Dont throw out that left over coffee!

 

 

 

Did you know that left over coffee grounds are amazing for your garden? Whether you have a little balcony patch or a wide open garden, putting your left over coffee grounds into the soil will benefit it.

 

Coffee ground have about the same amount of nitrogen as grass clippings, adding this to your patch will create a beautiful rich soil which will nourish your plants.

 

Worms also love coffee, if you have a patch in the ground then add all your left over coffee to it. You will have a bunch of lovely new friends in no time!



 

Remember - waste not want not!

Love Belle xx

 

 

 

Love   Drink   Create

Spiced Coffee Facial Scrub

I love reusing and recycling where i can so i think this recipe is an awesome way to make use of the left over coffee. Waste not, want not! I dont see the point in spending a bucket load of money on skin care when the most effective products can be found in your kitchen cupboard, the less chemicals the better!

 

Using coffee on your skin is an amazing pick me up, it tightens up your pours whilst at the same time getting rid of excess skin. Adding olive oil helps nourish the skin and add moister, olive oil is one of the oldest known moisterisers and has amazing healing properties

 

The best part is, its so simple!

 

Just add:

 

• 2 table spoons of olive oil to every:
• 3 table spoons of used coffee grounds.

 

You can make as much as you like as this mixture will last up to 7 weeks at room tempriture.

 

Using my spiced coffe, you will also have the added benifits of the spices!

 

Love Belle xx

 

 

Love  Drink  Create

 

 

 

Ps. If you add raw sugar to the mix it makes and awesome body scrub which helps fight celuite! Add 5 table spoons of raw sugar just before you use it though as it will desolve.
   

Spiced Coffee on a Stick

Depending on which side of the world you're on, you're either one step closer to summer or one step away. Down here in Australia the cold mornings are definitely setting in, although those hot afternoons are still here. I personally really enjoy my hot morning coffee which warms me up perfectly, what i enjoy more is using the remaining pot to set into icy poles for when i get home to cool down.

It is so so easy and requires minimal effort, just follow these few steps:

1. When you're putting together your morning brew (I personally love my Persian brew) make some extra so there’s left overs.
2. Add milk and honey to the mixture (really you can do it however you like; you could even add cocoa to the mix to have spiced mocha pops!).
3. You don’t even need icy pole moulds for this one, just pour the mixture into a cup and add a stick or small spoon. Pop in the freezer in a spot where it will not be knocked over.
4. By the afternoon it will be frozen into a nice icy pole for you to enjoy :)

If you want more information on my brews you can contact me at coffee@bellesbrews.com.

Love Belle xx

Love Drink Create

 

Persian Spiced Espresso Martini

There’s just something about caffeine and drinking that really gets you off your rocket. Reminiscing from the weekend I’m going to share with you an awesome espresso martini recipe using my Persian spice brew.

What you will need:

• 1 chilled martini glass
• 1 cocktail shaker and strainer
• Ice
• 15mls sugar syrup (3/4 sugar, 1/4 boiling water)
• 30mls Belle's Brews Persian Spice brew
• 30mls Vodka
• 15mls Kahlua
• 15mls Frangelico
• 3 coffee beans

What you need to do:

• First up fill the martini glass with ice, this will keep it super cool so that your glass doesn’t warm the ingredients when it is filled.
• Measure all your ingredients into the cocktail shaker but hold up on the ice until the end. So once all your ingredients are in the shaker, fill it with ice, pop the lid on and give it a shake.
• The trick with espresso martinis is in the shake, you don’t want to shake for too long otherwise the flavour will become too diluted. Shake it too softly and you won’t get that delicious cream that’s on the top (which is from the sugar syrup). Make you sure you shake it hard and short.
• Tip the ice out of your martini glass and strain in the mixture. Don’t fill it all the way to the top, no one likes their drink spilling over the edges, you want at least a gap of 1cm. After the mixture has settled in the glass you should have a creamy foam on the top about the same size (1cm). If it’s significantly bigger then you have put too much sugar syrup in your concoction.
• Final touches, put your 3 coffee beans on top and wvolah, you have your drink.

