I was on the phone with one of my favorite people of all time on Friday as he was pulling through a fast food restaurant.

“Hang on a second,” he said and then proceeded to speak into the intercom, “I’ll have a number 2 with a sweet tea.”

When he resumed our conversation he quickly blurted, “Don’t lecture me.”

Who, me?

Lecture!?

Never!

I typically don’t eat fast food so for all I know the number 2 he ordered could have been a spinach salad with balsamic vinaigrette and a side of baked sweet potato fries, right? Right!

Now while it’s rare that I eat fast food, it is not so rare that I stop for a drink at a fast food restaurant.

My friend Kelly has been raving about the coffee at McDonald’s for months, so this weekend I finally decided to give it a shot. Since it was really McSteamy out, I was thrilled to find out that I could get an iced coffee made to order…black. No cream, no sugar, no added calories, no added fat. And guess what? It was McDreamy!

I’ll go back. And, when I do, I just might suggest they add a side of almonds or a protein shake as an option to have with my afternoon McPickmeup. They can call it something clever like a Happy Snack…now that would be number 1!

Now I really must go work on my speech for Ronald and then hit the gym…I’ll ketchup with you later!

I like my iced coffee like my personal trainers, strong and not bitter. So when I discovered a better way to make iced coffee I was pumped.

I used to just make iced coffee by brewing a pot of coffee and pouring it over ice—the result? Cold, bitter coffee. Not grande. Now I make the perfect pitcher of iced coffee in just 3 easy steps…

• Combine 1/2 pound of coarsely chopped coffee beans with 5 cups water and let it sit for 12 hours (not hard and yes you can double this recipe)
• Strain coffee into a pitcher using a colander lined with cheesecloth, a coffee filter, or a paper napkin (right, Carrie?)
• Pour over ice and dilute with additional water or your favorite milk to taste (an important step as this brew will be venti strong!)

Now let’s address your questions:

• What if I like my iced coffee like my personal trainer…a little sweeter? Then it’s time to get a new trainer! Kidding! To sweeten the pot, simply add a little natural sweetener like stevia and/or a tablespoon or two of your favorite protein powder.
• I can’t possibly drink the entire pitcher in one day how long will it keep? You can store the coffee in the fridge for a good week or two, maybe even three.
• My doctor suggested that I limit my caffeine. Will decaf coffee work? Silly question.
• Are there health benefits to drinking coffee? Great question! I am not a doctor, but I asked WebMD and a few other sources and discovered there have been many studies about the perks of coffee including its benefits to athletic performance and recovery. Here’s what Dr. Terry Graham has to say on the subject…

” …[caffeine] signals you to ignore fatigue or recruit extra units of muscle for intense athletic performance. Caffeine may even have a direct effect on muscles themselves, causing them to produce a stronger contraction. But what’s amazing about it is that unlike some performance-enhancing manipulation some athletes do that are specific for strength or sprinting or endurance, studies show that caffeine positively enhances all of these things.”

[Disclaimer: Talk to your doctor about caffeine and drink responsibly]

• But what if I don’t like coffee? This does not surprise me. I just read this statistic on Livestrong.com that only 54% of people in the U.S. drink coffee everyday. I don’t get it. But to answer your question, I suppose if you are one of the people that can pass up a cup of coffee, you can pass this recipe on to 54% of your friends.

Now I really must go grab a cup of  coffee, my trainer said we’re going to hit the grounds running!