Like tons of college kids, I'm obsessed with "Riverdale" for its drama, twists and amazing cast. Lili Reinhart, who plays Betty Cooper, has spoken candidly about her experience with mental health, while Camila Mendes, who plays Veronica Lodge, is vocal about her past body image issues. However, one of my favorite members of the "Riverdale" gang is Madelaine Petsch, who portrays fiery, sharp-witted Cheryl Blossom. Petsch is super open about her life to spread positive messages about love and nutrition. The actress, a vegan, recently revealed to People Health what she eats in a day to encourage more plant-based eating, and here's how you can eat like Ms. Blossom herself.
Coffee
Petsch is human: The girl's gotta have her caffeine. To make her morning cup of Joe a little healthier, she told People Health that she uses almond milk as a natural, no added-sugar sweetener. Bonus points if you make your own almond milk so that you know exactly what you're drinking every morning.
Breakfast: Overnight Oats
Because breakfast is indeed the most important meal of the day, Petsch is sure to fuel up with all the essential food groups—carbs, proteins, and fats—with some overnight oats. Overnight oats are filling and super easy to meal prep for on-the-go, busy days. Petsch says she loves topping her oats with chia seeds, cacao nibs and raspberries for some Omega 3s and antioxidants.
Midmorning Snack: Apple Slices with Almond Butter
To tide her over until lunch, the actress snacks on apple slices with almond butter. Almond butter is not only delicious, but it's also high in nutrients, vitamins and healthy fats, making this snack the perfect combination to satisfy your sweet tooth and hunger.
Lunch: Spinach Salad with Green Goddess Dressing
Because Petsch is vegan, she loads up on the greens and grains for lunch, preferring a large salad for sustainable, unprocessed energy. She takes two cups of spinach as the base for her salad, and tops it with walnuts, chickpeas and cranberries for texture. Then, it's tossed together with vegan green-goddess dressing for flavor.
Midday Snack: NuGo Slim Bar
The afternoon slump is the worst, so when she's feeling peckish, Petsch munches on NuGo's Slim Crunchy Peanut Butter protein bar. NuGo is not like other protein bars, as it's vegan and gluten-free. With flavors like dark chocolate pretzel and vanilla yogurt, you're bound to find one that you'll have to stock up on.
Dinner: Broccoli "Steak"
Something I've personally never heard of before, Petsch's dinner consists of broccoli "steak," which is essentially broccoli heads tossed in oil, paprika, salt and pepper, then baked. Topped with Daiya (vegan) cheese, black beans and brown rice, this filling, satisfying meal is like a copycat of a Chipotle burrito bowl (without the meat), so you won't even have to force yourself to eat broccoli for its health benefits.
Dessert: Vegan Ice Cream
Finally, to end the day on a sweet tooth, the actress says she has ice cream. No, not that processed, dairy stuff you buy at the grocery store. She makes her own, using one simple ingredient: frozen bananas. All you have to do is freeze a ripened banana, throw it into a food processor, and blend it until it's a super creamy consistency. Feel free to add chocolate chips or peanut butter to spice things up.
Throughout the Day: Water
Of course, I had to save the the most important part of Petsch's diet for last: her hydration. The redheaded beauty drinks 11 to 13 500-ml bottles a day for clear skin and flushing out toxins. It may sound like a lot, but it can be achieved using these super helpful, easy tips.
Petsch's diet, though vegan, is not super extravagant or difficult to follow. In fact, it's pretty straightforward. Packed with tons of non-processed, natural ingredients, Petsch's diet is one that we can all take a tip or two from—like, maybe try to integrate more veggies, whole grains and water into our lives.