Seeking Advice: Weight Watchers?

Hey fellow Fitness Enthusiasts!

First of all, Happy Holidays to all. I had a lovely Hanukkah with my friends and family. And per tradition, my  family celebrated Christmas by having cheese fondue. Usually. we make it from a mix. This year, however, we made homemade fondue from a recipe. It was different than previous years, but also quite good.

Second, I turn to my readers for advice. As you all know, I lost twenty pounds by using the free online fitness/nutrition logging website, myfitnesspal.com. Now, I love MFP, and clearly, I have advocated the website several times on this blog. However, I have been plateaued for several months, and I'd like to break this plateau.

I've been thinking of joining weight watchers. Can anyone give me some of their experiences with the weight watchers program? Pros? Cons? Anecdotes? I'd love to hear them all.

Wishing everyone a continued happy and healthy holiday season,

Recipe: Naked Pear and Cranberry Pie

This is not an original recipe. Rather, it's one that I'm reposting from a blog I follow -- http://www.snack-girl.com/. The author is absolutely brilliant, makes great food, and we share a very similar food philosphy.

She posted this recipe a few days ago, and I am absolutely trying it this Thanksgiving. It looks positively divine -- and super healthy!

Naked Pear and Cranberry Pie Recipe

(serves 8)

• 4 large ripe green pears (Bartlett)
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• ¼ cup sugar plus 2 teaspoons
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 375. Slice two pears and layer in bottom of pie plate. Add ½ cup cranberries. Slice the last two pears and layer onto the cranberries. Add final ½ cup cranberries to the top.

Mix the ¼ cup sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a small bowl with the water. Pour over the pie. Cover the pie with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar, and bake for 10-20 minutes uncovered or until pears are tender.

Can be served warm or room temperature.

106 calories, 0.1 g fat, 0.0 g saturated fat, 27.9 g carbohydrates, 18 g sugar, 0.5 g protein, 4.0 g fiber, 2 mg sodium, 3 PointsPlus

Recipe: Spinach Bake

We made this recipe parve on Rosh Hashanah by using soy sour cream and soy cheese. It was great parve, and I tend to think it was taste incredible with the regular varieties as well.

Ingredients:

• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
• 2 TBS dry onion soup mix
• 1 (8 ounce) carton light sour cream
• 1 can water chestnuts, drained and roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (mozzarella or Monterrey jack work best)

To Make:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• combine spinach, onion soup mix, soup cream, and water chestnuts.
• Pour mixture into baking dish (we used a 9 x 9 pan)
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes
• Take out of the oven and sprinkle cheese over the top. Bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Serves 12

Each serving: 62 calories, 5 g carbs, 2 g fat, 4 g protein

Dirty Kitchen Secrets!

Reddit has been ablaze with one user's response to the question: "What's your secret that could literally ruin your life if it came out?"

Take a look at the net's most popular response:

I had to laugh -- because I do a similar fake! 

My signature dish is one I learned from my father -- a cheesey rice and vegetable dish, made by adding ingredients from a box of Near East rice pilaf.

However, I REGULARLY pass it off as a risotto! 

haHA!

What are your dirty kitchen secrets? I'd love to hear!!

Recipe: Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

I found this recipe on this great blog I just started following, called "Peace, Love, and Low Carb".  I LOVE stuffed peppers, but I usually make mine with rice -- this is a really easy recipe that looks absolutely delicious. I cannot wait to try it!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. thinly sliced roast beef
• 8 slices provolone cheese
• 2 large green bell peppers (Or your favorite variety)
• 1 medium onion
• 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms
• 2 TBS butter
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 1 TBS minced garlic

To Make:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Slice peppers in half lengthwise, remove all seeds and "ribs"
• Slice onions and mushrooms. Saute over medium heat with butter, oil oil, garlic, (and salt and pepper if you like) until caramelized.
• Slice roast beef into strips and add to onion/mushroom mixture. Keep over flame for 5 minutes to allow flavors to marry.
• Line the inside of each pepper half with a slice of provolone cheese
• Fill each pepper half with meat/mushroom/onion mixture
• Cover each pepper with second slice of provolone
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until the slice of cheese on top has cooked to a golden brown.

Enjoy!

New Workout: Trail Running

Hi Guys,

I wanted to share this amazing new workout my friend Brittany showed me this past weekend. It's called Trail Running. Essentially, you go hiking on a trail in a park or nature preserve, but run during the flatter parts of the trail. 

