Why we love Zachary Quinto

Seth Rogan is very forgiving

Hunger Games > Twilight

Can you get him to quit porn?

The Kardashian sisters get candid

Are you a commitment phobe?

Vegan can be stylish too!

So far, this hasn’t really gotten any easier – I have made some minor mistakes. Like when my sweet tooth craving hit during homecoming and I (drunkenly) ran to Dunkin Donuts for a chocolate glazed donut, but I’d say that’s been my worst slip up yet. What’s harder, though, is when I try so hard to resist a temptation for something non-vegan that I just end up ravenously chowing down on bread and crackers and anything vegan-friendly I can get my hands on. This has, unfortunately, been the norm lately. But I am trying to go easy on myself and not let this make me feel crappy: the name of the game is “meatless,” not necessarily “low-cal.” Suffice it to say, my body isn’t quite in Olivia Wilde shape just yet.

Also, social situations are proving to be way trickier than I anticipated. Even when my self-control is great and I know I won’t cave eating animal products, there are so many instances where I just feel like the only outcast in the group who isn’t munching on chicken fingers and wings at the bar. Or ordering anything besides a fruit salad at brunch. Or having a piece of cake at a coworker’s birthday celebration (it was almost definitely made with eggs). Basically, it seems to be a lot easier to manage this dietary challenge when I have the chance to prepare my own meal and plan ahead, but it’s hard as hell when I’m out and my next meal hasn’t been precisely planned.

But at the same time, I’m still really motivated to keep going. I recently read Skinny Bitch (which I’ve actually owned for a year or so, but never read fully because I was put off by its vegan “agenda”) and it resonated with me. It’s not that I’ve been an animal fanatic my whole life, but I’m learning the nitty gritty facts about the food industry and realizing I am fully capable of living without food derived from animals. Sure, soy cheese doesn’t taste quite like real cheese and I’ve probably eaten more bread the past three weeks than the past three months before, but the fact that there are alternatives make it seem almost like a no-brainer to keep up this lifestyle. Yes, meaning even after the four weeks are up. The benefits of being vegan – for myself, and for the environment, animals and economy, as I’ve been reading about – seem to completely outweigh the struggles.

So I’ll ride this wave of motivation as far as it takes me, because I’m sure going to need it for the coming week: Thanksgiving.

Okay, so this week was kind of hard. And I think I may have accidentally cheated. I went out over the weekend and have a tendency to eat when I’m drunk. On Friday, my friend and I stopped at McDonald’s (a forbidden land for vegans) and I actually was able to resist any burgers or nuggets. On Saturday, as the drunk munchies struck again, I got bread sticks from Pizza Hut. In my drunk, hungry state of mind, I was pretty sure these must be vegan, but on second thought they must have had butter, which, of course, is a no-no. Oops. To be fair, I really thought I was making the right choice (as opposed to, say, a personal pan pizza in all its cheesy glory).

My time at work wasn’t much easier. On Tuesday my manager brought in pints of Ben & Jerry’s, just for fun. Really? Like, REALLY? Just rub it in a bit more that I, the biggest ice cream lover of all time, can’t dig in to free Ben & Jerry’s (mint chocolate chip, no less). But I was actually able to stay focused and keep my eye on the prize.

I’m trying to really connect with why people choose this sort of diet. In fact, I’ve tried to seek out a bunch of vegan blogs and books to help motivate me and get me to understand what sort of things I can gain by doing this. I never would’ve called myself a huge animal person before, let alone any type of activist, but I can’t help but feel a tug on my heartstrings when I look through the PETA website for inspiration to keep going with this.

And I have to be honest, I already feel a lot better. It’s kind of weird that it happened this quickly, and yes, it’s been a challenge so far, but I truly feel good. My family had a vegan night on Sunday since they knew I was doing this challenge, and there were a bunch of dishes with lentils, rice and chickpeas. And let me tell you, it was GOOD. Let’s just say I may have helped myself to seconds…or thirds. When I was done and full, it wasn’t the kind of full that weighed me down, like after a big steak. It was more just satisfied, but not icky feeling.

