Bad Food Habits

Ordering take-out food is a dangerous habit. The craziness of my schedule over the past week has pushed me into it hard. With nothing but coffee and stale oatmeal in my stomach, I have been running from class to class hungry, cranky and with one thing on my mind—dinner.

Pitas, subs, and burritos were the usual ticket to my really unhealthy and satisfying meal. I love food that comes wrapped up in something shiny. It’s like Christmas, except what’s inside is usually smothered in guacamole, tzatziki sauce or sour cream.

But after waking up this morning and having to hold myself back from ordering DP Dough for breakfast, I decided that this has to stop. I need a reset button for my life.

So how do you kill the craving for a greasy calzone without spending the rest of the day lusting over it? Make it yourself. It sounds like a lot of work, but it’s not. There is a great Rachel Ray recipe that I used over winter break that resembles the spinner (my favorite calzone), but it has a hearty twist. Along with the spinach, ricotta and mozzarella, it includes earthy artichoke hearts. They aren’t cheap, but because this recipe makes 4 calzones, you can freeze them for later meals. In the long run, the two-dollar can of artichokes will seem like nothing compared to the cost of a six-dollar calzone.

So the next time you find yourself dialing for a quick-fix takeout treat, try this recipe. And if hitting reset doesn’t work, hit the phonebook. Just make sure to get some extra sauce on the side, because if you’re going to fall into a bad habit now and then, make sure it’s headfirst into some marinara.