Does it sound intimidating? Yes. Is it also invigorating and easier than you think it is? Yes. Here's why.

The object of trail running is NOT to break your neck. So, rough terrain forces you to slow down and walk for stretches of the trail. Now, in street running, walking usually means a significant decrease in heart rate and difficulty, but trail running, you're still hiking -- so you're still pushing yourself to burn those calories in an intense workout. 

The other good thing about trail running is that you're not focusing on the pain. Most beginning runners, myself included, have issues getting past a certain point because they hit a mental block that is hard to push past. On the trails, you must focus on your feet -- and watch out for rocks and roots -- so that you almost don't notice the time passing or the exertion. 

Brittany and I did an hour and a half trail run. According to our heart rate monitors, I burned 1000 calories, while she burned 1100. Can you beat our records?

See below for a short video for tips on how to get started. 

Recipe: Low Fat Key Lime Pie

I LOVE Key Lime Pie. But it's not exactly the healthiest option out there. That's where the inspiration for this recipe came from. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 box (0.3 ounce) sugar free lime flavor gelatin
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 16 ounces light key lime pie flavored yogurt
• 1 container fat free whipped topping, thawed
• 1 prepared 9 inch reduced fat graham cracker pie crust

To Make:

• In a large, heat-resistant bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water, let mixture cool 5 minutes
• With wire whisk, stir in yogurt
• With wooden spoon, fold in whipped topping -- be careful not to over-mix
• Transfer mixture to pie crust
• Refrigerate overnight, or at least two hours until firm.

Serves: 8

Each Serving: 193 calories, 33g carbs, 4g fat, 3g protein

For comparison, nutrition information for traditional key lime pie is as follows:

Each Serving: 400 calories, 52g carbs, 22g fat, 6g protein

$ Top Earning Chefs $

Forbes has published their list of the top earning chefs and their annual salaries. Do any surprise you?

1. Gordon Ramsay -- $38 Million
2. Rachel Ray -- $28 Million
3. Wolfgang Puck -- $20 Million
4. Paula Deen -- $17 Million
5. Mario Batali -- $13 Million
6. Alain Ducasse -- $12 Million
7. Todd English -- $11 Million
8. Nobu Matsuhisa -- $10 Million
9. Bobby Flay -- $9 Million
10. Guy Fieri -- $8 Million

Recipe: "Cream" of Broccoli Soup

My mom made this recipe a few months ago, and I thought it was brilliant. Turns out she snagged it from a Jenny Jones cookbook called "Look Good, Feel Great". I've taken the liberty to modify it just a little by using brown rice and my salt substitute. I've also doubled it, because I tend to think bigger pots of soup make leftovers, which is never a bad idea.

The trick to this recipe is that the soup is thickened -- not by cream -- but by the starches from the rice, which is an infinitely healthier option.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup long-grain brown rice (I used short grain and it was fine)
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock (Aim for low sodium)
• 4 cups fresh broccoli florets (I used broccoli crowns, and chopped them up, and I'm assuming Frozen would do in a pinch)
• 1/2 tsp. salt substitute
• Black pepper (to taste)

To Make:

• In a large pot, heat oil over medium flame. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally until they are translucent.
• When the onions have had a chance to cook, add the rice, stock, salt substitute, and pepper, and allow mixture to come to a boil. Then reduce heat to low, and simmer (covered) for 20 minutes.
• Stir in broccoli florets and allow mixture to return to boil, increasing the heat to medium. Cover and cook for five minutes, and then remove from the flame.
• Allow soup to cool slightly, and then blend until smooth.
• If the soup is too thick, add more water or stock for your taste.

Serves: 8

Serving:  52 calories, 7 g carbs, 1 g fat, 4 g protein

Recipe: Microwave Personal Pumpkin Pie

I scooped up this recipe from MFP, where someone had previously found it on tumblr.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup pumpkin pie filling or pumpkin puree
•  ¼ cup liquid egg whites
• 1 packet of sweetener (I use Equal)
• Cinnamon and/or Pumpkin Pie Spice (to taste)

To Make:

• Combine ingredients in shallow dish.
• Microwave mixture for 2 minutes.
• Let cool before eating.

