Paper or Plastic?

School just started last week and my to-do lists are already getting out of control. One of the things on my to-do list is a research paper for a competition. Therefore, when I was at the library the other morning, I decided to grab a few of the books that are on my “book list” for said paper. I also decided to grab a coffee…because the two cups I made earlier that morning apparently didn’t do it for me. Plus, library = coffee, right?

Completely Unnecessary

After creeping my way through the stacks and wondering if anyone has ever gotten lost up there, I made my way to the check-out counter. I piled my books in front of the young college student who was behind the counter and he rang them up one by one…probably wondering if these books on food colorants even belonged to the library because according to the “records”, it was only checked out two times before…and guess who checked them out during those times. Just guess.

 

After ringing them up, I was reaching out to re-gather the books into my arms, juggling my coffee and attempting to put my cell phone back into my bag and the confused college student behind the counter asked a question that had me questioning…everything.

 

Dinner Party Secret

I started on my physics homework last night…and then I finished. Funny thing was…finishing moreso entailed me choosing to go to sleep, despite the fact that the online computer program was still laughing at my face, displaying “Zero Completed”. Yea, I know, there’s no need to remind me. Any physics whiz-kids out there? I have decided that physics is not like normal science and you have to be a certified rocket scientist in order to succeed. I’m not a rocket scientist. I’m a food scientist. Let’s get on with my specialty, shall we?

Dole Apple Pear Fruit Crisp. Man, there it is again. Get’s me every time.

 

Insoluble or Soluble? That is the question.

I love carrots. Okay, I take that back. I like carrots, especially when they are dunked into a Laughing Cow Cheese wedge or swept through a bowl of spinach dip. Some people I know look at me and my carrots and poke fun. They are probably just jealous of my ability to eat these nutritional powerhouses on a regular basis, right? Or maybe I have turned orange and they are making the connection. Or maybe they are sad that the candy they are chowing down on has no fiber. Bummer.

Okay, so let’s talk fiber. Soluble? Insoluble? What? Obviously, soluble fiber dissolves in water and insoluble does not. Because of this, soluble and insoluble fibers both play certain roles in your digestive system and are important for your health. Okay? Lesson over. Nah, let’s get a little deeper….

Brew that Bonds

See that chemistry figure in the header of this page that has letters and sticks forming a structure? That would be the structure of caffeine. I say it in layman’s terms because I think I sometimes overestimate people’s knowledge of chemisty. Have you ever been talking to someone and all of the sudden they go off on a tangent and you begin to daze off, contemplating whether you are going to go grab a burger for lunch or eat the leftover spaghetti that you…oh, yes, of course I was listening. You may be a whiz-kid when it comes to chemistry, while others are whiz-ing their way through another subject (say History or Geology) and would have to speak in layman’s terms to someone like me when discussing their favorite subject. In fact, I went home over the break and was trying to explain the difference between butter and margarine and the use of partially hydrogenated oils to one of my family members. I got done drawing a few things and talking for just a bit and said family member had a question (and, surprisingly, it had nothing to do with leftovers). I was pumped because I love sharing this kind of stuff.

Me: What’s your question?

Good Morning!

I woke up really late today…7:45am, to be exact. Yea, I’m one of those people who get up before the crack of dawn… I’ll spare you the actual time. As you can only imagine, breakfast is one of my favorite meals. Are you one of those people who skip breakfast? I’ll never understand you. In fact, sometimes I have two breakfasts. There is always one guy who accompanies me in the morning, no matter what numbers the clock may be displaying and he goes by the name of…

Whether it is 4:30 or 7:30, breakfast is the first thing on my mind when I pop out of bed. This morning I opened the freezer to find these Kashi Blueberry Waffles. Hmm, I wonder why I bought these?! Wait, there it is…

Milkshake of the Future…Now

Impulsive buyers always have some kind of trigger. It’s the same kind of trigger that causes someone to jump out of an airplane (for skydiving purposes, of course) or that causes scientists to question everything around them and proceed to find answers. My trigger? A new product on the shelves. Unless the new product is more money than I currently have in my bank account (Going to Japan to try McDonald’s new Big America burgers, for example), then this new fangled concoction is undoubtedly going home with me. I am well known for walking into a store, needing two things, and by the time I am headed for the checkout aisle (which will enevitably entail a long line), I am having people ask if I need a basket…or help. I may or may not need help, that is still under debate. A basket? Amateurs.   