So after week one, I can tell this isn’t going to be easy, but I’m feeling good enough to want to finish strong. My next big hurdle: homecoming weekend at the school I went to. Wish me luck, ‘cause I’ll need it.

Olivia Wilde. Carrie Underwood. Alicia Silverstone. Lea Michele. What do they all have in common? (Besides being really, really ridiculously good-looking?) They’re all vegans. That means they don’t eat any kind of food derived from an animal – meaning no meat, fish, eggs, or dairy. And lately, I feel like I’ve been hearing all about how absolutely stellar it makes them feel. I can’t help but think if it’s really possible for someone to feel so awesome and have a bangin’ bod by not eating any animal products. And so, even though I live for the perfect pepperoni slice, I vow to find out.

For the month of November, I challenge myself to not eat any food that comes from an animal – or foods containing animal derivatives – whatsoever. Yes, even on Thanksgiving, when I will be taunted by a big juicy turkey. And yes, even on my visit back to my undergraduate alma mater, University of Delaware, where drunk late-night cheese fries will be calling my name. I’m going to give it my best effort, and fill you all in on the highs and lows (and hopefully report that by the end I’m a spitting image of Olivia Wilde).

The main thing that interested me about this whole vegan idea was just as I said above – if celebs swear by it, why not test it out myself? But since then, I have actually tried to educate myself about what, exactly, are the health benefits of veggin’ out. Even though it’s going to take a lot more planning and preparing meals, many sources claims that if done right, a vegan diet can be healthier for you. First off, by not eating any meat vegans don’t consume any cholesterol, so they have much lower rates of heart disease. Also, vegans rely mostly on vegetables and grains, which are naturally lower in sodium and higher in fiber.

But this sort of diet can also be nutritionally tricky. Protein, iron, calcium, and vitamin B12 are all found mostly in animal products and meat, so part of my challenge is to maintain as balanced a diet as possible. (Fun fact – apparently Oreos are vegan… maybe I’ll survive this after all?)

Anyway, I feel surprisingly ready to face this challenge. We’ll see how I feel when the burger craving hits…

Follow Katherine on her one month challenge to see if she can make it. Could you?

However, tomorrow morning, reality will set in. It breaks my heart, but you will discover you are not actually Lady Gaga, and you do have a term paper due on Friday. And you probably will have a hangover. I don’t think I can help you with the first two crises, but I do have a comprehensive guide to putting that hangover to bed.

Do your morning-after woes make you curse the day you were born? Never fear, there’s a recipe for that, and it’s simple enough not to compound that throbbing headache. Whip up these recipes tonight before going out. Your aching body will thank you tomorrow.

Got a searing headache?
You’re probably dehydrated. All those shots and Four Lokos have a diuretic effect on the body, meaning you lose water. So think like an athlete and grab some electrolyte-replenishing sports drinks to clear up that fog!

The remedy: Buy a bottle of Gatorade and pour it into an ice cube tray. You can place popsicle sticks in the cubes for a treat in the morning (especially nice just to suck on if you’re feeling nauseous too), or use the cubes to make a slushie. Pour them into a blender with some fresh fruit (I like pineapple), and churn away!

Got an upset stomach?
All that drinking can make your digestive system go bananas–which is why you should have some! They’re a binding food that represses stomach acid.

The remedy: Who says you can’t have pudding for breakfast? With this healthy, vegan-friendly recipe you’ll forget your stomach troubles.

Ingredients:

1 banana, broken into chunks
1 (12 ounce) package soft silken tofu
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons soy milk
1 pinch ground cinnamon

Instructions: Blend all ingredients together until smooth, then refrigerate before serving.

Body aches galore?
It feels like you just went for a marathon tune-up at the gym, but the only weights you were carrying were twin 40s, you’re not alone. The combined effects of dehydration and very little sleep can leave your muscles feeling lethargic and sore. Get your strength back with a little protein and cysteine, a non-essential amino acid that some say counter-acts the byproducts of metabolized alcohol in the body. Get a healthy dose of both with some eggs!

