Overnight oats are such a great make-ahead breakfast. This is my favorite way to use up an almost empty peanut butter jar! You can also make these oats in a regular jar/ container, then refrigerate overnight.
Peanut Butter Overnight Oats topped with sliced bananas & peanuts!
INGREDIENTS
leftover peanut butter in the jar (~2 Tbsp)
½ cup quick oats
½ cup non-dairy milk (vanilla flavor is best, but you can use whatever milk you desire)
½ cup water
INSTRUCTIONS
Put all ingredients in the peanut butter jar. Add extra peanut butter (from a new jar) if you want your oats extra creamy and peanut butter-y.
Mix everything well with a fork, until the peanut butter is well-incorporated.
Place the jar in the fridge overnight (with the lid on).
Enjoy in the morning either straight from the jar or scooped into a separate bowl. Feel free to top them with sliced banana, peanuts, or other toppings!
For some RANDOM reason I’ve been obsessed with caesar salad for the past year. This is random because I used to HATE caesar salad. I think I honestly just hated the idea of it, since a lot of caesar dressing contains dairy and anchovies (*gags*). It turns out I just needed to find an anchovy-free dressing and give caesar another chance.
My current favorite caesar dressing is from Trader Joe’s – it’s new and happens to be vegan! It’s so easy to make a delicious salad with this dressing, romaine, parmesan, and chickpea “croutons” (recipe below). I’ve been eating it non-stop for lunch!
Chickpea Caesar Salad
Makes 1 large salad, plus enough chickpeas for 1-2 more salads
Chickpea Croutons
1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed (1 ½ cups)
1 Tablespoon oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Drain & wash a can of chickpeas, then pour them onto a hand towel & dry them.
Add chickpeas to a medium-sized bowl with oil, salt, garlic powder, & paprika. Add more paprika if you want more of a “kick.” Mix until all chickpeas are coated.
Pour chickpeas onto a baking sheet topped with parchment paper. Roast for 15 minutes, take out & toss, then roast for 15 more minutes.
Let them cool for like 20 minutes before eating them. Trust me, they’re so much better & crunchier when they are cool!
Salad Assembly
1 head romaine
2-3 Tablespoons Trader Joe’s Caesar salad dressing
2-3 Tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chickpea croutons
Wash & chop a small head of romaine lettuce, then put it in a big bowl.
Pour in caesar dressing & parmesan. Toss it around with tongs until all the romaine is coated.
Serve into a big bowl. Add a large handful of chickpea croutons on top. Enjoy!
So, food science. You want to be a professional chef… right? Wrong!
A nutritionist? Good try, but nope!
Food Science & Technology. According to the Institute of Food Technologists, food science is the physical, chemical, and microbial study of food and how it is made (IFT, 2021). Food scientists aren’t chefs, but they make the food/ beverage products and packaging that you find in grocery stores. Food scientists make sure food is safe, nutritious, delicious, economical, and sustainable (IFT, 2021). There are many different aspects of food science, and food scientists can do all sorts of jobs. The main pillars of food science are safety/ quality assurance, sensory, and product development.
Food safety is making sure food is safe – consumers (i.e., you) won’t get food poisoning or worse. Quality assurance is making sure food is good – the product meets expectations and consumers enjoy eating it. Quality assurance is a preventative system set up to promote high quality food and prevent defects, while quality control is actually identifying and correcting defects in what has already been made (ASQ, 2021). Regulatory/ compliance is a subset of these; It’s ensuring products and their labels are meeting legal specifications (Dolan, 2019). People who work in food safety/ quality assurance evaluate food materials (physically & microbially), statistically analyze data to ensure and improve quality/ safety and adhere to standards like GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices). And yes, I looked at LinkedIn Quality Assurance jobs to get those examples.
Sensory science involves food and consumer interaction. This pillar includes the evaluation of food products by consumers (such as taste testing). Sensory testing helps with product development and quality assurance. Do people like the product? Does it taste (and smell, feel, etc.) like it should? Sensory scientists set up and help run various consumer tests, analyze data, and make product recommendations (Civille, 2005). I think sensory science is fascinating!
