, I thought I’d go full throttle.

I want to go meatless to see what it’s like, how it makes me feel, and how it makes me look. I am also hoping it will inspire me to stop eating ice cream and chips for meals and actually do some real cooking.

For me, going meatless for a month is a drastic change, but one that I’m excited to try.

The benefits of not eating meat seem to be endless, not to mention that the less animal products you eat, the more the health benefits increase. As I’ve had it explained to me by real, full-time vegetarians, vegetarianism is not eating meat (obvi), fish, or eggs. Some (AKA vegans) even give up all dairy and anything that might have an animal product in it. To just give it a try though, they recommended that I start slow by just eliminating meat. Read More »

There’s a great many things to do and places to see in this world of ours.  As humans, our lives are pretty short (and if you party like I do, it’s probably going to be even shorter).  So we have to prioritize!  We have brains for a reason and that reason is…reasoning (well, at least some of us use them for that purpose: see comment about partying above).  Let me be your voice of reason as I show you all the things you should be doing right here, right now.

It’s hard to be sure of what to eat these days.  Health reports come out with a study against a certain food one day and for it the next.  Do I eat the egg yolk or do I stick with the whites?  Are pomegranates that good for me?  How many more vitamins do I really need to take?  It’s confusing.  And I don’t like being confused about food.  I just like eating it.

Everyone’s heard the old adage, “Everything in moderation.”  Sounds pretty obvious, right?  You can eat your egg yolk (as long as you don’t eat five eggs a day) and not feel guilty.  Even dessert isn’t off limits if you don’t gorge yourself.  So this is why I’m going to give a shout out to something that has gotten a lot of bad press lately: meat.  It seem everyone is jumping on the vegetarian wagon, what with all the new vegetarian options out there.  Hey, I don’t have anything against tofu (I actually love tofu, but that’s a different story), but I have to defend my meat.  It’s delicious, packed with nutrition, and can be used in a million different ways.  Here’s why you should eat more meat: Read More »

Sure, the Fourth of July has passed, but we still have a couple months of lovely summer left, and what goes better with summer than throwing some food on the barbie and chowin’ down? Oh, and some beers. Afraid of the BBQ? Don’t even know where to begin? Used to letting the guys take care of it?

Ladies, grilling isn’t just for the boys! You too can become a master griller and show up those braggarts who claim the grill is man territory.

I learned how to grill at a young age because my dad is a phenomenal griller (his BBQ ribs are some of the best you’ll ever have…not that you will be having them anytime soon) and taught me the tricks of the trade right from the womb. The truth is, grilling is easy…as long as you know the rules. So, here they are.

There are two kinds of barbecuing: direct and indirect heat.

Direct heat is when you place the food directly over the source of heat/open flame. This type of grilling is best for thinner cuts of meat and items such as hot dogs, bratwurst, burgers, fish and pork chops.

Indirect heat is when you grill items outside of the main source of heat so they cook at a slower pace, more thoroughly, and without burning the outside of the meat. This is used for thicker pieces of meat such as whole chickens, beef and pork roasts. (Note: most of the “basic grilling” people do uses the direct heat method.) Read More »

I hereby announce to all ye partying people that BBQ season is upon us!

I grew up in a family that used just about any occasion to throw stuff on a grill and stand over it with tongs, and therefore, I’m completely licensed in the art of barbecology.

Some people can write math equations a mile along, some people can paint amazing pictures of a stormy sea, but yours truly…she can BBQ like nobody’s business.

I’ve been asked to share my knowledge of open-flamed gluttony with you.

JALAPENO, STUFFED WITH SHRIMP AND CHEESE, WRAPPED IN BACON.

The name might be long, but it’s tastefully accurate. These little treats impress the masses and leave you pondering whether pigs and shrimp were soulmates in past lives. Split jalapenos in half, smooth in cream or cheddar cheese. Plop a little shrimpy in there and wrap that sh*t in bacon. Booyah. Read More »

Don’t get me wrong; there is absolutely nothing wrong with microwaving a frozen entrée/Hot Pocket for dinner in your dorm room. It is quick, easy and far tastier than the offerings downstairs in the cafeteria. And in terms of “cooking” in a dorm room, that is about as close as you are gonna get.

For those of you who have moved onto bigger and better things – mainly, an apartment or house on campus – a can of Spaghetti-O’s also makes quite a handy dinner. But, let’s be honest, there are only so many nights that you can handle the sound of the noodle/sauce combo loosening its grip on the inside of a Chef Boyardee can and plopping (still shaped like said can, mind you) into your microwave-safe bowl.

Not to mention the awful nutritional information.

Being that you are finally grown up enough to live in the college equivalent to a big girl bed (a house/apartment on your own!) it is time to step away from the microwavable meals of your past and move onto something far superior…without much extra work.

Below is a list of some super easy, super tasty and even super healthy alternatives to the microwavable meal. Step away from the Easy Mac, ladies; it is time to fire up the stove for a dinner your mother would be proud of, without cutting into your bar….er….study time. Just mix and match some of these tasty ideas and you have yourself a real dinner. Read More »

I am not one of those girls that just “isn’t hungry” on a date. I am always hungry. And I love good food. Especially when it is medium rare and comes in a bun.

You already know I eat meat. And I certainly sleep with people who eat meat too. So, it’s good to know my new red meat eating habits are totally in.

I always knew salads were so passé.

If you’re one of those girls that don’t eat on a date because of “nerves,” give it up. Apparently, if you want to make a statement, order a steak. I mean even the New York Times thinks so, so it MUST be true.

According to a woman interviewed by the Times, steaks sent the message that she is “unpretentious and down to earth and unneurotic,” while burgers said she was a “cheap date and low maintenance.”

And I agree. Since I started eating red meat about 9 months ago, I’ve felt less like the fussy girl who picks off the pepperoni and more like the awesome foodie girl you’ve always wanted to date.

So put down the lettuce, ladies. Leave the salads for a lunch with the girls. If you really want to impress, order a steak. Read More »