Oatmeal Cookie Granola

It’s crunch time. The semester is winding down and the projects are piling up: 21 days of class, 4 tests, 1 counseling session, 3 papers, 1 monstrous thesis and presentation. And then a few quizzes and assignments scattered in between. So what can make this crunch time a little more bearable? How about a deliciously crunchy granola? Now we’re talking.

These past few months have been crazy with work and school, leaving very little time for baking. But what’s great about granola is that it’s simple, fast, and perfectly satisfying for a sweet tooth. After a long day of school and work, I’ll trudge home at 10:00 pm, famished and completely exhausted. I have absolutely no energy to whip up something creative, I’m just looking for something easy and tasty. Well, with this gem of a granola, all I need is a bowl, a spoon, and a dollop of vanilla yogurt. Mmm, perfection.

REVIEW: Vigilant Eats Superfood Cereal

Do you ever feel like life is just going too fast? Do you ever wonder how the hours of the day can mysteriously disappear while the tasks on the to-do list only multiply? Facing my final semester of college, I am constantly in awe of how quickly the years have passed. But even when facing the end, I don’t have a moment to look back because I am constantly worrying about the next step, trying to finish up the next application, attempting to wrap up the next project. And  in this whirlwind of stress and work, health and well-being is often pushed to the side.

As Americans, we place so much emphasis on work and success that we rarely take the time to care for ourselves. But a busy life and a nutritious life need not be at odds with one another. And that is why I was happy to be introduced to this new product from Vigilant Eats, a superfood oat-based cereal that focuses on nourishing the body while accomodating a non-stop life.

A Brownie to Love

“Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion’s starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don’t see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it’s not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it’s always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge – they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find that love actually is all around.” (Love Actually, 2003).

Peppermint Bark Cupcakes

The holidays are finally here and 2012 is quickly coming to a close. Are you as amazed as I? As I get older, time seems to be getting perpetually faster. This past year has traveled at warp speed, and it’s incredible to look back on all that has occurred over the past twelve months. We’ve seen devastation in Hurricane Sandy’s wake and witnessed history in Felix Baumgartner’s record-setting space jump; we’ve survived the nasty battles of the presidential election and viewed the wonderful victories of the London Olympics. It is clear that 2012 has had its fair share of negative and positive moments. And I’m sure your personal life has as well.

As 2012 comes to its end, however, I think it is important not to let the negative outweigh the positive.We all have our bumps along the road, and often times these bumps seem to distract us from the beauty we experience in the journey. Especially at this time of year, a time that is focused on peace and joy, we should give ample consideration to everything we are grateful for, to everything that has gone well. Remember that the holiday season is one of celebration and appreciation. So let us put aside the distraction and stress, let us put all the worry on hold and simply celebrate how far we’ve come and all that we’ve accomplished on the way.

Apple-Almond Rose Tartlets

As any true foodie knows, experiencing food is like experiencing the world; it takes not just one sense, but a unique blend of all the senses. Autumn is not just in the changing color of the trees— it is in the sound of crunching leaves, in the feel of a chill morning breeze, in the smell of  warm spices. And eating is much the same. The art of eating involves more than just spectacular taste; it involves tantalizing scent and awe-inspiring visual presentation.

I have often heard individuals say that the look of food does not matter. And to this I object. The visual appearance of a food actually intensifies the eating experience. Visual cues are often the first source of information our brain receives, and it is this information that actually primes our taste buds. When you eat a purple-colored candy that tastes like cherry, you will experience an odd sensation because the information your eyes receive (purple) does not match the taste you anticipate (you expect purple candies to taste like grape and red candies to taste like cherry). So yes, appearance does matter. We eat not just with our taste buds, but with our eyes as well.