School is coming to a close, summer sports tournaments are starting, vacations are ready to be planned, and coffee is a must. Making coffee is the number 1 task in almost every household and, now especially, many of us are finishing our day with is as well, through an espresso martini of course. Let's see how coffee helps our body, besides just being the fuel for our day.
- Drinking coffee regularly could decrease risk of developing type 2 diabetes
- Coffee can protect against some neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
- Coffee is capable of altering fat storage and supporting gut health to help with weight management
- Coffee drinkers are less likely to die from some of the leading causes of death in women including stroke, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease
Recipes:
Coffee-Cocoa Snack Cake (finecooking.com)
- 5 ounces very soft, unsalted Butter
- 1 2/3 cups granulated Sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 teaspoon Table Salt
- 7 1/4 ounces unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 2 1/2 ounces unsweetened natural Cocoa Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 1/2 cups good-quality Brewed Coffee, cooled to warm
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 9-inch-square baking pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a square of parchment, butter the parchment, and then flour the bottom and sides of the pan. Tap out any excess flour.
- If mixing by hand, put the softened butter and sugar in a medium bowl. Using a wooden spoon, cream them until smooth, about 1 minute. Switch to a whisk and blend in the eggs one at a time. Stir for another 30 seconds, until the batter is smooth and the sugar begins to dissolve. (If using a stand mixer, put the butter and sugar in the bowl and, using the paddle attachment, cream until smooth, about 1 minute. Blend in the eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated, about 20 seconds. Then switch to a whisk and blend in the rest of the ingredients by hand.) Mix in the vanilla and salt. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder directly onto the batter. Pour in the coffee. Gently whisk the ingredients until the mixture is smooth and mostly free of lumps.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out with only moist crumbs clinging to it, 40 to 43 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool for 20 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edges of the pan, invert the cake onto the rack, and remove the pan. Invert again onto another rack and let cool right side up until just warm.
Espresso Martini (Preppykitchen.com)
- 2 ounces Vodka
- 1/2 ounce Coffee Liqueur, usually Kahlua
- 1 ounce Espresso
- 1/2 ounce Simple Syrup
- Brew the coffee and let it cool completely.
- Add ice to a cocktail shaker then add the cooled coffee, simple syrup, kahlua and vodka.
- Shake very hard so the foam is formed then strain it quickly into a martini glass. Top with coffee beans, serve.
Blended Coffee Frappe (Foodnetwork.com)
- 2 cups small Ice Cubes
- 1 cup brewed Strong Espresso, cooled
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 3 tablespoons superfine Sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- Whipped Cream and Carmel Sauce for topping
- Put the ice, espresso, milk, sugar and vanilla in a blender. Blend until thick and smooth. Pour into two tall glasses and top with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
