One of the easiest ways to cut back on your waste is to make your own coffee at home versus going out and buying it from a cafe. Now, don't get me wrong, cafes tend to serve much better coffee than I can make but they also tend to be extremely wasteful. If you bring your own cup, of course, that is better than using a single-use cup every time.
Whether you enjoy hot or cold coffee, sweetened or black coffee, consider making it yourself at home. You know exactly what is put into it, you have control over the flavor and choice of ingredients. There are so many benefits and saving the Earth is just one.
I have never considered myself a coffee lover. I crave it sometimes, sometimes I drink it because I want the flavor, but I don’t need to have coffee to live like some of you might. I also quit buying coffee because it all came in plastic, but I finally found a local Japanese store that sells coffee in paper! I was thrilled so I picked some up, attempted to make homemade vegan creamer, and drank it hot. I ended up accidentally ignoring it until it was room temp and I realized that I liked it more than when it was hot.
I thought I was going to waste all that coffee I just bought because I thought I didn’t like it. Then, it hit me: I like iced coffee, So, I tried that: fail. It did not taste good at all. What was I doing wrong?
And then I remembered cold brew was a thing, so I tried it in my French press (that I got second hand) and it turned out so good!
All I did was add ¼ cup of coffee grounds to my French press, added water until it was about halfway (I would guess this is two cups), mixed it up, put the top on (but do not press it down!), and set it in the fridge for about 12 hours. I enjoyed it over ice along with some maple syrup and coconut milk.
The only downside to coconut milk is that it seems to congeal a little when it gets cold. I am still looking for a plastic free, vegan alternative for creamer, but I will let you know when I come up with one.
I hope this works as good for you as it did for me. Enjoy!
French Press Cold Brew
vegan, dairy free
Serves: 2 cups of coffee
Prep Time: 5 mins
Chill Time: 12 hours
Total Time: 12 hours, 5 minutes
Ingredients:
-¼ cup coffee grounds
-about 2 cups of cold water
-cream and sugar*
-ice
Directions:
1. If you have coffee beans, grind about ¼ cup of coffee. Once your coffee is in grounds, add it to your French press
2. Pour over about 2 cups of cold water, top the French press with the lid (but do not push down all the way!)
3. Set in the fridge for at least 12 hours, pour over ice, and enjoy it how you like it!
*optional
I hope you enjoy this recipe and that it inspires you to cut down on your to-go coffee waste.
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