Iced Coffee (dairy free, refined sugar free)

I want to thank a couple of friends (Marti and Charlotte) for telling me about the Pioneer Woman's post for Perfect Iced Coffee.  LIFE SAVER...

As you might have read, we have a newborn in the house - thus the need for Mommy to have a little go-juice to help me get through the day.  (Can someone please tell me when newborns sleep through the night?)

Anyhoo, P-dub makes two gallons of this delightful nectar, but I scaled it down to one gallon.  In addition, too much caffeine gives me a whopping headache, so I used two-thirds decaf coffee to one-third regular.  I prefer to use a decaf that doesn't use chemicals to remove the caffeine.  If a coffee is labeled "organic" you can be pretty sure it's safe from being chemically processed, but I would contact the company and read labels to be certain.  I found out that the Fresh Market Decaf Blend, one of my favorites, uses a water process to remove the caffeine.

Here's my version of P-dubs Perfect Iced Coffee.  Though it lacks half-and-half and sweetened condensed milk (sigh), I think it's pretty good and, at this stage in my life, a gift from the Lord to help me get and/or keep moving.  

Onward and upward!  I think I hear laundry calling...

Iced Coffee (dairy free and refined sugar free)

Ingredients:

3 oz. regular freshly ground coffee (I used The Fresh Market Blend)

6 oz. decaf freshly ground coffee (again, TFM blend)

1 gallon (4 quarts) filtered water 

Instructions:

Place ground coffee into a large container or pitcher.  Add water.  Allow to brew at least 8 hours or overnight.

Strain through a small sieve lined with paper towels (I'm all out of cheesecloth.)

I use either cashew milk or cashew cream and agave nectar and/or stevia to sweeten.  Enjoy!

(P-dub says this keeps for about a month in the fridge.)