Coffee

Coffee Reduction

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For the past couple of months it was getting harder and harder for me to drink coffee.

I’m not quite sure why but I could barely get through one cup of coffee before I had to tap out.  I could tell it was too much caffeine and I had to stop.

Before I used to drink two cups in the morning, not because I needed it, but because it was a nice little treat.  Then all of the sudden my body just said no.  I’ll pass on the coffee thanks.

Scott on the other hand, needed it.  If he didn’t have it then he would get the horrible debilitating caffeine headaches.  So we had coffee each morning so Scott could get through his day.

Lately though, he also didn’t seem to want much coffee.  Last month he was on a business trip and away for a week.  His travel companions didn’t drink coffee and so there was none to be had in the rental house they were staying in.  He went out for coffee once and didn’t have coffee the rest of the trip.

No headaches either, which was pretty amazing.

He came home and we discussed giving up coffee.  The next morning we didn’t have any coffee.

It’s been a month now with no coffee and things are going well.  What amazes me the most is how much time and money we’re saving by not drinking coffee.

It would take Scott hours to get through two cups of coffee.  HOURS.  So that meant if we needed to run errands we had to wait until he finished his coffee which normally by that point was pushing towards lunch time.

Now?  We can get up, have a quick breakfast and go.  No waiting around!

Coffee is also expensive, well the good stuff is and that’s all anyone should be drinking.  We never purchased coffee out, always made it at home but still a pound of beans is close to $10 or more.  Buying a few pounds at a time is pricey.

Half and Half was also pricey.  We bought local and would buy 3, 1/2 gallons at a time (remember because I don’t go to the grocery store every week).  The cheapest I could find the half and half was at Whole Foods for just under $6 for one half gallon.  That adds up!

I’m kind of in love with not having coffee every morning.  I want it to be a treat, something special we have on Sunday mornings or perhaps while traveling.

I never thought coffee would be something we would give up but I’m really happy that we did.

Do you drink coffee? Do you need it or do you just like it?

Coffee and Cocoa Rub

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You all know that I love a good rub down. Personally I’ll take a well rubbed hunk of animal over a marinated one any day of the week.

And twice on Sundays please.

Because of this I’m constantly creating new rubs and trying out different seasoning combos.

One that I couldn’t get out of my head was using coffee grounds in the rub.

If we had a compost pile or actually planted things around the house, those coffee grinds would be put to good use.  For now they end up getting tossed and I feel like that is such a waste.  I’ve been looking for new uses for them.

Some are to eat and some are for the body.

I decided to try out some of the grounds in a rub and both of us were pretty pleased with the results.

Andrea’s Coffee and Cocoa Dry Rub

  • 1TBSP Coffee Grounds (whatever you used that morning is fine)
  • 1TBSP Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 2tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1TBSP Brown Sugar
  • 3tsp Chili Powder
  • 2tsp Smoked Paprika
  • Pinch Salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and use on chicken, beef, or pork.  You can even use this on veggies or tofu!

I’ve used this rub on a rack of ribs and also on some flank steak.  I prefer it on the steak!  It gave the steak an very lovely deep color as it grilled, along with providing a nice crust on the outside.

I fought Scott over the crispy ends!  We made tacos with the flank steak, grilling up some onions and peppers on the side.

You can also add a bit of oil to the rub to make a paste and use that on veggies or tofu, cooking them however you choose.

The coffee provided more color than it did flavor but the combo of coffee and cocoa did provide a more intense beef taste.

If you drink coffee, try using the grounds in recipes and experiment a little.

And if you’re going to be getting in some grilling because you’re not ready to let that go just yet, give this rub a try!

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food! Enjoy!

Weekly Bite: August 20th, 2011

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While Scott was away coding his little heart out, I was forced to make my own coffee. I realize that this isn’t a very serious problem to most of the world but to me it’s highly annoying.

I like having my coffee ready for me and I don’t really want to have to worry about the process of getting it into my cup. So here I was making crap coffee for myself when I decided to fancy it up just a bit. I have some raw cocao nibs here, which briefly, is raw unprocessed chocolate.  I ground up the nibs in with the coffee beans and then brewed the coffee.

Chocolate heaven!

Newest pasta experiment.  Recipe soon!

My new running shoes.  They are a brand new style of shoe for me and provide a completely different running experience.