Light Espresso on The Rocks

Starting a strict diet can feel extremely restricting sometimes.  It's one of the contributing factors that have lead to my reluctance to really get myself started eating healthy and losing weight.  So let me tell you that having decided on caffeine as one of the things I was adding to my "getting rid of" list, I was a bit hesitant, but hey, it's for the greater good... isn't it?

I found myself one evening reading up on studies about how caffeine can effect your weight.  And what I found out was that in reality, caffeine is only effecting those who consume quite a bit.  To your average coffee drinker, it's not near enough in your system to even worry about it one way or another.  Caffeine is also included in those soda drinkers who go through liters of the stuff a day.  That's neither here nor there, but what I'm telling you is hey, you want a cup of coffee in the morning, don't let your diet stop you!

So out here on the ship I work on we have this really nice coffee machine made by Impressa.  It makes a mean standard espresso that I go up for every morning around 4am.  This recipe, depending on how you like your espresso can be made straight up, with sugar and milk, no sugar... whatever floats your boat.  For my purposes I generally use a handled mason jar, fill it with roughly 2oz. of freshly brewed espresso, and then fill the jar with ice.  I shake for a few second to cool it down rapidly.  I then add the bit of sugar and milk, shake again, take the lid off and enjoy the delicious aroma and silky tasting concoction.



Light Espresso on The Rocks
Servings: 1 • Serving Size: 1  • Calories: 33 • Fat: 0.8 g • Carbs: 5.7 g • Fiber: 0 g • Protein: 1.1 g • Sugar: 5.7 g  Sodium: 27 mg

• 2 oz fresh brewed espresso
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp 2% milk
• 1 cup ice

Note: science + food = fun.  After shaking the first time, then adding your sugar and milk, just let it sit and watch the different layers of color in the glass.  You'll have the light colored froth on top, the milk lightens and settles in the middle, while the darker espresso stays at the bottom.  Now that's some tasty specific gravity!

Please note that substituting espresso for regular coffee, sugar for a sweetener substitute or the 2% milk for soy/almond/skim milk may help reduce the calories (even though it's already pretty low cal).

Images in this post taken with iPhone 4.  Please feel free to reproduce them as you see fit.