Serves: 1

Each Serving: 80 calories, 10 g carbs, 0 g fat, 7 g protein

Variations:

• If you prefer a more "flan-like" texture, add more pumpkin 
• If you prefer a more "cake-like" texture, add more egg whites
• For a creamy topping, mix together a dollop of non-fat Greek yogurt, a little bit of hazelnut cream cheese, and pumpkin pie spice, or top with toasted pecans.

I'm a Wimp Who's Scared of Curry

I don’t know whether to attribute it to growing up in a Kosher household, which limited outside dining options, or to the fact that Jews stereotypically can’t handle heat, but I have a very limited palate when it comes to ethnic food. And spice. And the variety of the ethnic dishes I do eat.

Let me explain: When it comes to sushi, I grew up eating tuna rolls – tuna, rice, seaweed—cucumber rolls – cucumber, rice, seaweed – and avocado rolls – avocado, rice, seaweed. Mexican in the Goldman household consisted of a delicious casserole made from rice, beans, cheese, tuna, peppers, and mild salsa. No heat, no zingers.

I tried Thai food for the first time during my sophomore year at BU. My friends and I went to a restaurant called Noodle Street, which I still HIGHLY recommend, and a kind waitress advised that if I was new to Thai, I should try the “See ew” dish, because it was not all that different from the Chinese food that I did know. I tried it; I loved it. I tried my friend’s Pad Thai dish as well. It has been two years, and those are STILL the only Thai dishes I will order and eat.

I’ve never tried Indian. For context, I spent 4 months in London – which is arguably, the second-best place in the world to try Indian food – and I am still a wimp about it.

But why not? I mean, I live in Boston – a far cry from the ethnic food mecca that is New York City, but we hold our own. I have all sorts of ethnic delights around me, and yet I do not actively try them.

I will be the first to admit it. I am a wimp when it comes to trying ethnic food. I am scared of spice levels, I am scared of not knowing what to order, I am scared of not liking what I ordered. Am I the only one with these irrational fears?

I ask you for help fellow foodies: What dishes should I be trying? And am I alone in my fear of curry?

Recipe: Mushroom and Fresh Basil Frittata

I love eggs for breakfast because they're delicious and they keep me full until lunch. The great thing about this recipe, because it makes four servings, is it makes a great brunch or "Breakfast-for-Dinner" Entree.

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Liquid Egg Whites
• 3 Cups Sliced Mushrooms
• 1/3 Cup Skim Milk
• ½ Cup Whole Fresh Basil Leaves
• ½ Cup 2% Four Cheese Blend (Shredded Cheese)
• 1 TBS Olive Oil
• Salt Substitute and Pepper to taste

To Make:

• Preheat oven to 350° F
•  Sauté mushrooms (in olive oil) in a 10 inch non-stick, oven-safe skillet over a medium flame. (This should take 5 minutes)
• While mushrooms sauté, combine egg whites, milk, salt substitute and pepper.
• Chop fresh basil and add to egg white mixture
• Add ¼ cup of shredded cheese to your egg mixture
• Pour egg mixture over mushrooms in skillet, and cook in oven for 20 minutes
• Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the eggs and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the eggs have set

Servings: 4

Each Serving: 149 calories, 4 g carbs, 6 g fat, 19 g protein, 323 mg sodium

Obviously, you don’t have to use basil and mushrooms when making frittatas – there’s hundreds of variations you could try. You could go crazy with ingredients, or pair it down to a few and let those flavors really shine through.

Here are a few combos to get you started – just keep in mind, the nutrition facts for this recipe will change if you use different “add-ins”:

• Onions and Swiss
• Tomatoes, Spinach, and Feta
• Bacon and Cheddar
• Ham, Green peppers, (and a dash of hot sauce on the side)

Happy Cooking!

Recipe: Parmesan and Parsley Crusted Cod

At the request of one of my readers, Louise, I am posting this recipe for the parmesan and parsley crusted cod that I referenced in my Seasonal Foods of March post. I often pair fish dishes with rice and a side salad because it is so much lighter than chicken or beef, but that’s a personal choice.

I buy individually packaged frozen fish from Ocean Market, so for this, and other fish recipes, I’ll be referencing a single serving, but feel free to double at your discretion.

Also, I’ve used both dry and fresh parsley when making this dish. I think fresh parsley tastes better, but if you can’t get it, it’s really not a problem – using dry parsley tastes good as well. Just remember:

1 tsp. dry Parsley = 1 TBS Fresh Chopped Parsley = 2 sprigs of Parsley

Happy Cooking, Fellow Foodies!

