Upgrade Your Afternoon Caffeine: Collagen Cashew Coffee
Are you looking for an afternoon pick-me-up but want to avoid a bunch of sugar from a Frappucino? I have a great alternative for you!
I am a not-so-secret fan of adding collagen to my coffee – initially it was for the health benefits, but when I tried it, I realized it made it taste better too! It makes coffee creamier, before you even add milk. This is how I usually have my first cup in the morning (plus a little almond milk and monkfruit sweetener).
Then one afternoon, I decided to get creative and add another cream-ifying agent. Enter ground cashews.
Yes, it sounds weird, but blending your cashews makes for a really creamy and rich coffee that tastes, well, nutty.
I think these two things make for the perfect after lunch coffee, but if you need something sweeter, you can also throw a pitted date into the blender. It provides natural sweetness with some nutrients and fiber as added benefits. In my expert opinion, I’d try this both without then with dates and see if you miss the sweetness.
This is the easiest possible “recipe” because it involves putting 3-4 ingredients into a blender and hitting “start.”
But back to my first point, this is a great alternative to Starbucks because you are replacing the sugar and chemicals with a couple of things that have nutritional and energy benefits in addition to the caffeine from a regular cup of coffee:
Cashews:
Healthy fat that gives some satiety (unlike sugar!). Rich in nutrients, including copper, which helps with energy production. That means you get an added energy boost on top of the caffeine.
Collagen:
The most available protein in the body, this helps protect joints, build muscle, minimize bone loss, and keep skin looking young. Plus it adds a nice kick of protein (15 grams or more per scoop)!
Dates (again, optional!):
A variety of nutrients, plus fiber, and it subs in for any sugar alternative chemicals you might otherwise add to coffee.
If you want to give it a try, just brew a pot of coffee and get to blending!
