Microwave that Cheesecake!

http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1929,154168-242207,00.html

Yes, yes, it sounds strange. Raw eggs, sour cream, all blended together and put smack into the microwave. But it tastes like pretty good pudding, it isn't too fattening if you use light sour cream and light cream cheese, and it can make for a relaxing culinary getaway, too!

An additional tip: if you want extra exercise, make the graham cracker crust yourself! Grind up graham crackers, add sugar, and add melted butter - then mold it away in your favorite microwavable pie dish. The effort of grinding up crackers will allow you to let go of your tension - and if you're angry or frustrated with someone or something...well, you know what to do.

And one more tip: Whip it! Beat it! You'll have to beat your eggs together with your sugar, and into your cream cheese. Again, if you want to take your anger out on something, better eggs than anything else!

Oh, and one last thing: use brown sugar for your cheesecake!

Your Own Dip!

Take some cilantro. Now, take some white onion. Get a big tomato or two.

Throw everything into a blender. Blend to your heart's content.

You have fresh dip for your chips! It's green, spiced up, and filled with lycopene, too! No need to run to the grocery store. This dip is great for tortilla chips, and for those long nights you need to spend studying writing your papers, finishing your reports, studying, or simply staring off into space.

Here's how to Have some Bannoffee!

Check out this blog! - The guys here have some really great ideas on how you can have a great foodie time!

Times are going to get really rough during your study and work and exam periods, and you need some picker-upper, something nice and delectable and delicious.

Presenting, the Bannoffee pie! Topped with bananas, served with cream, and a whole bag of potassium plus sugar rolled into one!

It's a dorm room pie, too, so all you need is a microwave and some free time to watch the condensed milk.

And then, it's eating time!


Darn, I just love this picture to bits...

It's Not Really a Snack...

...and it might not sound insane. But it's worth a try instead of you vegging out on chocolates and chips.



A glass of red wine a day. Antioxidants. Great taste. A touch of class.

Now, study how to taste wine. Go for the basics: see the wine's legs, smell the bouquet, taste it on your palate, and savor its many flavors. Now, do this alone.

1) Sit in a corner. Pretend to face a camera or a live TV audience.

2) Hold a glass of wine in one hand and use your free hand to gesture, but calmly.

3) Now, talk about your dreams. What kind of house do you want to have? What kind of car do you want to drive? What are your goals in life? What are your ambitions?

If you have a fireplace, have a warm fire going and pretend to have a fireside talk of sorts with your imaginary audience. Take a sip of wine every now and then, but don't refill your glass. You're on a snack mission with some imagination thrown in.

Staying Awake During the Day - Survival in the Real World

(thanks to www.poetryfoundation.org)

Did you know that an apple can substitute for coffee in the morning?

Instead of drinking one big cup of coffee in the morning, drink smaller cups throughout the day. This way, you're alert, and you're not getting the jitters.

Avoid coffee at least six (6) hours before you sleep. Even if you do fall asleep, you might wake up because of the coffee hitting you.

(thanks to www.coffeelab.com)

For every cup of coffee you drink, drink two cups of water. Coffee is a diuretic: it pushes water out of your body, and you could end up damaging your cells if you don't have enough water to keep your body healthy. And yes, coffee does have antioxidants, but don't overdo your drinking.

Now add some craziness: amuse yourself at work by pretending to be a coffee expert. Gather your friends round, and together, critique the office coffee. Talk about texture, taste (or lack thereof), and what the flavor reminds you of. And be crazy about it. We aren't talking rough or smooth, bold or robust, or woody or chocolate-y.

We are talking about comparing your coffee to weird things, like mud, grass, or asphalt. Be as nice or as wicked as you want.

But drink water and keep the coffee to a minimum, too. Be crazy about this, and you're all set.

Have a Healthy Snack!

I used to wrinkle my nose at yogurt, unless it had lots of fruits in it. But when I went to Greece, I was introduced to something so simple and elegant, and so yogurt-y, I haven't stopped making it. You may be aware of it, and you might have been making this snack for ages. In any case, I am posting it here.


A typical yogurt, honey, and nut mix, from GlutenFreeKathy

Ingredients:
As many roasted/toasted nuts as you want, preferably almonds or pecans
As much honey as you like
Unsweetened yogurt, preferably low fat

Directions:
Mix and enjoy

Of course, if you have problems with honey or nuts, then you shouldn't be following these instructions. For the rest of you who want to stay sane, think about it: isn't it crazy that we all go for a burger or a bag of chips when we want a snack? Let's be crazier than the rest: let's get a bit healthier. Have some low fat yogurt with honey and nuts. With no cream, and with some nuts, you have yourself a dessert and a snack - even breakfast - that you don't have to worry too much over.

