Nutritious(...?) and Delicious: The Frappe

MMMMM!

I love coffee.  I just do.  Being nutrition-conscious, I often consider quitting this drug.  But I won't do it.  It's too delicious, warm, comforting, and well - I like the way it makes me feel.  Plus it helps... get things moving.... in the morning on a very predictable schedule.

I was a Starbucks barista in college and the love affair was sealed for life.  I thought working at the coffee mecca, I knew about every coffee drink known to man.  I've learned some crazy orders: lattes made with half & half (or even heavy cream!), caramel macchiatos with 6 espresso shots...

After my sister Irene went to Greece in summer 2010, she returned with a recipe for a coffee drink that I didn't know about: THE FRAPPE!!  Or, The Most Delicious And Easy Way To Drink Coffee In The Summer.  Apparently they are all the rage in Greece & Europe, and us dumb Americans haven't caught on yet.  But that's OK because now I'm going to tell you how to make one.

It's starting to get hot in Houston, which means a steaming cup of Joe isn't necessarily super-appealing (although who am I kidding, I'll drink it when it's 100 degF).  Other cold alternatives like frappucinos... just stay away from those, please, except for a once-in-a-while treat.  They are full of sugar and topped with about 300 calories worth of whipped cream.  Iced coffee is good, but not as delicious, fun, and frothy as:

Frappe Ingredients

The Frappe.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp Nescafe instant coffee granules (Must be Nescafe brand otherwise it tastes gross.)
• 1 tsp sugar (you can sub in honey/other sweetener, or exclude altogether..but I've tried it all different ways and plain white granulated sugar is the best)
• 1 tbsp H2O
• Ice
• ~1 cup milk (Soymilk is my milk of choice (protein!), and any kind will do.  Oo, I bet coconutmilk would be good)

Directions:

1. Put the Nescafe, sugar, and H2O in the bottom of a glass and froth it using a milk frother (I have the "aerolatte" - a gift from Reney since she knew it was her fault I got hooked)
2. Fill the glass 3/4 full of ice cubes
3. Pour the milk on top to fill in the gaps, up to the top
4. Use a funky straw and sip your delicious, foamy, refreshing, frappe.

The coffee, sugar & water before frothing...

...and after!

Feel the zing!
xoxo Phae

Oh, also:  It's ok to have up to 200 mg of caffeine a day during pregnancy.  1 cup of coffee has ~100 mg, but keep in mind this measurement is an 8 oz cup and that's never actually what size you pour at home or what size you get at a coffee shop (usually a small is 12 oz).  So for me, I limit myself to 1 "cup" (~12 oz) a day during pregnancy.  Which is sad because Afternoon Coffee is one of my favorite delights and pick-me-ups during the work day. *sigh* ...the sacrifices we make for our children...