Category: Like It, Love It, List It with Bethany Dickerson

 

While everyone has their favorite chips and cookies that they like to get at the grocery store, there are a few things you need to put on your shopping list. These foods are “add-ins” that can supplement almost anything. With each, I will give a recipe to get started! I am always very interested in reading about foods and their benefits. I have compiled this grocery list based on my favorite things that are very easy to build recipes around.

1. AVOCADOS

Avocado is all the rage right now, for a reason. I am sure you have seen the drawing of one avocado telling another discouraged avocado, “I said you are the good kind of fat!” Avocados are one of the fattiest plant foods, but this means that they are high in heart healthy fatty acid, like olive oil.

Avocados are also very nutrient-rich, and have more potassium than bananas. Another nutrient in avocados is fiber. Fiber can help with weight loss and metabolism.

Along with all of these benefits, avocados are delicious or at least I think so. My mom and I take a plain avocado, mush it together with mayonnaise, salt, and pepper, and dip tortilla chips in it.

If a plain avocado with mayonnaise does not sound appetizing to you, I understand. Try a smashed chickpea and avocado sandwich instead. This is the same idea, but you smash chickpeas and avocado together and then add cilantro, green onion, and lime juice for taste. This is a perfect sandwich to make quickly and easily. You could also spread the smashed chick peas and avocado on a burger or veggie burger, or even add egg! Click on this recipe to get the full recipe:

http://bigflavorstinykitchen.com/2012/12/smashed-chickpea-avocado-salad-sandwich.html

2. EGGS

Eggs are my go to food. I love eggs, but there is just one thing: I can not eat them alone. Nope. I cannot just eat a plate of scrambled eggs or even an omelet. I am picky in that way. However, I love eggs when they are on sandwiches or bagels or croissants.

The reason eggs are my go-to is because they are a very good source of protein. I have been a lacto-ovo vegetarian for three years and the amount of times I have been asked, “Where do you get your protein?” is a number too high to count. To clarify, a lacto-ovo vegetarian is someone who does not eat meat, but eats eggs and dairy. While there are several other ways to get protein, eggs are inexpensive and rich in protein. They also contain almost all of the nutrients we need.

There are so many things you can do with eggs. My favorite thing is an egg salad sandwich. It is one of the easiest sandwiches to make. All you do is boil eggs, add green onions for a crunch with salt and pepper, and a spoonful of mayonnaise, and you have got yourself an egg salad sandwich. An alternative to mayonnaise is avocado. You just add vinegar or lemon juice, and a little more salt. For the full recipe, click on this link:

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/egg_salad_sandwich/

If you are interested in watching those really quick cooking videos on Facebook, here is the link for how to make eggs in five ways:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/alisonroman/how-to-cook-eggs?bffbfood&utm_term=.oaz2yy58p#.lmRLJJRjb

 3. TOMATOES

I have a love/hate relationship with tomatoes. It depends on the day. Regardless of how I feel about them, they are perfect to add to literally anything. You can cut them up and put them in a salad or an omelet. To spice up your boring grilled cheese, you can add a slice of tomato. Ever heard of a BLT? The tomato makes it so good. Tomatoes are a very good source of vitamin C, K, and E. They are also rich in dietary fiber.

A really easy tomato recipe is caprese stacks. Basically all it is, is tomato with mozzarella and basil stacked on top drizzled with olive oil. What is not to like? Here is the link for the full recipe (this one comes with the nutrient facts too!):

http://www.health.com/health/recipe/0,,50400000130211,00.html

4. SPINACH

Today, I am here to tell you to stop eating icebox lettuce in your salad. Spinach is so much better for you and tastes better too. Lettuce practically does nothing for you. Spinach has twice as much potassium, protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins A, B, and C than any other leaf you can eat in a salad. Once you start eating spinach in your salad, you will never go back.

