Waste Not Want Not

Other ways to use your coffee

In constant pursuit of a zero waste strategy, Green River Coffee offers a few ideas for you to consider by using your leftover coffee and by-products of your brew. If you have any recipes or ideas for us to add, please send them along!

 

Recipes

Coffee flavouring is distinctive in most dessert recipes, but when adding to meat dishes, it tends to intensify the meat's flavour and give it depth.

 

BBQ Sauce

Use this coffee barbecue sauce as a marinade or finishing sauce for grilled or baked pork, beef, or chicken. The sauce may be covered and refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 cup brewed espresso or strong, dark coffee
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped, about 1 cup
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 3 fresh hot chili peppers, such as jalapeno, or hotter if desired, seeded
  • 2 Tablespoons hot dry mustard mixed with 1 tablespoon water
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons ground cumin
  • 2 Tablespoons chili powder

PREPARATION:

Put espresso or coffee, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, onion, garlic, chile peppers, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, and chili powder in a small pot, stir them together, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Lower the heat so the mixture is just simmering and let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, let the mixture cool, then puree it in a blender or food processor fitted with the steel blade.


The barbecue sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

 

Ham Glaze

1 cup honey
½ cup brewed espresso or strong, dark coffee

1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. clove
1/2 ham

Combine all ingredients; simmer 15 minutes over very low heat. Select tender (not cooked) half ham, weighing 6 to 8 pounds. Bake in a slow oven at 300 degrees F calculating 25 minutes per pound, or until meat thermometer registers 160 degrees F. One hour before baking is completed, remove from oven. Remove rind; score fat diagonally in both directions to make a diamond pattern. Apply glaze evenly to the ham and place back into 300 degrees F oven to continue baking for the remaining hour

 

 

Maple Coffee Butter

2 Tbsp. strong-brewed coffee
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 lb unsalted butter, softened

Stir together the coffee and maple syrup. Whip the butter in a food processor. With machine running slowly, drizzle the coffee-syrup mixture into the whipped butter. Whip until mixture is smooth and fluffy. Spread onto hot waffles, pancakes, etc.

 

Coffee Sauce - dresses up any dessert

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup very strong, brewed coffee
3 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch

In a heavy, small saucepan, heat cream and coffee together just until scalded. Do not allow to boil. Beat together egg yolks and sugar until mixture is thick. Beat in cornstarch. Slowly stir into cream mixture. Heat and stir until mixture thickens. Serve warm.

Makes about 2-1/2 cups

 

Black devil’s Food Cake

Thanks to applesauce and fat-free buttermilk, this delicious chocolate cake is much lower in fat than traditional ones. Coffee helps to boost the flavor of the chocolate.

INGREDIENTS:

  • Vegetable oil spray
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus flour for dusting pan
  • 1-3/4 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 Tablespoon baking soda
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 cup fat-free or low-fat buttermilk
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 cup strong coffee

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13x9x2-inch pan with vegetable oil spray. Dust with flour; shake off excess.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Whisk in applesauce, buttermilk, and vegetable oil.

In a small saucepan, bring coffee to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir gently into batter. Mixture will be soupy. Pour into pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm or let cool completely.

Yield: 20 servings 

Frosting, fruit preserves or a dusting of powdered sugar can dress up the top.

Nutrition facts per serving: 140 calories, 2 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 202 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrate and 1 g fiber.

Recipe Source: The New American Heart Association Cookbook: 25th Anniversary Edition (Times Books)

 

Coffee Drinks

When you brew more coffee than you had anticipated being consumed, freeze it in ice cube trays and add it to drinks or blend them with milk, ice cream, etc. to make your own Iced Cappucinos.  The possibilities for drink creations are endless!

 

Coffee and your compost

Coffee grounds have a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of 20:1, roughly equivalent to that of grass clippings. After brewing, coffee grounds contain up to 2% nitrogen. For composting purposes, consider coffee grounds "green" material similar to grass clippings. For "brown" material, use leaves and sawdust.  Taken from:The Gardener, Vol. 6, No. 4, Winter 1995-96

 

Spent coffee grounds are the perfect compost input:

  • They smell good.
  • They absorb and hold moisture which is so critical to the compost pile.
  • They are one of the few sources of nitrogen that is widely available year-round to people in urban and suburban areas.
  • They are easily stored for days in a closed plastic bag.
  • They are free.
 
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