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. portion of cod
• ½ TBS Light Miracle Whip
• 1 ½ TBS grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 TBS Fresh Chopped Parsley

To Make:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees
• Lightly spray a baking pan with non-stick spray
• Combine 1 TBS Parmesan cheese, parsley, and Miracle Whip and spread over the top of the cod filet
• Place cod on baking pan and sprinkle the remaining ½ TBS Parmesan on top of Parmesan/parsley paste
• Bake 6-8 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork

Per Serving: 123 Calories, 1 grams carbs, 6 grams fat, 17 grams protein

This Parmesan crust works very nicely on most white fish because of their mild flavor. Try it on flounder, tilapia, or haddock! 

My Weight Loss Technique

I’ve mentioned before that I’ve lost 20 pounds by becoming a member of the free weight loss/social media community Myfitnesspal.com. Today’s forum discussions on MFP have centered on what number of calories a person should eat when dieting, how to determine that number, and why a person should not go below a certain number.

Now, I am not a doctor. I have had no medical training. However, I am a recovering eating disorder patient, who has seen multiple nutritionists, dietitians, and doctors over the years. I am sharing with you the science that I have learned by multiple medical sources.

The reason why diets tend to fail is that the dieter assumes that if he or she simply eats less and exercises more, than the weight will come off. This thinking is only a few steps away from dieting extremes. Let me explain: If eating less calories results in weight loss, than the unhealthy extreme would be to eat the bare minimum – an eating disorder behavior which will force your body into ‘starvation mode’.  In the same vein, if exercising more results in weight loss, than the unhealthy extreme would be to burn all the calories that you have eaten – another behavior associated with the eating disorder exercise bulimia.

To lose weight in a healthy way, you need to EAT. And eat ENOUGH. It’s a hard concept to wrap ones head around. I remember the shock I had when I realized that after swimming laps, I actually needed to eat a second dinner to meet my calorie and nutrient requirements for the day.

Try thinking of it this way: in order to lose weight, the body needs to be in peak condition so that it can ‘streamline’ itself. To be in peak condition, you need to hydrate it, feed it, and feed it the right nutrients.

So how many calories do you need to net? There are two important numbers to calculate when determining how many calories you need to eat when starting a weight loss plan: Your BMR, and TDEE.

BMR -- the Basal Metabolic Rate – is how many calories you burn if you just sit and breathe all day -- you should NET at least this number.  (Total Calories Eaten – Total Calories Burned = Total Calories Netted)

I found this great website which calculates your BMR: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

TDEE -- Total Daily Energy Expenditure –This is how many calories you should eat to stay at your same weight: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/

When you deduct the recommended 250 – 500 calories each day (for a half a pound, to a pound of healthy weight loss each week), you should do so from your TDEE – as long as deducting those calories keeps you eating at a calorie level between your BMR and TDEE.

Of course, losing weight is not as easy as simple math – sodium and water also affect the number on the scale. (Too much sodium causes water retention, so make sure you’re getting enough water to ‘flush out’ sodium).

As I said, I’m not a medical professional. But this approach has been approved by medical professionals and has worked for me. 

Before

After

Recipe: Breakfast Egg "Cupcakes"

Eggs are protein powerhouses! But it takes time to cook them in the morning -- time that I often don't have. That's why I created this recipe to bake ahead, and pop in the microwave as I'm running out the door. Enjoy!

Breakfast Egg "Cupcakes"

Ingredients:

• 12 Eggs
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/3 cup 2% cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp. Morton's Salt Substitute
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• nonstick spray

To Make:

• Preheat oven at 350 degrees
• In a bowl, beat the eggs together and add mushrooms, peppers, and cheese. ***You can use whatever vegetables or meats you'd like -- just keep in mind that the calorie counts provided will be different if you do.
• Season egg and vegetable mixture with salt substitute and pepper.
• Spray a 12-count cupcake pan with nonstick spray, and distribute the egg mixture evenly.
• Cook 15-20 minutes, or until the mixture is no longer runny. 
• Pull egg cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool. As they cool, the eggs will finish cooking completely. 

From here, I usually put them in a Ziploc and freeze them, so that I can grab them as I need them. If you want to beef up the recipe, feel free to add liquid egg whites to the mix, or additional vegetables. And they're so healthy, so you can easily grab two!

