Hi! I’m Emily and a master chef (only in the confines of my own kitchen and imagination) here at the University of Michigan. I spend my days perusing blogs for recipe ideas, drooling over anything on the Food Network or Travel Channel, and persistently pursuing (aka stalking) celeb chefs on Twitter. Get at me, Anthony Bourdain…
My passion for food developed at a very young age. It became quite apparent when I exclaimed one of my first sentences: “Noodles, Daddy! More noodles!” It has progressed into a full-time hobby that I practice on a daily basis, considering food is kind of important. It has turned into something I do when I need to relax, when I want to have fun, and when I’m feeling adventurous–who needs therapy when you can cook?! I have always been interested in eating healthy and never a big fan of greasy fare, but once I got to college a few things changed. First and foremost, I was in charge of completely fending for myself–shopping, cooking, the whole nine. Secondly, I realized food actually costs money. Lastly, I figured out I had to handle all of this on top of a full course load. And thus “No More Ramen” was born…
My favorite foods are anything Indian, Italian, or Spanish, but I certainly don’t discriminate. I love to travel and trying out local restaurants is usually my favorite part of the adventure. As such, I am alarmingly willing to eat new foods. However, I am in the middle of my second year as a pescatarian (fish, but no meat for this girl!). In the future, I plan to travel and write about my experiences for the world to read.
Bon Appetite!
Why No More Ramen?
And so we have finally reached the age where food no longer magically appears before us. The days of the fridge replenishing itself on a weekly basis are no longer. We have come to the point in life when the real world is about to burst through the front door and stare us right in the face. We are in college.
Though that may sound a little morbid, we all know the fun times of college tend to outweigh the hungry, dirty-clothed, stressed times. As we traverse the adventure that is becoming an adult, there is a lot to learn; What temperature do I wash darks in again? How do I get this stain out? What’s a W2 form? Pile all of this on top of a full course load and, viola, you have your stereotypical college student: stressed, tired, and hungry.
I am here to help eliminate the “hungry” part. Due to our exam schedules, library sleepovers, and occasional weekend festivities, it’s no wonder we tend to push healthy eating to the margins. Who cares if Ramen takes the place of fruits and veggies on the food pyramid, we have classes to pass and life-long memories to make! I am here to say Ramen is not the answer! I am also here to debunk the popular myth that eating healthy in college is expensive and time-consuming; who has seven dollars to spend on almond milk, anyways? Not me!
Just sayin…
The goal of “No More Ramen” is to provide college students with healthy recipes that won’t break the (already wimpy) bank or take forever in a day to recreate. I’ll also provide some tips and tricks to help make snacking–the college student’s favorite hobby–nutritious and delicious. Don’t worry, your friends won’t hate you for opting out of take-out, but they will be jealous of your delectable homemade dinner.
In closing, I propose a call to action: walk into your kitchen, open your cupboard, and toss the junk. I promise you won’t regret it!
p.s. if you need to add a little spice (pun totally intended) to your time in the kitchen, here’s a great playlist to get you started
No More Ramen: A college student's culinary adventure 