Taking care for the environment proves to be much easier than thought about decades ago. A biodegradable coffee cup embedded with seeds that grow into trees may have sounded like science-fiction a few years back, but now it’s a reality! The idea comes from California-based company called Reduce. Reuse. Grow and its main designer Alex Henige. How can a cup of this thinness keep the seeds unaffected whilst the process of drinking coffee is also uninterrupted? The answer lies in the paper and the liner which absorb a lot of the heat of the coffee. Thus, the seeds are not affected directly and you can safely drink your favorite hot beverage. After you come to your senses from all the awesomeness this kind of product entails, check out how works what looks like a normal cup!

A coffee cup that has native seeds embedded within the material to be used for reforestation in your local communities. Created by Reduce. Reuse. Grow.

“Recently, we got in contact with our first paper manufacturers in order to start testing our manufacturing processes as well as native seed testings. We have also been accepted into the CIE Accelerator Program at the HotHouse in downtown San Luis Obispo. Here we are launching our first round of compostable packaging products. Feel free to contact us with further questions!” Planttrash.com

Here’s a simple dessert idea for the days when you don’t have a lot of time to cook or are not in the mood, but still want something sweet. It is also a great snack to bring to work for lunch and enjoy it with a nice cup of coffee. This dessert is a mixture between S’mores and cupcakes and let’s be honest, you can’t go wrong with this. You will need a box of S’mores cupcake mix, crackers, chocolate fondant, oil, 2 eggs and water. Just follow the instructions on the cake mix and add the crackers. Line a muffin pan and fill each cupcake paper with the cake mix. You can also add some marshmallows as they will taste awesome. Place them in the oven and when they are done, let the cool and start rolling out the fondant on your working surface. Cover the cupcakes with fondant and give them a coffee cup-like shape. You can serve them fresh or take them to work the next day, just make sure to place them in the fridge overnight. Delicious, right?

INGREDIENTS
36 ounces fondant (or modeling chocolate)
1 17.9 ounce Betty Crocker Hershey S’mores Premium Cupcake Mix
2 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
1 tub Betty Crocker Vanilla Cupcakes
12 paper cupcake liners
2 tablespoons butter

S’mores Coffee Cup Cupcakes – Directions

You would think cookies in the shape of a swan are difficult to make, but in reality they are quite easy when you try. There isn’t much hassle with achieving this creative and yet delicious result, you just have to use any cookie dough, as long as you can roll it. Here is what you’ll need:

• 2 eggs (save the yolk of the second egg to brush over cookies before baking);
• a couple of coffee cups of sugar;
• one and a half coffee cup of vegetable oil;
• one ammoniac soda sachet;
• one coffee cup of milk;
• lemon;
• a small pack of vanilla flavor;

Start by mixing well the eggs and adding the ammoniac sachet, dissolved before in the milk. Then pour the vanilla and some lemon zest in the mix. Add plenty of flour so you’ll make a soft dough. Leave the dough to rest 1 hour in a warm place then knead it again, adding more flour. When it’s ready for rolling, spread it out on the worktable.

Take a tall glass and make some circles in the dough; each will be a swan after you’re done with the shaping process. First, fold the circle in half. Second, use a knife to cut into specific places on the piece of dough; look at the images for guideline. Take the cuts in the way you see in the photos, in order to make the neck, head and tail of the beautiful swan. Repeat the technique for the rest of the circles. Finish by brushing them with the yolk from the second egg. Use chocolate sprinkles to fashion the eyes before sprinkling with sugar on the whole pan covered baking paper. Place in oven at 180-200 degrees Celsius and leave in until it gets a golden color. Finished!