If you are thinking that you could not get over the taste of spinach, this recipe will make you forget you are even eating spinach. It is a spinach salad with bacon and egg. The salad has spinach, bacon, egg, mushrooms, onion, and cherry tomatoes (3 out of 6 of these are on the grocery list!). You could also probably recreate this recipe at the dining halls! For the full recipe, click on this link:

http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a35487/spinach-salad-bacon-egg-recipe-rbk0413/

5. NUT BUTTER

I first had almond butter on an airplane. Very random, I know. Me and my mom had missed lunch trying to catch our connecting flight, and were very hungry on the airplane. We decided to try the ‘Tapas’ packaged snack box they sell on airplanes. It turned out to be so good, we would purposely skip lunch so we could eat this on the plane whenever we traveled! One of the things it included was almond butter to put on a wheat bagel.

There are all kinds of nut butters, like cashew, macadamia, walnut, and hazelnut! They have protein, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Beware though, many companies add unwanted ingredients, like sugar. What is the best way to avoid that? Make your own! Here is a wonderful website that gives you all details:

http://tasty-yummies.com/2014/03/18/how-to-make-homemade-nut-butters/

 

Bethany Dickerson is a freshman BIC student majoring in journalism. 

 

While many of us may go through a “rebel” phase, when we do not listen to our parents and roll our eyes at everything they say, at some point we realize they are right the majority of the time. I do not know about you, but my mother always knew what foods, books, movies, and rollercoaster rides I would like and overused, “I told you so.” Even if you do not want to admit it, we are all turning into adults, and this means that we are going to act more like our parents, and it is okay. It just means you are getting wiser and more careful.

 

1. YOU ARE MORE AWARE

Just a year ago, I went to the Grand Canyon with my mom and I thought it was hilarious to get close to the edge to scare her. Looking back on that decision, I am sort of horrified. I would never do that now because I am not nearly as reckless or careless. I have only been in college a semester and a half, but I am already more aware of what could happen if I get too close to the edge.

See, when I was 16, my legs were dangling off the canyon while my mother was screaming at me to be careful (this is when I went through my “rebel” phase). At 18, I was just a little too close to the edge and my mom is still yelling at me to stop. Now that I am almost 20, I am with my mom, a reasonable distance away from the edge, enjoying the beautiful view of the Grand Canyon.

 

2. YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

I do not like to admit it, but there was a time I rarely washed my hair because I liked the way it looked greasy. I know. Okay. I am four years away from that phase, moving on. I know when I do not need the cupcake, and when I do. I wash my face (and hair) every night. Sometimes, though, it takes a learning experience (other than realizing greasy hair does NOT look good).

I was never really scared of gaining the “Freshman 15” because my mom always told me she never gained weight in college. We are very similar, so I thought the same would apply to me. In high school, I danced 8-10 hours a week, and ate a bagged-lunch everyday. I should have known that getting fries, a dessert, and a root beer at every meal with little exercise was going to affect my body. I did not realize until I could not fit into my high-waisted jeans in December.

This semester, I have vowed to eat healthier (and to only eat a cupcake when I have had a bad day), and exercise three times a week. I have actually kept up with it. Though gaining weight made me realize I need to eat better and exercise, it is not the reason I continue. It is because it makes me feel better about my body and myself. So, when you are 6 and your mom tells you not eat cookies and ice cream for dinner, it is because she knows it will make you feel bad.

 

3. YOU VALUE SLEEP

Every night my mom lays on the couch and watches TV until she falls asleep at nine. Yes, she goes to bed at nine. However, when my family would go to Walt Disney World, get there when it opened and left when it closed, she would say, “You can sleep when you’re dead.” Yes, the same person who goes to bed at nine every night.

I think part of turning into your parents is knowing when to stay up, and when to value sleep. It is closing your computer or turning off Netflix to get an extra hour of sleep. It is not going to the party because you stayed up the night before studying. My mom values sleep, but is also able to stay awake when she needs to.

 

 4. YOU ARE MORE PREPARED

You know when your mom used to tell you to bring a cardigan? I am now the person who always has the extra pen, cardigan, and granola bar. Why? It is nice to have that one thing someone needs. It is nice to be there. I keep everything I need in my purse. Through experiencing many instances of not having what I need, I have got it down: hand sanitizer, tissues, lipstick, ibuprofen, headphones, and a mirror. In my dorm, I have everything imaginable. As a kid, you were able to rely on your mom or grandma to have whatever you needed, and now it is up to you.

