Homemade Hot Chocolate

This is the recipe we have been using to make our own hot chocolate!

1 TBSP cocoa powder
2 TBSP sugar
2 TBSP water
1 cup milk
vanilla to taste (we use 1 TBSP or less)

1. Combine cocoa, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat it on low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the paste from sticking to the pan.

2. After about 1 to 2 minutes add milk and vanilla. Mix it all together until it reaches your preferred temperature.

Spanish Rice

Tonight for dinner, to go with our Trader Joe tamales, I made Spanish rice. I found this recipe at allrecipes.com and it was a winner for us.

2 TBSP oil

2 TBSP chopped onion

1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup salsa

1. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, and cook until tender about 5 minutes.

2. Mix rice into skillet, stirring often. When rice begins to brown, stir in chicken broth and salsa. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes, until liquid is absorbed.

Enjoy and let me know if you try it!

Change

The last two video posts were a little introduction to a goal of mine for 2011. An overall goal of living a healthier lifestyle. So what does healthier look like to me, you might wonder.

• Eating Better: to do this I am learning how to cook more things. I am trying to cut out preservatives and artificial things. Going back to the basics. If we have refried beans I will buy beans, soak them and then cook them. It is going to be a huge learning process.
• As we run out, we replace: I am not throwing everything out in my kitchen and starting over. I have about 10 boxes of mac and cheese I got at Costco that I will use up. Then I will try to find a way to make it myself.
• I started to become more aware of how artificial things and food dyes affect kids behavior. We have been having behavior problems with Naomi and thought it is worth a try.
• I am also carrying this over to products we use on and in our bodies and at our house.
• I am going to incorporate exercise into my week at least 3 times.

I have been searching the Internet for new recipes and tried one out tonight. I found it on a website called Paul's Grains. The kids all loved it and I did too! I changed it a little bit but you can find the original recipe on their website.

Banana Cake:

Cream well: 1 cup honey and 3/4 cup oil

Add: 2 eggs and 1 cup mashed bananas

Beat till well mixed.

Sift together: 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt

Add to creamed mixture with 1/2 cup milk.

Fold in 1/2 cup flax seed meal.

Bake in greased 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.