Product development is the creation of new food products or line extensions (Fuller, 2011). Simply put, product developers figure out then make products consumers desire. I personally think this is the most fun and creative part of food science, and it’s the job I want to have eventually.
Those are the main parts of food science. However, there are so many more food science jobs. A few examples are food engineering (making/ improving food equipment & the production process in general) and food packaging (making the packaging food comes in).
I went to Michigan State University, where I majored in Food Science and double minored in Horticulture and Beverage Science. There were four different food science concentrations you could take at my school: Technology, Business and Industry, Packaging, and Basic Science (Michigan State University Office of the Registrar, 2021). I did the Technology major so I could complete both my minors. I’ll link more about my undergraduate program HERE! A decent number of large universities offer food science degrees (check out THIS list).
I truly enjoyed my time at Michigan State, both in and outside of class. I took a bunch of general science classes as well as specific Food Science classes. Some classes I took:
Fruit & Vegetable Processing, Dairy Foods Processing
Quality Assurance
Sensory Analysis & Consumer Research
Product Development (our capstone class that most people take the last semester of senior year, as it uses knowledge from all previous classes)
Fermented Beverages, Distilled Beverages, Winemaking (for my minor in Beverage Science)
French fries we made in Fruit & Vegetable Lab.
Food Science is such a fun major because you get to a) learn about FOOD, and b) MAKE food in labs! My favorite classes were my food processing classes, Sensory Analysis, and Product Development. We literally got to make mozzarella cheese, chocolate milk, and ice cream in Dairy Processing. We got to make grape juice, pickles, ketchup, and french fries in Fruit & Vegetable Processing. We got to design and carry out a sensory test for Sensory Analysis. Finally, we got to develop and showcase our very own food product for Product Development. Plus, our classes were right next to the MSU Dairy Store (RIP).
I’ll go into further detail of food science subsets in upcoming posts. Hopefully this post helped you learn more about food science and what food scientists do!
Hi friends! I have a new recipe to share with you today – it’s the perfect summer treat for kids and adults alike.
I partnered with Annie’s Homegrown and The Feedfeed to make this yummy pie with honey bunny grahams and other ingredients from my local food co-op! I purchased most ingredients, including the bunny grahams (which are currently on sale!), from my local co-op. The Marquette Food Co-op is my local one – you can find yours on the store locator (click the link).
Both Annie’s and NCG are creating a healthier and happier world through a more sustainable food system & fair treatment of their farmers/ employees. I just graduated with a degree in Food Science – I went into the food industry to create more wholesome and environmentally friendly products. Annie’s does exactly that, using REAL ingredients to create fun & delicious organic products!
Buy Annie’s Honey Bunny Grahams from your local co-op, then go make this sweet treat! Hope you enjoy – let me know if you make it!
2 (3.5 oz) containers vanilla pudding and pie filling mix
1 (8 oz) tub whipped cream
For the pie crust:
Pour package of Annie’s Honey Bunny Grahams into food processor or high-speed blender. Blend on high for 1 minute, or until ground into fine crumbs.
Combine Honey Bunny Graham crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl and stir until combined.
Add melted butter to bowl of dry ingredients and mix well.
Press mixture firmly into bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Use your fingers to press crumbs into the sides and a measuring cup to press crumbs into the bottom of the pan.
Chill pie crust in refrigerator for 1 hour before filling.
For the filling:
Combine milk and vanilla pudding mixes into a saucepan, stirring until mixes are dissolved. Cook on medium heat and stir while bringing to a boil. Let mixture boil for a minute, stirring constantly, before removing from heat.
Pour pudding into pie crust and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Place plastic wrap on pudding surface to prevent film from forming.
Top chilled pie with an even layer of whipped cream. Decorate top of pie with remaining bunny grahams. I made the bunny’s eyes out of blueberries, the nose out of a bunny graham, and the mouth out of honey!
Some of you think pumpkin spice season is OVER. Think again.
