Deva by Definition

The Caffeine I was Looking For

This morning I woke up to a cold, wet nose in my ear and a warm, purring body laying on my arm. It was before the sun rose and it felt far earlier than it actually was. On mornings like these, when I just want to stay in bed snuggling the cat I have to remind myself that I used to wake up even earlier than this to go running before even the busses were running. Sometimes that is enough to get out of bed. Today, I realized I might need a little bit more than that - like a good cup of coffee. We've been up late the past few nights and it's starting to show! Eventually, The Boy reminded me that we both had to be at work and I slowly pulled myself out of bed, put myself together, packed some food and got on my way. 

Traffic was unusually light today, which made me happy but got me to work well over a half hour early, which meant one thing: a Caribou stop for a latte. It was cold this morning - well into the thirties - and I wanted something hot as part of my typical yogurt and granola breakfast. My coffee beverage of choice is the soy milk latte, so that's what I went with and I definitely did not regret it. It was the perfect complement to my containerized yogurt-and-granola breakfast today.

Of course, the shot of caffeine (that I most definitely was looking for) was very helpful in overcoming my sleepy feelings this morning. In fact, I think I'm about to go get another cup of hot coffee right now. 

See you soon!

5 Ways to Brew a better Cup of Coffee

It's finally here - that post about coffee I've been promising you. If you know me in real life, you probably already know that I love coffee. I drink AT LEAST one cup a day. And by cup I mean something like sixteen ounces, depending on which travel mug I grab in the morning. Today it's a mere 8 ounces, but that's only my FIRST cup. It's delicious, too.

I am always on the hunt for a good cup of coffee, and in that hunt, I've learned a lot about how brewing coffee is a big part of what makes it taste so good. I've researched on the internet, watched a lot of Alton Brown to help me learn how to make the best cup of coffee I can at home, and thought I would share my five top tips.

Please keep in mind that when I brew at home, I use a French Press, so some of these tips are geared toward that, but are applicable to any coffee maker. I've never used a Keurig, so if you have one, please discuss in the comments - I'd love to hear your thoughts!

1. If you can, grind your coffee fresh - but make sure you grind it for the appropriate length of time. For my French Press, I go for a coarser grind, and run it through my grinder for about ten seconds. If you are making espresso or using a paper filter, you will want to have more finely round coffee. Grinding it fresh helps maintain the flavor of the beans and gives you a better cup of coffee.

2. Use the appropriate amount of ground coffee for each pot of coffee you make. Too little ground coffee results in a bitter brew, and nobody likes bitter coffee. You want to aim for about two heaping tablespoonfuls for every six ounces of water. For my small press that makes twelve ounces of coffee, I use four tablespoons. For my big press, I use six. If the coffee tastes too strongly brewed, add hot water to thin it out a bit. Also, don't reuse the grounds - discard them for each new pot of coffee.

3. Try not to let your coffee sit on a burner after it's done brewing. This changes the flavor of the already-brewed coffee, and not for the better. If you can, buy a vacuum-sealed carafe to keep your coffee hot and tasting freshly brewed every time. If not, consider brewing your coffee in smaller batches.

4. Double-check your water temperature, and use filtered water if you can. We keep a filter pitcher in our fridge and I try to use that water whenever possible, heated to between 195 and 205 degrees. You want the water to be hot enough to properly brew the coffee, but not too hot - it can make your coffee taste bitter. Too cold and you end up with weak coffee.

5. Buy fresh, or make sure that when you buy a bag of coffee that it is sealed with one of those little valves on it. This helps keep the coffee from getting stale, making your morning (or afternoon, or evening) cup taste good from the first sip to the last, and from the first brew to the bottom of the bag.

There you have it - my best five tips for brewing delicious coffee. What tips do you have to share?

One cold, dark morning

This morning I rolled out of bed before the sun came up, and checked the outdoor temperature. It was in the mid-twenties, breezy, and the wind chill made it feel closer to twenty than thirty.

I was not going to be deterred, and pulled out my running tights, compression shirt, a pullover, and my hat and gloves. I was going running OUTSIDE today and couldn’t wait to get outside for three miles.

When I stepped outside it was frigid and still dark. I had on my reflective vest and was not running with music on – I wanted to be aware of my surroundings and visible. I was dressed warmly, and immediately set off for my run.

While I was out, I came across several other runners, all just as bundled up (and reflective) as I was, and all of whom waved hello to me as I passed them. While I attempted to maintain a fast pace, I ultimately ended up running about 5k in 37 minutes. I maintained a pretty steady 12 minute mile pace throughout my run, as I went my normal out and back loop.

