How To Make Mochaccino Coffee

If you are trying to watch the carbohydrates in your diet, then you may want to try this Mochachino with Ricotta Cheese. It’s great for those of you who love the taste or texture of ricotta and wonder how it would taste like a drink! We have even added some vegan ingredient substitutes depending on your diet.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of dark, boiled or brewed coffee, at room temperature
• 1/2 half cup of ricotta cheese or silken tofu for vegans
• 2 packets of honey or artificial sweetener
• 1 tablespoon of soy milk or coffee creamer
• 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla bean or vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon of ground cacao powder or cocoa powder
• 1 full tray of ice cubes

Directions:

Pour all coffee into a high or medium powered blender, and add the sweeteners, vanilla, cocoa, cheese or tofu, ice cubes and creamer. Once this is done, place ice cubes on top of the mix. Puree until at a smooth consistency, and pour into glasses.

Enjoy!

Image: Ihavenet

Read More

Coffee: Health Benefits and Concerns

Coffee is a drink that is and always has been in constant debate. The constant questions of are: Is it right for you? Is it bad for you? How much is too much? Can you really give up coffee altogether? These are questions coffee drinkers are always being reminded of in today’s health conscious society. Many people have heard friends and loved ones voicing concerns over their coffee drinking. Yet, many of us turn to that cup or two of Joe every morning and sometimes in the afternoon, as well. So, what are the answers to these questions? Are we safe drinking coffee?

Most people have probably heard of all of the illnesses and issues that coffee causes allegedly. Everything from stunting the drinker’s growth to promoting the growth of cancer cells has been linked to coffee, or has it? Studies in the past were often conducted without taking other factors into consideration. Luckily, many studies are conducted on drinking coffee. Other factors are realized and noted during the survey, and the results may be shocking.

The good news is that coffee has not been linked to cancer cell growth or heart disease. Recent studies included factors like smoking and obesity along with the coffee drinking. Drinking coffee in large amounts over an extensive period of time can cause some health issues like an elevation in cholesterol levels. Also, if your body has trouble metabolizing the coffee, it can affect the heart. The faster the body metabolizes the coffee, the better.

While that is good news, one has to wonder if there are any health concerns for coffee drinkers. There is some concern for the excessive coffee drinker. The moderate coffee drinker does not have to worry as much about these issues because they are spacing out their coffee intake and allowing the body to consume other drinks, other vitamins, and other nutrients.

One concern for coffee drinkers, especially large amounts of coffee, is the caffeine in coffee. Caffeine is a mild stimulant, and it can be addictive. The caffeine could increase the heart rate, elevate the blood pressure, and promote a suddenly irregular heart rate. These are typically temporary conditions that occur during the coffee intake, but it can become a serious issue if not monitored. Also, these are usually evident when large amounts of coffee are being consumed on daily basis.

It has been confirmed through research and continuous studies that coffee drinking, in moderation, is not harmful. Actually, the results show that moderate coffee drinking has many benefits. For starters, coffee drinking can protect the body against diseases like type 2 diabetes, liver cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and gallstones. The coffee has also been recognized as depressing the growth of cancer cells in the colon. The benefits of coffee can sometimes be witnessed by those around the coffee drinker because coffee has also been known to improve cognitive function and strengthen endurance.

Many of us drink coffee because it gives us a boost. You may drink coffee to wake up in the morning or to stay awake during the day. Long shifts on the job, late night studying for a test, or simply remaining alerted during dinner sometimes require the help of coffee. This is normal and considered a good idea. Keep in mind that studies show that drinking coffee in small amounts throughout the day will help you remain alert. This is especially true if you are not adequately rested. Perhaps you did not sleep well last night and have to go to work or school; coffee will help you stay alert and get through the day. Instead of drinking 8, 12, or 16 ounces all at once, try dividing the coffee into a couple of ounces every so often. The continuous flow of coffee will generate alertness for longer periods of time.

Drinking coffee has been and always will be a personal choice, but understanding what the health concerns or benefits are can help you make a wise choice. The adage, everything in moderation, should be kept in mind when deciding what to drink. While coffee does not have the health concerns many thought it did, it is not sensible to drink only coffee all day long.

Image: Flickr

Read More

How to Make Black Tea

When you would like to create a proper black tea, there are some basic steps in doing so. To begin, you will need to gather together the supplies and ingredients that you’ll need. While some people might like to add milk, a sliced lemon, or sugar, other people might only want a basic black tea.

To start, you will need

• tea leaves
• a tea grinder
• a kettle
• a kettle screen
• tea cup
• warming cloth
• lemon, sugar
• milk
• stirring spoon
• treats (optional)

The kettle should be filled with hot tap water and placed on the stove. While the tea leaves are being prepared, the kettle water should be warming. Also, if you would like to add milk to your tea, you might also want to start warming your milk as well. However, others might like to add the milk to their tea cold.

Some tea leaves come whole; this way people can grind the leaves down themselves when they’re ready to make tea. This results in a fresh cup of tea every time. People might also opt for a mortar and pestle to put the leaves into, so that they can be broken into leaf shards that are capable of brewing. Still, other tea leaves are already ground in the tea bag. Whatever type of black tea leaf preparation that the person chooses, it’s important that the leaves are fresh.

After the black tea leaves have been ground, you can then go ahead and add them to the tea kettle. By now, the tea kettle water should have warmed to the point where it needs to be at to brew the tea leaves. The leaves should be brewed according to the specific tea manufacturer’s instructions.

In most cases, this is anywhere from three to five minutes. Although, other teas might take as long as ten minutes to brew; a rule of thumb to remember is that the longer tea leaves are brewed for, the stronger the tea and the caffeine content will be.

After the tea has finished brewing for the specified amount of time, it can then be taken off the stove top and strained to remove the tea leaves from the finished brew. To keep the tea kettle warm, you can wrap it in a cloth to insulate the warmth in the kettle container.

To pour a refreshing cup of tea, simply pour yourself some black tea into your tea cup, and add milk, sugar, or a lemon wedge if you’d like. If desired, you might also want to cut yourself a piece of cake, or have a few oatmeal cookies with your black tea.

Read More