Yes, Starbucks already released their holiday drinks… but that does NOT mean pumpkin season is over. In fact, it’s not even Thanksgiving, which is what I would call peak pumpkin (or at least pumpkin pie) season! Pumpkin season isn’t over until the year is. You can keep your disgusting peppermint mochas (mint and chocolate do not belong together) and other holiday flavors. I’ll be enjoying pumpkin spice straight into January, because the season isn’t over until they take the limited edition pumpkin spice coffee creamer off the shelf.One of my favorite ways to enjoy pumpkin spice? This oatmeal. It’s a fall breakfast game changer (Yes, it’s still fall even though it’s snowing here in MI). Give it a try, then let me know your thoughts on pumpkin spice or (gag) peppermint mocha.
If you didn’t already know from my social media posts, I’m studying abroad this semester in Dublin, Ireland! I’ll be here until May, taking classes and exploring Ireland and the rest of Western Europe.
My friend Jenna and I arrived in Dublin a few days before move-in, so we stayed in Gardiner House hostel and explored the city. We walked around Temple Bar, shopped on Grafton Street, and ate and drank our way around City Center.
Day one highlights:
The Garden of Remembrance. This square, full of flowers and a water basin in the shape of a crucifix, is dedicated to those who fought for Irish freedom.
The many bridges that cross the River Liffey, the landmark separating North and South Dublin. O’Connell Bridge is a car and pedestrian bridge lined with palm trees (yes, you read that right – there are palm trees here). The Ha’penny Bridge is a pedestrian bridge lined with locks of all shapes and sizes. The Sean Heusten Bridge is a cast-iron bridge next to the main train station.
Cute locks on the Ha’penny!
The Ha’penny Bridge.
Lunch/ dinner at Slattery’s Bar, a pub that first opened its doors way back in 1821. Jenna and I tried Orchard Thieves cider (thanks for the recommendation, Jack!) and split a Margherita Pizza.
The front door of the National Leprechaun Museum.
2 girls, 2 ciders, 1 pizza.
The National Leprechaun Museum. We walked by, but didn’t go in.
St. Stephen’s Green. This green space has a playground, a small war memorial, walking paths, and more palm trees.
Day two highlights:
Shopping on Grafton Street, a pedestrian-only street with tons of shops and street performers.
Temple Bar, an area with the most famous (and touristy) pubs in all of Dublin. This is a fun area to go and take pictures.
Lattes at Frank and Honest, an Irish coffee company with great style and delicious matcha lattes. I’d say this company is the Starbucks of Ireland (even though there are Starbucks locations here too).
DIY Dublin 1 walking tour. We walked all around the center of Dublin, passing historical buildings and the campus of Trinity College. Fun fact: Dublin has different “postal districts” because it’s such a large city.
Week one:
On Monday, Jenna and I left the hostel and moved into our apartment on campus! We spent the day getting organized and meeting our two new roommates, Maddie and Rosalie. On Tuesday, we went to Dundrum Shopping Centre, aka the largest mall in Ireland. We tried Chopped for lunch, a “make your own” salad bar with locations in Ireland, the U.K., and the U.S.A. We spent the evening in downtown Dublin at Devitt’s Pub and Copper Face Jack’s, where we met some new friends.
Wednesday was filled by a bus trip to IKEA to get bedding and other necessary apartment accessories. Thursday was occupied by multiple orientations in preparation for the onset of classes on Monday. Rosalie, Jenna, and I also went to The 105 Café for brunch – they finally tried a full Irish breakfast (see picture) while I ordered a hazelnut granola parfait and a latte. Maddie and I checked out the student gym and tried a weightlifting class that left me sore for the next four days. Then we went to The Clubhouse on Thursday night, the student bar on campus. Yes, there is a bar on campus here!
The interior of The 105 Café.
My cute breakfast!
We woke up at the crack of dawn on Friday morning to travel by train to Galway, a quaint town to the west of Dublin that’s notorious for Ed Sheeran’s song “Galway Girl.” Stay tuned for my Galway post, and let me know if you’ve ever been to Dublin before!
Happy Holidays, aka the busiest time of the year! I hope you’re surviving whatever is on your agenda: final exams, gift shopping, hosting company, or something else entirely. I just finished my final University exams and am finally home to enjoy the holiday season with my family.