The sun was coming up over the horizon as I ran the last few blocks to the house, and was bright in my front windows as I walked in my front door. I was pleased with my run – my steady pace and my choice to run outside. I was also pretty chilly and desperate for a coffee, so after stretching and showering, that’s exactly what I made.

I savored every sip of my fresh brew, enjoying being warm in my house, on my couch, and very pleased at my commitment to my run. Even if that run did take place on a cold, dark morning. It’s not every day you get to watch the sunrise while out for a run.

For When You don’t Want a Pumpkin Latte

It's Fall. In my part of the country, leaves are turning color and getting dry and crunchy underfoot. There is a definite chill in the air - with overnight temperatures falling into the thirties this week. Pumpkins are everywhere, being made into baked goods, savory dishes, or simply being carved into Jack O'lanterns. And, of course, there is the pumpkin latte, which has been everywhere as of late. It seems I can't turn a corner without seeing a mention of the seasonal beverage, which, while delicious, is only one of many fall-themed beverages I enjoy this time of year. If you want something different to enjoy this fall, why not give one of these other beverages a try?

Caramel apple cider. Caramel sauce plus hot cider? Amazing. Really - almost like drinking a caramel apple, or even eating one of those caramel apple suckers that are all over this time of year. It can be a tad sweet, but I love it.

Chaider. What exactly is a chaider? It’s chai tea made with apple cider in place of milk. The chai makes the cider spicy, and the black a depth of flavor that makes this drink incredibly delicious. My favorite way to prepare it is to steep some chai in hot cider and then drink up!

 

Oktoberfest. Pumpkin ales are all over the place right now, but I gravitate toward the Oktoberfests. I love the rich, hoppy flavor. It's light enough to enjoy on a warm evening, and dark enough to sip when it starts to get chilly. I am a huge fan of seasonal beers and this one is no exception - I buy it almost as soon as I see it!

Abuelita hot chocolate. A friend of mine gave me a disc of Abuelita chocolate a couple of years ago. I carefully followed her instructions for making it, and upon taking my first sip, was hooked. This chocolate is sweet and spicy -  with a hint of cinnamon, and is perfect for the frosty evenings in early November.

My favorite Autumn beverage, however, is cold apple cider. It is refreshingly tart and crisp - liking biting into a honeycrisp apple. I almost always buy a half gallon to enjoy, because before I know it, I won't be able to find it again until next year, when the leaves are once again changing from green to gold.

What is your favorite Fall-time drink?

Weekend Recap

It is SO nice to have The Boy home! The cats and I all missed him while he was away, and I was so excited to hear all about his trip. This weekend we talked about his trip, looked at all the pictures he took while he was gone (over seven-hundred!), and went to visit The Boy’s parents for a relaxing fall weekend.

Saturday got started off early – I wanted to go get coffee and oatmeal at Caribou, and The Boy needed a haircut. While he was getting his hair trimmed, I was all set up, chowing down.

I got caught up on blog reading and wrote a new recipe while I ate. The coffee was enjoyed in a mug The Boy brought back for me while in Nagoya – it’s so colorful and glittery, and I love it! By the time I was finished with my blog post, The Boy was finished getting his hair trimmed up, and we headed home to pack up for the weekend.

Our trip to visit The Boy’s parents was uneventful and relaxing. We enjoyed a yummy dinner and good company on Saturday night – brisket, homemade macaroni, squishy rolls – YUM! I was too busy talking and laughing to take photographs, but it was AMAZING.

When we weren’t outside playing with the doggie, we were inside, watching baseball or football or HGTV. The Boy brought back a book he’d read while traveling, and I got really into it, reading a good chunk of it over the weekend.

I loved it! It had a LOT of statistical information in it – LOTS of sabermetrics, which I didn’t quite understand before reading this book. I loved the various explanations of what the statistics in baseball mean, and how they can be applied, and I don’t think I’ll ever look at a ball game the same way again! I plan to write a full review of this book soon – so keep an eye out!

The rest of our weekend was spent relaxing and enjoying our visit. We headed home early Sunday night to wrap up some stuff before the start of the work week. All in all, it was a great, relaxing weekend with The Boy.

Forty-Five Degrees

I had trouble sleeping last night. It was chillier than I thought it would be and the cats all wanted to snuggle with me somewhere around four this morning. I think they were playing, because when I finally stumbled out of bed this morning, I found toys strewn all over, and some VERY sleepy kitties in our office.

Waking up cold, combined with the tossing and turning last night had me craving caffeine this morning, but instead of coffee, I wanted tea. Why? Because last night I decided to take some of the leftover pumpkin from muffin making and make some of Savvy Julie's Pumpkin Syrup. I ended up enjoying both a muffin and the syrup with breakfast this morning, stirring a sweet spoonful of the syrup into my tea.

