I Drink Butter
As a kid, I loved to eat butter. Well, what we always referred to as butter, but it was actually margarine. My mother has often spoken of how I would steal the bowl of Country Crock, then hide under the bed and eat it with my fingers. Tasty, right?
As an adult, I still love the taste of creamy, delicious butter—the real stuff—not so much that I’d want to eat a big spoonful, but I cook with it as much as possible. (This morning, I had some on my keto pancakes.) When I read that low carb and keto dieters were actually putting butter in their coffee, I was instantly repulsed. The flavor combination seemed odd and it just sounded really oily to me! I refused to even try it.
Of course, I often run out of the house the house in the mornings without eating breakfast, which I’ve found to be a detriment to my weight loss. I try to keep boiled eggs on hand, as well as breakfast meats that can be heated in the microwave. It should really only take a few minutes for me to throw something together, but it seems I’m always in a rush. Sometimes I forget to boil eggs. Sometimes the thought of sausage before 7 am makes me want to gag. Sometimes I just don’t feel hungry, but then am ravenous by 10 am.
Bulletproof coffee seemed like it might be a wonderful solution to my problems, if I could get over my aversion to butter in my favorite morning drink.
There are lots of recipes for bulletproof coffee floating around, but it seems that most include three ingredients: butter, coconut oil, and heavy cream. It is claimed that this combination helps jump-start fat burning, increases energy and cognitive function, and helps to curb appetite. After some debate, I decided it was finally time to give it a try.
The amounts of butter, oil, and cream used vary, but I thought simple was the best way to go. I started with 1 T of butter, 1 T of coconut oil, and 2 T of heavy cream. I also used about 12 ounces of coffee.
It is recommended to use organic, grass-fed butter. I’ll agree that Kerrygold is absolutely the best tasting butter, but it’s also more difficult to find and is quite expensive. I may change my mind later and decide I have to buy Kerrygold, but for now, I’m using unsalted, store brand butter. I also use refined coconut oil. Unrefined has a coconut taste and I abhor coconut.
The process to make the coffee is pretty simple. I put the butter and oil in the bottom of the cup that came with my immersion blender. Then, I brewed the coffee on top of that. If I’m not using my Keurig, I sometimes melt the butter/oil combination in the microwave. (The temperature of the coffee from the drip coffee maker just isn’t as high.) Then, I blend. After the butter and coconut oil are emulsified, I add my heavy cream and sugar free syrup, then blend again. If you don’t have an immersion blender, a regular blender works just as well. You can also add the ingredients to a jar, close the lid, and shake. No need to buy extra kitchen gadgets!
The syrup is completely optional. Without it, the bulletproof coffee tastes like coffee with plain creamer. I prefer the vanilla. If you are avoiding artificial sweeteners, vanilla extract should work just as well. It’s also quite tasty with a little unsweetened cocoa powder added in. Just be aware that vanilla extract and cocoa powder will both add a small amount of carbs to the drink.
Surprisingly, bulletproof tastes great. I think it’s very similar to a latte. It froths up nicely and is very filling. I enjoy pairing it with almonds or berries. I drank it on three mornings this week, and on the days I had the coffee, I felt like I had more energy, was more awake and productive at my job, and felt full until lunch. This drink is definitely something I will be working into my meal plans from now on.
I drink butter…and it’s delicious.
