Farewell for Now

After three wonderful years of blogging I think it is time to say my farewell to "Cooking In College".

I have enjoyed the blogging world more than I ever would have imagined, but with the impending start of my dietetic internship at the University of Arizona Medical Center I know where my focus will be: studying, reading, and learning so I can take the absolute best care of my patients during my clinical rotation. Then I will move onto food service management where I know I will be busy learning about procurement, production, and pricing in a very large cafeteria-like establishment at the hospital. Community will begin after that and I will gain invaluable experience observing and practicing outpatient nutrition services in a wide variety of settings like an eating disorder clinic, dialysis unit, cancer treatment center, a school district, diabetes clinic for children, and WIC. All of this while getting to explore a brand new city: Tucson, AZ! It is going to be a fantastic year, but also one that will require (and deserves) more than 100% of my time.

I could not be more excited for this new chapter in my life to begin; where I get to spend everyday pursuing my passion of helping people lead healthier lives through nutrition. However, as I have graduated from college it seems only appropriate to also graduate, in a sense, from my blog.

Thank you to all of those who have helped me along the way. I definitely see another blog in my future, as cooking healthy and cost-efficient meals while sharing my knowledge of nutrition will always be a part of my life. So check back in about 1 year, I'll be a Registered Dietitian by then!

My Top 5 Favorite Recipes:

Vegetable Samosas with Mint Chutney

Jerk Spice Black Beans and Sweet Potatoes

Spicy Asian Noodles with Kale

Dark Chocolate Yogurt Cake or Lemon Yogurt Cake

Pumpkin Carrot Muffins

Road Trip Day 18: Drive to Greeley, CO

Sleeping in a tent lends itself very well to getting up early so we started today at 7am, had breakfast at Subway, and hit the road around 8:30am. 

Road Trip Day 17: Drive to Twin Falls, ID

photo courtesy of Portland Bridges Photography

When we woke up early on our last day in Portland we were both incredibly sad. We slowly packed our car, checked out of our exceptional hotel room, and met up with my brother for one last meal together.

Road Trip Day 16: Saturday Market in Portland

Road Trip Day 15: Portland

The purposefully weird town of Portland is one of our favorite vacation destinations. My brother lives here and we have visited more than once so we feel like we really know our way around. Since we don’t have to live in the constant drizzle, we also very much enjoy the weather

Road Trip Day 14: Train from Seattle to Portland

Today was our last day in Seattle. While we got to see everything we had planned, I still feel like we definitely could have spent at least two more days here. This is a place we will definitely be returning.

Road Trip Day 13: Seattle

Today was our first full day in Seattle and we accomplished a lot in a short amount of time. I think at this point Brad and I could write a book on how to do the West Coast on a budget/in the blink of an eye while still seeing everything you'd (we'd) ever want to see!

Road Trip Day 12: Train to Seattle, WA

We woke up early, ate breakfast, and packed our bags for Seattle today. I was incredibly excited because we were taking the train!

Road Trip Day 11: Bonus Day in Portland

We had never planned on spending today in Portland but I am so glad we did. It was really nice to take care of some the errands we have needed to do on our journey like getting my oil changed at Oil Can Henry's and laundry.

Road Trip Day 10: Cannon Beach, OR

We woke up to drizzling rain on our full day in Cannon Beach and our plans to run on the beach and eat a picnic lunch outside were unfortunately no longer plausible. 

Road Trip Day 9: Drive to Cannon Beach

Before we left the bustling little town of Florence we stopped at a gift shop I remembered going to during our first visit in 2008. Brad purchased some locally made goat’s milk soap for me that I bought back then and have been raving about for nearly four years. I was amazed and very excited to see they still were selling it. It has the most natural smelling fragrance and is my favorite bar soap.

Road Trip Day 8: Drive to Florence, OR

The day before was hard, but it was all worth it when we woke up at Gold Bluffs Beach Campground to this...

Road Trip Day 7: Drive to Gold Bluffs Beach

I never imagined this drive of a mere 320 miles would take us 13 hours. But that is exactly how long it took us to drive from San Francisco to Orick/Redwoods National Park.

Road Trip Day 6: San Francisco

This day started off with a hearty breakfast at a little place called Mama’s. We knew it was popular so we headed up there around 7:00AM to be sure to secure our place in line (the restaurant opened at 8). 

Road Trip Day 5: San Francisco

We started off yesterday by taking the municipal bus to the Land's End trailhead. It was freezing and I was afraid it was going to be a miserable day, but once we began walking I warmed up and our activities got off to a great start.

Road Trip Day 4: San Francisco

Yesterday morning we woke up early, like hours before the sun rose early. We really wanted to head down to Pier 39 before the rest of the tourists got there and enjoy the sunrise over the ocean. After quite the debacle figuring out which bus to take and running around like chickens with our heads cut-off we made it to the pier. It was, for the lack of a better word, magical. We were the only people there, most of the sea lions were still sleeping, and the sunrise was amazing.

Road Trip Day 3: Drive to San Francisco

After our drive yesterday the short 225 miles to San Francisco was more than welcomed.