One of my favorite simple, quick meals to make in the fall or winter is this pesto bowl! Squash are in season, so they’re plentiful and inexpensive. It’s cold outside, so roasting squash in the oven is a perfect way to warm your kitchen. Plus, this meal doesn’t require much hands-on time, giving you more time to check some items off your “to-do” list!
Since basil isn’t in season, you can either splurge on fresh basil to make your own pesto… or you can just buy pre-made pesto. You can also top these spaghetti squash “noodles” with marinara or another sauce instead. The noodles are a base you can season in any way you’d like!
Pesto Spaghetti Squash Noodles
Serves 2
1 mini spaghetti squash
Pesto (recipe below)
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 400ºF.
Wash a mini spaghetti squash then microwave it for 30 seconds to make cutting easier. Then cut it in half using a very sharp knife. Scoop out the seeds and stringy innards using a large spoon.
Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the squash cut side down on the foil and add enough water to cover the bottom of the baking sheet (1/4 to ½ inch layer of water).
Roast the squash for 40-50 minutes, until the skin is soft.
In the meantime, make the pesto (recipe below).
Take the squash out of the oven, flip it over, and let it cool for 5-10 minutes.
Scrape “noodles” out of the inside of the squash by running a fork lengthwise through the cooked squash.
Put some squash noodles in a bowl and add as much pesto as your heart desires! I added about 1/4 cup pesto to around 1 cup of squash. Sprinkle the top with salt, pepper, and basil.
Simple Pesto
2 cups fresh basil leaves
3 cloves garlic
pinch salt
1 teaspoon pepper
around 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions:
Combine basil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor (or blender).
Blend ingredients on high, until basil leaves are blended and a thick consistency is attained. Add more oil if necessary.
Let me know if you make this easy dish, and enjoy your holidays!
I don’t like clothes shopping. Searching for the perfect pieces from racks bursting with eye-catching cloth is overwhelming. I get overstimulated. My head starts to pound and my arms start to ache with the effort of moving hangers back and forth, row after row. I loathe the act of changing, of scrutinizing my body in the mirror, of checking price tags.
Grocery shopping? Well that’s another thing entirely. I love it. I could stand surrounded by food for hours on end. I love inspecting new products. I love smelling fresh produce. I love finding all the ingredients I need for a recipe I’ve been dying to try. I try to go grocery shopping once a week, and it’s something I look forward to. I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about where I shop and what food I buy.
First I should tell you my food philosophy because not all of these stores are pure “health.” Basically I’m not concerned with organic/ non-organic, GMO/ non-GMO, etc. because I’m a college student with a BUDGET. I’m going to buy food that looks fresh but is CHEAP! I try to buy local when I can… but in the end it comes down to price, since I’m not trying to spend my whole paycheck on FOOD. Anyway, here’s what I like.
Favorite Stores:
Aldi
Trader Joe’s
Fresh Thyme
Meijer
IMPORTANT NOTES BEFORE YOU BEGIN:
*Aldi is the cheapest store on this list, and it’s where I go for the essentials. I stock up on produce, canned goods, chips, and hummus galore. They have great customer service and a great “Product Guarantee,” as you always get your money back if the product isn’t to your liking. Just remember to bring your own bags (they’re trying to help the environment here) and a quarter for a shopping cart (you insert a quarter to use a cart, then get your quarter back when you put back the cart).
*I’m a loyal Trader Joe’s gal. I go there solely for their brand-specific products, so my cart is always pretty random, from chocolate chips to frozen mango (better than any other frozen mango everrr).
*Fresh Thyme and Meijer are similar in price and in the food they carry. Fresh Thyme has more specialty products (read: products touted as “healthy”); Meijer has more non-food products (home goods, makeup, storage solutions, etc.).
Grocery List:
Produce: (from Aldi or Fresh Thyme)
FRUIT
Bananas
Apples (specifically Honeycrisp)
Grapes (when $1.99/ lb or less)
Pineapple (when $3 or less)
Lemon
VEGETABLES
Carrots (Like 7 bags of baby carrots because I’m addicted to them)
Spinach/ greens
Cucumber
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Celery (if it looks good/ not wilted)
Dry Goods: (from Aldi)
Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Onions
Garlic
Ginger
Applesauce
Canned goods, baking supplies, and other pantry staples CAN BE FOUND HERE. I’ll buy them in bulk every so often since they keep for a while.
