I am back at it with the "Food Is Fuel Series", which is designed to help people eat healthy without compromising their busy lifestyles. Next up in this series is my "Killer Keto Coffee" recipes. With the ever expanding pile of research on the benefits of the ketogenic diet, which go way beyond its incredible ability to aid in weight-loss. I have dedicated a several recipes in this series to the ketogenic diet, including these coffee recipes. 

The ketogenic diet is essentially a modified Adkins diet, low carb, no sugar, moderate protein and of course the keto kick is that it is a high fat diet. But fat is bad right? Not really. After recent research and the exposé by the New York Times did on the Sugar Industry paying off scientists, we now know this to be untrue. I cover all of this in more detail in a previous article titled "Fight Fat, With Fat!", available here.

So, lets get to it! It all starts out with organic, fair-trade coffee that I grind fresh every morning. Coffee has many health benefits, mainly because is is an excellent source of antioxidants such as caffeic acid, caffeine, the chlorogenic acids, eugenol, gamma-tocopherol, isoeugenol, p-coumaric acid, scopoletin and tannic acid. These antioxidants help the body with many things. From fighting free radicals that can lead to cancer, to the anti-inflammatory properties, as well as helping slow genetic aging and improve longevity.

Believe it or not, coffee is actually the main source of these beneficial and protective antioxidants in the American diet. Due to the fact that most Americans do not eat enough fruits and vegetables with these very important protective nutrients. I guess people can turn down broccoli or brussels sprouts, but can't pass up a nice warm cup of joe in the morning! Coffee may be man's best friend, it wakes us up in the morning when we're tired, and helps prevent free radical damage with it's powerful antioxidants. We love coffee and coffee loves us back.

This is why the coffee is key. Most of the coffee we buy is stale, because its been sitting in a warehouse for weeks, maybe months. Then it arrives to the supermarket and sits on those shelves until the are sold or the product passes the company's set "Use By Date". So if thats the case and if it's true that coffee goes stale 7-10 days after it's roasted like "This Insider" found out. That means most all of the coffee people have ever had was stale. Not only that, but this study confirms the presence of Mycotoxins, toxic metabolites produced by fungi, in some commercial coffee samples.

These are the main reasons why I recommend seeking out a company the provides fresh roasted, organic, mold free coffee beans. The coffee that I use is roasted fresh on Thursdays and then shipped out to you, where you receive it just days later. This coffee has high-antioxidant levels, low acidity and is mold free. As well as being organic, fair-trade and certified Eco-Logica (highest certification), to make sure that I am receiving the freshest coffee with the highest levels of these beneficial antioxidants.

Brewing The Coffee

For many years, well all of them up until now, I have used a regular coffee maker with paper filters for my coffee brewing needs. Which seems to be the way most people brew their coffee, maybe less now a days with the invention of the Keurig. But is this the best way to go about our coffee business? Or is it just a means of convenience that hinders coffees natural health properties?

Paper filters not only filter the ground beans from your coffee but they hold back the oils containing the beneficial antioxidants that I mentioned, as well as other beneficial flavonoids. This is why some people, myself included, have switched over to the "French Press" for our coffee brewing needs.

This device does not hold back the oils from your coffee. You simply place the fresh ground beans in the bottom of the jar, after you have already taken the plunger/lid off. The company that I bought the press from recommends using one 7g scoop per cup of coffee. I found that to be a little too strong, but some like it that way!

I make mine with three of those 7g scoops of my fresh, coarsely ground coffee. Then I add in 4 cups of hot water to the jar with the coffee grounds, give it a good stir with a long spoon and place the lid on with the pouring vent closed. You must let this sit for at least 4 minutes, I usually do at least 6 minutes.

Once the time is up, you can now Slowly press the plunger down on the lid. Pushing the grounds to the bottom of the jar, while letting those important oils pass through. Now that the grounds are all at the bottom, separated from the coffee, you are all set to pour a cup of the best coffee you have ever had!

Killer Keto Coffee Recipes

Now that we know some background on the coffee, it's benefits and the dangers with some commercial brands. We can start out these "Killer Keto Coffee" recipes, which are also entirely plant based and vegan friendly! I use all organic, non-gmo ingredients including coconut oil, homemade cashew milk, avocado oil, stevia, cacao powder and vanilla extract. The coconut oil fats not only help boost ketosis for the ketogenic diet, but also aid in hormone production. Avocado's are no stranger to health benefits either! The oil from avocados has been used in treatments for arthritis because of the benefits it has on joints and mobility!

Plain Jane - Keto Coffee

This one is for the people out there that like to keep it simple and stick to the basics. This recipe incorporates the bare minimum requirements to be a ketogenic drink. You start out by adding 1 1/2 cups of that freshly pressed coffee into a Nutribullet blending cup. Next you add in the fats that give this coffee its keto boosting properties. These fats include 1-2 tbsp of organic coconut oil (can be extra-virgin for an added coconut flavor, but thats not "Plain Jane"), as well as 1-2 tbsp of naturally refined avocado oil. You can alter the amount of oils to taste. Some prefer their liquids less oily than others.

This is where the recipe can stop to keep it at it's simplest, which will still benefit a ketogenic diet. Just blend all the ingredients in the Nutribullet and your ready to go! If you want to cut back on the oily texture to the liquid, you can add some plain, sugar free cashew milk. You can also change it up if you like things on the sweeter side like me, by adding 1 tsp of organic stevia powder. Which sweetens the drink up without the carbs, calories or sugars.

Very Vanilla - Keto Coffee

Vanilla lovers rejoice! This one is for you. I start it out the same as the last coffee recipe and just add to it. You simply repeat the "Plain Jane Recipe", add in the 1 tsp of stevia, which is then accompanied by 1/4 cup of my "Homemade Cashew Milk". This can be altered to taste. Some people don't mind the oils in their coffee, others have a hard time with the oily liquid. Once again, to cut the oil back, you can simply add more cashew milk so you still get the beneficial fats without as much of an oily texture to the liquid. Time for the vanilla flavor! This comes from 1/4 - 1/2 tsp of organic vanilla extract. Combine all ingredients in the Nutribullet and blend to perfection!

Cacao Crazy - Keto Coffee 

I love chocolate, so this next one is a favorite of mine! It is a healthy take on a chocolate coffee drink, like the mocha's so many of us love. Starting out exactly the same as the "Very Vanilla - Keto Coffee", but we take it a step farther by adding in 1/2 - 1 tbsp of organic cacao powder. This gives our coffee drink a chocolatey flavor while packing powerful antioxidants, flavanols, magnesium, fiber and vitamin c! It is a little bitter though, so I recommend adding in an additional 1/2 - 1 tsp of organic stevia to sweeten it back up a bit.

Plant Powered Protein

I have covered all the basic recipes that I have for "Keto Coffee" blends. These next couple take things to the next level by incorporating Organic Muscle's "Plant Based Protein Powders". These recipes are not only a great, keto boosting coffee drink. But they also pack a protein punch, making them a meal and a drink, for a quick breakfast on the go!

For these "Protein Power Drinks" you simply take the "Plain Jane - Keto Coffee" recipe, making sure you use the 2 tbsps of each oil, instead of the optional 1 tbsp. You then add in 2 scoops of either the Chocolate or the Vanilla flavor of Organic Muscle Plant Based Protein! This will add 24g of plant based protein to your drink, making it ideal for those who eat there breakfast on the go, or don't eat any breakfast at all because of limited time. Combine all ingredients in the Nuribullet and blend until smooth!

That wraps of this edition of the "Food Is Fuel" series. I'll be back next time with more protein shake recipes from "WhatMikeEats"!