Healthy Twists: Sugar Free Green Tea Frap Recipe

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Green tea frap

A sugar-free version of an all-time favourite.

I have been trying to cut processed foods out of my diet lately – part of a larger effort to get healthier, regain some energy and shed a few pounds. The biggest challenge to cutting processed foods is that practically EVERYTHING I love to eat is processed in some way.

The weather in Toronto has warmed over the past week, with temperatures almost reaching 20. Dreams of lounging on my patio, iced beverage in hand with the Wall Street Journal on my iPad (or Martha Stewart Living!) is almost a reality. As temperatures start to swelter, I have often looked to my local Starbucks for some relief in the form of a Green Tea Frappuccino. Green Tea fraps blend the refreshing flavour of matcha green tea and soften it with a bit of vanilla. They are so delicious, I would go through three or four venti-sized green tea fraps per week. Knowing the green tea mixture was a blend of matcha, sugar and likely other additives and the sugar-free vanilla syrup had aspartame in it, I knew I had to come up with my own version of the beverage to continue to enjoy it, guilt-free.

After a bit of experimenting, I found the right blend for a half-sweet version of the drink (and no whip!)

Makes 1 serving. You’ll need:

  • 1 cup of ice cubes
  • 3/4 cup of skim milk (or milk of your choosing. almond would be delicious!)
  • 1.5 teaspoons green matcha powder
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 5 drops of stevia (add more if you prefer it sweeter)

Directions: Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until completely mixed and a little frothy. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

If you don’t have Stevia on hand, consider swapping with one teaspoon raw honey.

As it gets warmer and I drink more of this deliciousness, I want to experiment with adding in some spinach to up the nutritional value – hopefully, without significant alterations to its taste. Expect another post if it goes well!

A New Normal

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A lot has changed since my last update:

  • Work and school continued to take up a majority of my waking hours.
  • I have officially entered my “late” 20s and turned 27 last month.
  • I was selected as the Rotman Graduate Business Council Communications Manager for 2013-2014 – something I’m quite excited about.
  • Tired of my lack of energy, I picked up running again.

    Bright Running Gear!

    How I keep myself cheery while running in the rain: Brights from lululemon & Nike.

The last point in this update is key. It’s so easy to let fitness go to the wayside when things get busy – life literally gets in the way. It’s also easy to forget how much better you feel overall when you eat well and hit the gym (or pavement) three times a week. The bounce in my step has returned since I made physical activity a priority in my life. It seems like such a big commitment to make, but when you think about it, a half hour run is about 2% of your day. It seems less time consuming then.

The hardest part is getting dressed, putting your running shoes on and heading out the door. It’s easy from there. It’s even easier when it gives you an excuse to wear cute running gear. My favourites these days include lululemon’s Two Make it True Running Jacket, Run: Swiftly Tech V-Neck and Run: Inspire Crop II. My colleagues often point out it seems like I spend half my paycheque at lululemon these days, but the items are well worth it! The combination mentioned (and pictured) above are perfect for this time of year – they wick sweat, are comfortable in light rain and with the Two Make It True jacket, I never overheat. Bonus: the jacket is reversible.

On my feet, I wear Nike Free 3.0 – these shoes are utterly amazing and comfortable. I feel like I could run forever in these! The super bright pink adds a nice punch of colour that make me extra happy to put them on.

To keep myself accountable and ensure my commitment to exercising, I’ve signed up for a half marathon in October. This gives me about 6 months to run 21k – I’ve never come close to running that length, but I sure as hell am intent on doing it! To build up, I’ve signed up for a 5k, a 10k and a 16k all before to help me stick to a training schedule so I can build up my endurance.

As for when do I squeeze this in, between work, school and everything else? I find early mornings are the best. It’s quiet outside, you get your run out of the way and you’ve got all these awesome energy to sustain you through-out the day!

How do you make time for fitness?

Back to Normal

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The event name is very misleading.

The event name is very misleading.

Yesterday was my first “day off” in well over a month. I use quotes because it was the first day that I was able to keep my text books closed and my work laptop in my bag without feeling like I would fall terribly behind by not giving either my attention. Of course, the day was spent completing overdue errands (confession time: I hadn’t gone grocery shopping since December) and wrapped up with a lovely dinner with the gentleman.

Our President awarding the winners a giant cheque.

Our President awarding the winners a giant cheque.

Last week, I had my first test of the term – a rather simple one that covered off the basics of statistics right before we dived into the more complicated bits. I was also fortunate enough to be a judge at Rotman’s Annual No Talent Night. I think the “no talent” part is more than a touch misleading, because Rotman’s MBA students are plenty talented. That evening, we witnessed several hilarious stand-up routines, live music and even an amazingly choreographed Bollywood dance. The winning act sang an MBA-ified version of “Billionaire“, complete with beat boxing, that left the other judges and I speechless. It was a fantastic night that reminded me how much fun it is to be part of the Rotman community. Can’t wait for next year’s No Talent Night – I may even be inspired to recruit my partner in crime to pull something together.

