The Perfect (Seasonal) Coffee

Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Well, we're into autumn in full swing (when is the first day of autumn anyway?...for me it's always been right after Labour Day, but that's probably just a Thunder Bay thing), and that means a whole season is coming up that's buried in apples and pumpkins, and right around the corner from that...CHRISTMAS!!

Yeah, I'm stupid for Christmas. It's just a fact. And I'll be sharing some of my favourite holiday recipes on here as well...but not yet.

First I want to just give you some ideas for spicing up your morning coffee. You can go all-out with the full version at the end, or try this simple one:

To reduce your sugar intake, increase fat burning and add a little protein all you need to do is swap in some stevia for your sugar, add a dash of cinnamon, and replace your regular milk with almond milk. The almond milk does change the flavour a bit (for the better, I think), as it has a mild nut flavour to it. You'd be surprised how much sugar a couple spoons of sugar and a dash of milk really amounts to, and using stevia and almond milk will eliminate this altogether.

The cinnamon acts as a catalyst for your metabolism and affects insulin senistivity, so any starches you do consume at breakfast don't trigger storage the way they normally would (at least, not to the same extent). This combination is really tasty, but if you live in a more northern climate there's something else that happens when you taste cinnamon during cooler months. Studies are showing that cinnamon + cooler air = feeling really good.

Weird, right? But you know how certain foods trigger certain memories? We call this "comfort food," and it turns out that even if you're not from a cooler climate originally, the taste of cinnamon has this calming effect, which in turn releases chemicals that give the user a sense of wellbeing. You just feel better about life in general, because it reduces stress hormones and improves your mood. It's not that cinnamon does this directly as a chemical reaction (the way chocolate does), but rather that the scent of cinnamon triggers that emotional response which in return provides some psychological benefit, which in another turn lowers blood pressure, reduces the heart rate, and generally picks up your mood for the day.

Or maybe it's just a reminder of mom's apple pie. I'm good with either explanation. But I'd rather have the pie.

A note of caution: Don't overdo the sprinkle of cinnamon. It's a hard substance, and won't actually dissolve in your coffee. If you leave it sit too long, or you add too much, it will form a sludge at the bottom of your cup. Just a dash.

This is important for my full-blown "Christmas Coffee" recipe below. The reason for putting the spices on top of the coffee is that they will form a sludge if you put them in first with the ground coffee on top. This will clog the filter and cause it to overflow. Learned that the hard way.

This recipe took a lot of trial and error, and like most things that I make up in the kitchen is probably still a work in progress. Start with this and adjust as needed to your own taste. But don't add cinnamon to your cup if you do it this way!

To make a 10-cup pot of Steve's Christmas Coffee, use whatever mix you normally use for a regular pot (I grind my Kicking Horse beans fresh for each pot--usually a half-cup of beans for a 10-cup pot).

Put the coffee in the filter basket FIRST. On top of the ground coffee, add 1/3 tsp. of cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. of ground cloves and 1/4 tsp. of nutmeg. To the coffee pot itself add 1/4 tsp. of vanilla. My preference is to add the vanilla to the empty pot before it starts brewing (so I don't forget, which I always do). If your coffee maker heats up the hotplate too quickly (so that it burns the vanilla before any water hits it), you can add the vanilla to the pot of brewed coffee instead.

Enjoy! (and merry pre-Christmas!!)

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Why Lean Beef?

There's some confusion about this whole lean vs. regular meat, so I thought I'd just take a second to clear something up.

First, the problem. The problem is, we're told over and over again that we need quality sources of protein. To this end, body building experts agree that meat is a necessary part of the diet. No matter what vegetarian sources have to say about veggie proteins, they just don't cut it for muscle building (they do make a good supplemental choice, however).

But then we're told to eat lean meats, like chicken and fish. Why? Isn't it true we're not supposed to be afraid of eating fat anymore?

Yes, that's basically true. We need fats in order to function properly and to keep the metabolism primed for burning fat. However, we should take steps to avoid trans fats and saturated fats, as these are not helpful to us in any way (in fact, they're quite dangerous over time). So why the emphasis on lean meat?

Basically it boils down like this: chicken and fish are excellent sources of protein, it's true. And both are essential sources of Omega 3-6-9 fatty acids (all three are necessary for good health, not just the Omega 3's). The last century of low-fat eating has caused a deficiency of these essential fatty acids in our diet, and they can only be replaced with proper nutrition. It turns out fish and chicken have these fats, so I don't often suggest people go with the super lean chicken breast all the time. Other cuts have fat value that is really important to your overall health.

However, beef provides something these other sources don't: iron. Iron is necessary for optimal health, especially if you're building muscle. Unfortunately, tasty beef is usually pretty fatty. That wouldn't normally be a problem, except that in fatty beef, the fat is a storage shed for all the hormones and antibiotics the steer is injected with. The hormones are especially problematic, because in order to create that lovely marbled texture that makes it so tender the animal is injected with estrogen.

Estrogen. Like, as in, the stuff that makes boobs. Estrogen in meat is a growing health concern across the board of course, but for men in particular it raises issues like man boobs, prostate cancer, and lowered testosterone levels. When you lower testosterone you lose muscle building power. And when that happens the whole house of cards comes down. THIS is the reason lean cuts of beef are recommended.

I try to hit two meals per week with beef.

Now, to be fair, if you go looking for organic, grass-fed beef, you can forgo the warning. Those steers are not injected with anything, and the grass feeding actually keeps them healthier. It also produces a more nutrient-dense cut of meat. However, the meat will also be a bit tougher.

Dealing with this last problem is simple:

For a roast, cook it at a low temperature for two or more hours, making sure to keep adding water. When it's done, the meat should practically fall apart for you anyway. You can also stew it in a slow-cooker, which will have the added benefit of producing a nice stock for you to use later.

For a steak, make sure to bring the meat up to room temperature. Cook it hot and fast. Rare beef (which most chefs will tell you is the goal for a nice tender steak) should have an internal temperature of 140 degrees.  Medium will be about 160, and well-done 170 (with lean meat, this would be the shoe leather stage). The reason for bringing it to room temperature first is because if you come right out of the fridge with it, the internal temperature will be much lower for a lot longer, forcing you over-cook the meat.

And for a quick tip: Shave about five to ten degrees off the above numbers. Remove the meat from the skillet or grill, and let it rest, covered on a plate, for about 10-15 minutes. The meat will continue to heat up, but it will tenderize as it rests, making a much more succulent slab of cow.

So, chicken and fish: whatever. Beef, lean cuts. Clear enough?

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Wow...Persistent

Seriously, pavement ants are persistent little bastards. I managed to kill off the colony that was trying to infiltrate the basement but they started moving in again along tbe crack between the driveway and the foundation wall.

More poison. Take that!

Then today I opened the garage to pull out the barbecue. Big Paul was over, so I decided to 'cue up a pork tenderloin with a homemade sauce (recipe to follow).

There, in the cracks of the concrete slab were those damned ants again! This was a new colony, as I had never seen them in there before.

Normally I would just let them be. But my research (I'm a serial researcher when it comes to these things) tells me that ants of this type can develop massive colony networked with multiple queens. Better, I think, to not let them get into that habit!

More poison!

Here's what went into my bbq sauce:

• Sugar (3 spoons)
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Worcestershire sauce
• Dill
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Pepper
• Salt
• Ketchup
• Hoisin sauce

Sorry, no measurements. I just tasted as I went along and adjusted accordingly. Whip it up with a fork, brush it on your meat, and you're good to go.

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