Tortilla Chips (Naturally Gluten-free)

We made it to spring break! The last week before spring break was one of the most rigorous yet rewarding weeks, where I had a nice week-long break to look forward to while taking my midterms. So far my spring break has consisted of several loads of laundry, a fresh coat of paint in my bedroom, a haircut and dentist appointment! That's right--not exactly the spring break you see in the movies. I'm catching up with everything that I have had to do for a while, which will set me up for the rest of the semester!

While I was at home I realized that I had salsa but no tortilla chips. Instead of running to the store to grab some, I searched through my pantry and came across corn tortillas. It was at that moment it clicked that yes, the two are related, and tortilla chips are made from corn tortillas (what a genius thought)!

Ingredients

4 corn tortillas

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt

Procedure

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Lay out parchment paper onto a baking pan.

3. Drizzle some olive oil onto the parchment paper.

4. Cut your corn tortillas into small triangles and dip them into the olive oil, wiping off any excess.

5. Lay them out on the parchment paper and sprinkle them with salt.

6. Let them bake for 6 minutes on one side.

7. Flip them over and add salt to the other side.

8. Let them bake for 5 more minutes.

Voila! You have your own corn tortilla chips and don't need to make that run to the grocery store!

Enjoy!

-Sema

Biena Chickpeas Review

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of craziness--from exams to meetings to everything in between, I have not had a moment to sit down and just have a cup of tea with a good book. College is like that though, and any time you think you have time to take a break you find that you have another 100 things added to your to-do list. Throughout the day, I always make sure that I have enough time to at least grab a meal on the go, because it can be really easy to forget to eat. That being said, sometimes it's easier to grab something unhealthy because it's quick and easy. Gluten-free crackers can be expensive and harder to come by so I'm always on the lookout for new good snacks! Biena Foods sent me their chickpea snacks to review, and I have to say that I was impressed by them! Chickpeas are extremely nutritious and are light enough that you can eat them while running between classes. I personally loved the sea salt ones but was also a fan of the honey roasted ones!

Check them out at bienasnacks.com and don't forget to eat even when you're busy!

-Sema

Tea Time and Deadlines

After one week of class I can confirm that this semester is going to be a busy one. Between my internships, classes, extracurriculars and every else that comes with college, you could say my schedule is packed--but it's packed just the right amount. When you first get to college you think that you're invincible, and can take on anything thrown at you. What I've learned is that you really have to take a step back and check your priorities. So word of advice to all you seniors in high school/freshman in college: don't overburden yourself when you get to college. Pick a few activities you enjoy and balance your academics with a healthy dose of socializing (a healthy dose, don't blow off your studies). :)

Washington University in St. Louis recently opened up their Whisper's Cafe in the library, a place where you can go and have coffee and tea with your friends between classes or studying. I got to help cut the ribbon for it, and that felt like a pretty monumental experience considering I had never gotten to experience the cafe before it's closing in 2016 (and everyone had been talking about it since its closing). I'm on the Dining Committee at the university which strives to ensure that allergies and dietary restrictions are being catered to while getting student feedback on new initiatives and services. I've been able to advocate for the gluten-free options, and have seen such a positive response from WashU. They really do care about accommodating students with dietary restrictions, making it easier to eat on campus. The best part about Whisper's Cafe is their firepot tea, which comes in a real tea pot and mug (not just a paper cup), because tea definitely tastes better in a mug. One thing you just always make time for is tea time--as it is the perfect way to get together with your friends and catch up, especially in these cold winter months.

-Sema

#Tip #WashingtonUniversityinStLouis #WashU #Update