As the next few weeks look to be a manageable amount of busy,  I’m very much looking forward to returning to my routine. Which includes cooking! Sundays are usually spent preparing all my meals for the week. All it takes is a 2 hours on Sunday night + a lot of mason jars, and you never have to worry about what you’ll eat for dinner tonight. True story. At some point, if any of my five regular readers are interested, I will share my not too complicated process.

 

Under Pressure

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(Are you hearing the opening bar of the popular Queen/David Bowie number in your head? Cause I sure am!)

I thrive under pressure. Fast-paced environments that nurture my go-go-go mentality are preferable, because my work and energy falters in environments where thatdoes not exist.

Stress Curve

That being said, being human and lacking any powers of the super-hero variety, there is a range in which I produce at optimal efficiency. Too much pressure is a bad thing and when you start experiencing distress, there is a reduction in the quality of your outputs.

This week was one of those weeks where I teetered between distress and exhaustion on that stress/performance curve. Returning to work after overcoming a bad case of pneumonia already h

ad my energy levels below their norm and a few surprises resulted in a very, very, very busy week at the office. On top of that, I was behind on readings for school due to missing class the previous week and I had an 80% paper due this Sunday.

The week is not over yet (one very long essay still needs to be drafted), but surprisingly, I managed to get through the week (largely in part to my supportive colleagues). But there are other things that can help you return the the highest point on the stress/performance curve.

Tonx

1. GOOD COFFEE: Not all busy girls are fuelled by coffee. But if your local Starbucks barista prepares your order as soon as you walk in the door, listen up! You can brew good coffee at home – it helps perk you up at 5 am and keeps you going when you’re writing decks at 10 pm. Instead of hunting for the perfect brew, have it delivered to you. Tonx is a bi-weekly coffee subscription that mails you freshly roasted coffee beans for $38/month. This service is a godsend – no more worrying about picking up quality coffee when you’re about to run out!

2. RELAXING BATHS: Coffee keeps you going, but when it’s time to shut your brain off and go to bed, a 20-minute bath could be your best bet. I’ve never been more thankful for Lush and their creative bath-time treats. This week, I’ve winded down with Twilight & Big Blue bath bombs and The Comforter bubble bar. Add Umbra’s Bamboo & Chrome Bath Caddy, your iPad (in a waterproof case) and your favourite sitcoms to the mix and you’ll go to bed with your mind at ease. Bonus: The drop in body temperature after you get out of the bath will help you fall asleep faster.

3. WRITING: I don’t mean journaling, per say, but my last activity before bed on weeks like this is jotting down whatever I keep ruminating about Often, it’s a list of everything I need to get done the next day. By putting it on paper, I worry less about forgetting what I need to do, which makes for a more restful night. I usually keep a notebook on my nightstand fo this very purpose.

How do you manage crazy weeks? What keeps you sane?

On the Benefits of Early Mornings.

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Twice a week, I have class at the Rotman campus at 7 am. An ungodly hour to many, 7 am and I are pretty much the best of pals. People balk when I tell them my normal wake-up call is around 5 am. When you’re up that early in the morn, getting to class by 7 am isn’t too bad.

While most of my busy busy friends tend to be more night owls than early worms, I am still insistant that the busy girl benefits from waking up when the birds do.

  • Rushing to get ready so you can catch the late streetcar is no way to start your day. Even getting up a half hour earlier lets you get through your morning routine at a more relaxed place.
  • While muffins and breakfast bagels are delicious, they’re not the best (or healthiest) of options to keep you going on those jam-packed mornings. When was the last time you had breakfast at your kitchen table? Steel cut oats, a green smoothie or an omelette on toast take less than 10 minutes to prepare!
  • One thing I never felt like I had time for was reading. Between text books, blogs and the WSJ, I have tonnes of material to go through each week. 30 minutes with the WSJ and a cup of coffee brings me up to speed on everything I need to know before I start my day.
  • Get the little things done. Need to put away your laundry? Do last night’s dishes need to be washed? Take 10 to 15 minutes each morning to clean or organize some part of your apartment. Coming home to a clean, orderly house after a long day of work is such a relief. Plus, if you have guests coming over on short notice, there is less scrambling to do.

You don’t need to wake up at 5 am to accomplish all that! Try waking up 15 minutes earlier every day for a week and try just one of the tips. Your mornings should start to feel calmer.

Refocus.

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Admittedly, I am the worst blogger ever. I’ve wrapped up one term of my MBA, have just started another and updates were far and few between. Documenting my MBA experience is something I am very keen on doing, but there had always been other things I wanted to talk about – this just never felt like the place.

The best part of running your blog? You’re not tied to any particular theme or focus. So I have decided to expand the subject matter a bit, in hopes that by giving myself more room and opportunity to write about topics of interest, I will get into the habit of writing and blogging.

