The best part of starting up a new week is savoring a steaming cup of caffeinated happiness. The challenge, of course, is resisting the sugary siren song of the neighborhood Starbucks. Fear not my beloved froo-froo coffee-drinkers! You can have your latte and drink it too. This nourishing alternative to a coffee-house latte is ready in 20 seconds, and will keep you fueled for hours.

There’s quite the back-story to today’s post, so if you just want the recipe feel free to scroll down. But if you’re still waking up and trying to delay the inevitable onset of the work-week…keep reading!

The Bullet-Proof inspiration

Ever since Dave Asprey took the health world by storm with his Bulletproof Coffee concept (which is worth learning about straight from the source, so click here to read all about it!), the internet has been flooded by all sorts of adaptations, imitations, modifications, and variations of Dave’s delicious brilliance.

Most of these spin-offs are tasty, but you can’t just throw butter in any old cup of coffee and call it Bulletproof.

So, being the OCD food nerd dedicated purist that I am, I determined to do this thing right. I hunted down some mold-free single-origin organic coffee via my favorite local roaster, Amazon-Primed some MCT oil, and built a stockpile of grassfed Kerrygold butter (cuz when the store has it on sale, stocking up is the only thing to do).

But I can never leave well enough alone. So I started tinkering and came up with:

Portable bulletproof-ish latte pellets

You see, for a while I bullet-proofed my mornings quite faithfully…but I had trouble carrying all the supplies with me when travelling (let’s just say a blender is not conducive to streamlined luggage). And also, now and then I wanted a hint of flavor beyond the buttery richness (not that I’m complaining about it, but variety is indeed the spice of life).

These cute little hockey pucks are the result of 15 minutes of prep work and an overnight rest in the fridge.

If I’m going somewhere for the weekend, or if I simply refuse to be within 10 feet of the office abomination known as the Keurig machine (um, yeah…I’m a coffee snob. Sue me.)…I can bag up a couple of these to throw in my purse…

Add water, and BOOM!  Twenty seconds and I’m blisfully sipping a steaming mug of this-could-put-starbucks-out-of-business…

Above all, keep in mind that this recipe is highly adaptable. If coffee isn’t your thing, you can substitute chai, earl gray, roiboos, yerba matte, matcha or your favorite herbal tea. If you’re a Trim Healthy Mamma in search of a deep S creamer…look no further! Follow these steps, with plain water instead of coffee, and this silky-smooth concoction will help you kiss the toxic store-bought stuff good-bye.

And now, my fellow crispsters (yes, that is a made up word)…are you ready to stir your way to some keto-friendly, paleo, nourishing caffeine happiness? Here’s everything you need to know!

Tips & how-to’s

Start by dissolving pure gelatin in some strong espresso that you’ve sweetened to your preference. Then when it has melted, you’ll add equal parts grass-fed butter and coconut oil. Whisk until it looks smooth and silky like hot fudge sauce.

Then you’ll add a bit of grass-fed whey protein powder, and a few drops of your favorite flavoring. Of course you can also leave it plain….or not!

Vanilla is nice.

Salted caramel is nicer….

Pumpkin Spice, anyone?

How about Peppermint Mocha?

Hazelnut?

The possibilities are endless!

When you have flavored it to your liking, pour everything into the blender and whip it up for several minutes,  until it looks fluffy and reaches a mousse/pudding/mayonnaise consistency. This step is important to incorporate air in the mix.

Then you’ll pour it into a handy-dandy mold and leave it to set up overnight in the fridge. (I used silicon cupcake molds, but any pan works, just cut it into servings when done). Actually, forget about the “overnight” thing. This will set up in about 2 hours, so waiting is entirely optional.

And now you are well on your way to a drink so dreamy, no one will believe it’s low carb and of all things NOURISHING! Just pop one of the pieces into a mug, add some boiling water and you’re good to go… (And sprinkle some cinnamon on top, because…well why not?)

I would love to know what modifications you come up with. Be sure to share in the comments because you will inspire me with new ways to mix it up!

(P.s. If reading about coffee gives you a hankering for baked yummies…I strongly suggest you hop over to visit The Not So Creative Cook. I found these heavenly-looking Brazo de Mercedes Cupcakes on her blog, and I think they go perfectly together! :))