University Life Uncovered | Part 2 - Diet

Hi! So today's blog will be a "What I eat in a day at uni". I feel like this blog is suitable as most people think of pot noodles and poor eating when they hear the term student. I too felt like this was the way to live at uni but not once did I pick up a ready-made meal or even an instant packet like pot noodle or pot rice. Admittedly it is probably due to the fact that I am gluten intolerant amongst having other dietary issues why I made the decision not to buy these products. In fact, being university allowed me to experiment with flavor and cooking, whilst still keeping the cost low. Partway through my time at university, I began to really hate my body and felt incredibly low and so I decided to view food more positively by experimenting more whilst still trying to maintain a healthier lifestyle/
I am also debating starting a youtube channel in which explores university life and keeping fit in more detail so keep an eye out for my post linking you to my youtube channel too!
P.s. to those of you that eat meat, you can always substitute the vegetarian alternatives with meat and those that are vegan can make alterations too :)

Disclaimer: In no way am I saying this is a healthy diet to follow every day, this is simply what I chose to eat in a day whilst at university.

What I eat in a day: 

Breakfast:

Most mornings I am relatively busy unless it is a day where I have no uni or is a weekend, but my typical breakfast is:

• A glass of Alpro Unroasted Unsweetened Almond Milk (13kcal per 100ml) - tastes like marzipan!!
• Dairy-free spread on toast (61kcal per 10g) - two slices of gluten-free (usually Warburtons tiger bread) toast (as the bread is not pre-cut, the calories in a typical slice range between 12 to 30 kcals) 

Lunch:

• Tomato and Mozzarella Plater: (about 362 kcal) 

• 1 or 2 Tomatoes
• 40 grams of Mozzarella 
• Gluten-free crackers (optional)
• Free from pesto
• 16 green beans (optional)
• A few basil leaves (optional)
• Balsamic vinegar to glaze (optional)
• The method is pretty straight forward: 
• If you choose to have the green beans then - Steam green beans until soft or if you want to be fancy then al dente and place at the side of the plate.
• Place the sliced tomato, alternating with mozzarella slices on a plate
• Spread over a thin layer of pesto, or if you would prefer, place a small amount of pesto between each layer of mozzarella. 
• Sprinkle over the basil leaves
• Serve with the crackers. 
• If you would like drizzle over some balsamic vinegar to finalize the dish. 
• Enjoy! 

Dinner:
A classic dinner that is quick and easy on days where I have either got back late or have somewhere to be in the evenings is that of a pasta type. The chosen pasta dish for today is certainly one that is quick, easy and inexpensive!

• Vegetarian bolognese with gluten-free pasta (about 460 kcal - dependant on the pasta) 
• Tinned chopped tomatoes 
• 75 grams of (dried) Gluten-free penne 
• A handful of spinach 
• 75 grams of Quorn mince 
• Chopped peppers
• Tomato puree 
• Basil 
• Mixed herbs - for seasoning
• Peas (optional)
• Carrot (optional)
• Cooking this dish can vary between 10 to 20 minutes depending on your preference of how cooked you like your vegetables.
• Boil the kettle and once boiled pour the water into a saucepan and add the pasta, putting it on high heat. 
• In a separate pan add the peppers, peas, and carrots then begin to fry, once soft enough add in the mince and a splash of water to avoid the Quorn from sticking. 
• Once the mince and peppers have softened, stir in the chopped tomatoes and add a teaspoon of tomato puree (you can add more if preferred), the basil (save 1 or two leaves for the end) and mixed herbs. At this point, you may add more flavors to season it to your taste
• Once the pasta is soft or had the length of cooking you prefer, drain it and place it into a pasta bowl. 
• Now add the bolognese to the pasta and garnish with the leftover basil (feel free to also add cheese).
• Sit back and enjoy! 

Snacks:

I don't always snack so I have decided to put them last as there is never a specific time that I will choose to snack but here is an example of what I might have as a snack.

• Creamy spinach dip with carrot and cucumber sticks (about 248 kcals) 
• A handful of frozen or fresh spinach
• 255 grams of dairy-free natural yogurt
• Handfull of chopped chives 
• Chopped cucumbers
• Chopped carrot (in sticks)
• Celery stick(s)
• Much like the mozzarella, the method is relatively straight forward: 
• Mix together the spinach, yogurt, and chives together. 
• Serve as a dip for the vegetable sticks (cucumbers, carrots, and celery).
• Enjoy!

This is one of my favorite snacks because not only is it super easy to make in advance but any leftover dip can be stored and used the next day or even later on that day. It also doubles up as filling for potato skins when added with some dairy-free cheese! This snack is also high in protein and low in fat which is perfect for those wanting to eat more healthily!

My average daily intake of calories is between 1,204 - 1,500 which I know is on the lower end of the scale for most people, but I am currently in the process of attempting to lose weight and will up my intake once I have reached a weight I am more comfortable with. Additionally, I also drink lots of water throughout the day as well as green tea and "normal" tea with almond milk, so these will also up my calorie intake.
None of the above foods are hard to make or expensive which I think is great when studying at university!
I hope you've enjoyed today's blog and return for my next installment!