One question I’m constantly asked is how I find time to be in school while working a full-time job and trying to maintain some semblance of a social life. The short answer? I just do it. It’s not easy. School is a lot of work. My job keeps me very busy. It helps that I have a supportive boyfriend, family and friends who understand the constraints on my time. However, with such little free time on my hand, I’ve learned to be more efficient in how I use it. And since there seems to be sufficient curiousity in what those efficiencies are from friends, I’m hoping you, the internets, will find this information useful too.

What I offer serves less as a guide in leading a busy life, but merely the learnings of a twenty-something city girl who is trying to keep up with it. Life doesn’t have to be an either/or. You can get stuff done and indulge in the finer things it has to offer. Or at least, I intend to.

Stated vs. Real Needs

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A stated customer need isn’t a real customer need. As I’ve written, one of the dirty little secrets of innovation is that consumers lie. They don’t even accurately report behaviors they follow today, let alone things they might do in the future. This isn’t out of malice; our brains just aren’t good at this task.

- Scott Anthony, Don’t Make These Mistakes When Entering a New Market

Change

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The leaves are starting to turn. Slowly and then all at once, the green will fade and the last remnants of summer will be gone. The weather will become crisp and cool and we’ll find comfort in cups of hot tea and warm wool sweaters as opposed to Frappucinos and the refreshing cool of a fan.

I always saw Autumn as a metaphor for the new school year. With every September comes an opportunity for change, an opportunity to try harder than the year before. To become better so once spring arrives and the scent of cherry blossoms ever so gently wafts through the air, you are new again.

The metaphor hits harder this year than any of my back-to-school experiences of the past. My first month integrated into the Rotman experience has already made a marked change in my life. The rumours are true – it’s hard, there is a lot of work and events to attend and you find yourself tired on most days (a drastic change for a bubbly, energetic person such as myself), but you cannot help but find the entire experience is fun and rewarding. My introduction to the Rotman curriculum started with a six day intensive week where we covered off Foundations of Integrative Thinking and Negotiations. It’s a lot of material to fit into six days (we finished each class in three), but the experience frames your thinking perfectly for what is to come.

Better yet, it really helped me get to know my class and the Evening 2015 cohort. I am so grateful to be part of a class of smart, wonderful people. Friendships formed quickly and laughs were had. I am so so pleased to have strong, supportive classmates with me on this three year journey.

Of course, an MBA isn’t all hard work. One of the things that really surprised me about Rotman is not only how they make an effort to coordinate numerous social offerings to bring everyone together to blow off a little steam, but how adamant they are about incorporating the Morning/Evening MBA students. We were invited to join the Full-Time students at Orientation Camp over the Labour Day long weekend (DO NOT PASS UP ON THIS, it is so much fun!). Although only 12 of us attended (about 10%), it was such a great opportunity to get to know the Full-Timers better – what an awesome bunch! I personally found that it made it a little easier to come out to all of the other social gatherings Rotman invites us too. It’s been great to see some friendly faces at these shindigs.

The Rotman Graduate Business Council also coordinates regular pub nights, parties and events for us to attend. With morning classes, everyone tends to jet out of class at 9AM to get to work, leaving little time for mingling. It’s awesome that we get a chance to get together after a long work day to relax and chat.

The biggest change so far has been the integration of morning classes into my life. I’ve mentioned that I am a morning person and waking up at 5AM is easy peasy. What I didn’t anticipate was how much 2 hours of early morning active thinking can tire a gal out. I just wrapped up my first week of classes and Rotman events and the 11 hours of sleep I got on Saturday night was definitely needed. It’ll take some time, but I look forward to the day where I better adjust to classes, studying, work, events, socials and of course, seeing friends and family. I feel like I’ve dived into MBA life head first and am determined to keep my head above water!

For anyone considering an MBA, part-time or full, the one take-away is that you are entering an exhausting journey. But if you try to make the most of it, the exhaustion is totally worth it.

Where is Yasmine?

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That is the subject line of emails I send around at work to explain any absences. Fret not, handful of readers! I have not abandoned this blog, nor do I plan to. There is a massive post coming up to recap my first three weeks as an MBA Student. I’ll get back to the minimum-one-post-a-week habit following that update.

(Not really a surprise, but it’s been an amazing experience to date!)

A solid introduction.

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The Morning/Evening MBA orientation this weekend was such a great kick-off to the program. It was wonderful connecting with all 110 students from the class of 2015. Friendships have already formed and I can’t wait to strengthen them over then next three years (and hopefully, beyond!)

Aside from the mingling, the single best part of the orientation was all the presentations by Rotman’s truly world-class faculty. Never have I been more motivated and excited to learn. The presentations (and challenges) by Joshua Gans, Jim Fisher, Scott Rutherford and Geoff Leonardelli were not only captivating, but clearly outlined the type of thinking Rotman teaches. Classes have yet to begin and I’m already learning. My approach to problem solving and decision making is starting to change.

(The Casino Night hosted by the Upper Year MBA students wasn’t half bad either. I found myself doing quite well at the Blackjack table.)

And now, I’m off to prep myself for my first full day of classes tomorrow. Foundations of Integrative Thinking, here I come.