I love the smell, and taste, of roasted coffee. I can still remember the first time I ever drank it. I was a young girl. My father liked coffee, but my mom never did, so we never really had it around the house. My dad used to take me to Starbucks and buy me mocha's. They were so good, I can still remember them now!
Several years ago, after a little education, I made the conscious decision to stop drinking coffee. Not because it tasted bad, but because it was bad for me. I found out that caffeine is a drug. And sad to say, I was addicted to it. Drugs affect our brain (and our whole body) in negative ways. So, staying away from anything that will cause me harm was a huge decision to make. Another fact is that, coffee is one of the most acidic substances we can put into our bodies. When we consume very acidic foods, our bodies don't run like they should. Cancer and other deadly diseases thrive in acidic environments, so staying away from a substance like coffee is a smart decision for anyone.
Thankfully, there are some coffee substitutes out there (of which, make life delightful). They are simply made from roasted barley and/or chicory that come to have the same flavor as coffee. So, a recipe like this is a nice treat for someone who wants a little bit healthier option, but still wants a nicely flavored drink that tastes just like any coffee house favorite!
Yummy Cappuccino
yields: 2 servings
2 cups milk (soy, rice, or almond)
2-3 TB maple syrup
1 TB powdered coffee substitute (Roma, Caffix, or Pero)
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of sea salt
For iced cappuccino: Blend everything for up to a minute, then put in 6-8 ice cubes, blend until smooth, serve. Or just serve over ice cubes. (This one is my favorite!)
For hot cappuccino: Blend everything for up to a minute, whisk constantly in saucepan over medium heat until it's almost to a simmer. Serve.
Note: For a "double-shot" Cappuccino: add 2 TB coffee substitute instead of 1 TB. And you may desire to add whipped topping to the top for a real coffee house experience.
Update: When I make this, I always double the recipe and add the seeds from 1 grade A vanilla bean scraped. And its a-ma-zing! (And its really good with a few TB of org. Cocoa powder added, to taste, if you would like to make a "Mocha.")
