American University - Frederick Douglass Distinguished Scholars Video

I got through to the second phase of the Frederick Douglass Distinguished Scholars, and I am beyond excited. Check out my video submission. Keep your fingers crossed for your girl as she awaits to hear if she made it to phase 3!

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Pesto Hummus, Tomato, and Mozz Panini (Get the Recipe for Pesto Hummus!)

Hot Panini

Cold Sandwich

Chef Turo, the awesome head chef at my school and my awesome Culinary Arts III teacher, said make a panini. He told his students that we could use ham, pork, ground beef, american cheese, steak. We could use the grill and the deep fryer. We could use anything we could find.

So, I decided to use hummus, a healthy spread made from ground chickpeas and sesame seeds, olive oil, lemon, and garlic. And, in a spontaneous decision, I chose to combine the hummus with a pesto sauce. After spreading my creation onto a long slice of rye bread, I topped off my pesto hummus with fresh tomato and a handful of shredded, part-skim mozzarella. I proceeded to press the completed sandwich in the panini machine, and it came out looking ultra fierce. It was possibly the best tasting sandwich I have made thus far. I have my pesto hummus recipe from beginning to end below so you can try it on your next sandwich, too!

Hope you enjoy it!

Fierce Ingredients:
-16 ounces of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed

-1/2 cup basil leaves

-1 clove garlic

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-salt and ground black pepper to taste

The Simple Rundown:

1. Combine the garbanzo beans, basil, and garlic in a food processor, and pulse the combined ingredients several times. You may also choose to chop ingredients by hand, although this may take more time.

2. Use a spoon or spatula to push the mixture from sides of processor bowl. 

3. Pulse the mixture again while drizzling in the olive oil. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste, mixing along the way.

4. Spread pesto hummus on your sandwiches and wraps. You can even mix it with some quinoa, like I did with the leftovers the next day! Ultra yummy! Ultra fierce! Enjoy!

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Holiday Avocado Salad!

Here are some facts about the yummy avocado:

1. Many people in Spanish countries start off a meal with a avocado salad instead of salad greens. 
2. The avocado tree (AKA Persea americana tree) is native to Mexico. 
3. The Spanish word for avocado is aguacate. 
4. Avocados are technically fruit, and more specifically, they are considered a one-seeded berry. 
5. Avocados are packed with protein! In fact, one avocado contains four grams of protein, among the highest amount coming from a fruit. 
6. Making cookies? Avocados' creamy texture and healthy fats make it an easy substitute for butter! In the rights proportions of course, take out some of the butter and sub in avocado to make healthier chocolate chip cookies and other delectable treat!

My Puerto Rican family makes a mean avocado salad around the holidays! Below you'll find the delicious recipe! Try it out at your next holiday dinner!

Ensalada de Aguacate

Serves 3 (136 calories per serving)

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Fierce Ingredients:

-1 Florida avocado cubed
-1/4 small red onion thinly sliced
-1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
-1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
-Salt and ground pepper to taste.

Fierce Instructions:
1. Place cubed avocado in serving bowl.
2. Toss in thinly cut red onion.
3. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar on top. Add salt and pepper as desired.
4. Carefully toss the salad, making sure you do not smash the avocado.
5. Serve cold.

More holiday recipes to come! Keep your eyes peeled!

Love,

Kelsey

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Peanut Butter and Banana Snack Idea!

Don't grab the cookie! Put it down! Grab a protein-packed, sweet banana instead. Here's how it's done: 

The Fierce Instructions

1. Simply slice a whole banana as shown. 
2. Next, sandwich a little peanut butter in between each slice. (Use 1 tbs. in total.) 
3. Piece the banana back together. 
4. Get a fork. 
5. Eat. 

Another fierce alternative to satisfy your sweet tooth, and it's only 164 calories! Try it for dessert or a snack, but try it today!

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Healthier Pie!

Thanksgiving is tomorrow! And, that means... PIE!!! I cannot tell you how much fun it is to whip up a pie! It's simple, sweet, and very impressive! But, pie can also be very calorie heavy. Can be. But, you, fierceness, know better. So, you will follow the below tips as you practice your pie making/tasting skills.

1. Eliminate the top crust. Or you can limit the carbs by making a lattice design. Either way, you are going to save on the calories! Also, please try and make the crust by hand. The pre-made frozen pie crusts can contain unwanted ingredients. Stick with just a few ingredients- flour, sugar, fat source, and water. Yeah, making a pie completely from scratch may take more time. But, making your own pie also gives you the right to brag!

