Here is a recipe that is sure to make some happy, especially when it gets cold outside. This recipe comes from a simple hot cocoa recipe with some additions.
Oma's Hot Cocoa
1 cup milk, preferably raw and grass-fed
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 tablespoon Stevia or a few drops liquid Stevia
Dash each cinnamon, curry powder*, nutmeg, and pink salt*
1 drop peppermint essential oil (optional)
Place all ingredients except peppermint oil in pot. Stir really well (you could even blend the ingredients before putting them into a pot). Let the mixture heat up, but do not boil. Place drop of peppermint essential oil on bottom of a glass cup. Pour heated mixture into cup. Stir.
*Suggestions for adding curry powder and pink salt came from my friend, Patte.
Recently, I have joined the essential oil bandwagon, and have been watching webinars and videos on this subject. Essential oils can be very healthful. They work at a cellular level. But not only are they good for our health. They are also very good to use in our cooking.
I was watching a video recently, and they made a couple of different salts by adding essential oils to something called 'Earth Salt'. They also added essential oils to salad dressings made of oil and vinegar.
Here are some of the ways I use essential oils in cooking:
* Put a drop of spearmint oil in a pot of spaghetti sauce
* Put lemon on the bottom of the baking pan when baking fish.
* Use dill oil in sauces that cover the fish in the baking dish.
* Peppermint is good in hot cocoa. Use only 1 drop though. It is extremely potent!
* Oil of cumin is good in Mexican dishes.
If you do use essential oils in your cooking, keep in mind that they are very strong. One drop usually flavors the whole dish very well. But sometimes, a drop is even too strong. What you can do in that case is to use a toothpick, dip it into the essential oil, then put it into the food dish. Also, make sure you use the highest grade of oils available. The least expensive oils are usually not good quality. Plus, they might not be safe to put into food.
Although this is not a recipe that you cook, this recipe uses a couple of drops of three different essential oils. It is a faux recipe that tastes like Fresca, but does not have the bad ingredients in it.
Faux Fresca-Like Soda Drink
3/4 cup grapefruit juice
3/4 cup club soda
crushed ice
Liquid Stevia to taste, or sweetener of your choice
2 drops Zendocrine essential oil blend (helps with detoxing)
4 drops Slim and Sassy (helps support metabolism)
3 drops grapefruit essential oil
Fill a glass halfway with crushed ice (you can omit this part if you like your soda warm!). Place Stevia drops on ice, or whatever sweetener you will be using. Place drops of essential oils on ice. Add grapefruit juice and Club soda. Put a straw in it. Viola. Enjoy. Makes one glass.
Faux Fresca-Like Soda Drink
Interested in the oils? Send me an email and I will give you the info: awestruck@bellsouth.net
If you are interested in the stainless steel straws, here is where I got mine:
