COFFEE

Ah coffee my old friend, where would I be without you? On most days crankier and more tired, that’s for sure. Sure, like most coffee-drinkers I’ve gone cold turkey at one time or another, usually swayed by the latest study that tells us coffee is addictive (which it is), can increase blood pressure or our risk of heart disease. But the fact is, coffee makes me happy, and as it turns out, it actually has a lot going for it.
In fact, the balance seems to have tipped in coffee’s favour in the past few years, with numerous studies espousing its benefits (when drunk in moderation) – namely, that it’s high in antioxidants, can improve athletic and mental performance and may lower our risk of dementia and heart disease (that’s right, conflicting studies claim it increases and lowers risk of heart disease, go figure).
So until some compelling evidence tells me otherwise, I’m sticking with my one or two (OK, sometimes three) cups of coffee a day. And I’ve even got the perfect coffee concoction (I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a recipe) for those times when you’re hungry, thirsty and tired all wrapped up into one… which seems to fit the bill for me most days!

Coffee protein shake

Ingredients:
One or two scoops of protein powder (I use a pea protein isolate powder that’s gluten and dairy free)
Shot of espresso
One cup of almond milk or cold water
Four or five ice cubes

Method:
Make espresso and pour in glass over ice cubes.
Put almond milk in protein shaker (or blender), add protein powder and shake, then add espresso and ice and shake again. Done! Hungry, thirsty, tired solved. And only 400-600 kilojoules (100-150 calories), depending on your protein powder. You’re welcome.