Refrigerated Goods:
Hummus (like 3 tubs because of my addiction to carrots – hummus pairs SO WELL)
I usually buy unsweetened plain almond milk since it’s low in sugar and calories. I don’t like Aldi’s nondairy milk (Simply Nature brand), so I buy milk at Meijer or Fresh Thyme. My all-time favorite milks are Silk vanilla soy milk (SO sugary but great in tea), Good Karma vanilla flaxseed milk (great in cereal), and Oatly original oat milk (the BEST in lattes).
Vegan cheese
Daiya is kind of gross. Instead buy Earth Grown Mozzarella shreds (from Aldi) or Follow Your Heart shreds/ bricks (from Fresh Thyme).
Vegan cheese from Aldi
Vegan veggie burgers from Aldi
Gardein products in the frozen food section at Meijer
SPLURGES: Expensive food I buy to treat myself. I end up buying at least 2 of these each time I shop. Oops.
Avocados
Spaghetti/ butternut squash
On here because they’re seasonal! I buy them all the time in the fall but not really during other seasons.
Frozen mango (from Trader Joe’s, OBVI)
Gardein beef-less tips (from Meijer)
These are dangerous to me, like I’ll seriously eat the entire bag in one sitting. Smother them in Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce for a ~gourmet~ meal.
Gardein chickenless nuggets (from Meijer)
Oh my gosh, these things are so cute (but taste so good). I eat them with ketchup, you know, like a normal person.
Veggie burgers
I like Earth Grown kale veggie burgers (from Aldi), Earth Grown spicy chick’n burgers (from Aldi), and Dr. Praeger’s California veggie burgers (from Meijer).
Granola and cereal
Coconut milk yogurt (So Delicious brand, from Meijer)
Coffee creamer (So Delicious brand, pumpkin spice or vanilla)
Omfg these are good, and another product I’ll literally consume in one sitting (or standing, like drinking the whole carton in front of the fridge). I’ve tried almost all the flavors, and think mocha is the best. Pumpkin spice latte (seasonal) and cafe latté are also delicious.
I personally don’t love Halo Top’s dairy-free options because they taste like protein powder and have a chalky texture. However, I love that it’s low-cal since with ice cream I usually eat the whole pint in one go.
silk blueberry yogurt & granola
avocado on toast
ben & jerry’s vegan pb cookie ice cream
Other random food-related items I buy when necessary:
ketchup, sriracha, lime juice, curry sauce, vitamins (C & B12), granola bars (Larabars are my favorite), Tupperware (I lose my containers a lot oopsie), fancy-a$$ peanut butter (because what would this blog even be without peanut butter? My name? SNOOZE), and fancy crackers/ chips/ popcorn (treat yo’self).
I hope this list helps you shop if you’re on a budget/ looking for more plant-based products! Print my list (DOWNLOAD THE PDF HERE) and get shopping!
I love to cook and bake. But you probably already knew that, since I have a food blog (I know, right?) and am majoring in food science! The one thing you need if you love to cook like I do? A well-stocked pantry!
It’s easy to make most recipes as long as you have a pantry full of essentials; there’s no need to go to the store if you already have all the necessary ingredients. My advice is to look at the recipe you plan to make beforehand, then gather your ingredients before cooking to make sure you have everything you need. I know from experience that it’s annoying to realize you’re out of flour halfway through making a cake! Having a stocked pantry prevents trips to the store for things like a forgotten spice, and it allows you to create chocolate chip cookies whenever you crave them (so basically every day).
INGREDIENTS
All of these staple ingredients can be found in most supermarkets. My favorite grocery stores are Aldi, Fresh Thyme, Trader Joe’s, and Meijer (like Walmart or Kroger for you non-midwesterners). I get most of these staples at Aldi because they’re cheapest there and I’m a poor college student. Save this list (DOWNLOAD THE PDF HERE) and get shopping!
