How to Lighten Up Your Life One Latte at a Time…

September 26, 2011 at 1:00 pm · Filed under 9-to-5 Survival Guide, BE Cooking, BE Healthy, Recipes and tagged: 9-5 survival guide, americano, breakfast, coffee, coffee drinks, drinks, easy recipe, Food, healthy indulgence, healthy living, latte, low calorie, recipe, recipes, sweet, tips & tricks

This past weekend I had the amazing opportunity to be part of a Women’s Retreat at a lodge on a small lake in Northern Idaho. It was just a quick weekend get-away, but being away from home and on the road makes it difficult to stick to a normal diet. I am all about indulging when I am away, because I know that since I am a fairly “healthy” eater when I am at home, I can indulge when I am on the road.

As my husband tells me, you don’t put the weight on overnight, and you don’t take the weight off overnight…it is a process. So indulging every once in a while is not a bad thing!  (I have to constantly remind myself of this fact, and you should too!)

When I am on the road — I still need my coffee. Now with all of the instant options, it is easy to make a cup anywhere (even if you climb to the top of Mt. Rainer, you could enjoy a hot cup of Joe as long as you can heat the water). Hmmm, note-to-self, invent a way to heat the water instantly without the constraints of power. Surely if we can put a man on the moon, my coffee cravings can be satisfied anywhere on Earth.
 
I truly could indulge in an iced latte everyday (ok, let me be real: everyday, multiple times a day).  Because of my great love for coffee and anything sweet; this combination can be deadly.  So in an attempt to save my waistline I have been determined to lighten up my latte. Here is what I have discovered works the best to trick your taste buds, but still maintain the latte satisfaction.

Instead of ordering my usual Grande Iced Vanilla Latte – Hello, 250 calories, 6 g of Fat — try skinning it up! The closest variation that I have created to trick my taste buds is the following:

Order a Grande Iced Americano (3 shots) with Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup – with a splash of half and half — Hello 50 calories, 2 g of Fat. This simple combination can be doctored in anyway depending on how you like your espresso.

If you like your coffee drinks sweet, add an additional packet of Splenda. If you like your coffee drinks lightened with creamer, try a couple of splashes of half and half, and make up the difference with skim milk. Just remember that the more milk you add, the higher the calorie count.

This coffee house drink helps keep me on track when I get a craving for a latte. However, I remind myself, that every once in a while, it is ok to indulge in the real thing!

-Heather @ BloomEveryday

What is your favorite coffee house drink?

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