The remedy: Even most college freshmen can make this recipe without access to a kitchen, if you have a hot-water boiler and a toaster in a common room. Perfect for those hangovers where you can’t even make it out of your dorm to the dining hall, make some poached eggs on toast for an alternative to the hum-drum fake-egg omelets in the caf.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• Dash of pepper
• Salsa
• Bread
• Hummus (optional)

Instructions:

Fill the hot water boiler about two thirds of the way and let it boil. Once it’s hot enough, turn the heat down so it’s no longer a “rolling boil” (i.e. bubbling madly). In a separate bowl, crack open the two eggs. Gently pour the contents of the bowl into the boiling water, being careful not to splash (try to gingerly slide the eggs in). Let the eggs cook about 5 minutes until they become solid and can be easily removed with a spoon. Serve on warm toast (prepared on the toaster) with salsa for dipping and garnish with a bit of pepper.  Get creative if you like and spread hummus on the toast for more protein.

[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

Okay, so it’s been kind of a busy fall season so far, and I haven’t had a ton of time (read: any time where I wasn’t either studying or drinking) to call home (delinquent daughter… whoops!). Anyway, my family had no idea that I was going meatless for a month, and I just mentioned it in passing to my mom on the phone, and she laughed. She thought I was joking.

To be fair, my mom knows that I LOVE meat, and so she was really concerned that something was wrong because there was no other plausible explanation in her mind as to why else I would stop eating it. So after some intense mother calming (during which I was chowing down on some delicious hummus), and multiple reassurances that I was still getting plenty of protein and not about to pass out at any moment, my mom finally let up on the whole issue.

To be honest, hearing other people’s reactions when they realize that I’m not eating meat for a month has been one of the most interesting parts of this meatless commitment. It seems like eighty percent of people that I encounter respond with something along the lines of, “Oh my gosh, I could NEVER do that, why in the world are you doing that?” I’m not even a full-time vegetarian, and I’m still rather offended by the way people speak to me about it. I mean, honestly, I say more power to vegetarians; it is so much healthier for you and your body, and there are countless environmental, humanitarian, not to mention nutritional reasons to make the choice to be a vegetarian or even a vegan. While, yes, obviously I will be the first person to admit that meat is incredibly delicious… it still doesn’t seem appropriate for strangers to insult or question someone’s life choices, even if it isn’t meant in an intentionally harmful way.

Vegetarians out there, is this something that bothers you, or something that you’re just used to by now?

On other vegetarian related issues, everyone told me that not having as much protein would make me feel more tired and lagging (that was one of my mom’s main concerns), but I haven’t noticed it at all. On the contrary, despite the fact that October has been an insanely busy month for me  (a ridiculous amount of midterms, our sorority’s new members preparing for initiation, health and safety checks that I have to perform as an RA, and a general lack of sleep), I am not any more tired than I was when I was eating meat. That makes me wonder if I’d have even more energy if I maintained this diet during a more normal month.

Finally, just during this past week, a huge group of my friends went out to Flat Top (a stir fry restaurant), and I tried cooked tofu there. It was a considerable improvement from my attempt at cooking it, but I’m still not particularly crazy about the texture. There’s just something a little off there for me, but the taste is not nearly as bad as I was expecting it to be and I didn’t feel as overstuffed and lethargic as I normally do when I fill my bowl with meat, meat and more meat.

Looking back on my challenge so far, I’m honestly a little shocked that I have made it 23 days without meat! There are only eight days left until I can chow down on beef once again and while I am seriously considering limiting my meat consumption once October is over, I know I’m going to end this whole thing about 12 hours early. Why? Uh, free burritos at Chipotle on Halloween, that’s why. Yes, they do have lots of veggie options, but the steak there just calls out to me. Loud and clear. It’s been hard enough to turn it down when I have to pay for it, but it’s FREE!

What can I say? I’m only human.

So, only eight days to go. I just hope that, after 30 days sans meat, indulging in it won’t make me feel icky (as I’ve heard it does). But at the end of the day, that’s a risk I’m willing to take. I mean, it’s FREE CHIPOTLE. If there’s one thing that’s worth a little pain, that would be it.

