This is how I make everything from mochas to chai in my own home. I still go to my favorite independently run coffee shops, and I recommend that you do to. They need your business. However, you need an excuse to cut those excursions to Starbucks out of your life. They are union busting assholes.

Necessary Supplies:

• An Espresso maker with a steamer (can be found easily for around $40)
• A plain old coffee maker or french press
• Tons of soy milk, I recommend keeping a stock of plain and vanilla
• Raw sugar
• Espresso blend with a fine grind
• Your favorite blend of chai teabags
• cocoa powder, or vegan chocolate syrup
• your favorite coffee

If you don’t care about steaming the milk, you can find espresso pots that will make espresso on the stove top. We have one of that we use when we go camping. Also for regular coffee there is the option to use a french press.

College Dorm Tip: If you’re allowed to have a microwave in your room, boil water in the microwave to put in a french press to make coffee.

Definitions of the famous cafe drinks:

Cafe Latte: One to two shots of espresso, and filled the rest of the way with steamed milk. A good latte often has a small cap of foam.

Cappuccino: One to two shots of espresso which comprises 1/3 of the drink, then there is 1/3 milk and 1/3 foam. However, it isn’t unusual to see one that is comprised mostly of foam.

Cafe Mocha: One to two shots of espresso, which is then mixed with chocolate (if using cocoa add sugar), then the rest of the drink is filled with steamed milk, and a cap of foam.

Chai Latte: Chai is somewhat mysterious, however at home I can make a decent chai latte out of a 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup brewed chai tea, steamed milk, and sugar.

Steaming: One thing I’ve learned from working at cafes is that every stem wand is different. Also the various home steamers all work a bit differently. One trick that I have found that is fairly universal is bobbing the cup until the tip of the steam wand is slightly submerged and then just on the surface. I also tilt the the mug slightly and keep the wand towards the edge.

Espresso: Good espresso should be mixed with milk immediately, and be well tamped (compressed).  If you do a good job you’ll see a little layer of crema which is a reddish brown foam.  If at all possible steam the milk first, or at the same time as the espresso is being brewed.

At the radical coffeehouse near me soy milk is often preferred over dairy, even by dairy drinkers.  Steamed cow milk easily scalds, and smells nasty, it also often overwhelms the flavor of the espresso, and chai.  There is a rumor that soy milk is difficult to foam, but it’s a myth.  Soy milk just requires a different feel.  Cafe drinks no longer need to be shrouded in mystery, you can easily make them at home.

Last night I came home from work feeling ill. I had barely eaten all day, and was in dire need of some wholesome nourishment. I wanted soup, and my pantry was getting a bit mangy. Also, I should add that I had never made soup before. Less than a day later I had made two awesome soups, both taking at most 15 minutes of prep, and maybe a half hour total cook time.

I am no kitchen genius, so how did this all occur?

First, I almost always have a few staples in my cabinets. I keep in stock a very large spice collection which I have built from the basic basil and oregano to cardamon and a spices from a wide variety of cuisines. I’m no spice picking genius either, but I leave the story of the spice rack for some other time. Anyways, I also almost always have yellow onion and garlic. In the pantry I have things like lentils, rice and various pastas and grains. There are also the canned goods like black beans, chick peas, and diced tomatoes.

When I decided that I wanted soup I immediately turned to my Quick Fix Vegetarian cookbook, but it failed me. I had the makings of several soups, but I was either lacking a few key ingredients, or I didn’t like the seasoning. I ended up recombining four recipes from Robertson’s book plus some of my own crazy ideas into the following two recipes.

Curry Chickpea and Lentil Soup

• 1 smallish yellow onion
•  2-3 whole cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• cumin to taste
• ground coriander to taste
• 1 cup washed and picked red lentils
• 1 15 ounce can chick peas
• 1 15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable broth (from paste)
• 1 cup water

I chopped the onion in my handy and aggression relieving Ikea chopper, threw it in a pot big enough for the soup with the garlic with a tad of olive oil and sauteed on medium-high for about five minutes. Meanwhile I got out my spices and opened and drained my cans, and washed the lentils.

I have crappy McCormick curry powder right now, so I threw that in and the lentils, canned goods, and added four cups warm water and melted in my veggie bouillon paste. I love using the paste because it taste better, and doesn’t come in cumbersome packaging or need to be pre-made. I always have some in the fridge.

At this point I brought the heat up to high and added salt, fresh ground pepper, ground coriander and cumin to taste. This evened out the evil of the cheap curry powder. I let everything come to a boil, and then reduced to a simmer for about 20 minutes, adding water as needed after the first ten minutes.

Alternatives: Try wilting in some baby, or shredded spinach in the last five minutes or so, instead or with the chickpeas. Or whatever sounds good to you!

Wholesome Chili Black Bean Soup

• 1 smallish yellow onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground oregano
• dried basil to taste
• cayenne to taste
• 1 can rinsed black beans
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes
• 3/4 cup quick cook barley
• 5 cups veggie broth (from paste)

Once again I used my handy dandy chopper on the onions, and then used my mincer on the garlic. Threw it into the pot I planned to make my soup in with a tad of olive oil on medium heat and covered for about five minutes. While waiting I drained, rinsed, and prepared my spices.

Then I added the chili powder and ground oregano, beans, tomatoes, 5 cups water which I mixed with bouillon paste then I threw in the barley and kicked the heat up to high while I was waiting for things to heat up I added cayenne to taste along with the basil. I let things cook for about 20 minutes lowering the mixture to a simmer once it began to boil.

Alternatives: If I had them on hand when making this soup I would have added some mushrooms and possibly some greens.

I finished off my day of soups with Vegan With a Vengeance Mexican Chocolate Rice Pudding.

Ingredients:

- 1 can chick peas

- 4 oil packed sun-dried tomatoes

- 1/3 cup pure lemon juice

- 2 tablespoons tahini

- 1 tablespoon flax seed oil

- 1 tablespoon minced garlic

- 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne

Directions:

Throw in food processor and turn on.

1 Can Chick Peas

2 Tablespoons Tahini

1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic

1 Tablespoon Flaxseed Oil

1/3 cup lemon juice

3 Sun-dried Tomatoes

1/4 Red Onion

Puree Red Onion and Sun-Dried Tomatoes in a Food Processor,  then stop and add rest of the ingredients, puree again, viola, hummus.

This hummus is a little sweet with some kick from the red onion, it might be advisable to add some cumin to this recipe, or go down to a 1/6 or 1/8 red onion.  Or both!

Dinner last night, took about a half an hour. Contains Spring Mix, Pears, Portabella Mushrooms, Balsamic Vinegar, Sundried Tomato Polenta, Red Onion, Celery and Lemon Juice.