Unless you eat too much of it, that is...

New Tips Group - Snacks!

You don't have to rely on a cheeseburger for that afternoon energy fix, or a bag of chips for a midnight snack. You have choices out there, from healthy things to not-so-healthy things; and you can have fun things to do while you're having snacks. Part of the fun of enjoying your food is getting to share the experience (not necessarily the food) with somebody else.

Now, then, get some savings together, because you will have to treat yourself some time. Watch this site for more snack ideas - not to mention mini get-together ideas so that you don't end up obsessed with work and study. Work hard, play hard - eat smart.

Peanut Butter Tastes Better When Microwaved

Now you know what I do in my spare time. *evil cackle*

No, I don't stuff my microwave with anything in sight and hit the START button. But I do speculate on what happens to edible stuff in the microwave - edible microwaveable stuff, mind you. Not dried out stuff that would most likely turn my dorm into a lightning show gone wrong.

Hence, the peanut butter.

Now don't go nuts (no pun intended) and start navigating your pointer toward that X in the corner. Hear me out: try warm peanut butter and see how it tastes. All you need are bread, a microwave oven, a microwave oven-safe dish, and as much peanut butter as you want (or as is humanly possible to eat in one sitting without getting a heart attack).

Step 1: Place peanut butter in microwave oven-safe dish.

Step 2: If you want your bread to go all moist and smooshy, put it on the side of the peanut butter.

Step 3: Place microwave oven-safe dish with bread and peanut butter into microwave oven. Shut the door.

Step 4: Microwave for a minute.

Step 4.5: Step away from the microwave as microwave process occurs.

Step 5: Carefully take the dish out. Note the consistency of the peanut butter. Smooth, innit? Now, dip the bread in the melted peanut butter, and eat slowly (not to mention carefully, as bread and peanut butter will be hot).

This recipe works for smooth and creamy peanut butter, so I don't know how the chunky ones will fare. I've tried this with two slices of bread separating my dollop of peanut butter from my spoonful of grape jam. The grape jam melted into juice, but, mixed in with the melted peanut butter, it was pretty darn good.

CAUTION: If you do not know how to use a microwave oven, please ask a grown-up to help you out.

Hot Chocolate can be HOT!

If you like minty hot chocolate, then start stocking up on dark hot chocolate and those candy canes that you never got to dig into last Christmas.

Here's a tip for a little breather on those early mornings if you're studying; or on those cold mornings when you get up and feel like you have to drag yourself out the door.

Step 1. Take a sachet of your favorite hot chocolate. I personally recommend Swiss Miss Dark Chocolate, or Swiss Miss Rich Chocolate.

Step 2. Follow steps on packet. So, either empty your hot chocolate into a mug and pour hot water in; or boil some water in the microwave for two minutes and stir the hot chocolate in.

Step 3: Break away a bit of peppermint candy cane and drop it into the hot chocolate. Crumble it if you want to have bits and pieces still floating about; or just drop the entire thing and stir the hot chocolate until the candy cane is gone.

Step 4: Drink. Slowly.

The tendency of most people is to drink hot chocolate down and slurp it in like there's no tomorrow, and simply because they "have more important things to do." Hey, look, there are very few things that you can truly enjoy in life, so set this up properly. Take that hot chocolate with you and do one (or more) with the following, depending on how big your mug is.

Scene 1: Sit by your window and watch the world go by, sipping hot chocolate every few minutes and feeling the mint mixing in with the dark chocolate.

Scene 2: On that note, pretend you're a hot chocolate connoisseur and comment ALOUD on how the mint contrasts with the bitterness of chocolate. Taste the drink on all parts of your tongue and talk about it like Robin Leach would if he were introducing minty hot chocolate to his Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous audience. Feel free to try out his accent.

*CAUTION: Do not attempt this if you are in the company of other people, unless you all agree to be connoisseurs for the day (or hour, depending on how big your mugs are)

Scene 3: Just sit back, stay away from your work, and drink hot chocolate slowly while imagining yourself elsewhere.

Let your imagination take you places! Your hot chocolate can be HOT!