Sick of eating cereal and ramen for lunch and dinner? Want to spend less money eating out and finally start cooking for yourself? Put down that frozen pizza, because HC’s Health Editor, Sammie Levin, is here to share her daily eats so you can get ideas for healthy, satisfying meals that are easy enough for any time-strapped collegiette to make. After you read Collegiette Eats, your taste buds, wallet and waistline will thank you.
After three flights, two layovers and more than 36 hours of traveling, I finally made it back from Thailand. I can safely say I will not be eating pad Thai or curry for several weeks to detox after OD’ing on it. Yesterday was my only day at home in Boston before heading back to Ann Arbor, Michigan. I’ve never really been into cleanses or detoxing, but I do think that after eating a lot for a while (e.g., during holidays or vacation), I feel like I need a day or two of especially healthy eating to de-bloat and get back on track mentally.
Here’s what I ate to transition out of a vacation full of dining out into a semester of what I hope will be filled with healthy eating!
Breakfast
For breakfast yesterday, I made banana peanut butter toast. I took a thick slice of multigrain bread, spread both sides with coconut oil and grilled it in a Panini press so it would be warm and crispy. Then I topped it with natural peanut butter, banana slices and a spoonful of raisins, and then drizzled some honey on top. I finished the rest of the banana on the side with a little more peanut butter.
Lunch
It may be a snowpocalypse out there, but it’s never too cold for a smoothie. I was in the mood for one yesterday, so I blended one up for lunch. After a period of food overload, something light yet packed with nutrients, like a homemade fruit and vegetable smoothie, can help me get back into the mindset of healthy eating.
In the mix:
- 1 cup frozen mixed berries
- 2 pitted dates
- 1 6-oz container Chobani Greek yogurt (black cherry flavor)
- ½ cup almond milk
- 1 big handful of spinach
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
I ate a handful of cashews while sippin’ on my smoothie. The combination of the lightly salted, crunchy cashews with the smooth, sweet smoothie was delish.
Dinner
I barely had any salad in Thailand, so I made one for dinner last night. It consisted of spinach, a can of tuna, half of a can of chickpeas and chopped cherry tomatoes and carrots. I dressed it with about a half tablespoon of olive oil mixed with a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.
Time to head to the airport to go to Ann Arbor—I'm ready to be back there but not ready for the work to start. Ugh.