Friday, July 31, 2015

Snatch Balance

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Tips to Excite your Morning Cup of Joe
Written by Cat Blatner

Ok, coffee addicts – let’s talk!

Many of us live with a wonderful caffeine addiction that is satisfied every morning when we wake up simply because we get to have our little slice of coffee heaven. When you go into your favorite coffee shop, it can be a challenge to ignore all of those calorie dense, dessert-like options. Between the lattes and frappuccinos, there are a very large number of sugar-filled coffee drink options.

Remember – these can hurt your nutrition goals and set you up for a sugar crash later in your day.

The easiest way to avoid this dilemma is to brew your own pot or french press your coffee at home, and I am here to give you a few options to spice up your homemade cup. This will not only save you from being lured in by those delicious sugary treats, but it can also save you a lot of money. Spending $3 or $4 a day for a tasty cup of coffee can certainly add up quickly!

Here are a few fun options to make your morning coffee exciting and delicious while keeping it healthy.

Tip 1: Add cinnamon or cocoa to your grounds

This is one of my favorite little tidbits and it’s super simple! Get a fantastic cinnamon taste by mixing a small scoop of cinnamon into your favorite coffee grounds before you brew.

Tip 2: Bulletproof

I’m sure many of you have tried bulletproof coffee by now; but just in case you haven’t, you need to give it a go. Add some coconut oil or unsalted grass-fed butter to your coffee and give it a good blend. I recommend using a magic bullet or whatever super mixer you have at home.

Note: Make sure you measure out your fat of choice – it doesn’t take much butter or oil to froth up your cup. I would recommend staying between 1-2 tablespoons of either of these. Remember, these are fats, so try not to go overboard as they can add a huge number of calories to your diet for the day and cause you to exceed your allotted fat intake if you’re paying attention to your macros.

Tip 3: Protein Powder

This is your one stop shop – an easy and delicious way to add protein to your coffee. Blend your favorite protein powder into your cup and enjoy a latte-like indulgence. I recommend using a vanilla protein but chocolate is not a bad choice either. My number one pick is UR Nutrition’s Vanilla Recovery Blend. It blends really well and doesn’t leave chunks!

Tip 4: Put it all together

If you really want a cup of awesome, take tips 1-3 and put them all together! You will be blown away by this flavorful, nutrition packed, frothy paradise of coffee goodness.

Tip 5: Ice Ice Baby!

Looking for something a little cooler for those hot summer days? You can make a cold brew, frozen version of your favorite coffee. First, I would recommend freezing some coffee in an ice cube tray. Once frozen, add the coffee ice cubes, some chilled coffee, coconut milk, and your protein powder into a blender and mix until you have reached your desired consistency.

Here’s the running schedule leading to the Spinx and Savannah Rock and Roll Series races. Join us on Saturdays at 6 am to run!

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