Cappuccino Coffee

中文：卡布奇诺

Like many coffee enthusiasts, we love roasting and grinding our own coffee beans for espresso drinks.  The fresher they are, the better creama and taste we can get. 

I posted how to roast coffee beans at home with cast iron pan before.

We usually roast several kinds in small batches so that we can compare different flavors from different roast and varieties.

 These are medium roast Guatemala coffee beans

These are dark roast Columbia coffee beans

24 to 48 hours after the beans are roasted which is a reasonable time for them to degas, we can start to brew.

My beloved Breville 870XL  is exacting double shot espresso

Frother the milk; pour and enjoy! O(∩_∩)O~

Lemonade with Chia Seeds

中文：奇亚籽柠檬水

Recently chia seeds have been really popular that several friends recommend it to me.  It is gluten free, high in fiber, antioxidants, protein, omega-3, but low in calories.  All in all, it is a super health food.

I like to add chia seeds to my drinks.  Those tiny seeds are almost flavorless so that they pretty much go with everything.

I bought some cute and beautiful fresh lemons from local farmer’s market.  I make lemonade with them and add chia seeds.  And it is awesome! O(∩_∩)O~

Ingredients：

4 lemons
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons chia seeds
6 to 8 cups of water
fresh mint
ice

Directions：

Roll the lemons on a board for a few seconds.  It helps to make more lemon juice.  Cut each lemon in halves.  Use a citrus squeezer to squeeze out the lemon juice.

3 lemons can make 1/2 to 2/3 cup lemon juice.

Heat 1 1/2 cups of water until it boils.  Add sugar.  Whisk until sugar dissolves.  Allow the simple syrup to cool down to room temperature.

In a large bowl, mix lemon juice, simple syrup, remaining water and chia seeds with a whisk.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Thinly slice 1 lemon.

Stir in ice cubes, mint, and lemon slices.

It is the taste of summer! O(∩_∩)O~

Espresso Coffee Made with Moka pot

中文： 用摩卡壶煮一壶好咖啡

Both my husband and I are really into coffee recently.  Just simply enjoy a cup of freshly ground and brewed coffee and the lazy cozy Sunday afternoons in the street coffee shop with a good book. O(∩_∩)O~

I pick up the habit to make espresso coffee with moka pot http://amzn.to/1nzUBj5 from a couple Italian friends.  Whenever I hang out with them, there is always a pot of freshly brewed coffee on the stove.  It goes so well with cookies and other sweets!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons coffee beans (use more if prefer stronger darker coffee)
1 /1/2 cups water

I use decaf coffee beans bought from starbucks store.

Add coffee beans to a coffee grinder.  Grind for a few seconds

Add water. There is a maximum water mark on the moka pot.  Be careful not to add too much water; otherwise you might end with a coffee mess on the stove. 

Mine is small.  One and a half cups are the maximum capacity.

Load the ground coffee.

Heat over medium high heat

Soon, the coffee will come out from the top.

More and more coffee comes out.  You will need to cover it now or it will splatter everywhere.

When it stops, remove the moka pot http://amzn.to/1nzUBj5 from heat.

Now enjoy it whatever way you like.  My favorite choice is macaroons!

Mixed Berry Smoothie

中文：草莓水果冰沙

I don’t usually make fruit smoothies because they are always too sweet for my taste.  But I like to stock up all kinds of berries to make mixed berry smoothies.  They are refreshing, nutritious, and packed with vitamins and great berry flavor.  O(∩_∩)O~ 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds strawberries
1/2  cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1/4 cup frozen blackberries
1/2  frozen banana
1/3 to 1/2  cup apple juice /water

Remove strawberry calyx, cut into quarters.  Add strawberries into the vitamix (AMAZON this one), along with blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and banana.

Add apple juice / water, and cover with the lid. 

Turn on Vitamix (Amazon linl).  Gradually increase speed from 1 to 8 or 9, and then switch to high. Blend for another 30 to 45 seconds. You might need to use the temper to push fruits down. 

Deep Green Smoothie

中文：绿色蔬菜水果沙冰

My husband always says March is the most depressing month in Michigan, because everywhere else is warm and flowers are starting to bloom but Michigan’s winter shows no sign of leaving.  I can’t agree more. O(∩_∩)O~

I can’t do anything about that, but I can eat more fresh vegetable and fruits! Deep green smoothies have been a breakfast stable.  They are healthy and nutritious, and more importantly, they are quick and fast too!

I always keep deep green mix in the refrigerator. 

Ingredients：

1 pack green mix (5 oz)
1 grapefruit
1 orange
1/2 banana
1/4 cup crushed ice

Directions:

Peel the grapefruit, orange and banana, and cut into bite sizes.  Add to VITAMIX (Amazon link) container.  

And then add crushed ice and vegetable mix. 

Turn on Vitamix.  Gradually increase speed from 1 to 8 or 9, and then switch to high. Blend for another 20 to 30 seconds. You might need to use the temper to push vegetable down. 

Here you go, healthy and delicious in a bottle! O(∩_∩)O~