Blackberry Pickin' Y'all

Lately I have been taking my pup to the University of Alabama Arboretum. The Cross Country team does some of their races there, so that is how I found out about it. It has huge grassy areas, trails through the woods, and a little pond - perfect for my energetic animal!

It used to be an old golf course that is now just sort of turned into a dog park. When I walk around I will typically see between 5 and 10 other dogs frolicking around. At the pond there are always dogs swimming, fetching, and sprinting in circles.

The first time I went, I saw a bunch of wild blackberries along the paths. I immediately picked a handful and munched on them throughout the adventure.

Needless to say, I have been getting my fruit serving of the day! The berries were more fresh, juicier, and totally free! I'm excited to go back up to Tuscaloosa, bring a basket, and fill it up with blackberries.

It is quite a perfect summer activity :)

When I Was Little... Dirt Cake!

When I think back to foods I ate when I was younger there are very specific (and sweet) things that come to mind. Oreo "dirt" cake, popsicles, chocolate chip cookies, and smoothies. My mouth is watering just thinking about them. I have to say though, the dirt cake was probably my favorite. I would only get it on special occasions and when I did eat it, it only took about five minutes until my serving had disappeared. I was a child that loved to play in the dirt, the hose was one of my favorite toys, and dresses were a dreaded thing. Needless to say, times have changed, but the Oreo dirt cake still makes my day.

Ingredients:
4 small packages of instant chocolate pudding
12 ounces of nondairy whipped topping
1.5-2 pounds chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreos)
1/4 lb butter, melted but cooled
Candy gummy worms

Instructions:
1. Prepare chocolate pudding ahead of time and chill. Fold whipped topping into the pudding. Mix gummy worms into the mixture with a spoon.
2. Place cookies in a food processor and pulse into coarse crumbs. You can also place the cookies into a bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Combine crumbs and butter.
3. One cute idea is to serve the the final product in a flower pot (if so, be sure to line the pot with foil before filling with pudding or cookies). Spoon buttered chocolate cookie crumbs into the bottoms of the pot, about 2 inches deep. Fill with pudding until it is about one inch from the top OR alternate layers of cookies and pudding!
4. Place some gummy worms to their heads are sticking out and sprinkle the top with the remaining cookie crumbs (to resemble soil).
5. Refrigerate overnight!

Want it a little healthier? Choose skim milk to make the pudding and opt for non-fat cookies. Another option is to not add the butter. The "soil" will look drier, but it will still taste good!

Original Recipe

Different Serving Ideas:

Anyone else remember this delicious delicacy?!

Duathlon

Last May I competed in the Infirmary Twilight Duathlon. In this race you start with a 2 mile run, bike 10 miles, and finish up by running 2 more miles. 1 hour and 17 minutes later I crossed the finish line, AND I was the winner of my age group!!! AKA the only person in my age group..... Well this year I'm doing the duathlon again but this time I am doing it as a team. I'm doing the running portion and my friend Adam (super football star) is going to bike. I'm hoping we can beat my time this year!! I'm pretty nervous because I'll be finishing the race up for us and Adam is relatively competitive ("WE MUST WIN"). Regardless though, it will be super fun. With us luck!!

On the menu:
This week in class we made mozzarella cheese! Yes, we MADE CHEESE. It was pretty interesting to see how cheese forms. Going from liquid milk to a cheesy substance was quite the experience. I can now say that I've seen curd form... tasty. We put our homemade cheese onto a homemade pizza!

Before:

 After:

Bon Appétit!

Exam Week, Stress Week

For me, the most stressful weeks out of the semester include the week of and weeks before finals exams. I am already feeling the pressure of my upcoming finals. Stress is a terrible part of exam week and can even negatively influence your final results. Here are a few ways to help manage your stress during this tough time of the year!

1. Limit your caffeine intake: I'm not one to talk, I frequently use caffeine to get me through long nights in the library. Drinking too much caffeine can make you more irritable and after time can even make you lose concentration. Keep it under control and make sure to drink enough water. Water will reduce headaches and help keep you hydrated! 

