4 Fun Ways To Jazz Up Your Morning Coffee

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and most of us accompany it with a cup of coffee. I hate to admit it, but I’m quite a religious coffee drinker. I like my morning cup, but sometimes it can feel a bit repetitive and boring. So, I came up with a few fun ways you can jazz up your morning coffee, adding some excitement to your mornings!

Start your day with a happy cup of coffee. Credit

Add Some Flavored Syrup

If you’ve a coffee-lover, then the taste of a fresh brew is enough to send your tongue to heaven. However, if you want to take your coffee to the next level, why not add some flavored syrup? All the big coffee shops have syrup that you can add to your drink (usually for an added price, I’m not sure why) and you can buy them for home too. There are so many flavours, including pumpkin spice, which is great during fall, along with a more Christmassy gingerbread. A teaspoon in your coffee is all it takes to give you some extra flavor every morning.

Try A Different Roast

Coffee comes in many different roasts, using different coffee beans. Most people tend to find a roast they like, and stick with it. A typical breakfast coffee tends to be a medium roast, so if you’ve been drinking that all your life, now’s the time to switch it up. You can go for a lighter roast or a darker one. Personally, I say give dark a try as some of the best dark roast coffee is made by Italian companies, and Italian coffee is superb! Obviously, if you’re a dark roast kinda gal, why not switch things up and change to medium or light for a few days per week? It gives you a chance to experiment with different flavors!

Make A Fancy Coffee

When I make coffee for myself, it’s usually something quite boring. It’s either a filter coffee or a standard americano, sometimes I just have it black. But, you can add some extra spice to your mornings by making a fancy little flat white, latte, or cappuccino. All you need is something to froth up and heat milk, and you’re good to go. There are loads of tutorials online to help you make any of these drinks, it just adds some extra fun to your mornings.

Have It Ice Cold

What about this; you make your normal morning coffee, then you shove it in a blender with loads of ice cubes! Just like that, you’ve got yourself an iced coffee! Add some extra milk or cream to the mix, and you can turn it into a milkshake of sorts too. A fun little idea to help wake you up even more with a jolt of coldness. Also, the perfect morning drink during the hot months of the year too.

Try each of these ideas during the week, and you’ve already got four alternatives to your normal morning coffee! Break the mold a little bit; have some fun first thing in the morning.

The Secret's Professional Chef's Learn In The Industry

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When it comes to food, everyone has an opinion and a preference. It’s arguably more diverse than politics, religion or any other hot subject. Everyone, no matter who they are, will have their own edible tastes and prefer to experiment within certain parameters. Of course, good food and bad food still exist, and there is an objective determinant of quality. However, when it comes to becoming a better cook, it can be difficult to learn where to start.

What cuisine should you specialize in? How do you learn new techniques? How do you approach that new ingredient you’re hesitant to try? Well, some of the best ways to learn is through the experience of those who have worked in professional kitchens. We’ve managed to secure some of the best tips they learn, which can hopefully inform your own time in the kitchen to a significant degree.

Without further ado:

Always Keep Your Station Clean

Obviously, in this situation, our ‘station’ is likely going to be our kitchen countertop. However, just because you haven’t a screaming head chef following your every move, the benefits of kitchen hygiene should not be ignored. Not only does it help you keep everything organized, but it’s much safer. Dropping a piece of heavy equipment, or cross-contaminating is much less difficult when you regularly wipe down your countertop with a disinfectant. Not only that, but cleaning as you go helps you eschew the dread of a huge dish-pile to take care of at the end of the session, allowing you to focus more on the meal you’ve created stress-free.

Learn Online

Of course, there are many places you can learn about cooking. Sometimes, the best place you can learn is from your grandmother or close relatives, especially if they know old methods which your culture have preserved for years. Carrying on a family recipe could be an important privilege to hold. However, that doesn’t mean learning online can’t be immensely resourceful.

Not only do you have a wondrous repository of online recipe books, and video tutorials provided by sites like ours and celebrated television chefs, but specialist websites such as Fire Food Chef allow you to diversify your interests in knowledgeable directions, such as meat-specific cooking or vegan focused alternatives. Even the best chef’s will look at their iPhone during service to make do without ingredients they might be lacking, or to top off their menu with that little-added flair. Information is everywhere, so be sure to use it.

Timing Is Crucial

While cooking is a skill with seemingly endless possibility, there are some steadfast rules that anyone embarking on a pursuit within the kitchen should learn. For example, one of the most important things to understand is that timing is crucial to know. A mastery of timing getting a feeling for the different cooking requirements of certain foods will help you masterfully pull your dish together. You can use the best ingredients in the world, but an undercooked or overcooked feature of a dish can ruin the whole experience. For that reason, experimenting, experimenting and experimenting could be for you. Try to memorize the time and temperatures of certain implements instead of simply relying on looks, and you’ll have a sharp tool in your arsenal to contribute to the fight of making beautiful food.

