Blog Archives
Weekend Re-cap and Blog Round-Up
We are 5 days in to No Gain November! It’s not too late to start now, either. Let these healthy habits to help during the holidays :)
So I originally had a blog post planned for yesterday. It was going to be about how a friend and I volunteered at the local Food Bank on Saturday. Except you will never believe what happened….THEY TURNED US AWAY. Can you imagine a volunteer-run organization actually rejecting willing and able college students trying to do some community service? I couldn’t.
On one hand we were disappointed that our Saturday plans had been changed. On the other, how amazing is it that there was such an abundance of people volunteering their time that the organizations’ needs were fulfilled! Obviously Thanksgiving is a common time for community service in food banks and soup kitchens, a time when we are reminded that the less fortunate need these services the other eleven months of the year too.
We will try again next weekend. Any how, this put a damper on my blog plans. I had no fancy dessert or fun exercise circuit planned. So I bring you a Blog Round-up:
I created Strong Like My Coffee over three months ago. It’s amazing the places that this blog has reached (seriously, countries I had never heard of. How amazing!) and I’m excited to keep growing and posting. Now with over 80 posts, it’s kind of fun to look at some of my favorite and forgotten posts.
Summer Seafood: Shrimp Burgers with Peachy Salsa
Please make these! They were one of the top 10 dinners I have EVER made.
AMAZING Strawberry Banana Oat “Cookies”
These healthy cookies were one of my most popular recipes, and understandably so. I can’t wait to make these again!
This was mainly just a fun experiment! I had no idea what to expect when I poured these ingredients in a saucepan, but hoped for the best and it worked out pretty tastefully :) Anything with pumpkin spice already earns bonus points in my book.
Always good to find your fitness motivation. Cross Country and Track races are mine, but soon it will be marathons!
I actually refer to this list myself when I’m in the snacking mood. (Is that conceited?)
Thanks for reading! I am excited for all the new recipes I can’t wait to try and workouts I can’t wait to share. Make it a great Monday :)
Homemade Honey Latte
It’s been a while since I posted a coffee recipe! Once upon a time, Starbucks made a Honey Latte. They were my favorite, and I was hooked. One day, after ordering an Iced Honey Latte, the barista told me they were seasonal, and no longer on the menu. It was honey heartbreak. (But seriously, what season is honey in anyways?!) I have waited for them to return with no luck, until this morning, when I decided to take matters into my own hands.
Golden Goodness
I know honey is practically tea’s best friend, but it sure works with coffee too. If you like your latte’s sweet, this is a perfect alternative to a pump of white chocolate syrup. It’s sweet and delicious and melts into the steamed milk like dulce de leche.
No espresso maker, no problem. All you need is a coffee maker and a stovetop. This was the first time I tried steaming my milk in a sauce pan and it worked out great!
Honey Latte (Version 1)
- 2 shots espresso or 1/4 cup STRONG coffee (like my title ;) )
- 1 Cup (8 fl. oz.) non-fat milk
- 1 Tablespoon pure honey
Heat the milk in a sauce pan. After about 3 minutes, add in the honey and whisk together. Heat until it is steamy, but not boiling. Whisk rapidly to produce a little “foam”.
Pour your espresso/coffee, into your coffee mug. Pour the honey milk into the coffee.
Wanna twist? Try Honey NUT Latte:
Instead of regular non-fat milk, substitute unsweetened Almond Milk, or add a drop of almond extract to your honey milk mixture in the saucepan. Go nuts!
So there, Starbucks. I don’t need your stinkin’ latte, I can make my own :)
Don’t forget to pin this here:
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? :) * * *
Pin This Here!
You may also like:
- College Girl’s Meal Plan
- Healthy Study Snacks
- Nutrition 101
- Tips for Healthy Holiday
- Healthy Grocery Swaps
