Water water water!

Water is the most important nutrient to our bodies.

To figure out how much water we need on a daily basis- take your weight and divide it by two and then convert into ounces. For example if you weight 200 lb then divided by two you would need 100 0z of water. You can get water through lots of food but the best way is simply through the pure form.

If you get sick and tired of the taste of plain water- try adding a little lemon juice or natural flavor to make things more interesting.

Just remember to hydrate hydrate hydrate!!!!!

Apple Cider Vinegar

I have always loved vinegar and things with a similar taste like pickles, etc. Vinegar is another simple way to add flavor to many foods. I tend to use it for pretty much everything but thats just me. The most common thing I use it for is making my own salad dressing. It's so easy and healthier and cheaper than store bought dressings.

Balsamic vinegar was my favorite for years.

For a very simple dressing mix together:

• Balsamic vinegar
• Mustard
• Parmesan cheese
• Olive oil

Determine the proportions based on your own taste. More mustard for thicker dressing, more vinegar and olive oil for a vinaigrette, etc. You can also easily add your own ingredients and experiment but this is a place to start.

My newest obsession is Apple Cider Vinegar!

I'm learning more and more about the benefits it has but for me it started simply with how good it tastes!

Benefits and Uses

• It contains many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and dietary fiber.
• Has very little fat and sodium.
• The enzymes it produces from it's fermentation process have many nutritional benefits and also promote weight loss.
• Non-toxic cleaning product.
• Put it a jar with holes punched in the top and keep next to fresh fruit to keep fruit flies away.
• Many medical uses such as blood pressure, bloody noses, acne, asthma, acid reflux, burns, cancer prevention, and even more!
• Natural hair care.
• And obviously it can be used for lots of foods.

If any of this interests you, there is lots and lots of research out there on Apple Cider Vinegar. Google!

Seasonings!

The key to making simple (&cheap) food taste good is all about the seasoning. It enables a staple food to be interesting every time you make it based on the different combinations of spices you use. You can save money by buying rice, noodles, veggies, etc that are plain and then add your own herbs and spices. In addition, lots of spices offer a great deal of nutritional value.

Examples of Basic Combinations:

• Garlic, lemon
• Rosemary, thyme
• Maple, nutmeg, cinnamon
• Turmeric, basil
• Basil, cayenne,
• Oregano, sage, rosemary
• Peppercorn, tarragon, garlic
• Lemon, mint, basil, cilantro

This is really just a very brief list. Try anything!!!!!

Comment if you have an interesting combo to share!

Top 5 Super Foods

New Research has shown that these 5 foods are on the rise to become the top super foods of the next generation.

- Walnuts

- Flax Seed

- Pomegranate

- Salmon

- Dark Greens

Peanut Butter Balls!

Here's a quick and easy recipe that my dad used to always make for my sisters and me.

Ingredients
-peanut butter
-chocolate chips
-cereal (Rice Krispies, corn flakes, whatever you want!)
-wheat germ
Mix ingredients together and then roll into 1 inch balls. Place them on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper or in a Tupperware container and freeze.
They will last for awhile in the freezer and are an easy snack if your craving something sweet and satisfying.
It is very, very easy to adjust the ingredients according to your personal taste. Try adding in other nuts or seeds. Or use almond butter. Or any type of cereal you want. Even add in some dried fruit! Experiment! You can't really go wrong with these...

Snacks!

In order to keep your metabolism up and keep you fueled throughout the day, always have healthy, quick snacks on hand. If you have a bag of nuts or a few granola bars in your bag it will eliminate your need to buy junk food from the vending machines.
Some snack suggestions:
-Chunks of Energy. They are bulk energy bars that you can find at most natural food stores. They are very filling and way cheaper than your average packaged energy bars. Check them out at the link to the left and even become a fan on Facebook!
-Popcorn. Buy it plain and flavor it yourself with some garlic powder and brewers yeast.
-Trail Mix. Make your own with a mix of peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, raisins, dried cranberries, chocolate chips, coconut, M&M's, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc. etc. etc. Experiment!
-Fruits and Veggies.
-Yogurt.

Welcome Readers!

If you are a fellow college student with a desire to eat healthy but sometimes find it difficult with the limited resources of time and money that college life brings, then this is the blog for you! I'm hoping to share useful tips on how to still maintain a nutritious diet while also living the fast past college lifestyle. The more we can do now to develop healthy habits, the better our lives later on will be! No more late night pizza and McDonalds between classes! Keep visiting for healthy recipes and helpful tips!