Today's blog post is brought to you by Hickam Trainer Alicia Palmer. We LOVE that she shared this recipe with us!
When I decided to start eating clean (or clean-ER, because I do not eat perfect all the time!), one of the hardest things for me to give up was my fat free coffee-mate hazelnut creamer. Have you read the ingredients in that crap? I swear I was ADDICTED to it! So tasty, and so convenient.....
So, I switched to sugar and half and half. Yes, I eat real sugar. I can't stand Stevia, and use honey when it is convenient (but don't like the taste of it on my coffee). Real sugar is not bad. It is only 16 calories per teaspoon. It is not the sugar you add to stuff that is the problem. The problem is hidden sugar in processed foods you buy--you do not know how much sugar it actually contains, unless you read the label and do very complicated math.
So, I continued just using sugar, but I found stirring the sugar to dissolve it was a bit tedious, and I missed the convenience of just pouring in my beloved flavorings. So, I decided to make some DIY Starbucks vanilla syrup, and it does the job quite nicely. Yes, the lazy girl in me still balks a bit about adding 2 ingredients to my coffee (syrup and half and half), but it just needs one quick stir ;-) This is how I make it:
Step One: Make simple syrup by combining one cup of sugar and one cup of water in a small saucepan. Heat up to dissolve sugar, no need to boil (not trying to make caramel!), just keep it on the heat for a few minutes longer to make sure the sugar is all dissolved.
Step Two: Put one whole Vanilla Bean in a repurposed glass bottle. Add your simple syrup using a funnel. I don't put the lid back on until it cools down.
Step Three: Let sit on your counter until you need it. Voila! DIY Starbucks vanilla syrup!
I also do this with ginger- it is delicious in iced tea. I just chop ginger and steep it in the syrup, then strain it out before I put it in the glass bottle- you don't even need to peel the ginger!
From Organic Authority, here is the list of ingredients found in Coffee Mate:
Ingredients of COFFEE-MATE Original (Liquid):
--Water: H20
--Corn syrup solids: Used mostly in imitation dairy foods, corn syrup is a type of sugar (mostly dextrose) that is made from cornstarch.
--Partially hydrogenated soybean and/or cottonseed oil: All partially hydrogenated oils contain high levels of trans fats, which are brutal to your body. These cheap, human-tweaked fats were adopted heartily by grocery manufacturers in the 1970’s, a move that some say helped to kick off the American obesity epidemic. Soybean oil is perhaps the worst, as some contend that it depresses the thyroid gland and lowers your energy level.
However: COFFEE-MATE is legally allowed to say it is “trans fat free” because the serving size is so small. But don’t be fooled: COFFEE-MATE contains trans fats!
--Sodium caseinate: A milk protein that contains no lactose, stabilized to have a longer shelf life. It is a major component of cheese and provides many nutrients and essential amino acids.
--Mono- and digycerides: Simply put, these are fats. They are emulsifying agents used to extend shelf life, and you will often see them in foods that also contain trans fats. In fact, some nutritionists are calling them “the next trans fats.”
--Dipotassium phosphate: Also known as phosphoric acid, this water-soluble salt prevents coagulation and is “generally regarded as safe” by the FDA – aka it’s been in use since the 50’s.
--Carrageenan: Extracted from red seaweeds, this food additive is a type of vegan gelatin and has been in use for hundreds of years.
We hope you'll try out this healthy alternative to pre-made coffee syrups and creamers!
--Corn syrup solids: Used mostly in imitation dairy foods, corn syrup is a type of sugar (mostly dextrose) that is made from cornstarch.
--Partially hydrogenated soybean and/or cottonseed oil: All partially hydrogenated oils contain high levels of trans fats, which are brutal to your body. These cheap, human-tweaked fats were adopted heartily by grocery manufacturers in the 1970’s, a move that some say helped to kick off the American obesity epidemic. Soybean oil is perhaps the worst, as some contend that it depresses the thyroid gland and lowers your energy level.
However: COFFEE-MATE is legally allowed to say it is “trans fat free” because the serving size is so small. But don’t be fooled: COFFEE-MATE contains trans fats!
--Sodium caseinate: A milk protein that contains no lactose, stabilized to have a longer shelf life. It is a major component of cheese and provides many nutrients and essential amino acids.
--Mono- and digycerides: Simply put, these are fats. They are emulsifying agents used to extend shelf life, and you will often see them in foods that also contain trans fats. In fact, some nutritionists are calling them “the next trans fats.”
--Dipotassium phosphate: Also known as phosphoric acid, this water-soluble salt prevents coagulation and is “generally regarded as safe” by the FDA – aka it’s been in use since the 50’s.
--Carrageenan: Extracted from red seaweeds, this food additive is a type of vegan gelatin and has been in use for hundreds of years.
We hope you'll try out this healthy alternative to pre-made coffee syrups and creamers!
Wow, I will try it! I have read the label for Coffee Mate but did not know what a lot of the ingredients really are. Interesting about the mono- and diglycerides being the next trans fats. Also interesting that soybean oil may decrease energy levels. I'm going to start looking more closely for that on ingredient lists.
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