[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

I can’t believe that I have made it through two weeks as a vegetarian! Honestly, I am a little surprised – I haven’t cheated at all! Not a single piece of meat. Not even chicken broth, because I was worried that would count.

Not that’s it’s been a total breeze…

By far the most difficult vegetarian moment for me this week was when one of the clubs I’m in had a group dinner… at Chipotle. Now, I know a lot of people like Chipotle, but I love Chipotle. LOVE. Their meat is one of my FAVORITE things in the whole wide world. I don’t even need a burrito; I could be totally content just eating their meat plain… straight out of those silver serving buckets.

So to say it was a wee bit challenging to go in there and not get my favorite Steak Burrito doesn’t really do my feelings justice. I thought about getting a vegetarian burrito, but I’m not a big fan of their beans and  thought it would be too empty without meat. So I went with a veggie quesadilla instead. Not exactly the world’s healthiest option, but it kept me perfectly satisfied while everyone else chowed down on their delicious and meaty burritos.

Point: Emmy.
And things only got better from there.

While the meatless Chipotle run wasn’t easy, by far the highlight of my week was discovering all of the awesome vegetarian substitutes out there. Who knew all this stuff existed?! While I wasn’t able to find the chicken substitute called Quorn in either of our local grocery stores, I was able to track down some of the MorningStar Farms Chik’n Nuggets and Chik’n Patties that everyone commented about last week. And wow, they are DELICIOUS! I’ve actually eaten their Chik’n Nuggets with kids I nanny for before, and I had no idea that they weren’t actually meat! I also tried their Spicy Black Bean Burgers, and I was surprised how much I liked those too!

I also tried cooking tofu this week…which wasn’t quite as successful as the MorningStar Farms situations. Not that I’m blaming tofu, though; I have a feeling this was probably just a failure on my cooking skills. Dinner was still alright because the pad thai noodles I made were delicious enough to stand on their own, but the tofu…disaster.

I’m not giving up on tofu, though. I’m definitely going to try again next week (but maybe I’ll get it from a restaurant this time…). Boca Burgers are also on my list to try, and that’s a big one. For some reason, I’m a bit more skeptical of those than of the Chik’n Patties and I don’t know exactly why. With the breading around the Chik’n things, it’s easier to camouflage the slight difference in taste and texture from real meat.

I’m so…..scared.

But I’m also super proud of how far I’ve come. And surprised by how much I’m liking it.  Maybe I can do this for more than a month! It’s not that hard and I feel great. Though I’d better hold out to see how these next two weeks go before I make any commitments!

[Check out the other One Month Challenges we've taken on! And if you've got a challenge you want to tackle, email us and we could feature you next month!]

[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

So, I’ve successfully made it through my first week without meat… and it hasn’t been too bad!

I’ve really liked that not eating things with meat has really forced me to try different foods and eat a more balanced diet, which is exactly what I was hoping would happen through this experiment. I’ve discovered that my school’s market actually has AMAZING hummus and vegetable plates that I’d never tried before. Like really, I don’t know what they put in the hummus, but it is madly addicting! I’ve also found a great vegetarian pad thai, a yummy Mediterranean veggie salad, and an amazing pesto tortellini all in just one of the campus markets! Who knew veggies could taste so good?

But I’m not taking any of this for granted. I’m lucky that my university offers so many Vegan/Vegetarian options and I know that not every school is quite as accommodating. If I had to exist on salads and plain noodles all month, I think I’d go crazy. Thank god I’ve got a variety of interesting and tasty options to choose from.

The only really difficult thing this week has been when I’m eating dinner with people who are eating meat. I never realized how good that stuff smells. Like the kind of smell that makes my mouth water and belly rumble. I feel like a Pavlovian dog… or maybe that dog in the Beggin’ Strips commercial; the minute I smell it I can’t get the craving for a burger or chicken or pepperoni out of my head.