Serves: 12

Per Serving: 100 calories, 2g carbs, 6g fat, 8g protein, 392 mg potassium, and 122 mg sodium

What's Your Pizza Personality

Last week's issue of Parade was pizza themed. One of the articles inside featured the following pizza-eating personality chart:

• The Folder: You're a multitasker who is always on the go, and you believe in eating to live rather than living to eat. Food just isn't a top priority for you.

• The Pizza Surgeon: You are a bit of a martyr -- you don't mind suffering first if it means enjoying a treat later. This is why you carefully cur away the edges of the crust and scrape off the cheese, which you then savor last.

• The Hands-on Eater: You consume pizza the traditional way: with your hands, cheese side up. You're non-judgmental, you always go with the flow, and you enjoy taking life slowly.

• The Knife-and-Fork Holder: You like order and organization, keep your emotions in check and scrupulously clean, and tend to focus on one task at a time. 

I think this list is pretty lacking, though -- I mean, what if you eat your pizza backwards? And the article doesn't even touch what your toppings preferences say about you?

I decided to add to Parade's list:

• Crust-discarder: You are a minimalist who pares life to the essentials: You've already gotten the taste of pizza, you don't need anymore.

• Backwards-eater: You exemplify America's subculture underbelly that goes against the grain. You, hipster, you!

• The Glutton: By taking two pieces, and "double fisting", you display your enthusiasm when eating.  Careful, this can also be perceived as greed.

• The Calzoner: As someone who takes two pieces, and then stacks them cheese side together, you illustrate that you are not only flexible, but have a deep appreciation for other cultures.

Toppings Choices:

• Pineapple: You're a natural leader who's not afraid to take charge and try something new. Or you're really hankering for that island vacation. Take your pick.
• Multiple Veggies: You may be one to get swept up in culture trends and fads. By adding veggies, you think you're making the pizza healthier, but in reality, it's still pizza.
• Multiple Meats: You have animalistic urges and tendencies. Not the best companion in a zombie apocalypse. 
• Everything Imaginable: You want it all. By trying to appease all your different taste buds, you run the risk of muddling flavors. 

Seasonal Foods: March

In honor of the first day of March, I have compiled a list of foods that are coming into season this month.  I don’t know about you, but parmesan and parsley crusted cod on a bed of brown rice, with a side of roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and leeks, with an orange for dessert is sounding like a great dinner! Happy Cooking, Fellow Foodies!

• Chicory
• Radishes
• Broccoli
• Spring onions
• Cauliflower
• Leeks
• Bananas
• Blood Oranges
• Kiwis
• Lemons
• Oranges
• Passion Fruit
• Pineapple
• Pomegranate
• Rhubarb
• Parsley
• Cod
• Lemon Sole
• Mussels
• Oysters
• Salmon
• Sea Trout

MyFitnessPal.com

I made a major change to include healthy eating and fitness into my lifestyle in July of 2011. Since then, I have lost twenty pounds, participated in my first 5K, and gained self-confidence.

The most important thing I’ve learned in my weight loss journey is that tracking eating and exercise is paramount. Yes, I used to read -- and disbelieve -- that tracking tip in magazines, but when I decided that I wanted to make a change that would stick, I knew I would have to track my progress diligently. I joined the free weight loss tracking site, myfitnesspal.com. And I have to say, that I would have given up MONTHS ago without MFP and the support system of my MFP friends.

MFP is an interesting website. I’ve never done Weight Watchers, so perhaps someone else can make a comparison, but MFP asks you to input your goals, your stats, and creates a personalized calorie, carb, protein, and fat limit for each day. Once you’re started, MFP allows you to personalize your profile, and connect with fellow MFP users over discussion boards and private messages. In addition, MFP has a database of foods to plug into your diary – including meals you consume in common chain restaurants.

To top it off, MFP not only posts your achievements – weight loss, calorie burns, and days logged – for everyone to see, but in addition the site’s platform makes it possible for other MFP users to congratulate you on your successes along the way.

Losing weight is hard. Very hard. Not only are bad eating habits hard to break, but it’s hard to lose weight even if a dieter is following a weight loss plan or doing everything he’s supposed to be doing. People progress discouragingly slowly, people binge and fall off the wagon, people gain on holidays, people get bored with restrictive diets, people give up, or people get swept up in fad diets that promise a 10 pound loss in three days. However, MFP has worked for me, and I'd love to hear any stories from anyone who's had experience, either with MFP or with another weight loss website.

