Minty Hot Cocoa

Minty Hot Cocoa

Make this warm cup of cocoa for a rich, satisfying treat that is lower in fat and sugar than traditional hot cocoa.  It is also dairy free and has no refined sugar.  To change up the flavor, skip the mint tea and add a dash of vanilla or almond extract.  Substitute a different non dairy milk or dairy milk for the almond milk if you like.

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Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 peppermint  tea bag

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1 tablespoon honey

pinch of sea salt

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Directions:

Warm the almond milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat with the tea bag.  Add the cocoa powder, honey, and sea salt, and stir to warm evenly.  Do not boil.  When drink is hot, remove the tea bag and serve in a mug.  Make 1 serving.

Moscow Mule

Moscow Mule

The Moscow Mule is a popular drink that combines the flavors of ginger and lime. Mixing homemade ginger syrup with fresh lime juice has more flavor and less sugar than store bought ginger ale. This recipe is a refreshing “mocktail.”

ice cubes
1 tablespoon ginger syrup* recipe follows
1⁄2 lime, cut into wedges
6 ounces fizzy water

Fill a lowball glass with ice cubes. Pour the ginger syrup over the ice and squeeze 2 lime wedges into the glass. Fill with fizzy water and stir to mix. Makes 1 serving.  

Ginger Cocktail Syrup

Ginger helps relieve nausea and indigestion. Fresh ginger root can have a spicy heat to it; use less if you are sensitive. If you want more zing, add a dash of cayenne pepper. Substitute honey for the sugar if you are avoiding refined sugars. This syrup will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks. Use the syrup in our Moscow Mule drink.
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar 
1 1⁄2 cups water
3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root

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Directions:
Heat the sugar and water together in a small saucepan and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the grated ginger to the syrup and stir to mix. 

Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow the ginger to infuse in the syrup for 30 minutes. Strain the syrup into a jar and chill. Makes 1 1⁄2 cups syrup. 

Hibiscus Pomegranate Punch

Hibiscus Pomegranate Punch

This deep-red punch is bursting with antioxidants and vitamin C. Layers of flavor are added by infusing hibiscus tea with orange peel, cinnamon sticks and cloves. If you are unable to find hibiscus tea in bags, loose-leaf hibiscus tea works, too.

Ingredients:

2 oranges
2 cups water
5 hibiscus tea bags 
1 cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
1⁄4 cup honey
2 cups pomegranate juice, unsweetened “Just Pomegranate” juice

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Directions:

Remove the peel from the oranges using a vegetable peeler, taking care not to get too much of the white pith. Juice the oranges and reserve juice. 

Heat the water in a small saucepan and simmer the hibiscus tea bags, cinnamon sticks, cloves, honey and orange peel until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and steep for 30 minutes. Remove the tea bags and chill the mixture. 

Mix the orange and pomegranate juices together in a large pitcher. Strain the spices out of the hibiscus tea mixture and add to the juices. Serve with ice. Makes 4 servings.