Coffee recipes, iced coffee, coffee cake recipes for National Coffee Day

Cafe Ole! Java junkies rejoice because September 29 is your holy day of obligation! Here are coffee recipes for iced coffee, coffee cake and caffeinated treats for National Coffee Day! CNN Money reported that some coffee shops are giving free coffee and even coffee trees! Snag yours from this list of free coffee venues. Enjoy with these recipes! Dieters, you're going to love this: because coffee is high in caffeine it boosts metabolism. That means it burns fat and helps you lose weight. So coffee mugs aloft and say "fill 'er up, please!" Low calorie options are listed for the sweet java treats. Grind your own beans and use two filters for auto drip coffeemakers, to get a better cup 'o joe!

Iced Java-mocha Coffee: In a personal blender, add cold, fresh-brewed Sumatra or espresso coffee. Add Hershey's chocolate syrup (sugarfree for dieters), vanilla ice cream, (or vanilla almond or cashew milk for dieters), non-dairy French vanilla creamer and ice. Blend till smooth and serve with whipped topping and shaved dark chocolate. Make the same drink warmed without ice for chilly fall mornings. This drink goes well with savory snacks. To make alcoholic java-mocha iced coffee, add a shot of Creme de Cacao and a shot of Kahlua in place of creamer.

Toffee Coffee Cake: So who has time to bake on a busy back-to-school September morn? So cheat and use a boxed cake mix: French vanilla works best. Spray two round pans with non-stick coating. Blend butter, sugar, chopped pecans and butterscotch chips. Spread in pan bottom. Make cake according to directions, but substitute cold coffee for water. Split mix in half between two cake pans and bake. Spread one with caramel coconut pecan frosting. Invert the other cake over frosting side so bottom topping is on top. Frost sides of desired, or puff with powdered sugar.

Apple spice coffee cake: For lighter cake, use a spice cake mix. Use coffee for water. Swap Splenda for sugar, flaxseed for eggs and applesauce for oil. Make crumb base by trading butterscotch chips for apple slices and blend with cinnamon, Splenda and walnuts. Substitute that for caramel frosting.

Triple Coffee-Chocolate cake with Coco-Mocha Coffee Fudge Frosting: Choose a dark chocolate cake mix and make with strong, black cold coffee instead of water. Add dark chocolate chips when cake is partially baked. Blend butter, powdered sugar, dark chocolate cocoa powder, vanilla, salt and warm to tepid black coffee. Blend till smooth. Bake cake for one-third of the time. Remove from oven and add dark chocolate chips. Divide frosting in half. With a frosting bag, "pipe" ribbons of fudge frosting through cake mix and finish baking. Frost with remaining frosting. Serve with coffee ice cream, topping, and hot coffee!

Fun coffee add-ins: When you brew coffee, add to grounds basket one of these add-ins: ground cinnamon, unsweetened cocoa, nutmeg, allspice or pure vanilla. Sweeten coffee with caramel, chocolate or maple syrup. For creamer, use any flavored variety, almond milk, coconut or cashew milk. For bacon coffee, add fresh cooked, chopped bacon and a little bacon grease. Sweeten with maple syrup. 

Healthy breakfast recipes, quick school breakfasts for Better Breakfast Month

September is Better Breakfast Month. It's also the traditional back-to-school month. Here are healthy

breakfast recipes and quick, easy school breakfasts even young kids can make. These breakfasts are

low sugar, high fiber and full of protein and good, healthy fats. Many recipes are gluten free or low

glycemic, too.

Breadless breakfast sandwich recipe--Fill hungry tummies with super-nutritious, gluten-free falafel

sandwiches. Make up a batch of falafel patties using packaged Ziyad falafel mix. Fry till crisp in non

fat cooking spray. Freeze for kids to quick pop in toaster oven or microwave. Use falafel patties like

bread. Spread with hummus and "sandwich" Mozzarella cheese, avocado, lettuce and tomato in

between.

Homemade granola--Blend one cup each: almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.

Add three cups oatmeal, one cup almond or peanut butter and a half cup of honey. Mix by hand and

spread in thin layer on baking sheet coated with non-stick cooking spray. Spray top of cereal and

bake at 250 for about 15 minutes till crunchy. Add raisins and store in fridge. Children can enjoy a

scoop before school with 2-percent milk or almond milk. Top with fresh berries, sliced bananas or

apples. Optional add-ins are coconut, millet and bran flakes.

Superfood breakfast smoothie--Blend Greek yogurt, strawberries or blueberries, one quarter

avocado, half a banana, and half a grapefruit (rind and seed removed). Add milk, almond milk or water

to desired consistency. Mix in one envelope of Emergen-C powdered vitamin drink. If kids will

tolerate it, add spinach and milled flax seed.

Grilled tomato breakfast bagel--Slice a big tomato. Blend shredded Parmesan cheese, oregano, basil

and pepper. Dip tomato in cheese mix. Fry in non-stick cooking oil. Grill whole grain bagel face down

and spread with tahini, hummus or light cream cheese. Top with grilled tomato and spinach. Serve

with orange or cranberry juice. 

Apple almond bagel-wich. Toast whole grain bagel. Spread with cream cheese and almond butter.

Add sliced tart apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy with a cold glass of juice. You can also fill a

pita pocket with almond butter and fresh fruit for a healthy breakfast sandwich.