 

Enjoy irresponsibly ;)

Love Belle x

 

 

Brown paper packages tied up with string...

What's better than brown paper bags and bells?  

The spiced coffee that they come with! 

Contact me at coffee@bellesbrews.com

 

Love Belle x

Terrific Turmeric

Turmeric

Turmeric is definitely something that is little understood in the western world, not just for its healing properties but also for its cooking and flavour properties. I must admit i myself have only just started to actually appreciate it. But what is turmeric? We all know about our friend the ginger root, well no wonder turmeric is truly terrific, they're in the same family! Turmeric (when grounded down) is a much more vibrant orange colour and in cooking it adds an earthiness that can complement some dishes. Although unlike ginger, it doesn’t add that hot touch to your meal! More to the point though is its terrific healing properties, the spiciness of it may not be on par with ginger but its health benefits definitely are! Here are the top five that i have found:

Weight Management

Wanting to lose a few kgs? Or battling with obesity? Turmeric is actually an amazing weight loss aid. What it does is increase the bile levels and flow which are an essential part of the breakdown process in dietary fat. So having turmeric every day is a great way to become slim and stay that way! But how do i add turmeric to my diet? It seems hard but really it's not! Just have a cup of my Persian Brew a day and you will be well on your way.

Immunity boosting properties

The triple A of the immunity world: antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal. Guess what? Yep you're right, turmeric contains all three! It also contains a substance called lipopolysaccharide which stimulates the immune system and keeps it on its toes (in a good way). Don’t fancy having turmeric and water every day? Try drinking my Persian blend which is packed full of turmeric.

Improves digestion

Again, this is because of the increase of bile in your gallbladder. Stimulating and promoting digestion is a great way to relieve bloating and gas.

Controls diabetes and cholesterol levels

Lower insulin levels? 3 words that diabetics love. This is exactly what turmeric does; it also builds up the body’s natural resistance against insulin AND helps with the flow of medication around the blood stream. Not bad hey? Well that’s not all, if diabetes is not a pressing issue for you, lowering your (bad) cholesterol levels is something everyone needs to think about. I mean, no one wants to find themselves with a cardiovascular disease. Good news is, turmeric once again falls under the hero label for fighting cholesterol. Go for gold with this one! Turmeric is mixed with a variety of other beneficial spices in my Persian blend so have a go of it and bath in the benefits that come along with it.

 

Prevents the risk of cancer and liver disease

Yep, amongst all the benefits listed above, turmeric still finds some spare time to battle cancer and liver disease. Its preventative effect against tumour cells can protect you against prostate, colon, breast cancer and many more. Not only does it help you fight cancer but it will also help your liver deal with those weekend nights out on the booze. Turmeric is a natural liver detoxifier and assists with the production of enzymes which break down toxins in the body. Turmeric shots anyone? Maybe not, but you can add your favourite liquor to my Persian brew to spice up yvour night and help with the hangover!

Contact me at coffee@bellesbrews.com for more information.

 

Love Belle xx

 

South East Asian Brew

South East Asian Brew

 

Sometimes i think to myself that im missing a little spice in my life, like i need to heat things up a bit. Do you agree? Well i got a bit tired of this so when i tried my new South East Asian spiced brew i was thrilled. Finally! Something to heat my afternoons up, a bit of spice in my life that i can enjoy at any hour of the day. Thats what this brew will do, it will heat you up to the point of bliss and bring you back wanting more. South East Asia, hot, steamy and filled with passion, this brew is not for the faint hearted. With a dash of chilli and something more, the longer you leave this brew, the hotter it gets!

Contact me at coffee@bellesbrews.com

 

Love Belle  XXX

Coffee!

