Hack Your Morning Coffee

If you've met me. you might know that I'm a coffee aficionado. More like a coffee freak. I didn't drink coffee until college because I was raised by a British mother and we drank tea at home. No coffee at all! But once I met my husband, I discovered a deep love not just for him, but for the coffee habit.

We make coffee from scratch at home. That is, we grind beans fresh for each cup. Although we had a local source of freshly roasted beans in Maryland, we now make do with organic beans from Aldi or Costco.

We have always been purists when it comes to our morning coffee. No flavors. Nothing artificial. I do like half and half in my coffee, but no sugar, no sweetener of any kind. But a few months ago, we started adding collagen to our coffee.

And then things began to spiral out of control...

We are now adding SO MANY different powders to our morning blend, the coffee station has become crowded with jars and equipment. And that's not the only change around here.

First of all, I'm starting my day with green tea instead of coffee. I want to try to extend my fast and my coffee has now become a MEAL. So I drink some green tea when I first get up, then wait at least 2 hours before drinking my coffee.

And when I prepare my one and only cup of coffee, I start by blending collagen, inulin, maca, and cacao into my half and half. I add the fresh coffee extract (we make this with an Aeropress coffee extractor) and hot water. The completed beverage is rich, thicker than regular coffee, and very tasty!

Here's a quick run-down of why we make these additions:

We add collagen (flavorless) for added protein and joint health benefits. The inulin (slightly sweet taste) is a pre-biotic fiber that dissolves completely and boosts gut health. Maca powder (slight butterscotch flavor) comes from a tuber grown in the mountains of Peru. Maca is an adaptogen, helps to balance hormonal fluctuations and boost your mood, reducing anxiety and depression. Lastly, the organic cacao powder (rich chocolate flavor) adds theobromine and numerous antioxidants. By combining theobromine with caffeine, you reduce the jitters and keep the alertness. Another optional addition is a tiny sprinkle of Himalayan pink salt. This really brings out all the flavors and is a great way to get added minerals if you will be sweating a lot. (As we do down here in Florida every day!)

There you have it! A cup of coffee that starts your day off right!

Ingredients:

2 TB half and half (or heavy cream, milk, almond milk, etc)
2 scoops collagen powder
1 teaspoon inulin
1 teaspoon maca
1 teaspoon cacao powder

Blend all the above in a large mug using a handheld frother.

1/4 cup coffee extract or espresso
Hot water to taste
Pinch of Himalayan pink salt (optional)

Add coffee and hot water to your cup. Finish with a tiny sprinkle of salt. Taste and adjust as needed for maximum deliciousness. ENJOY!