You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream.

But I scream the loudest.

And my abs scream quite differently. That’s why I totally flipped out (in glee!) last weekend at Target while shopping for a blender. I wanted to buy one to make fruit smoothies and iced coffees instead of spending $5 a pop at Jamba Juice. When I dragged my friend along with me on my quest for smoothie heaven, she informed me that she also uses her blender religiously….for bananas.

WTF? That sh*t is bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)

But then she told me that if you first freeze the banana, then blend it until it’s completely fluffy, it tastes just like soft serve ice cream! And guess what yummy flavor it comes in? Needless to say, I had to try it out, so my Target bag included not only a new 10-speed blender, but also a nice giant bunch of bananas. And now all I can say is… YUM.

Stuff you need:

2-3 frozen bananas
A powerful blender
Your favorite toppings (May include: berries, dried fruit, hot fudge, syrup, chocolate sauce, cinnamon, sprinkles, granola, even more cut-up bananas.) Read More »

You know those people who screw up the brownies where all you have to do is add water? Yes, that’s me. I have screwed up popcorn, switched ingredient amounts, and frequently embarrassed my mother with my basic lack of culinary skill. However, one summer’s night when my sister and I had nothing to do I typed in “Cookie Recipes” to Google. After sifting through ladybug cookies, frosting cookies, and every variation of chocolate chip that you can imagine, I finally came across the god of all cookies:

The Peanut Butter Cup Cookie.

Taken from allrecipes.com, this cookie is not only easy to make, it is nearly impossible to screw up. The first time I made them I was ecstatic; the second time I made them, I had everyone at my aunt’s Father’s Day party telling me what a gem I was and how lucky it was that I had inherited my aunt’s natural cooking abilities. I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud of myself. To all of the peanut butter lovers out there who want to make something sweet, try these. I promise, you won’t be disappointed. Besides being easy to make, they’re totally fun, and taste…well, like heaven melting in your mouth. Read More »

So you’re on your way to the beach to have the greatest spring break ever. You’ve worked hard to get that body bikini-ready all semester long, and now you’re ready to show it off.

You could pack chips, sandwiches and candy to get you through those grueling hours of sunbathing, but why not bring along some yummy nutrition bars that help your figure and make your taste buds happy?

Here are my recommended top 5:

Gnu Flavor and Fiber Bars

Does your mouth water every time you smell the cinnabons at the mall? Do you have a hard time not finishing the whole bag of raisins once you start? If either of those apply to you, then you’ll love the Cinnamon Raisin bar. It’s only 130 calories and gives you 12g of fiber, already half of what you need per day! It is definitely my favorite, with Chocolate Brownie coming in second. The Banana Walnut is good for all you nut-lovers out there, and the Peanut Butter is a great substitute for everyone’s favorite (and surprisingly high calorie) PB&J sandwich. Plus, your heart will be thanking you for the lack of added sugar and artificial ingredients. All-natural, all the way.

Pros: flavor, fiber, and filling!

Cons: The price. And the Orange Cranberry bar. It was very… citrusy. Read More »

If you’re a bit calorie-conscious like me and won’t go near any form of full-fat, greasy potato chips, here’s a great alternative to satisfy those pesky salty/crunchy/carb-loaded cravings.

I can’t believe we’ve never talked about them before on CC. Because Popchips are off. the. chain!

I had heard a lot about Popchips, but was a bit skeptical the first time I brought them home. That lasted about 2 seconds.

When I opened the bag, I could smell the deliciousness of the BBQ-flavored chips just waiting for me to devour them. And so I did. And they were awesome, down to the last finger-licking crumb. I found them to be light and airy, kind of like popcorn, but a lot more flavorful and crispy.

The best part is that they’re completely guilt-free! Since they’re not fried in oil, but rather “popped”  using heat and pressure (don’t worry, I don’t get it either) the chips have half the fat of a typical potato chip with no trans fat, no saturated fats, no cholesterol and no preservatives. Read More »

Happy National Chocolate Day! Finally, a holiday for me. I can enjoy a mocha in the morning, some chocolate chip pancakes for lunch, and a chocolate milkshake for snack and not. feel. guilty.

I love October 28th.

In honor of this awesome (and, quite frankly, random) holiday, I decided to throw together some ridiculously good cookies. These little guys are the perfect way to celebrate my new favorite holiday. So, skip class and eat celebrate; it is a national holiday, after all.

Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies.

Whatcha Need:

1 cup organic unsalted peanut butter (doesn’t have to be organic, but, you know…it tastes better if it is)

¾ cup granulated cane sugar

1 large egg, slightly beaten

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¾ cup dark chocolate, roughly chopped

½ cup roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped Read More »

It’s no secret that the infamous “freshman fifteen” weight gain is often attributed to the increased consumption of alcohol that comes with newfound freedom in college, especially if the alcohol is accompanied by high-calorie mixers. In general, drinking some of the “tastier” beverages out there, whether they are alcoholic or non-alcoholic, can slip some unwanted floods of extra calories into your diet (Did you know that the average Long Island Iced Tea has 780 calories? Eek.).

Fortunately, thanks to some recipes from Hungry Girl (nutritionist Lisa Lillen), I’ve compiled a few seriously good low-cal cocktails and other yummy drinks that won’t make you feel deprived, but won’t wreak havoc on your diet.

“Magical Low-Calorie Margarita”

Ingredients:

6 ounces diet lemon-lime soda

1 1/2 ounces of tequila

1 packet (two 5-cal) servings of sugar-free powdered lemonade drink mix (use half if you want your drink less sweet!)

2 tablespoons lime juice

5-8 ice cubes or 1 cup of crushed ice

Optional: lime wedge (for a cute garnish!) Read More »

Mmmm shots. I love em. I love SoCo and Lime. I love Lemon Drops. I love whiskey. I even, sometimes, love Tequila. They burn when they go down, but they feel oh-so-good for the rest of the night. Not to mention the fact that they make me feel sexier, totally improve my dance moves (right?) and are just a fabulous way to bond with rando’s at the bar.

And then…the morning sets in.

Hellooooo hangover.

What the hell? Why create something so great that turns into something so…painful? If only there were shots out there that would be totally delicious and wonderful but not cause my room to spin/head to pound/body to crave bacon the next morning.

Good news!

I know you won’t believe me when I tell you this, but there are! Just read on, little ladies. Read More »

I heart muffins.

It doesn’t really matter what type of muffins they are—I’ll eat any flavor.

I’ll eat muffins with nuts, with berries, with chocolate chips…you can even put carrot and zucchini in there, I won’t mind.

Since the weekend is finally here, why don’t we celebrate two wonderfully late mornings with a beautiful muffin recipe that includes fall’s sweetest treat: apples?

Wake up your whole dorm with the amazing smell of these muffins, and you might just become the most popular girl in school—at least until they’re all gone.

Here’s what you need to get started: Read More »