Road Trip Day 2: Drive to Reno

520 miles and what seemed like the never ending drive later, we were in Reno. Our hopes weren't too high after such a wonderful time in SLC, but we laughed a lot and had a good experience.

Road Trip Day 1: Drive to Salt Lake City

Yesterday we drove 503 miles from Greeley, CO to Salt Lake City, UT. Our hotel was located in West Valley and, despite its niceness, we were skeptical about Salt Lake in general, it seemed crowded and very industrial. Our concerns about the town were quickly quieted when we drove into downtown. The mountains frame the entire city creating gorgeous views almost everywhere you look. 

Asparagus Socca Pizza

Just this Saturday I walked across a stage with my hands on my B.S. in Dietetics. It has been a long...very long...four years but I know it was all very well worth it. I got to spend an incredible weekend with my two brothers, Brad, and my parents. The time we had together was, without a doubt, the highlight of my year.

Cookbook & Black Bean Flour Review

Well, I only have two more weeks of college as an undergraduate. I couldn't be more ready to move out of this town and start anew in Tucson for my internship! In these past couple of weeks I have not had time to sleep, breathe, eat, or blog. Since my time has been so limited I have drawn on some new sources for quick and easy recipes. I wish I could list them all but I will start with one that arrived in my mail with perfect timing.

Miriam Barton's Meatless Meals for Meat Eaters is a great source for veggie recipes to satisfy even the carnivore in your life. I have been able to make 4-5 recipes from her book this month and have been more than happy with each of them. I was thankful to receive this just as my creative mojo was replaced by textbook diagrams. Thanks for the inspiration and great eats Miriam. I highly suggest giving this a try if you are looking for a new cookbook.

My second source of inspiration was this special bag of what else? Black bean flour! I won it in a giveaway from The Roasted Root (an awesome blog by the way) and have used it to make some very interesting flat breads and a perfectly smooth bean dip. I have truly enjoyed the ease with which I can make a protein and fiber packed dinner in a matter of minutes with this stuff. I don't think I have ever seen it in a grocery store around here, but if you happen to eye it, pick some up, you won't regret it. Black bean flour brownies are in my near future!

After my graduation Brad and I are heading out on quite the journey. More on that later though!

Simple Bran Muffins

Muffins have become too fancy for me as of late. All these unnecessary, elaborate add-ins. I like them pure. Unadulterated. And these bran muffins are exactly that. Not to say you couldn't use these as a base for fancy nut or dried fruit versions, but they are truly delicious in their simplest form.

Chocolate Yogurt

This may be the simplest recipe I ever post on my blog but it is too delicious not to share. It's chocolate pudding, brownie batter, rich chocolate mousse, it's every chocolate treat you've been craving with one exception. It's healthy!

Citrus & Soy Mushrooms & Snap Peas

When you consume as many pounds (dare I say tons?) of vegetables as we do, you have to get creative. Steamed broccoli is transformed into pesto, asparagus is wrapped in parchment paper, squash get stuffed, and green beans are sautéed with many types of spices. A vegetable is rarely eaten twice in the same way around here, but these have been made an appearance at least three times in the last month. They are just that good!

Broccoli Pesto

Dark Chocolate Yogurt Cake

Chocolate is so very comforting and sometimes, like in the midst of my final semester as an undergrad, it is completely and utterly necessary. Just in time for Valentine's Day, this moist and decadent, yet simply healthy chocolate cake is perfect for dipping into a chocolate fondue or topping with strawberries and whipped cream.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

New Year's resolutions are usually lost on me in about a week. If it wasn't worth changing during the past year there is no way the beginning of a new one will bring about any difference. Yes, I'm talking to you stretching after every run, going to bed earlier, and giving up diet soda! But, when my Mom gave me a gratitude journal on January 1st I knew this was going to be less of a resolution and more of a life altering habit. 

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus & Giveaway Winners!

I have a bad habit. One that I like to call "watching educational television". I absolutely love the programs on HGTV, TLC, and of course just about anything on the Food Network. I watch these shows all day on the weekends whilst cleaning, cooking, and eating. The only way I can justify my weekly 4 hour International House Hunters marathon is to say I am doing future vacation research, and those 5 daily episodes of What Not to Wear? Well, I will be entering the corporate world soon and I would hate to not know how long the crotch of my pants should be or if ruffles on my shirt are okay. See...educational!

Nunaturals Giveaway!

Times are busy my friends, but I have some very exciting posts coming your way like healthy hummus, a kitchen adventure involving a unique Christmas gift, and a deliciously creamy soup that I know you will love.

So, to hold you over until then...

Top 3 from 2011

Once upon a time, not so long ago, I really was a much better blogger. One or even two recipes were posted each week and my inspiration seemed limitless so, for my absence, I apologize.
 However, I still had a wonderful year!

 I created...

this delicious  Lemon Yogurt Cake which, I must say was one of my favorite recipes from 2011

my most popular recipe: Spicy Asian Noodles with Kale

& my most adventurous recipe: Vegetable Samosas with Mint Chutney

Happy New Year everyone!!

{Keep reading for a small snippet of something different}