Chit-Chat and Matcha with @lattes_and_lemons

Sophia is a 19-year-old student at Wake Forest University who has a passion for staying fit and healthy living. She is the women behind the Instagram page @lattes_and_lemons and hopes to inspire others to reach their health goals by sharing her journey.

check out her page here and don't forget to follow her for lots of more yummy recipes to come! 

1. Who is @lattes_and_lemons?

Hi! My name is Sophia and I’m a 19 year old from Boston studying Business at Wake Forest University. I have a huge appetite for all things food and my hope is to inspire others to live, eat and be well through easy and delicious recipes. Food should taste good and make you feel amazing, not one or the other! If I’m not in the library, you can find me at the gym, in a hot yoga class or browsing the aisles of Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.

2. Have you always been so health conscious?

I grew up in a health conscious environment and have always been interested in wellness because both of my parents are healthy eaters. Since some of my best memories have been spent around the table with my family, food has always played an important role in my life. I love my greens but I also love my chocolate, so while I am always one to promote clean eating I believe that life is all about balance.

3. What inspired you to be so passionate about health foods?

Within the last year especially, I suffered with severe acne and hormone imbalance. During this time, I really capitalized on using food for healing and recovery. Learning how nourished my skin and body felt from my diet is when I knew I had a passion for real food.

4. How do you come up with all your delicious recipes? Have you always considered yourself a great cook? Any advise for people who find these pictures and recipes intimidating?

I come up with my recipes by working with what I have on hand and focusing on making things that don’t require too much time, because I know how hard it can be to find time to cook in a busy schedule.  Especially as a college student, I don’t usually have all of the resources that I would have in my kitchen or pantry at home, so I try to make the most out of minimal ingredients. Honestly, I have never really considered myself a true cook! I have fun experimenting with food and am constantly learning. For those who are just beginning their health journey, I would say to start with tweaking one or two ingredients at first. Slowly adjusting can be easier than jumping in all at once.

5. How did you learn about Matcha? 

I first learned about matcha a while back on a trip to Los Angeles. I remember stopping by the famous Urth Caffé and trying a Matcha latte for the first time and loving it! Since I’m not a coffee drinker I prefer drinking Matcha, but I have also made it a habit of adding it to my oatmeal for an easy breakfast.

6. What do you love most about Matcha?

What I love about Matcha is its powerful skin benefits. After struggling with acne, I was thrilled to learn that Matcha has anti inflammatory properties and antioxidants that are really helpful for problem skin. Also, I love how there are so many different ways for you to incorporate it into your diet. Whether you’re drinking a matcha latte or adding it to a smoothie or baked good, you can get really creative with it.

7. What is your favorite Matcha recipe?


One of my favorite ways to enjoy Matcha is by adding it to overnight oats! All you need is:

1 cup of almond milk
½ cup of oats
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1 tablespoon of almond butter
1 tablespoon of chia seeds
1 teaspoon of matcha powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Optional sweetener: 1 tsp maple syrup or honey
Combine all ingredients and store in the fridge overnight.


8. As someone who has made such great choices in food so young, what advice do you have for other young followers who are just starting to learn about healthy eating?

I try to focus on simplicity to help show others that leading a wholesome life should not be over complicated. Being a college student can be overwhelming, so it is important that I am eating foods that will help me feel energized and satisfied, whether that’s enjoying a fudge-y brownie or diving into a big salad. Healthy eating is all about balance and listening to your body; we are all unique and need different things!

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