coffee & coconut cream ice cubes.

iced coffee season is upon us!

i know that a lot of people prefer to drink iced coffee drinks year-round, soo.. even better!!

here are some fabulous little flavorful ice cubes - made with brewed coffee and coconut cream - that will keep your iced coffees and cold brews from getting watered down. and they add some flava & sweetness.

i don't like getting half way through an iced coffee and having it taste like h2o + a light residual trace of coffee. i just want da coffee! so i made these coffee ice cubes. for my coffees. coffee coffee coffee.

i reeeally like coffee + coconut flavors, so i made these ones with coconut cream and coconut extract. if you're not a coconut fan, you could use a different kind of milk or cream that you like and perhaps vanilla extract or some sort of caramel flavoring or whatever floats your personal iced coffee boat.

this is super easy and requires just 4 ingredients and a good amount of time in the freezer.

i froze these cubes for a full 24 hours before taking them out of the tray. the results were just what i wanted - extra coffee flavor + creamy coconut flavor + a hint of sweetness.

you could totally use multiply this same recipe to make coffee coconut cream popsicles! i wish that i had frozen half popsicle sticks into some of these cubes, because i ended up just eating the last few cubes on their own :) they're tasty and refreshing.

i heart popsicles.

Coffee & Coconut Cream Ice Cubes

Time: 10 minutes hands-on + 24 hours in the freezer

Ingredients:

• 2 cups strong brewed coffee
• 1/2 can (7 oz) canned coconut cream (I use Trader Joe's)
• 2 tsp. coconut extract
• 2 TB raw sugar*

*i would use agave nectar instead of raw sugar if you prefer a "more natural" sweetener - although i'm not entirely sure how natural agave truly is. but it tastes good and you only need to add a small amount to get the sweetness - i would probably use 1 TB agave in this ratio.

Instructions-

Brew 2 strong cups of coffee. In a bowl or pyrex measuring cup, whisk all the ingredients together until the raw sugar is dissolved and you have a lump-free liquid. It will help to melt the sugar and the thick coconut cream while the coffee is still hot. 

Pour the liquid into ice cube trays. Place in freezer and freeze until solid. I would recommend 24 hours. 

Add these coffee cubes to your regular cold brew or cold coffees. Be sure to follow proper iced coffee making instructions so that your cold coffee is diluted appropriately and it is not watered down in the first place.

OR cut popsicle sticks in half and freeze them into the ice cube trays for little ice pops!

qp

mocha coconut green smoothie shake.

mmmmmocha coconut. yummerz.

i was thoroughly obsessed with the mocha coconut flavor at starbucks ages ago when it first came out in frappuccino form. cut to me working there for 4+ years during college and such. i consumed alllllllll the mocha coconutty things that establishment had to offer. they're still delightful, but i haven't had one of those sugar blasted concoctions in foreva.

this smoothie/shake came to be after my gum surgery when i reeeeeeally wanted to drink coffee, but couldn't have hot liquids yet. i suppose i could have made iced coffee, but i was hungryyyyyyy too. 

i can't quite call this a healthy green smoothie because there is ice cream in it. haha. well when you have a lame gum surgery there are only a few things to eat worth looking forward to. so the chocolate ice cream stayed. 

one could use a few tablespoons of cocoa powder as an alternative, but the texture of the ice cream adds some goodness to the beverage. if you don't want to use ice cream, perhaps do 2-3 TB of cocoa powder and 2 bananas for extra sweetness and texture. that sounds goooood, too.

i love aeropress coffee. its so easy to make one cup. easy to clean. its fresh and strong and all the flavor makes it to your cup.

this smoothie shake hit the spot! and i got my coffee fix. and some green nutrients! and ice cream, too. :)

Mocha Coconut Green Smoothie Shake

Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1 banana
• 1 cup spinach
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 3/4 cup chocolate ice cream
• 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee or fresh espresso
• 1 TB coconut syrup OR 2 tsp. coconut extract
• 4 ice cubes
• 1 TB espresso powder (optional)

Instructions-

Brew a strong half cup of black coffee. I use the Aeropress, but you could use 2 shots from an espresso machine, a small strong cup of french press, etc. 

In a blender, add the spinach, greek yogurt, banana and black coffee. Blend until combined. Add the coconut syrup or extract, chocolate ice cream, and ice cubes. Blend again until smooth. If desired, add 1 TB of espresso powder and pulse quickly to incorporate.

Serve immediately and ENJOY!

qp