All posts by Jacqueline (Jackie) Hernandez

No Kitchen, No Problem!

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“What is the biggest problem you’ve had living in your sorority house?” A question I’ve been repeatedly asked over the past year. Immediately, the answer I always say pops into my head “I don’t have a kitchen.” Coming from a household where cooking is a part of our daily routine, it was really hard for me to move into a place where I had no access to a stove. Although many dorms on our campus do have kitchens on every other floor in the building, I found that whenever I wanted to cook something, there was always someone using it or the stove wasn’t functioning properly (welcome to the dorm life). Luckily, living without a kitchen for two years now has lead me to discover a whole new side of cooking– non-bake cooking!

Something I tend to miss more than others is homemade desserts. When I’ve had a long day, I want nothing more then to pop some sweet peanut butter cookies or fresh banana bread into the oven to enjoy in under a half hour. My sweet tooth craving mixed with my desire to try and eat healthier in college lead me to discover energy balls.
Energy balls, a term often used interchangeably with protein balls, are a great grab-and-go snack which you can easily prepare a large amount of before. They are also super good for you because they are:

  • Low in sugar
  • High in fiber
  • Dairy free
  • High in antioxidants
  • High in healthy fats

When preparing these, your main ingredient is going to be rolled oats. Rolled oats are known to lower cholesterol and they are very inexpensive which makes them perfect for a college student budget. Besides this, you can pretty much make a large variety of protein balls from few ingredients. Some of my favorite recipes include peanut butter chocolate, coconut chocolate, apple pie and pumpkin energy balls.

Below are a few of my personal favorite energy ball recipes. Remember that when making them, you’ll mix all the ingredients into a bowl then separate into smaller balls. If you won’t be eating them immediately, you should store them in the fridge to guarantee freshness. Let me know in the comments some of your favorite non-bake recipes!

Recipes:

Pumpkin Energy Balls

  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 Tbsp. chia seeds or flax seeds
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats (dry, not cooked)
  • 1 cup toasted coconut flakes
  • 1 cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Apple Pie Energy Balls

  • ½ cup chopped dried apple
  • ½ cup dates
  • ½ tbsp honey (or other sweetener)
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp cinnamon
  • ½ cup toasted pecans
  • 1 cup oats

Peanut Butter Chocolate Energy Balls

  • ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter.
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. (milk chocolate if you want them a bit sweeter)
  • 1 cup old fashioned oats.
  • ½ cup ground flax seeds.
  • 2 tablespoons honey.

Best of Tuscaloosa

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Living in Tuscaloosa as college students, we often overlook the plethora of tasty restaurants we have around us. While it always seems easiest to just head back to your usual fast food place, T-town is home to much more than just Chick-Fil-A and Buffalo Phil’s.  From Mexican to Mediterranean, Tuscaloosa has a little something to offer for everyone, no matter what your taste.

Coming to Alabama, one food I highly expected to indulge my taste buds in was barbecue. The south is known for its meaty ribs, slow-cooked pulled pork, and smoked beef brisket all smothered in decadent barbecue sauce. Although Tuscaloosa definitely has its fair share of top-of-the-line barbecue spots, Archibald’s BBQ would have to take the cake. From the outside, Archibald’s looks like nothing special, but once you start to devour their baked beans and baby back ribs, you know this place can’t be matched. Their barbecue sauce is a homemade blend of spicy and sweet flavors that put your barbecue experience over the top.

Although I love me some great ribs, my personal favorite is Mexican food. A great place to satisfy your taco cravings is none other than Taco Mama. Similar to Chipotle, you get to pick a dish, a meat, and an overwhelming amount of toppings. My personal favorite is Jorge’s nachos. The nachos are a bed of tortilla chips, smothered in queso then topped with your choice of chicken, beef, pork or fish and any/all of their seemingly infinite toppings list: rice, beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado, pico, sour cream, grilled onions…. the list goes on and on. According to some of my friends, the best part for them is that the guac is not, and will never be, extra.

If you’re looking for something a little different, maybe Mediterranean food is the way to go. Glory Bound Gyro Co. offers a vast menu that is sure to expand your horizons. Their falafel plate seems to be a crowd favorite with its unique flavor wrapped up in warm pita bread. The meat is marinated in blend of spices that allows the beef to burst with greek flavors. As a person who is always pretty skeptical about trying new things, I can confidently say that taking a risk on Glory Bound is not something you’ll regret.

Finally, if you’re in the mood for some amazing American cuisine, look no further than FIVE. As the name insinuates, this trendy restaurant only offers five main dishes including hand-battered fried shrimp and perfectly cooked rib-eyes; although a petite list, all of these dishes are worth raving about. FIVE offers both a brunch menu as well as a dinner menu. If you get the chance, I would highly suggest trying both their brunch and dinner before your time as a student is over. Off their selective menu I would have to say their cheeseburger is the best. Definitely my favorite burger in Tuscaloosa, this seared beef patty is topped generously with bacon relish and melted cheddar cheese with the option of a fried egg on top (always something I splurge for). As an honorable mention in this category, Mugshots Grill and Bar is a great place to grab a burger as well as a side of their fried pickles. Many rave about their peanut butter burger, a dish that seems intimidating and strange but definitely worth a try.

As you can see, Tuscaloosa has a little bit of everything. From a great place to take your friends on game day to a cute spot you can grab a bite at on a random Tuesday night, T-town has it all.  Of course we all have our own individual favorite spots so let me know what tasty places I’ll have to try next in the comments below!