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Alternative Uses for Coffee

Posted by Brittney Murray Thursday, April 7, 2011 8:12 AM
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When you get up in the morning and you’re sipping your daily brew, do you ever wonder about the alternative uses for coffee? Oh, is that just me? I love things that can pull double duty, whether it’s furniture, technology, or one of my favorite beverages. So what are some alternative uses for coffee, you ask? 

Facial/Body Scrubs

That’s right, your favorite cup of java can taste great and make your skin look fantastic as well! When coffee is applied to your skin, it helps redistribute fat cells and can decrease the formation of cellulite as well as prevent varicose veins. Below you’ll find a simple recipe to make your own scrub at home:

  • 2 cups of coffee grounds (any brand)
  • 1/2 cup raw sugar or Epsom salt (if you're using it as a facial scrub or you have sensitive skin, then use normal sugar so that it's gentler on the skin)
  • 2/3 tablespoon of massage oil
Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and you're ready to enjoy your new scrub. If you would like to add some essential oils to the mixture, feel free. I usually add 10 drops of lavender oil because of how relaxing its scent is. You could also add brown sugar to the mixture, as much as you'd like to get the right texture and it'll give the scrub a pleasant sweet scent.

Cooking

I’ve used coffee in my kitchen for a variety of recipes, but the one I’ll be sharing with you today is for coffee crusted steaks. Sounds odd, believe me I thought the same thing until I tried them. They’re delicious and the best part is, it only takes 30 minutes to make. Do I have you onboard now? 

  • 1/4 cup coffee grounds
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 4 (8-10-ounce) bone-in ribeye steaks
Directions:

  1. In a small bowl, combine coffee grounds, brown sugar, molasses, adobo sauce, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, and salt.
  2. Rub 1/4 cup coffee mixture on each steak.
  3. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Cook steaks in batches, for 5 minutes per side, or until desired doneness. Allow steaks to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Compost

I’m not going to say that I try to be “green” in everything that I do, but I do try to spend as little money as possible so I make my own compost to help the plants in my garden. I found an inexpensive kitchen compost bin at a local store and began dumping coffee grounds, egg shells, orange rinds, etc into it. I wouldn’t recommend anything like fish unless you love having your house smell like the New York harbor. The great thing about the compost bin is that it does come with a filter so I don’t have to stink up my entire house. Don’t have a compost bin? No problem! Here’s a DIY compost bin that I found on The Happy Housewife. I will be upfront and tell you that I haven’t made this myself, but from what I’ve read, it should do the job. 


Keep in mind that these are just a few alternative uses for coffee. I bet you didn't realize just how versatile your morning cup of joe could be? Please try some of these alternative uses and shoot me an email or a tweet to let me know how it went. I love hearing from my readers!

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