Whipped coconut cream, dark chocolate and Scotty P’s Big Mug Coffee make for healthy mocha milkshakes that tastes like a diner throwback in the best possible way. Note: This post is not sponsored by Scotty P’s. This post simply reveals just how obsessive I can be.
A fellow freelancer told me she refers to tv characters as “coworkers,” since she plays them in the background while she works. By this logic, I have [shamefully] edited photos while camped in Dr. Fuller’s waiting room (#TeamMatt) and sent invoices over cosmos with Carrie and the girls (#TeamAiden). However, when it comes to my Gilmore Girls rabbit hole this winter (#TeamJess), “stage one clinger” is probably more accurate than “coworker.” (Dang, the world is really divided over fictional men, huh?)
But can you blame me?
Sure, you can blame me.
If you’re the Rustbelt Farmer, who didn’t grow up tuning into WB each week to catch the iconic mother-daughter duo in their fast-talking action, then yes, you can blame me for revisiting this show. But I, like so many of the show’s nostalgic fans, came of age with Rory. As she made her decision to be a Bulldog, I became a Tartan (go CMU!). My workload meant I missed a lot of Rory’s college years, but Netflix and winter hibernation were the keys to a good catch up.
While a lot the show felt hokier as an adult, there were so many elements I appreciated all the more: Lorelai becoming her own boss, the strong sense of community in Stars Hollow, complicated family bonds, and most of all, the way the small town created its own fun. I love me a theme, but those Stars Hollows residents really knew how to do it up!
All winter long, I was searching for other friends with whom I could gush about Stars Hollow, Dean vs. Jess, the many famous cameos, and why Luke and Lorelai never should have broken up (yes, I understand tv has to string us along, but still). AND THERE WAS NO ONE…. just crickets! Everyone had either watched Gilmore Girls ages ago, or they only wanted to talk about the newest four-part series, or they just weren’t that into it. All my gushing fell solely upon the Rustbelt Farmer’s deaf, irritated ears. That was, until I attended my niece’s birthday party!
…and finally, finally I found comfort in a friend who was just as wrapped in a Gilmore Girls nostalgic bender as I was. She mirrored my obsession, but more importantly, she opened my eyes to the latest tidbit. Scott Patterson, ie: Luke Danes, had started his own coffee company. In real life, Scott Patterson grew up in New Jersey diners, drinking as much coffee as the Gilmore girls themselves. Over the years, he developed a passion for coffee and recently launched Scotty P’s Big Mug Coffee to sell affordable coffee that resembles “the many great tastes of the Northeast.”
Being the theme-oriented gal that I am (ie: a should-be Stars Hollow resident), I ordered my own package of the breakfast blend (note: it only comes pre-ground at this point). Logically, I decided the best way to try this brew was in true Gilmore Girls fashion. That meant healthy mocha milkshakes paired with a very Luke Danes meal: a cheeseburger, sweet potato fries and steamed broccoli. It’s a diner style meal I could eat daily, but it’s also the meal Luke cooked for his daughter, April, when she announced she was going to her first boy-girl party.
Though I wouldn’t substitute Scotty P’s Big Mug Coffee for the third-wave beans I typically buy for my morning brew, the company does do what it sets out to do: it achieves an upscale version of a diner coffee (minus the part where the pot burns for an extra eight hours). Drinking Scotty P’s coffee is just as nostalgic as binge watching Gilmore Girls all winter long. So now you know just how far I took my obsession. The only remaining question is… where you at Gilmore Girls fans?
Cheers,
Healthy Mocha Milkshakes
Recipe adapted ever so slightly from The Minimalist Baker
Yield: 2 shakes
About this Recipe: You could make a batch of cold-brew coffee to make these healthy mocha milkshakes, but I like to use any leftover black coffee from breakfast (I can never seem to finish it all), so I’m wasting less and indulging more. This recipe starts with a no-churn coconut cream “ice cream,” so you’ll want to freeze that mixture the night before. The texture will be a little denser than normal ice cream, but it makes for a creamy vegan milkshake. The whole thing is drizzled with a very nostalgic yet healthy dark chocolate “Magic Shell.” Be sure to select a vegan chocolate if vegan is a concern. This shake would also be great with a little bourbon or rum spike to it.
Vegan Coconut Ice Cream
2 14-ounce cans organic, full-fat coconut milk, chilled and separated
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (optional)
Pinch sea salt
1 vanilla bean pod, split and scraped (or 1/2- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)
Dark Chocolate “Magic Shell”
3/4 cup dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
Mocha Milkshakes
2 cups vegan coconut ice cream (made from ingredients above)
1-2 Tablespoons unsweetened cacao powder
1/2 – 3/4 cup brewed coffee, chilled
2-4 Tablespoons coconut milk (or almond milk)
raspberries or cherries for garnish
Directions
For the Vegan Coconut Ice Cream:
Scoop the thick, coconut cream from the canned coconut milk. Reserve and refrigerate the liquid coconut milk for blending the milkshakes later.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the coconut cream, maple syrup, sea salt and vanilla bean pod contents together until light and fluffy.
Transfer the mixture to a freezer-safe bowl or bread pan, and freeze. For a fluffier frozen texture, periodically remove from the freezer and whisk to incorporate air. Freeze for 4-6 hours, until firm.
Note: These steps should be done in advance to allow for freezing time.
For the Dark Chocolate Magic Shell:
In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the coconut oil and chopped chocolate, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Stir until melted and combined. Drizzle warm chocolate sauce into two glasses, then blend the shakes.
Note: This will yield more chocolate sauce than you need, but it can be refrigerated, then reheated, and served with other desserts. It’s especially delicious over any leftover coconut ice cream!
For the Shake:
Add ice cream, cacao, and coffee to a blender, and blend until creamy and smooth. Add more coffee or coconut milk (optional) as needed.
Taste and adjust ingredients as needed for desired flavor and creaminess. Pour into two chocolate drizzled glasses and top with raspberries or cherries.
Serve and enjoy!
