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Interviews for the class of 2014, which will start classes August 2011 start later this month. We have a rolling admission policy, so the sooner you apply, the better chance you have of being invited for an interview. The application deadline is January 14, 2011.

Here’s a list of suggested items:
fruit (canned in water or 100% juice)
peanut butter
whole wheat crackers or tortillas
tuna or chicken (canned in water)
vegetable soup (low-sodium)
instant oatmeal (no sugar added)
cereal (whole grain)
100% juice (in a can or plastic bottle)
microwave popcorn (lite)
applesauce (unsweetened)
granola bars (low-fat & sugar)
unsalted nuts
rice cakes
raisins
sunflower seeds

Bring donations to Lindsay Buechler in the enrollment management office on the 2nd floor of the SEC (see a campus map).

This bean dip from Parenting.com is similar to hummus (check out Marco from Summerfield’s recipe here) and is super easy to make. Spice it up with herbs or red pepper flakes.

Bean dip

Can of white beans (try cannellini), drained and rinsed
Squeeze of tomato or sundried tomato paste
1 T olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Basil or other dried herb (optional)

Dump beans in a medium sized bowl, add a squeeze of tomato or sundried tomato paste, a pinch of salt and pepper and olive oil and mash them with a potato masher until a smoother consistency is formed. Serve this with the pita chips.

DMU is sponsoring a food drive for healthy kids snacks to donate to DMARC. Stay tuned for more details next week.

The Latino Heritage Festival is Sept. 4-5 at Southridge Mall. Admission is $5 and the event includes music, entertainment, food & more!

A benefit for African predators at the Blank Park Zoo on Sept 11. (You’ll even get a discounted ticket with student ID!) Register by Sept 7.

There’s a dog walk at 10 on Sept. 11 to raise money for AHeinz57 pet rescue group.

Rock&Toss is Sept. 11 and sounds totally fun! It’s a bean bag tourney with live music to raise money for Central Iowa Shelter & Services. How cool!  Concerts are free, tourney is $25.

Dog-Eat-Dog Trivia night is Sept. 16. $25 for tickets which includes your dinner. Lots of fun!

There’s an Antique Jamboree in Valley Junction Sept. 19, 8-4. It’s free to attend and always fun to browse!

Oktoberfest in Des Moines is Sept. 24-25. Who doesn’t like a good German beer & dinner??

There’s a walk to raise money/awareness of Lupus on Sept. 25 at Merle Hay Mall. It’s free to walk but they hope you raise money or tell people about it!

Did I miss any great September events?

The business model is based on the idea of  bike sharing. You can rent a bike from convenient bike stations around the city, encouraging people to ride instead of drive to locations that may be too far to walk to. There are currently 4 bike stations in downtown Des Moines. All bikes include a basket too!

There are two membership levels, 30 day or annual or you can pay for a 24-hour rental ($5) at a B-station. This qualifies you for 24-hour bike passes for the set amount of time. Bikes can be returned to any B-station, kind of like Redbox movies.

Check out the website for more details and a map with pick-up and drop-off locations. They are offering free 24-hour passes through Sept 7.

Who already rides their bike to school and around town?

Restaurant.com – here’s a site I am GLAD finally has some Des Moines participants! I always heard of folks using it but there weren’t enough good local places participating last I checked. Now there are GREAT places listed & who wouldn’t want dinner for half-price or less? Check it out.

One Des Moines-area blog about deals that I check regularly is frugalplayground.com. And here’s 2 sites I recently learned about: hip2save.com & www.totallytarget.com.

What are your go-to savings sites?

Food, artists with goods for sale, inflatables and games for the kids, bands and even a performance by the Isiserettes drill & drump corp!

So check out the 2800 block of Ingersoll tomorrow for a study break or a chance to stretch your legs!

What is your favorite healthy grain? Check out 9 more grain recipes from Better Homes & Gardens.

Sesame-ginger wheat berry salad

1-1/4 cups water
1/2 cup wheat berries
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 of a medium mango, seeded, peeled, and chopped
3/4  cup thin bite-size strips carrots
1/4  cup purchased mango chutney
2  Tbsp. rice vinegar
2  tsp. toasted sesame oil
1/4  tsp. ground ginger
Salt (optional)
1 small head napa cabbage, coarsely shredded

Directions

In saucepan combine water and wheat berries. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 45 to 60 minutes or until tender. Drain liquid. Stir in black beans, mango, carrots, chutney, vinegar, oil, and ginger. Season with salt. Serve with napa cabbage.

Makes 4 (2/3 cup) servings.

Walk/run the 5k or 10k for Shoes That Fit on Aug. 28.

On Sept. 12 you can Step Out to Fight Diabetes at Gray’s Lake Park. (There’s even a DMU Podiatry team already!) Look for the DMU team providing first aid!

American Lung Association’s Lung Walk 5k on Sept. 18 at the Blank Park Zoo.

Or on Sept. 19, walk in Ankeny to raise awareness of suicide.

On Sept. 25 you can join the Memory Walk for the Alzheimer’s Association.

Reggie’s Sleepout is Oct. 16-17. (This isn’t technically a run but it’s still an outdoor event for a great cause so I included it.) You can volunteer or participate to help raise money for and awareness of homeless youth!

These were the thoughts that went through my mind as I sampled the “deep fried mac n’ cheese on a stick” at the Iowa State Fair.

I could just feel Hippocrates shaking his head and looking down with shame from the heavens, and somewhere in the DMU wellness center, I’m sure Joy Schiller was doing likewise. She must have known, somehow. Such a great and treacherous force of unhealthiness couldn’t possibly escape her attention.

I don’t regret it, of course – it really was delicious. Better yet, my heart started beating again just in time for me to move on to the “deep fried candy bar…on a stick.” See, I look at it this way – going on the treadmill once isn’t enough to make you healthy, so eating at the fair once shouldn’t be enough to give you type II diabetes. Besides, it was a special occasion (we’ve finished up our first ever exam of med school!)

For those who still have yet to try those foods that have hitherto existed only in their darkest imaginations, don’t forget that the fair ends on the 22 (THAT’S TOMORROW!).