An Ode to Allie's Doughnuts

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If you have ever been to Rhode Island, then you must have heard of Allie's Donuts.  And if you grew up in Rhode Island then you know that the best way to make friends at any party is to show up with a boxful of Allie's Donuts.  They're seriously a heart attack in a donut but so f**king worth it!

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Located in North Kingston RI, Allie's Donuts provides cheap and delicious donuts that you have to try in order to have the true Rhode Island experience.  They have all the classics like chocolate glaze in addition to pretty much every freaking flavor imaginable.  They even make wedding cakes (see below!).  It's ridiculous.  Now you should be warned that if you go in there on a Saturday, you will be in line, but trust me these donuts are worth the wait.  So here it goes, and ode for you, my dearest Allie's Donuts. 

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Covered in sprinkles and sugary sweets

you surely are the most delicious of treats

you clog my arteries for that I am sure

but my love for you is still oh so pure

I love you my donuts

even if you often clog up gut

because I have stuffed myself completely full to the brim

that honestly my waistline could surely use a trim

but no matter I'll probably be back here tomorrow

because Allie's Donuts you're too good, without you I have nothing but sorrow

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4 Key Things You Need to Remember While Making Pancakes

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"Why would anyone eat anything besides breakfast food?"- Leslie Knope

"People are idiots Leslie"- Ron Swanson

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Pancakes are delicious, and generally they're pretty easy to make.  If you're feeling a little lazy you can easily buy some mix at your local store, or you could get a little creative and make your own batter.  Either way pancakes are a pretty sweet and easy treat to make yourself when those muchies start grumbling.  Despite this, pancakes are also pretty easy to f**k up.  But- have no fear, here are the key things you need to remember when making yourself some dank pancakes!

1. The batter HAS to be smooth

Yes it's difficult and if you don't have a mixer you may get carpal tunnel syndrome.  But if you don't mix it completely your pancakes are going to be lumpy and who the hell wants lumpy pancakes!  No one that's who.  So mix that shit properly!

2. Butter the pan!

If you don't want your pancakes to stick, and therefore not be able to flip them, butter that pan!  It honestly just makes everything easier

3. Size doesn't always matter

Ok so I know everyone says it but I mean it, when it comes to pancakes size really doesn't matter at all.  In fact it's way easier to find success when the pancakes are small- they're much easier to flip.  In my first attempt I used a much bigger pan in hopes of creating giant fluffy pancakes but the first one broke immediately.  I then switched to a smaller pan and began, with much more success, to make significantly smaller pancakes. 

  However if you're pancake master then go ahead and try to make 'em bigger.  If you're a beginner like me, take it one step at a time and remember that's it's quality not quantity :)

4. Keep the heat on LOW

You will burn your pancakes if you try to cook them too fast.  Patience is key and chilling for like two seconds will not kill you

Now I'm sure that there's more to know- because let's face it there always is- but that's a pretty good jumpstart into the world of pancakes!

Top 6 Reasons to Eat More Pineapple

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Pineapple is an amazing fruit that can really be eaten at any time of day.  But in addition to being f**king delicious it's also pretty damn healthy.  Pineapple is loaded with vitamins and enzymes crucial to a healthy immune system.  If you don't believe me here are the top 6 reasons you should be eating more Pineapple. 

1. Improves Heart Health

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Pineapple contains Bromelain which is key in having a healthy circulatory system.  Essentially Bromelain allows the blood to flow more easily throughout the body- and thus helps prevent heart attacks, stroke, and other potential problems. 

2. Helps those who suffer from Asthma

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Because Pineapple is an amazing anti-inflammatory device it naturally acts as a relaxant to the lungs and therefore helps prevent asthma attacks.  In addition Pineapple is loaded with vitamin C which is helpful in preventing body spasms that often lead to asthma attacks. 

3.Supports healthy bone production

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Manganese is a vitamin crucial to bone formation and wound healing, it is also something that our body does not naturally produce on our own.  However pineapple produces a hell of a lot of it- so the moral is eat more pineapple because it's healthy and delicious!

4. Gum Care

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Vitamin C is amazing for oral care.

5. Digestive Aid

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Because Pineapple is loaded with Bromelain, an enzyme that helps digest proteins, pineapple is amazing for your digestive system.  So next time you're feeling a bit full, eat some pineapple to help lighten the  load. 

6. Can help you lose weight

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Pineapple is great because it tastes amazing and it fills you up pretty easily.  It has a high water content and a lot of dietary fiber making you feel full faster. 