2. BUTTER. The epitome of calorie indulgence. But, you can substitute some butter out! Next time you make a pie crust, sub in Greek yogurt for half the amount of the suggested butter serving.

3. Another sub suggestion... sub out white flour! Choose whole wheat flour instead. While white and whole wheat flour has the same amount of calories, whole wheat flour has a lot more fiber, which helps with your digestive tract and metabolism.

4. Limit the sugar. Use fruit instead of sugar. Apples is a healthier pie filling than chocolate mousse or custard. Also, top your slice of pie with a dollop of Greek yogurt instead of ice cream! 

5. Understand that one slice of pie will not ruin your diet. An indulgence every once in a while is a necessity, especially on Thanksgiving. Just try not to go for seconds.

Happy Thanksgiving! Eat mindfully. Love endlessly. Be thankful for friends and family. And, eat a slice of pie for me!

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"All About That Bass" Isn't All That Positive

You may be sick and tired of Meghan Trainor's "All About That Bass," but I am actually disgusted at the song's twisted relation of an otherwise beautiful message. Of course I love when a song touches upon the touchy subject of body image. I am even more pleased to hear women empowerment speak through lyrics. But, "All About That Bass" accomplishes neither effectively. In fact, it actually criticizes the "thin girl" while solely uplifting the "curvy girl." While celebrating "curvy women," the song disses "skinny girls," which they refer to in the song in a derogatory manner. (It rhymes with witches. Yeah, it's pretty offensive.) Furthermore, in the music video, the "curvy girl" has a cute outfit, while the "thin girl" appears snobby, stuck-up, and less approachable in a revealing dress and strappy high heels. The stereotype of the "thin girl" as a "silicon Barbie doll" might degrade the confidence of the "thin girl." Society should not push down a group of people to lift another up. Shouldn't overall body confidence be integrated instead? "The curvy girl," "the thin girl," "the tall girl," "the short girl," "the loud girl," the quiet girl," all deserve respect. And, they all deserve to love themselves.

Which leads me to another issue I uncovered in the song, the objectification of women. Shame. Shame. Shame. There is nothing I despise more than when a song degrades women down to sexual objects. A girl is much more than her "booty, booty." She is more than her body. She is more than what pleases a man. She is her own person, with her own opinion. The idea of having to please a man with a particular body type is absolutely ludicrous. If any man wants you to change your body to please him, sorry hun, he ain't worth the time. There is someone out there that will love you for you, for spirit and body combined. A man cannot complete you, but he can compliment you and support you. And, when you realize this, you will be ready to find the person that will accept all of you. And, you will be able to accept all of them.

In short, "skinny-shaming" is just as bad as "fat-shaming." Any form of "body-shaming" is unacceptable! Appreciate all body types. And, ladies, you are more than a "booty, booty." You don't need to please man by having "a little more booty to hold at night." Women are not sexual objects! Women are capable, intelligent people with their own voices!

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So, what are some fierce tunes to lift you confidence? "Try" by Colbie Caillat is my fave. Another fave of mine would be "Flawless" by Beyoncé. (Warning: May include explicit language!)

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The Cheesecake Factory Review!

Don't cross The Cheesecake Factory off of your list completely! Yes, the cheesecake may be ultra indulgent, but I assure that the SkinnyLicious® items are more calorie friendly than you might think. 

Feeling spicy after a Saturday shopping trip to Barnes and Noble, I picked the SkinnyLicious® Soft Tacos. The corn tortillas were soft and sweet and filled with spicy chicken, avocado, tomato, onions, and cilantro. I also prompted for no crema to skim on the fat. Possibly the best part of this meal was the side. The side escabeche vegetables were superbly crisp and drizzled in a savory, light vinaigrette.

Of course, prior to chowing down on the tacos, I sampled the lightened up version of the chicken potstickers, The oriental dumplings come lightly pan-fried in and in a pool of The Cheesecake Factory's Soy-Ginger Sesame Sauce. Soy sauce tends to be on the salty side, but this sauce was perfectly seasoned.

You cannot go to The Cheesecake Factory without getting cheesecake. There would be no point! So, my solution to eating any  fattening dessert is to SHARE it. Yes, sharing dessert may be hard, but more times than not, restaurants serve twice the recommended amount. So, you don't have to pick the lackluster, sugar-free cheesecake. Pick what you want: chocolate mousse, strawberry, kahlua, banana cream (my fave.)  Just make sure you are splitting it with one or two others, or if you are dining alone, wrap it up for another day.

Remember to spread the cheesecake glory and SHARE!

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