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Recent Clean Eats
I’ve been eating clean for a little over three weeks now. There have been many scrambled egg whites, bowls of oatmeal, protein supplements, fruits and veggies. I’ve had more almond butter than I probably should and more quest bars than I will admit, but for the most part my meals are 100% natural ingredients.
So I thought I would share some of my more appealing looking meals & snacks today! Because even though it may seem like I’m “limiting” or restricting my diet, there really are countless options, tons of ingredients to play with and I am able to get plenty of calories (not too mention all the necessary nutrients) without getting bored of the same ol’ things.
Steel Cut Oats with blueberries, banana slices, toasted coconut, goji berries, cinnamon and almond milk. Coffee of course, with almond milk and 1/2 packet of stevia in the raw.
Stuffed Bell Pepper with brown rice, lean ground turkey, onion, zucchini, more bell pepper and a splash of liquid aminos.
Snack bowl with raw almonds, fresh blueberries & a drizzle of blue agave.
Egg white omelette loaded with diced yellow & green zucchini, red bell pepper, sweet onion, spinach & topped with avocado.
Picnic snacks for a day trip. Clementines, apple slices, blackberries, protein bar & green juice. *These Nugo Slim bars are the most “processed” thing in my diet now but the ingredients list 17 grams of plant protein, nuts, cocoa, and stevia. The best option next to Quest bars if you ask me*
And roasted baby brussel sprouts!
This is just a tiny snapshot of what I eat. There are many more protein bars/protein shakes/fruits/baked sweet potatoes and spoons of almond butter.Even though my diet is “clean” I can still do a better job of eating more greens and natural proteins and less bars/powders/butters. But I’m getting there!
I actually have a few “clean” recipes up on the blog already:
- Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
- Protein-Packed Pancake Parfait
- Cinnamon Spice Roasted Nuts (if you replace the sugar with stevia or honey!)
- Sweet Pear Salsa (obvi the pita chips are out if you are nixing the processed goods.)
- Summer Citrus Shrimp Salad
- Detox Salad (replace dried cranberries with fresh berries)
- My personal favorite: Strawberry Banana Oat cookies. Vegan, clean, and gluten-free!
Packing for Dorm Life
Judging by the aisles of puppy folders, Justin Beiber backpacks and 50 cent crayons….it’s Back to School season :)
Supplies for dorm life include a lot more than paper and pencils though! 2 weeks into campus dining, you’ll be ready to stock your dorm with some snacks and healthier alternatives to on-campus dining. Particularly if you’re a health-conscious student (like moi!)
As a student-athlete, I learned pretty quickly that the all-you-can-eat pasta buffet in the dining halls wasn’t going to be practical long-term for my daily fuel. When it comes to nutrition – quality over quantity.
The giant undertaking of packing my entire room into 10 rubbermaid bins has begun. Saturday I will move back to school, in a new upper-classman suite-style residence hall. It’s been no easy task consolidating my favorite clothes and shoes, but one thing that HAS been fun was packing my “grocery” and “kitchen” bins….I love finding healthy alternatives and planning out my meals and snacks to make sure I set myself up for success – and avoiding that Freshman 15. 
No, my suite does not have its own kitchen. I’m confined to a shared bedroom, bathroom, and a connecting shared bedroom. But each residence hall does have a communal kitchen, and I am coming prepared with my coffee pot, blender, pots and pans, baking sheets, and kitchen tools!
The Freshman 15 is not a myth; I’ve seen it happen more than once. Yes, there’s a lot of stress in college, totally different schedules and an all-you-can-eat buffet. But ultimately the choice to eat crappy or healthy is all yours!
Biggest mistake = forgoing nutrients for convenience.
So if you want to avoid falling into these traps, set yourself up for success by stocking up your room with plenty of HEALTHY choices and planning on cooking for yourself at least a couple of times a week.
I use the term “cooking” loosely here to cover anything from sprucing up a basic frozen entree or grabbing a bagged salad to add your own protein and toppings too.
Once I am back on campus I’ll finish stocking my “dorm room pantry” with fresh fruits and veggies. My typical grocery list looks something like this:
Yes this list is lacking major vegetables and common ingredients – that’s because it’s just meant to complement my other meals that I enjoy on campus. I still enjoy about 10 meals per week in the cafeteria, making healthy choices with the options I’m given.
In lieu of this new chapter, I am introducing the new page: Healthy Habits in the home page bar up top! Here is where I will post recipes made on a budget, time crunch and limited kitchen that any college kid can make. As well as healthy options from on-campus dining and other healthy snacks for keeping away the Freshman/Sophomore/Junior/Senior 15 :)
P.S. Strong Like My Coffee is now on Instagram!
Follow here —> Strong Like My Coffee
* * * As of July 29th, a new College Girl’s Grocery Guide 2.0 (apartment-edition) has been created. New school year, new list, right? :) * * *
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- College Girl’s Meal Plan
- Healthy Study Snacks
- Nutrition 101
- Tips for Healthy Holiday
- Healthy Grocery Swaps