A Week in Truffles

Monday- Mocha Truffles

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Mondays are tough and if you're anything like me coffee is a necessity.  Match your coffee with a delicious mocha truffle.  Easy enough to pick up at the store, but if you want to make your own try this recipe for some seriously dank truffles.

Tuesday- Pecan Pie Truffles

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Tuesdays are never the worst days, but they're also never the best.  The day often wreaks of post- Monday queasiness and everyone is still waking up to the week.  This is why you need something simple and sweet to get you through the day- what you need is a nice pecan pie truffle.  Just a quick bite of something sweet to help jumpstart the rest of your week.

Wednesday- Peanut Butter Cup Truffles

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Since the dawn of time it has been understood that peanut butter and chocolate taste amazing together.  This is what hump day needs- a classic treat to get you through the middle of the week.

Thursday- Sugar Cookie Dough Truffles

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Thursday is pretty much the beginning of the weekend, so in order to celebrate make yourself some crazy delicious sugar cookie dough truffles.  They're so good you'll promise yourself you'll only eat two and end up eating 10.  But they're totally worth it so screw it. 

Friday- Chocolate Raspberry Truffles 

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Celebrate your Friday with a chocolate raspberry truffle.  If you're looking to make your own, check out this recipe, it's a little complicated but mouthwateringly delicious. 

Saturday- Snickerdoodle Truffles

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Saturdays you need Snickerdoodles- or at least I do- if you don't you're crazy!

Sunday- Banana Bread Truffles

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Sunday is the end of the weekend and usually a cold slap of reality (especially during the school year).  For a Sunday what you really need is comfort food, something soothing, you need a banana bread truffle.  If you're feeling super crazy try dipping it in chocolate... 

The CupCake Trials: Expedition One

So this Summer I have decided to embark on a baking mission: to bake as many damn cupcakes as f**king possible.  Also just to bake more in general, but that's a side note.  Anyhoo- today is my first day in this baking adventure and I'm trying to take it a little slow and ease my way into baking.  So instead of going crazy and baking 5 different cupcakes on my first try I'm going to focus in on one aspect of the cupcake: the frosting. 

I'm going to attempt to make the dankest frosting I can: a sweet cream cheese frosting.  It's my absolute favorite kind and I'm so excited to try to actually make some on my own- from scratch- with absolutely no help from any chemical packaging. 

For the actual cake I will be using a Funfetti mix- so I'm cheating a little yes.  My goal is to make the Funfetti cakes and then add on the cream cheese frosting- which I've never actually done before so this should be interesting.  I decided to go for a  simple frosting recipe with only the very basic of ingredients (I'm a broke college student at the moment so the simpler the better).  I found a good one on allrecipes.com- click here for the link. 

Step One:

Pre- heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and then pour the Funfetti mix into the bowl.  Add in one egg, half a cup of oil, and a bit of milk to the mix and stir until smooth. 

Step Two:

When the batter is smooth pour a scoopful of the batter into each cupcake holder.  Most people will tell you to only fill it halfway up but I personally like my cupcakes extra big- so I fill them pretty much 75% of the way up.  When this is done put them in the oven for 18-20 minutes. 

Step Three:

While the cupcakes are in the oven, start work on the cream cheese frosting.  The recipe calls for 6oz of cream cheese, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, half a cup of butter, and 2 cups of sugar.  All in all, pretty simple.  Simple mix it all together and whip it 'til smooth.  If you're like me and are too broke to have a mixer this can be a bit of a process and your arm will be sore by the end (definitely counts towards my "workout"). 

Step Four:

Take cupcakes out of the oven (turn off the stove!!!).  Then take a freezer bag and pour the frosting into the bag.  When this is complete cut one of the corners of the bag, creating a DIY cupcake decorating device.  AKA you will be able to make your cupcakes look pretty good. 

Step Five:

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Eat your cupcakes- you deserve it :)

Why Sweet Bagels Are the Absolute Best

Towards the end of last semester I began to work at a bagel place in Burlington Vermont where I go to school.  While I do adore the atmosphere and my co-workers the best bit about working at Feldman's is certainly the bagels.  For every shift that I work I get to make a bagel sandwich- and I've really been trying to get creative.

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While most of the time I go with a more savory option, lately my sweet tooth is kicking in.  I've been addicted to Feldman's Maple Walnut cream cheese, but even that won't satisfy.  In addition I recently took a trip home to visit my family and visited my favorite Bagel place, Bagels etc.  I am obsessed with their Blueberry bagels.

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All of this has taught me that Sweet Bagels are super underrated and f**king amazing and everyone should be giving them a chance.  If you're not already convinced, here are some more reasons to support the Sweet Bagel movement. 