With these tips, you’re sure to be a little more skilled in your ambition, approaching the same level of the chef’s you would gladly pay to cook for you.

Easy Lunches to Bring to Work

We have all been in this scenario; it gets to the middle of the day and your stomach starts rumbling. You realise that you haven’t brought anything to have for lunch, so you head out to buy something. And when you are hungry, you often come back with way too much unhealthy food.

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To combat this, in this article, we are going to talk about a few easy lunches to cook and bring into work. Not only is this the much healthier approach as you can control exactly what goes inside, it is also the more cost-effective choice. And, here are some coolers worth the money that you can bring your healthy lunch in with. So, let’s begin!

Interesting Salads

Salads are a classic lunch option, but they can get a little boring over time. The trick is to vary things up over time. Why not try an avocado chicken salad with some yoghurt and lemon juice? If you are a vegetarian, you could replace the chicken with chickpeas so you still get your source of protein. Looking for something with a little more spice? Then go for a chorizo and tomato salad with some tangy cherry vinegar.

Super Sandwiches

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Rather than your boring old ham and cheese, you should try to be a little more interesting with your sandwich-making. For example, who could resist a crunchy peanut butter wrap with some chopped apple and granola? A nice simple option (it only needs four ingredients) is a red pepper, goat cheese and fresh mint wrap, with just a pinch of salt. If you have a little bit more time on your hands to prepare a really great lunch, go for a sweet potato, chickpea and quinoa veggie burger.

Something Different

If you are sick to death of the usual sandwich and salad options, you could instead try something a little different. Check out this buddha bowl recipe, packed with protein to keep you going through a long day at work. Another great healthy option is a chicken and asparagus lemon stir-fry, where you can transform some relatively bland basic ingredients with lemon juice, garlic, and soy sauce. If you feel like having a bit of brunch at work, you could go for some mini frittatas.

Slow Cooked Options

A nice, affordable option is to make things in bulk and enjoy them during the course of the week. If you have a slow cooker, now is the time to dig it out. During the winter months, there is nothing like a nice stew - beef and barley is a fantastic choice or you sausage and bean is another nice one. Alternatively, you could go for some handmade soup such as tomato lentil or vegetable. These are very cheap and can last you a long time. Another great option is a vegetable curry complete with sweet potato and chickpeas.

Hopefully, you are now inspired to create yourself some lovely work lunches which are great for your health, your tastebuds and your wallet!               

In Your Twenties? Let’s Learn How To Get Into Cooking

OK, guys, the party’s over. It won’t be long until we’ve left university behind and find ourselves out there in the big, bad (but also awesome!) world, and it’s high time we learned how to take care of ourselves. All the goods things in life happen when we’ve got the essentials in place, which means looking after ourselves, getting enough exercise, and eating well. But how do we achieve the last part if we’ve been eating noodles for the past three years? Below, we take a look at simple ways you can get into cooking and make it a part of your life.

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Look Up Simple Recipes

We’ll save the three-course Sunday dinners for another time. To begin with, look up those simple, easy to make delicious meals. There are plenty of nutritious options out there that you can whip up in no time. This will just get you used to spending time in the kitchen; once you’ve got your bearings, you’ll be able to tackle more advanced dishes.

Affordable, Tasty

One of the biggest misconceptions about cooking is that good food has to be expensive. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Good food is all around and never has to cost too much. Fill your cupboards with lentils, beans, hummus, and all the other delicious kitchen staples. If you have them and some Smithfield Meats, you’ll be able to create a healthy and tasty meal that won’t put a dent in your post-student life budget. So the next time your friend tells you they opt for inexpensive ready meals because they can’t afford to eat anything more nutritious, tell them they’re wrong!

Have a Tidy, Well-Prepped Kitchen

We’ve all been in some pretty horrific student digs. Indeed, this is one of the reasons students are known for not cooking: it’s impossible to find all the cooking utensils! Having a tidy kitchen, one that has all the essential cooking supplies and equipment, will make you much more likely to spend some time getting to know the art of cooking. Also, it’s just more hygienic!

The Power of Leftovers

One of the best things about cooking is the leftovers! If you make one great pot of curry or chilli, you’ll be able to eat for days. And you’ll also discover that these types of foods only become more flavoursome if they’re stored overnight. If you’re in the mood for a warming, hearty dish that’ll feed you for days, look up the best autumn chilli recipes.

Make It Fun

Like anything in life, you’ll be much more likely to get stuck into the habit of cooking if you find it enjoyable. So make it fun! Playing music, dancing around, or enjoying a glass of wine as you prepare food will show you that cooking doesn’t have to be a chore.

Final Thoughts

The motivation for a takeaway will always be there, but at some stage or another, you’re going to have to cook for yourself. Start today, and begin your journey towards a healthy lifestyle!