Dairy-free Hot Chocolate

I love how Pinterest makes me consider trying new ways of making old favorites! This time the spin is on a classic cup of hot chocolate.

And what better time than on a cold winter's day when the boiler in my building had (yet again) broken. That meant NO heat and NO hot water! The cats and I were FREEZING! INDOORS!

A lot of the recipes I found called for coconut milk, but I wasn't ready to make such a big change to an old standby just yet. I had some Trader Joe's unsweetened vanilla almond milk on hand, so that's the first one I tried.

I'm working more milk alternatives into my life lately-- not for any particular reason, really, but it's a nice bonus that almond milk has a ton fewer carbs in it compared to dairy milk. I am certainly not qualified to talk about hormones, blah blah blah, but almond milk seems like a nice simple substitute for the heavier cow's milk. Just ignore the silly grammatical error on the box (before "it's" time!?!?!? WRONG!!!)

[Okay--I thought about it.. maybe they meant they will milk no almond before IT IS time (to milk it)?]

I slowwwwwwly heated up the milk, then melted a half square of unsweetened chocolate into it, whisking as I went. Once it was warmed through, I sprinkled in just a smidge of Splenda to sweeten it. I sprinkled some freshly ground cinnamon into it and called it a day.

This came together in less than 5 minutes and was surprisingly good! Is it exactly the same as cow's milk hot chocolate? Of course not? It's not as thick and heavy, but it did have a strong chocolate flavor, just enough sweetness, and warmed me right up on a chilly January day. This was a great little experiment that turned out quite deliciously!

Do you have a favorite milk alternative? Let me know in the comments!

Almond Milk Hot Chocolate

(1 serving)

1 cup almond milk (unsweetened)

1/2 block of Baker's unsweetened chocolate ( you could use a few T of cocoa powder)

Splenda, to taste

Freshly ground cinnamon (dash or 2)

Slowly warm up milk in saucepan. Add the chocolate bar and let it melt, whisking as you go. Once the bar melts completely, remove pan from heat. Add Splenda & spices as you like them. Serve & enjoy!

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Looking Back: 2010's Best Recipes

2010 is coming to an end tonight, and I must say: I am READY! Bring on 2011! But first, a look back at my 10 favorite recipes of the year. There are a few more worth checking out, but 10 in 2010 had a nice ring to it. ;)

Most of these recipes are actually quite simple, maybe 3 or 4 ingredients, tops. Others require a little more, but they're hardly complicated. And every one of them is worth trying and enjoying! You know me by now--great food can be easy and affordable!

Garlic-chive butter: ABF's signature compound butter. It will transform your breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

Bang-Up Breakfast

I'm a little hooked on veggie omelets right now. It's my favorite way to sneak in some more vegetables into the diet while also filling up with good protein. I had a Trader Joe's red pepper that went a long way last week. I used it in two salads, as a snack (dipping into hummus), and finally, the last few dices went into my eggs.

I think a few years ago, I would have tossed this pepper. It was starting to get a little wrinkled. Not soft and gross, just...tired. I think the more I play with my food, the braver and more judicious I get. But guess what..you can't really tell once you dice that baby up into ruby red pieces of yum.

I sautéed the peppers for about 2 minutes on their own, then added the shallots.

Then it was just another minute or so until I added the eggs, which I'd whisked and seasoned with salt, pepper, and a splash of half and half.

I had to add a little extra, so I took three slices of avocado and sprinkled it with diced red onion and lime juice--my current salad of the summer. This is SO good.

Three simple ingredients never tasted so good, I promise.

You know how everyone says they don't have time to make breakfast in the morning? I get that, I do. On the days when I have to wake up at 4am, heck yeah, I pop a protein shake and go, but just try it once or twice. This breakfast, from start to finish, took less than 8 minutes. Eight minutes!!! And it kept me full all morning. What's your favorite way to start the day?

Vegging Out

I'll take just a moment to clarify my low-carb stance...I don't mean to suggest I'm sitting down every day to 3 steaks and a stick of butter. That's not my new awesome plan. I'm basically replacing starches and what I call the 'crap carbs' (white bread, flour, sugar), you know, stuff that doesn't really GIVE your body stuff it needs, and putting more veggies there. People with PCOS and/or insulin resistance (like yours truly) do not respond well to big insulin spikes, and the whole idea is to keep your body on a healthy, even keel. So...where I might have had a roll or some chips or even hash browns, I now have veggies. Lots and lots of fresh veggies.

I have even started working extra veggies into breakfast time. Not just in the omelet..but as side dishes. Why I didn't think of this before, I'll never know. But now my morning eggs, whether poached, over easy, or awesomely scrambled, come with a hefty dose of sautéed zucchini and onions. I love zucchini.. I love it raw, roasted, shredded, baked, sauteed, you name it.

What are some other ways YOU squeeze veggies into your meals?

Lobstah 101

I finally did it! I finally cooked my own lobster. It was comical at best (for me, not the lobster), and ultimately delicious, but I still feel weird about it. I am a shameless carnivore, but I will gladly remove myself from the food-harvesting part of the food cycle. Then FreshDirect.com had to go and put lobsters on sale, and I figured the time had come to just suck it up and cook it myself. And by 'myself,' I mean with Kelli there to document each hilarious step.

Growing up in MA, lobsters were definitely a part of family meals, except I was still a prissy, picky little eater who would play with the lobster before it got cooked, even name him, and then watch other people eat him. I had no interest in seafood in my younger years (oh! How I would shake the younger me and enlighten myself about the deliciousness of succulent lobster meat, dunked in a dish of drawn butter. Alas...)

I ordered the lobster earlier in the week, and by the time my Saturday morning delivery arrived, I'd forgotten all about it. Until I started unloading the groceries and one of the bags MOVED! Yikes.

Kelli was standing by with the camera while I summoned up the wherewithal to PICK UP THE LOBSTER WITH HIS BIG SWINGING CLAWS THAT SEEMED SO HUGE AND UP IN MY FACE. At one point Kelli said "Don't swing his claws at me!" That made me laugh--and I completely shared the sentiment.

I picked up the lobster (Kelli named him Bob even though we agreed there would be no naming!!!) and when he started to squirm, I started to shriek. Yeah. Like a little girl. That's when I remembered my tongs (yay!) and used those to transport this 2-pounded to the pot of boiling water. CLANG! In a flurry of frantic flailing (more by me than the lobster), it was done. Bob was in the water and cooking away for the next 15 minutes.

While the lobster boiled, Kelli made the green beans. She buttered the pan, added some minced garlic, salt, and copious amounts of black pepper. She cooked these for just a few minutes, so they'd still have crunch and nutrients!

We made a simple green salad with romaine, cucumbers, gorgonzola dressing, and more black pepper. Crisp and refreshing (and low carb!)

This dinner was DELICIOUS, and total cost (with ingredients from FD and Trader Joe's) was about 17 dollars for TWO people---a lobster dinner for two! Delicious and affordable! I noticed the lobster is still on sale this week at FD..I think I'm going to snag a few more and take this lobster craving all the way! Wicked Good.