2. Exercise: 

• Walk around: Take a 10 minute break and walk around the neighborhood it can help clear your head. After the walk come back and you'll feel refreshed and be refocused.
• Stretch it out: look up a few yoga poses! I know I'll be sore from bending over my books so take a few minutes, breathe deep, and relax.
• Go to a class at the gym: the student rec center at my school offers exercise classes throughout the day. One of my favorite is Zumba! Try one out! It'll get you to relax and have some fun!

3. Make time to socialize: If you're like me, you get engulfed in the books and don't even realize you haven't seen any friends. Being alone for so long can take a toll on you! Meet a friend at a coffee shop, go to dinner, or even meet up for some studying. The company can help ease your stress and will keep you sane!

4. Catch some Zzz's: I have plenty of friends pull all-nighters for exams and I simply cannot understand how they do it. Sleep helps consolidate memories, helps you learn better, and keeps you refreshed. It is important to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night, even during exam week!

Try these out and good luck on finals!! :)

Support Your Local Farmers

Spring has sprung and the farmers market is back!! I was so excited to hear that the farmers market in Tuscaloosa started up again, not only because I get extra credit in my nutrition class for going, but because I have been waiting all semester to get a chance to check it out. The booths are quite adorable and the items sold are unlike anything I was expecting. Of course the fruits, vegetables, and meat products are present. But I also saw homemade soap, baked goods, and potted plants! Next time I go I plan to buy myself a plant to hang onto my balcony, I need a little spring out there!

Supporting your local farmers is not only important to them, but it has fantastic benefits for you! Locally grown produce is healthier, has a better flavor, and is 100% organic. As a consumer, buying from a local farmer means you know exactly where your food is coming from and how far it traveled. When I am buying food in Target I try not to think about how the tomato I am buying has traveled more than I did to get to the store. It has sat on shelves, been kept fresh with who knows what, and is now available for me to buy. A little strange. Being a college student, the farmers market isn't always the most financially smart decision when buying food. I challenge you to go once a month or so and see if it impacts your budget very much! You'll be surprised to see that there isn't much of a difference in price between a super market and the farmers market produce prices. The farmers will definitely appreciate it and so will your stomach!

For those of you living in Tuscaloosa, the farmers market closest to The University of Alabama's campus is by Canterbury Chapel on Hackberry Road, between University Boulevard and Bryant Drive. The farmers market is held on Thursdays from 3-6 pm.
For a little more information: Homegrown Alabama Farmers' Market.

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grilled tuna with wasabi sauce

This week in my Food Science class we learned about beef, poultry, and seafood. In lab my group made grilled tuna with wasabi sauce. We used tuna steaks and it only took about 45 minutes total to make!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 teaspoons wasabi powder
2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 (4-ounce) tuna steaks (about 3/4 inch thick)
1 tablespoon wasabi powder
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 table spoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sliced green onions

Preparation:
1. combine the first five ingredients, rub over tuna. Cover the tuna and chill for 30 minutes.
2. combine wasabi and water. Let stand for five minutes. Stir in mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, and soy sauce.
3. Place steaks on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill for five minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. We used a George Foreman grill, so we grilled for a total of 12 minutes.
4. Serve with wasabi cream, sprinkle with onions.

Nutritional Information:
308 Calories
Calories from fat: 30%
Fat: 20.3 g (Saturated Fat: 2.4 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g)
Protein: 41.3 g
Carbohydrates: 9.7 g
Fiber: 0.9 g
Cholesterol: 66 mg
Iron: 4.4 mg
Sodium: 500 mg
Calcium: 47 mg

(From Time Inc. Lifestyle Group)

Health Benefits From Fish: 

Omega-3 Fatty Acids (found in fish) is essential to keeping your heart and brain healthy!

1. Help maintain a healthy heart by lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart attack, strokes, and abnormal heart rhythms.
2. Aid in healthy brain function
3. Helps in infant development of vision and nerves during pregnancy
4. May decrease the risk of depression, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, dementia, and ADHD