Coffee Smoothies

Few non-alcoholic drinks inspire musicians to make songs out of them. (Commercial jingles don’t count). But if that musician was Johann Sebastian Bach, who was the pinnacle of the Baroque style in music, then the drink must be really special. Could you guess what that drink is?

It was coffee. In 1732, he wrote the coffee cantata where he hailed coffee as “the most precious of blisses”.

Coffee originated in Ethiopia. The first wild coffee bean plant could be found there. It was soon discovered and popularized by the Islamic world.  For them, coffee was the mainstream alternative to wine and other alcoholic drinks. The drinking of wine had to be hidden in tavern-like Christian monasteries. Coffee was a social drink and coffee shops sprung up everywhere. Like other good Islamic ideas, it found its way to Europe where it also grew popular. From Europe it went to the Americas. Nowadays, 75% of all the caffeine consumed in the United States comes from coffee.

Coffee is a stimulant. It’s praised for its ability to raise alertness. It’s also addicting. Coffee can affect the body negatively. Caffeine has been blamed for health problems like increased blood pressure, irregular heart rate and heart disease. But if there’s a bad side to coffee, there’s also a good side. Coffee is rich in antioxidants, which prevent cell damage and controls inflammation. The same coffee that can increase your risk for cardiovascular diseases, also decreases your risk of type-2 diabetes. Coffee can also reduce the risk of gallstones, liver damage and gallstones. Coffee both gives and takes things away.

Few can deny the popularity of coffee. In city centers everywhere, there seems to be a shop exclusively selling coffee at every corner. The drink is featured every time a character in a movie or TV has breakfast, goes to work, takes a break (‘a coffee break’) or relaxes. It has invaded every aspect of our lives. Coffee is everywhere. Even in smoothies.

For the best smoothie taste, coffee beans should be kept as fresh as possible. Store coffee in an airtight container with a rubber seal and keep it in a cool, dry place. Never store coffee beans in the freezer or refrigerator. Moisture will ruin the flavor of the coffee. If you have to freeze the beans, make sure moisture and air won’t get in. Don’t re-freeze the beans once it thaws. Remember to consume the coffee within two weeks.

This is one of my favorite smoothie recipes:

Mocha Java Smoothie

• ½ cup vanilla soy milk
• ¼ cup tofu, cubed
• 1 banana, peeled and sliced
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp instant coffee
• 1 cup crushed ice

Combine the ingredients in a blender and blend them all until smooth. Pour into a tall glass. Enjoy!