Mug 'o Childhood

Nothing brings me back to cold winter days spent playing outside in the snow than a cup of hot cocoa. Just when it felt as if my fingers and toes were about to snap off like human icicles, Mom would come out with cups of pipin' hot chocolate, to melt away the freeze. I always remember putting handfuls of snow in mine to cool it down fast, or pouring some onto the snow and eating it.

Then I snap back to reality, where I am a second semester senior in college, with a pile of work waiting patiently for me to finish. *Cue big sigh of despair. The two things that always warm me up in these cold New England winter nights are a nice big bowl of Chili, or a cup of hot chocolate. Being the conscious nutrition major I am, and trying to cut back on the amount of sugar I eat, I make my own hot cocoa mix, which is adapted from the Truvia website's recipe found here.

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix
serves 6


3 T Cocoa Powder
1/2 c Non-fat Milk Powder
1/4 Truvia
pinch of salt


Simply Combine all the ingredients in a jar or container with a lid, and store. To make a cup of cocoa, just add 3 tablespoons of the mix to a cup of boiling water, and sip away. *Addition of freshly fallen snow optional. One of my favorite things to add, especially around the holidays is a mini candy cane to make peppermint hot cocoa. Delicious. Kinda makes me want to watch Polar Express now, even though I watch it enough around the holidays to hold me until next year.


What's your favorite thing to add to hot chocolate?

Better Late Then Never.

So I guess my New Years Resolution should be to keep up with the blog. With the holidays, and finishing up the fall semester, I guess the updates took a backseat. But as the title implies, it's the thought that counts. So this recipe is for the caffeine junkies out there. I am not the biggest coffee drinker, but it never hurts once in a while. This recipe will help keep your pants and your pockets loose! I couldn't think of quite a clever name for it, so I came up with the cheesy title of a "Cheap- accino." It's a recipe to replace or replicate those over-priced over-sweetened coffee drinks that is so easy to make, you may never think to buy a "grande" "supremo" or whatever overly complexed names they have for flavored coffee now.

All you need is a cup of your favorite brew, a jar with a lid, milk, and an optional flavoring such as vanilla. Feel free to explore new flavors like almond extract or even rum extract. Also, I used skim milk since that is what I had on hand, but if you want a little bit of a richer flavor you can use a 1% or 2%, since you won't be adding that much milk anyway. I'm not sure if soy or almond milks will froth up like cow's milk does, but feel free to try, and let me know!

Next you want to add as much milk as you would add to your coffee to into the jar. Then add about a teaspoon of the extract or flavoring. It may sound like a lot for a small amount of milk, but you really need a lot in order to get the flavor throughout your coffee. Add more or less to your tastes though. Tightly secure the lid.

Now comes the workout. Shake the jar for about 30 seconds until the milk becomes foamy. And take the lid off.

Now put the jar (Make sure the lid is off!) in the microwave for 30 seconds. After that you will have a nice frothy milk just like that! No espresso machine required. Use a spoon to hold back the foam, and pour the milk into your coffee. Then spoon the frothy milk right on top, and voila! A customized frugal cappuccino!

I added a shake of cinnamon for some more flavor and pizazz! Cocoa powder or nutmeg would be good too. Now the calorie count would depend on what kind of milk was used but, in any case it would be very low in calories and in sugar. As compared to a leading chain cappuccino at about 140 calories and 15 grams of sugar. Not to mention about $4.00, when this can be made for pennies. Hope you enjoy this money saving, calorie saving cappuccino and as always explore new flavors!