1. Blueberry Bagels

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Probably my favorite kind of bagel, Blueberry Bagels are sweet delicious and usually a really pretty blue or purple color- what's not to love!  Top it off with some cream cheese for a great start to the day.

2. Maple- Cinnamon Cream Cheese

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Delicious and relatively easy to make, for a great recipe try this one.  It's a personal favorite of mine. 

3. Strawberry Bagels

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Odd, I know, but trust me they're crazy delicious.  Please note that plain cream cheese probably goes best, I truly do not recommend strawberry cream cheese on top of a strawberry bagel (but that's just one girl's opinion).

4. Honey Cinnamon Cream Cheese

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Honey Cinnamon cream cheese can literally top any bagel.  It's the perfect mixture of sweet to top any savory bagel.  My personal favorite is throwing it on top of a nice sesame seed bagel.

5. Funfetti Bagels

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Funfetti frosting is one of the staples of my childhood so when I heard you could make a cream cheese spread I had to try it.  Add some food coloring to your bagel dough to really make it fun- it's pretty much a unicorn bagel. 

There are tons of great recipes out there, but if you're a vegan you have to click here!

6. Cherry Cream Cheese

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While I may not be the biggest cherry fan in the world, I've heard cherry cream cheese can actually be pretty good.  Next time I have a day off work I'm planning on sitting down and making this recipe- it has pretty rave reviews so maybe my cherry stance will change after. 

7. Cake Batter Bagels

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Cake batter itself is amazing, and so is the ice cream, so bagels should be just as good right-- CORRECT!  They're completely delicious and not that hard to make- therefore there is no excuse to not try them.

8. Pistachio Cream Cheese

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Pistachio ice cream is pretty good- pistachio cream cheese is crazy delicious! 

9. Pumpkin Bagels

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I really don't love Pumpkins but pumpkin flavored things are delicious.  Pumpkin lattes, pumpkin

10. Cinnamon Raisin Cream Cheese

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Pretty much everyone knows that cinnamon raisin bagels are a thing, but have you ever tried cinnamon raisin cream cheese?  If you haven't, you're truly missing out.  It's the perfect sweet spread to add to any bagel. For a great recipe click here- not only is it delicious but low fat (not necessarily meaning healthy).   

Why Eating Fruit For Dessert is Actually a Good Thing

Okay, okay I understand Fruit doesn't really count as dessert- or does it?  In this day and age yogurt has now become a dessert so why not fruit?  At the end of the day it tastes pretty good and it's much healthier than ice cream, but it still seems wrong.  But that's just my opinion- and really all logic is against me. 

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Grant you not all fruit was created equal.  Pineapple and Strawberries for instance are delicious and I would happily enjoy them for dessert.  Bananas- no freaking way.  I don't care how healthy they are.

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But, all babbling aside here are the reasons why eating fruit for dessert may not actually be the end of the world (however you may also be slightly less dramatic than myself).

1. They're Delicious!

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Unless you're an absolute crazy person you have to agree that fruit tastes pretty damn good.  It's sugary and tasty. 

2. It's easy to prepare

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Pretty much just add whipped cream- or honestly vanilla ice cream with most fruit is pretty dank.  For a fancier dessert melt Godiva chocolate (or any chocolate really-Godiva is just ridiculously delicious). 

3. It's Healthy

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Unlike many of the sweet treats that I've become addicted to over the years, the sugar in fruits is much more easily digested.  In both fruit and other treats like cake there is fructose and glucose, and typically an even distribution of both.  Even though fruit does contain a fair amount of glucose, which requires the release of insulin in order to be digested properly, the fiber and vitamins it contains helps move this process along- leaving you healthier and happier.   

4. (as a continuation of 3) Your Doctor Will Love You

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I don't know about anyone else, but personally my doctor can be a bit of a hard-ass.  She has no problem telling me that I need to eat healthier or get more exercise.  So as an attempt to please her and make myself feel better I have vowed to eat more fruit.  I was originally going to try vegetables but I really don't think I'm ready for that- fruit was the next best thing.  And, thus far, she approves! 

5. The Rest of you Body will Love you

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Towards the end of last semester I began to make a commitment to a healthier eating lifestyle.  While that doesn't mean that I'm going to cut out Brownie Sundaes completely it does mean that I have been trying to skip dessert some nights or simply have some strawberries of pineapple instead. 

Not only have I toned up a little bit but I have actually begun to feel exponentially better.  I'm happier and I have more energy (clichéd but true).