If you know me at all, you probably know that I LOVE my sleep. I feel fully rested somewhere between 9-10 hours a night, but since life doesn’t often allow me that luxury, I usually get somewhere between 7-8 hours. For most people that may enough, but I still wake up tired. As you can guess, this only fuels my already existent love for coffee.

I’ve learned over the years that it’s not good to drink copious amounts of coffee, though. My favorite doctor-author, Joel Furhman, suggests that if you must have coffee, try and limit yourself to one cup per day. That being said, if I’m going to limit myself in an effort to support my health, I’ve decided that there is absolutely no time to drink bad coffee!

So what do I drink, you ask? On a typical day, I use our Keurig to brew a cup of black coffee on my way out the door to work (usually Tim Hortons Dark Roast, or Gevalia Dark Roast). But on the weekends, I sometimes take a few more minutes to make a creamy, delicious homemade latte. My mom gets all the credit for teaching me how to make a latte several years ago, and the best part is that it doesn’t require any fancy, expensive machinery!

Here’s what you’ll need:

* Your favorite dark roast coffee beans, ground finely (espresso roast is a good idea, but not required)
* Milk of choice (my favorite is Silk Original Coconut Milk)
* Stovetop espresso pot (this one has great reviews on Amazon)
* Electric milk frother (such as this one or similar)
* Raw sugar, if desired
* Your favorite microwave-safe coffee mug

1. Fill the espresso pot with water and coffee grounds as directed, and place on the stovetop on high heat (you will want to use the instructions that came with your pot since each pot is different).

2. I’ve found the quickest way to prep the milk is to do it in the microwave. While the espresso is brewing, grab your favorite microwave-safe coffee mug and fill it about halfway with your milk of choice. Microwave for about 1 minute, or until hot. (Note: don’t go crazy on the milk your first time. If you’re using dairy milk or cream, your milk will increase greatly in volume once frothed. You may only want to fill the mug 1/3 and see how it goes. If you’re using non-dairy milk,  you don’t have to worry as much.)

3. Using the electric milk frother, froth up the milk to your liking.

4. Add as much of the brewed espresso to your mug as you like. You’ll have to play with the milk-to-coffee ratio, since everyone’s preferences are different. If you like sweeter coffee, you can add raw sugar to taste.

That’s it! Now go enjoy your delicious latte and have a fabulous weekend!