For instance, last night, my friend was trying out a new recipe for Chicken Parmesan and it looked delicious. Obviously, I had to refrain from diving head first into the oven partaking in the yumminess because, as much as I wanted to pretend chicken wasn’t meat, it most certainly is.  It wasn’t that big of a deal because I still had some delicious pasta and salad for dinner, but I definitely had a hard time refraining from taking even the smallest bite of that breaded chickeny goodness. I also felt really bad turning down a meal my friend had so graciously cooked. She knows about my challenge, but still…. I wonder if actual vegetarians ever feel that way.

Or if they ever miss chicken parmesan as much as I do. For real, I can’t stop thinking about it. I already know what I’ll be cooking come November 1st.

[Check out the other One Month Challenges we've taken on! And if you've got a challenge you want to tackle, email us and we could feature you next month!]

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.

So that’s the plan. For the next 31 days, I’ll be a meatless carnivore (well, technically a Pescetarian – who knew there was a word for it?!), and keeping you all updated on what it’s like and how I do.

Hopefully going meatless will force me to eat more vegetables and try new foods. And, finger’s crossed, it won’t totally backfire with me replacing healthy dinners with bags of meat-free Doritos.

So, all you vegetarians out there, was it a hard transition for you to go meatless?
Have any advice or good recipes for me?

[Check out the other One Month Challenges we've taken on! And if you've got a challenge you want to tackle, email us and we could feature you next month!]

[Meet Margaret, a freshman at Yale. We've been checking in with her every week to see what she's doing, who she's meeting, and what new college surprises she's tackling (or freaking out about) as she embarks on the journey we call college. Or as I like to call it, the best thing since dark chocolate Reese's Peanut Butter cups.]

At my old high school, we were never served veggie burgers, nor did we have to choose between vegan and non-vegan options in the cafeteria. I’m from Cincinnati, a city that boasts about its chili (which is really just a runny sauce on top of noodles…). Needless to say, the infinitesimal number of students who identified with vegetarianism at my school only did so for religious reasons. And some of them cheated.

Keeping that in mind, entering the dining hall at my college was like entering the land of some kind of lotus-eating, vegetarian haven, or, in my case, a carnivore’s personal version of hell. It’s not that they don’t serve meat; they do. But they also serve various other reinterpretations of meat: tofu ravioli, lentil hamburgers, vegan minestrone soup.

Upon seeing these, I became bitter and questioned why tofu ravioli was necessary when ravioli is obviously meant to be stuffed with beef and cheese (at least according to my man, Chef Boyardee). Didn’t all the vegetarians here realize what they were missing out on? Chicken tenders and steak? Bacon and sausage links? What was the point of all this? It’s not like one vegetarian will directly save the life of a cow or singlehandedly better animal welfare. Vegetarianism is pointless.

At least that’s what I’d always thought. But much like my drinking habits, my study habits and my feelings towards sex, being in college has made me re-think the way I eat.

By being thrown into a new environment where I’m exposed to new people, new ideals and a whole lot of  vegetarians, I’ve been forced time and again to re-evaluate what I’ve always known. And most recently, I’ve begun to reconsider the food that I put into my mouth. Whereas before I used to think that vegetarianism was a black and white issue – you either eat meat because it’s tasty or you don’t because you think cows are cute – I’ve learned that it’s so much more.

It’s a fact that Americans didn’t used to eat as much meat as we do today. Really, if you think about it (or Google it, like I’ve been doing constantly lately), the amount of meat we consume today really isn’t natural. And medical reports don’t lie; meat can definitely up your cholesterol and is one of the main contributing factors to our high rate of heart disease in this country.

Now, I’m not sure if I could go completely meatless (I like chicken tenders too much), but I’m definitely cutting back. And in the end, that’s not even the point. While this specific change is about tofu and lettuce, it is only one of many changes I’ve noticed since I got to Yale a mere month ago. Yes, I’m still staying true to who I am as a person, but the naive, sheltered Cincinnati girl I was before coming here is almost unrecognizable. With every new experience I have, class I take, reading assignment I complete and person I talk to, I’m learning more than I ever have before.

And I’m becoming a much more tolerant and open-minded person because of it.
I’m even eating (and enjoying!) tofu ravioli, and those are words I never in a million years thought would come out of my bacon-loving mouth.