College Kitchen: Senior Year

Now that I’ve committed myself to this blog with newfound dedication and vigor, I have spent time reflecting on my 2010 posts.

In February of 2010, I was beginning the spring of my sophomore year at Boston University, and lived in the Myles Standish residence hall. Living in a residence hall had its benefits: I was close to friends, I lived with three of mine, I was closer to campus, and I had a dining hall in the building.

Besides the lack of personal coffee maker and repetitive menu options, dorm life was nice. But the transition from underclassman to upperclassman comes with a shot of independence and desire to take charge of one’s menu.

I moved into my first apartment (read: first kitchen) at the beginning of senior year, after weeks of summer trips to pick out dishes, and cookware. I was anticipating absolute bliss—now that I’d severed the umbilical cord of a dining hall – I could make myself whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. Imagine my surprise when I realized that food no longer appeared 5 minutes after I decided I was famished.

This got me thinking that perhaps college students needed a better warning of what to expect when they make the dorm to apartment leap of faith. I’ve come up with the following list of tips, aka things I’ve learned the hard way.

1. Dishes will not do themselves.
2. Forgetting that you have food in the oven/on the stove will cause the fire alarm to go off.
3. Spills on the stove do not go away on their own.
4. Unless you’re opening up a can of soup, making PB&J, or microwaving a frozen meal, you cannot decide to have lunch at 12:20 if you have a class at 12:30.
5. Allow half an hour of cooking for every hot meal you’re going to prepare for yourself in your apartment kitchen. If you find yourself getting hungry at 6, start prepping dinner at 5:30. There is a cooking learning curve for many, so at first you may need more time.
6. You don’t need to make a roasted leg of lamb every night. As a college student, even one who doubles as an aspiring chef, being a student is your primary and full time job. Keep a few simple dishes in your arsenal, and go back to them when you’re strapped for time.
7. Include shopping trips into your budget and schedule – the time factor is especially important when exams roll around.
8. Write down food items that need to be replenished, and take this list with you to the grocery store. It’ll keep you within budget, and ensure that nothing is forgotten. And NEVER go food shopping when you’re hungry.
9. If you have roommates, have a talk BEFORE moving in about sharing cooking duty/clean-up/shopping expenses, and kitchen space. You may have different opinions of what to cook and how to cook it, so communication is key for a healthy living and cooking environment.
10. Thaw meat in the refrigerator, not on the counter. I got into the habit of planning my meals a day ahead, so that I could ensure that my chicken was thawed safely when I wanted to use it.

Mise en Place

Food Network Chef Anne Burrell leveled with her group of home cooks in the premiere of “Worst Cooks in America”: Before you start cooking, you need to have your oven set, and all your ingredients prepped and in place. This act, of setting yourself up to cook, is called “mise en place”.

When I started this blog, two years ago, I failed Anne Burrell. I began well, but then I stopped writing. I neglected to frame my words and failed to put my interests of college, cooking, and Iron Chef America into any kind of context, so that my my poor three entries became the undesirable leftovers in the Internet’s refrigerator. Dear readers, fellow foodies, and Chef Burrell, I apologize. Allow me to introduce both myself and this blog.

My name is Stephanie and I’m a senior at Boston University’s College of Communication. I’m a Public Relations major and a liberal arts concentration in English, whenever I’m not cooking or religiously watching the Food Network. BU’s COM program commendably encourages its students to explore new media and technology while in school, in order to perfect those necessary skill sets that we need to become successful public relations practitioners. Such skill sets include learning to write a blog.

I started “College, Cooking, and Iron Chef America” for a sophomore seminar taught by the very brilliant, Michael Dowding, of Wordscape Communications, Inc. Although the aim of the project was to continue the blog until the end of the semester, Professor Dowding’s class covered a lot of material, and my peers and I, given the choice, unanimously elected to drop the blog project after only three posts.

Cut to the second semester of my senior year, and my COM CM 443 class: New Media and Public Relations, taught by the equally brilliant Professor Steve Quigley, who tasked the class to practice creating content and reaching out to our audiences with our own blogs. On top of that, I stumbled upon my three decrepit little CC&IRA blog posts earlier in the week, so the decision to breathe new, more experienced light into my beloved topic seemed natural.

And so, fellow foodies, with my mise en place in place (enjoy the pun, there will be others), I invite you to relax, let me pull up a chair, as I proudly present my blog.