Grains
Brown rice
Organic quinoa (store: Aldi, brand: Simply Nature – $3.49 for a 16 oz bag)
Spaghetti noodles
Bowtie pasta
Penne pasta
Quick oats (store: Aldi, brand: Millville – $1.99 for a 42 oz container)
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Cans
Diced tomatoes
Tomato paste
Chickpeas
Black beans
Coconut milk (Trader Joe’s is the best)
Pumpkin
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Liquids
Canola oil (store: Aldi – $1.85 for 48 fl oz)
Vegetable oil (store: Aldi)
Vegetable broth (store: Aldi)
Soy sauce
Chili garlic sauce
Vinegar
Organic apple cider vinegar (store: Aldi, brand: Simply Nature)
Vanilla & Cinnamon Black (store & brand: Trader Joe’s, seasonal)
Chai
English Breakfast
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TOOLS
Besides ingredients, you need tools to cook and bake. Like, it’s kind of hard to bake a cake without a pan or make soup without a pot. This list is a relatively simple selection of tools that will vastly improve your kitchen experiences. I mean, chef knives make cutting so much easier! You might need more tools than these for fancier recipes and procedures but these work for the basics.
For Cooking
Cutting board
Sharp (chef) knives
Vegetable peeler
Tongs
Measuring cups
Tablespoons
Teaspoons
Stovetop pan
Roasting pan
Casserole/ baking dish
Soup pot
For Baking
Spatula
Whisk
Cookie scoop
Mixing bowl
Baking sheets
Square or round 8” baking pan
Muffin tin
If your pantry is still not stocked by now, what are you doing!?? Fill your pantry with all these goodies so you don’t have to go to the store next time you want to create a simple recipe!
Decadent healthy brownies. Which word does not belong? The answer is that they all belong, because there really is such thing as a decadent yet healthy brownie! Don’t believe me? Well, the proof is in the pudding… I mean batter.
It took many tries, but I finally perfected a recipe for the perfect brownies. I sacrificed myself as a brownie taste tester, and had to eat upwards of six different brownies and batters- what a rough life! It ended in triumph though, as this recipe was crowned the winner of the best brownie… possibly ever.
The best part about these brownies? They’re also secretly healthy, or at least healthier than most other brownie recipes floating around the inter web. How? Well first of all, they’re vegan so they’re not chock-full of artery-clogging, high calorie butter. Second of all, they have a healthy secret ingredient in them. Hint: it’s a ~trendy~ leafy green. If you guessed kale, you win a virtual brownie!
Yes, kale brownies. Am I crazy for creating these? Only slightly. I promise they don’t taste like kale though. Seriously. They just taste like gooey, cakey, chocolatey goodness. I got the idea of sticking veggies into dessert from the cookbook Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld. The whole point of the cookbook is to encourage parents to sneak veggies into their kids’ diets, and you already know I love it. Anyone who likes desert but is trying to be a little healthier, or wants an excuse to eat more brownies, will love this recipe. They’re “healthy,” so you can eat more of them- right?!
FYI, these brownies are definitely more cakey than crunchy or chewy- they’re pretty tall and thick. That just means there’s more to love! But if you’re a fan of a very crunchy, chewy, crackly-topped brownie than these might not be for you. I encourage everyone to give them a try though, because why not be a little insane and sneak some vegetables into brownies?
2. First make the kale water* by combining ½ cup water and 1 cup raw kale in a blender and blending on high for a minute, or until the kale is completely blended.
3. Mix together the dry ingredients, from flour to baking powder.
4. Add in the wet ingredients, aka the rest of the ingredients including the kale water. Mix until just combined and add in a ½ cup of chocolate chips.
5. Pour into an 9″ X 9″ oiled brownie pan and bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the brownies. Let cool for like 15 minutes, then cut and enjoy!
One of my favorite ways to enjoy pumpkin spice? This oatmeal. It’s a fall breakfast game changer (Yes, it’s still fall even though it’s snowing here in MI). Give it a try, then let me know your thoughts on pumpkin spice or (gag) peppermint mocha.
Instructions
Peanut Butter & Ellie 