 

Though we fear dressing like our parents or inheriting their odd mannerisms, our parents give us the tools that we need to be more self-reliant. As we grow older, out of the “rebel” stage, we start to realize our parents are not so bad. We may even realize we strive to be more like our parents; I know I do.

 

Bethany Dickerson is a freshman BIC student majoring in journalism. 

 

 

The transition from high school to college, from your teens to your twenties, can be really daunting. You might feel like a new person! Your twenties are meant for exploring your options, growth, and change. You have likely gained responsibilities and freedom since being in college and it is easy to lose balance in your life. In order to help you pursue the balance that we all desire, here are five actions that will help you to make the best out of your college experience!

 

1. CARE LESS (ABOUT LESS IMPORTANT THINGS)

When I say this, I mean start caring less about what other people think of you, NOT to start caring less about school or your responsibilities. Since you have been out of high school for a couple years, it is time to let go of the negativity that comes with comparing yourself to others and thinking you have to dress a certain way. If you do not like what you ordered, send it back! If you no longer like your hair, change it! If you want to redecorate your room, do it! It is time to be confident in yourself, and realize that nobody in their twenties knows what they are doing.

In high school, I never did anything alone. I would not eat lunch alone, I would not go shopping alone, I would not even go through a drive alone. When I first realized I had to eat breakfast by myself, because none of my friends had the same schedule as me, I was terrified. Since I specifically asked for my parents to pay for the dining hall breakfast (because I love breakfast food), I knew I had to just do it. When I got to Penland, almost everyone was sitting alone. Since being in college, I have become more confident and comfortable with myself. I have started caring less about what people think of me because this is not high school. I realized that everyone is doing their own thing. If you do not like something in your life, you have the ability to change it. If someone is taking the time to judge you, then he or she is just not ready for the responsibility of analyzing his or her own life.

 

2. GO OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

Now that you are living on your own, you have the opportunity to expand your horizons. This means you should do things you have never done before! Take these opportunities and make them into experiences you will not forget. You should do everything you are going to do to your fullest potential.

I love trying new things, and I know that doing those the things that seem scary will come with a great result. However, I’m the type of person who would be fine with lying in bed all day. This split in my personality makes me eager to try new things, but I am scared of actually doing them. Again, college has forced me to go through with things when I would have rather just stayed in bed. Yet when you are looking back at your college experience, I doubt you want to only remember naps. Get out there. Do something different!

 

3. PAY ATTENTION TO THE NEWS

It is time to start paying attention to the world around you since you are technically an adult now. Since our generation is so technologically advanced, it’s really easy be updated on the news constantly. If you just want to get a quick dose of the news, Twitter is probably the easiest way to do this. Publications have started tweeting most everything that happens in the 140 characters, and if it catches your eye, you can always read the full article. You can also have breaking news and live updates come up as notifications on your phone.

My favorite way to read the news is by getting “Morning Briefings” from the New York Times to my email. Every morning I wake up with an email that tells me what happened last night and what’s happening today. Waking up early enough to enjoy reading these emails leads me to my next point.

 

4. GET UP EARLIER

I know this is not what you want to hear. I am not saying to take 8am’s either. Simply getting up earlier can help you reduce stress and comes with health benefits. When you wake up with the sun, it leaves you with more time to be productive. When you wake up and get ready twenty minutes before class, you just do not feel prepared to learn. However, if you have time in the morning to read the news, drink coffee or tea, and not rush when you get ready, it can make a big difference in class. Read this article to learn how to become a morning person (I promise it works!): http://thelala.com/becoming-morning-person/

 

5. REALIZE THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE TEMPORARY, AND THAT IS OKAY

In your twenties, you will meet a lot of temporary people. That girl in your chemistry class you studied with last semester, that boy you hung out with a few times who never turned out to be anything, that friend you lost touch with over the years. It could even be your significant other or best friend from high school who you never thought would be temporary. It is difficult to deal with, knowing that your friendship or relationship could have turned into something amazing. It is hard not to caught up in the “what if’s.” There will be people, however, that will stick by your side forever.

 

Bethany Dickerson is a freshman BIC student majoring in journalism.