My little hometown has been hit by unseasonably cold and rainy weather lately. On one particular dreary day, my family was feeling especially bogged down with cabin fever. To remedy the situation, I suggested a day full of movies, a roaring fire, popcorn, and hot chocolate. Needless to say, my 3 year old was especially on board with the idea of hot chocolate. One problem? I had ran out of hot chocolate instant packets, and I had no motivation to brave the rain for a grocery run. So I decided to make some hot cocoa from scratch. Most recipes call for cow's milk, but I'm currently breastfeeding a baby who may have a dairy sensitivity. Therefore, I decided to use a carton of unsweetened coconut milk and keep the recipe vegan. I was so surprised by how easy - and how incredibly rich and delicious - homemade hot cocoa was! It was so simple and so tasty that I don't think I'll ever use the packets again. One batch make about 4 to 6 servings, and if you don't drink it all, it keeps quite well in fridge and is easily reheated.
When I was younger, I rarely drank water. I lived off Cokes in my teens, Diet Cokes in my early twenties, and Coke Zero after that. I always felt like they gave me headaches (especially the diet ones), and were perhaps responsible for many other health issues I had at the time. In my mid-twenties, I decided to give up my daily soda habit, and switch it out with water. Since then, my afternoon headaches disappeared, my teeth feel consistently cleaner, my energy is higher, and all those annoying little health issues disappeared. I definitely attribute my water intake to my huge improvement in overall health.
Orange juice mimosas are so 2013; instead why don't you ring in 2014 with the infinitely more posh Cranberry Mimosa? I discovered this drink in a Macon restaurant called Dovetail, and promptly proclaimed it my new favorite cocktail. The cranberry juice is incredibly refreshing and compliments the champagne just perfectly. Added bonus? It looks gorgeous in a glass. Pop in a few fresh cranberries, and you'll be the classiest chick (or dude) at the New Years Eve Ball.
I've been wanting to try the ubiquitous Green Monster smoothie for some time now. Not only are they suppose to be delicious, they are packed with vitamins and minerals, and reportedly give you a great boost of energy. However, two hurdles had prevented me from trying the Green Monster: one, they are always made with bananas (which I despise), and two, they are usually a little high in calories for just a snack. I was once again motivated by my non-vegetable eating toddler to try my hand at a hidden vegetable recipe. I threw together some fruit and spinach I had sitting around, blended it up, and was shocked at how good it was. The best part? Me, my husband, and my toddler were all fighting over who got to drink it all. I never thought I'd see the day where my 16 month old would snatch a drink made with spinach out of my hand.
I have loved coffee since I was an angsty teenager, hanging out for hours on end at the local Huddle House. However, when I was pregnant, even though I limited myself to a cup a day, that cup irritated my sensitive stomach. I tried to go without my daily dose of caffeine, but not only did I miss the routine of my morning cup o' joe, I also suffered horrible caffeine withdrawal headaches.
My husband is what I call a "Coffee Expert"; partly because he was a barrista at Jittery Joes when he was in college, but mainly because he is a coffee addict. You will rarely see him without a cup of coffee in his hand if it's before 2pm. He is kind of like the boss in the movie Office Space. Anyways, he recommended we try making cold brewed coffee, as opposed to hot brewed coffee.
