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What Happens When You Go 21 Days Without Sugar?

This summer got a little rough as far as me eating sugar goes. The early part of the summer we moved which encouraged my stress eating. I tried to keep it “approved” with dark chocolate, fruit and treats made with natural sugars, but still, I overdid it. Then the vacations started: camping, Disneyland, weekends with family, […]

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Seven Guilt-Free Hot Chocolate Recipes

2015-02-23 11.47.20My 5-year-old loves to play in the snow. She wants to sled, build snowmen, make snow angels, shovel, etc, etc, etc. And she has more snow stamina than I do. After about half an hour I’m totally done and want to come inside and heat up a rice sock. She stays out until she can no longer feel her hands. Oh to be five again. Every time she comes in from a snow extravaganza, she declares she needs hot chocolate. After all, nothing warms up cold feet like drinking hot chocolate. At least that’s what my daughter tells me. Since I’m not a big fan of the ingredients in packaged hot chocolate, we started making our own. Luckily, it passes my daughter’s after-snow hot-chocolate requirements.

For basic hot chocolate, just whisk together the almond milk, cocoa and sweetener of your choice. For my kids (including my husband), I always use the honey instead of stevia. I always use stevia in mine.

Start on the lower end of measurements and add to your tastes. I use a full tablespoon of cocoa while my daughter prefers two teaspoons. You can always add but you can’t take away.

To make life more exciting (because now that I’m a mom in my 30’s, new hot chocolate flavors really does qualify as exciting), try these variations.

Almond Hot chocolate

  • 1 recipe Guilt-Free Hot Chocolate
  • Stir in 1/8 t almond extract

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

  • 1 recipe Guilt-Free Hot Chocolate
  • Stir in 1/4 t peppermint extract or 1 drop pure peppermint essential oil

Coconut Hot Chocolate

  • Make 1 recipe Guilt-Free Hot Chocolate, but use coconut milk instead of almond milk
  • Stir in 1 tsp coconut butter

Mexican Hot Chocolate

  • 1 recipe Guilt-Free Hot Chocolate
  • Whisk in 1/4 t cinnamon and 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Orange Hot Chocolate

  • 1 recipe Guilt-Free Hot Chocolate
  • Stir in 1/4 t orange extract

Raspberry Hot Chocolate

  • 1 recipe Guilt-Free Hot Chocolate
  • Smash 3 raspberries in bottom of mug before adding milk. Whisk together with the cocoa powder.
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