Dreyer’s Slow Churned Rich & Creamy Chocolate Shake was definitely dropped on the floor a few times on my way to the checkout aisle.

After reading the very simple directions, I was concerned.

Formulating Foodie(s)

Two and a half years ago,I was an unsuspecting college freshman enrolled in a freshmen seminar class that I would have completely regretted as a waste of my time, if I hadn’t met one of my very best friends during the first day of that class (In the second row…because sitting in the first row would have been grounds for being a dork…) . Kristen and I both wanted to pursue food science and, more specifically, product development, which is probably the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear food science. We met a fairly instrumental guy who, while only an undergraduate himself, was very involved in the field of food science and more than willing to share his experiences and help us along the way. To this day, I know exactly who to call when the pit of my fruit looks like something from a horror movie, if I need to know who to contact to access a supply of polydextrose powder or if I simply want to rave about being a finalist in a competition.

Two and a half years later,

Sometimes…

Dorm food gets a bad rep…and most of the time for a good reason. Greasy pizza, less than hygienic servers, limited options…Sure, sometimes I brave the dining halls and sometimes they have decent options; but sometimes I resort to frozen foods and all of the time I tap my heels together and wish I was in a kitchen (and sometimes that transports me to Kristen’s fully stocked kitchen). But today, my little red shoes are just not doing the trick and I am left reading the back of this Lean Cuisine Bacon Alfredo Pizza Box. It might not be delivery, but it’s also not Digiorno.

The crust, while missing that fresh-from-the-oven crunch, was not tough in the least…simply soft, yet firm enough to stand up to the plethora of toppings that were piled on top. Melty mozzarella, limp juicy diced tomatoes, bright green spinach, little bits of red onion and the bacon that immediately makes a dish that much better were equally sprinkled over a thin layer of creamy…

Okay, it’s been 5 minutes since this little personal pan pizza emerged from the microwave and the edges of the crust have crisped up quite nicely. Perhaps I should abide by the “let sit in microwave after cooking” part of the directions, which I always seem to skillfully overlook. But that might detract from the little rebellion that I do have…that and listening to the flight attendants give their speech on how to use the overhead mask and rip your seat cushion off as a floatation device…two things that I outwardly defy. 

It feels good to get that off my chest.

Frozen Fake-out

When I used to have basic amenities like a kitchen, a food processor and free time, I was quite the master in the kitchen. Granted, I do some crazy stuff in this little kitchen-less dorm of mine; but the masterpiece that you are about to lay eyes on is one of the many creations that I long to create again.

Looks like a delectable ice cream treat.

 Chocolate ice cream with cookies. Or is it?! Of course it’s not. What a boring post! Well, boring unless we had taste-o-vision. I’ll be first in line for that innovation.

Search beyond what you see…

How many different things have you eaten in the past two weeks? Do you even remember what you ate two weeks ago? Two days ago? More pertinently, how many of those things did you really think about before eating? Food is fuel. Think about going to the gas station. You decide to spend money on gas and depending on your current credit card balance and overall budget that you have set for yourself, you opt to fill your hungry transportation vehicle with the regular stuff or the premium variety. In the same way, you make decisions on what to feed your own hungry stomach. I don’t always pump the premium stuff into my little 4-door car (actually, barely ever) and I also don’t always fill my stomach with the most premium and tip-top ingredients out there.

I like to have my cake and eat it to.

What you see: My surprise birthday cake from my sneaky roommate!