Coffeeeeeeeeeeee

 

 

 

As the second most traded commodity on this planet (after oil) there have been many debates over the beneficial qualities of coffee. Of course there is the well known fact that consuming anything excessively is bad (even water!) but the evidence that has been emerging recently has been saying otherwise. I am one for coffee, i love it (obviously) but i hate the addiction factor that comes with it (the caffeine not the coffee thank you very much). What i tend to do is have about 6 months drinking coffee, then have a few months off. This allows me to still have my independence with the old caffeine bug and keeps me on my toes. Although i really struggle these days when i cant have a cup of my delicious Persian coffee in the morning :P. What is the growing evidence saying about coffee? Read on to find out.

Increased energy levels and brain function

The substance in coffee called caffeine is responsible for this. We all know that feeling we get after drinking coffee right? Well thats the caffeine being absorbed into our blood systems , eventually this travels to our brain and enhances the activity of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and dopamine, this leads to increased brain activity. I know why i like to start the day off with a cup of coffee ;) and not just any coffee, because both of my brews include added spices, the health benefits increase enormously! And they taste even better.

Boosts your metabolism and helps you burn fat

Ever felt like you need to go to the toilet after you have just had a cup of coffee? Well that is because coffee speeds up your metabolism rate by 3-11% (It is actually a natural laxative)! There is a reason that caffeine is found in all major commercial fat burning supplements. But wait! Did you know that a lot of spices aid digestion and help with weight loss and fat burning too? Especially a lot of them that are included in my two Brews….

Fights depression and helps to make you happier

Depression, its a very real and unpleasant mental disease. Studies have shown that people who drink 4 cups of coffee a day are 20% less likely to get depressed. I would say this has something to do with the increased energy levels and brain functions. Although it makes me happy having a nice cup of my Persian Brew each morning :)

 

Large amounts of antioxidants

That magic word, it keeps popping up doesn't it? Do you find that you don't get enough antioxidants? Stop with that folly! Every element in my brews (yes, including the coffee) have large amount of antioxidants in them. SO if you start (or end for that matter) your day with a nice cup of my Persian or South East Asian brew, your worries will be no more!

Helps you live longer:

Studies have shown that drinking is associated with a 20% lower risk in men and a 26% lower risk in women! As well as these studies, it has been shown that coffee can help reduce the effects of the following diseases:

 

- alzheimer's and dementia

- parkinson's

- helps fight cancers

- Protects the liver and,

- helps with the prevention of type 2 diabetes

 

Just quietly…. the spices in both of my brews help fight the same conditions as above.

Cough, cough….These benefits DO NOT apply to decaf, so SWITCH!....cough, cough ;)

Extra love! Belle :)

 

Persian Spice Brew

Persian Spice Brew

 

 

Waking up in the morning to the smell of hot steaming coffee, wait a moment, theres something else in that scent. Is that cinnamon i smell? Or maybe something more? If thats what you were thinking then you are completly right! My Persian Spice Brew brings together flavours from an anchient Pursian spice road, it takes you out of the ordinary and on an adventure like no other. The perfect way to spice up your morning.

 

Interested in trying out some of my coffee? Contact me at coffee@bellesbrews.com



Ginger Oil

Ginger oil

  

 

 

 

Finding it hard to incorporate ginger into your diet? Why not try adding it into your olive oil? Here is an easy fantastic recipe you can use:

 

What you need:

• 1 jar
• olive oil
• ginger root

  

How you do it:

1. Slice the ginger, you are able to put as much or as little as you like depending on how strong you want the oil to be.
2. Put the ginger slices into a jar and cover with olive oil. Please note that the jar needs to be completely dry, if any moisture is in there when the oil is infusing it will encourage mold/bacteria growth.
3. Close the jar tightly and place on a sunny window sill.
4. After about a week take the jar down and taste the oil, if it is not strong enough then place more ginger in it and sit back on the window sill for a few more days.
5. When the flavour is to your liking, strain the ginger out of the oil and put the oil back in the jar. Label the jar and its all yours :)

  

This is perfect for salads and cooking. Enjoy!

  

Love Belle