Plain Greek yogurt mixed with some chias rounded out my breakfast, and I enjoyed every sweet-spicy sip of tea, which nicely complimented the yummy, dense muffin. I love the cinnamon-nutmeg-clove combination year-round – it makes the apartment smell so homey!

Of course the chilly night gave way to a blustery day. It was brisk and windy all day, and the air definitely smelled like fall – crisp and like drying leaves. I was happy for layers and long sleeves, and had the heat on in the car. Tonight is supposed to be even chillier than last night: the low is only forty-five degrees. It may be time to dig out an extra blanket to layer on the bed – next week it’s supposed to be much warmer, and I don’t want to turn the heat on if I don’t have to.

BUT – it is late, and I am tired and ready to bundle up in bed. I think tomorrow will be another day for tea, especially if it is going to be chilly like today.

What signifies fall to you? Is it the weather? Pumpkin? or something else?

Misty, Gray, and Chilly

I am currently perched on my sofa watching a movie. This week has been misty, gray, and chilly – like fall. I broke down this morning and bought a pumpkin latte at Caribou. I don’t typically buy flavored coffee drinks, but I really wanted the sweet-spicy latte this morning, and it was delicious. It tasted like fall. I’m not ready for fall, but I will admit, I loved the latte!

Work kept me pretty busy today, and I had a lot on my mind when I left to come home. There are a couple changes coming to the blog here in the next few weeks, and I’m excited and anxious to share them with you! I’ve been thinking about what changes I am going to be making, and trying new things – like templates – out.

I was hungry when I got home, but wanted to take my time on dinner tonight. I had a can of black beans in our pantry that needed to be used, so I made an attempt at some black bean burgers – simple ones. I tried to blend the beans together with bread crumbs in my blender, but that didn’t work so well, so I ended up mashing them up with a few added spices, before popping them into the oven to bake for about forty-five minutes.

When they were ready, it was time to eat. I enjoyed my burger with cheese and ketchup, alongside some tortilla chips. The burger recipe needs some work, they were a bit mushy, but I enjoyed them – light, filling, and yummy!

Once finished with dinner, we settled in to watch a movie and play with the cats. They were feeling exceptionally playful tonight, and it was fun to watch them chase their toys all over the living room and kitchen.

Now, I think we’re going to get back to the movie, and I’m going to go dig up a book to read before bed. Have a great night!

What are some things you want to see on the blog?

Let’s Get it Started…

This morning, I hopped out of bed and onto the treadmill for a 35-minute long run. I wanted to get my day started with a workout! I had the Today Show playing in the background while I got my run on!When I finished I was hot and sweaty and ready for some water and a shower!

(photo courtesy my iPhone!).

A half hour after I stepped off the treadmill, I looked a little more like this:

all bundled up in my new Five Bamboo hoodie (which I ordered Sunday and got yesterday! LOVE!) and ready for some post-workout fuel. I was hangry!

While my coffee was brewing in my French Press, I threw into a bowl some yogurt, oats, banana, and almond slices, and ended up with a creamy, chewy, crunchy bowl of breakfast!

It was delicious and exceptionally filling. Yogurt bowls, along with cereal bowls, are some of my favorite post-workout breakfasts.My breakfast was devoured, filling my belly and getting my day off to a GREAT start!

Peaceful

I woke up this morning with somewhat of a sore throat and decided that instead of working out, I would take advantage of an extra hour of sleep and a leisurely breakfast. With the angle of the light here in the morning and evening, it’s beginning to look, if not feel, like fall.

I decided on this cool, bright morning that with a sore throat, all I wanted was a hot breakfast, which is something I haven’t had in a while. Making a hot meal let me have the time as it cooked to prepare and pack lunch for my afternoon, and when it was ready, well..

It was time to dig in. Fresh, hot, banana oats topped with peanut butter and chocolate-almond granola. Hot, dark, lightly-sweetened coffee. Both hot, filling, soothing, and delicious.

A peaceful, delicious start to the day.

Craziness

This weekend was BUSY and FUN. I spent time in Columbus with my family on Saturday, and it was nice to see my parents and chat and catch up with everyone. I was excited to see my mom for Mother’s Day weekend, and we had a blast chatting and shopping and running around.

We also decided to rearrange the living room last night after dinner. Our living room is now very clean, but we moved six pieces of furniture three times before settling on the arrangement we have now. half of those pieces of furniture ended up right back where they started. The new layout makes the room feel more open and airy.

All that moving of furniture coupled with a hard core weight lifting workout this morning has me worn out. I think I am going to settle in with some tea and a book before bed.

G’night!!