Hot Chocolate Mix, Vegan and Gluten-Free

Guess what? This month we’re doing comfort foods as our theme. And I had all these big plans about what I was going to make. But harvest season in New Hampshire has been driving me insane, since just had our first frost and now I am trying to get things (apples, kale, etc.) processed before the first hard freeze. Frankly, I’m having trouble keeping up with things.

So in trying to think about what would be comforting and since the weather has been a bit nippy, I thought about hot chocolate. And the fact that hot chocolate isn’t really that simple for me any more. I used to get Mayan Drinking Chocolate at the Dancing Lion in Manchester, New Hampshire, but I don’t seem to be tolerating it as well anymore. (If you can tolerate it, seriously, order some now, but we have no affiliation, etc.) I think my sensitivity to my allergens has increased. After thinking about it, I decided having a quick hot chocolate mix would be comforting. This mix is reminiscent of the Mayan Drinking Chocolate in flavor profile, but since it doesn’t have any cocoa butter in it, I made it with my homemade cashew milk so it would have some body. You could try it with water as well and I likely will, I just haven’t had the chance. If you aren’t sure you want the little kick the cayenne gives the mix, you can leave it out. Enjoy!

Hot Chocolate Mix mixed with nondairy milk

Hot Chocolate Mix, Vegan and Gluten-Free

Hot chocolate mix to use with non-dairy mix in the cold weather with a bit of a kick.

CourseDrinks, Ingredient/Staple

Servings	Prep Time
2 cups	5 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
2 cups	5 minutes

Hot Chocolate Mix, Vegan and Gluten-Free

Hot chocolate mix to use with non-dairy mix in the cold weather with a bit of a kick.

CourseDrinks, Ingredient/Staple

Servings	Prep Time
2 cups	5 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
2 cups	5 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup cocoa powder (I do best with Wilderness Family Naturals)
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

Servings: cups

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until well combined.
Whisk in 1-2 tablespoons per cup of non-dairy milk and heat.

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October 2, 2017

Pear Shrub

For try something new month, I was intrigued by the number of shrubs and bitters and other odd old revival drinks out there. I’m not a big soda fan anymore, but sometimes I do want something more interesting than water. Shrub sounded like a good way to dive in and also finally get into Infusing Flavors, a cookbook I bought this winter and haven’t really used yet.

Now, if I’m honest, I’m cheating her. “Infusing” isn’t really a new technique for any of us. Ever made tea? You’ve infused. Congrats! But adding more flavor to oils, vinegars, sugars, and salts is a great way to expand my kitchen, and learning to make syrups, gastriques, and other sauces is the easiest way to liven up a quick weeknight dish. Here’s my issue with “real” infusing — it takes TIME. Shrub takes maybe 15 active minutes to make, but 5-7 days to infuse. Even tea takes time, but not a week. I’m not that great at planning that far in advance. The shrub is tasty, though, and worth waiting to drink.

A shrub is a “drinking vinegar,” in this case apple cider vinegar infused with pear, cloves, and nutmeg. This recipe makes a syrup that you then mix with water, carbonated or not as you please. I chose the pear shrub because if the subtle spicing and the fact that it’s pear season. This is not an original STFAA recipe, but maybe you’ll decide to try a shrub — and then try infusing some more flavors into your ingredients?

AGAIN, A NOTE: THIS RECIPE SHOULD SIT IN YOUR FRIDGE FOR A WEEK BEFORE SERVING.

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Pear Shrub from Erin Coopey’s Infusing Flavors

This recipe is very mildly modified from the recipe in Erin Coopey’s Infusing Flavors (2016). I made it more suitable for most vegans by substituting agave syrup for the honey in the original recipe. THIS RECIPE TAKES 1 WEEK TO MAKE

CourseDrinks

Servings

16 servings

Passive Time

7 DAYS

Servings

16 servings

Passive Time

7 DAYS

Pear Shrub from Erin Coopey’s Infusing Flavors

This recipe is very mildly modified from the recipe in Erin Coopey’s Infusing Flavors (2016). I made it more suitable for most vegans by substituting agave syrup for the honey in the original recipe. THIS RECIPE TAKES 1 WEEK TO MAKE

CourseDrinks

Servings

16 servings

Passive Time

7 DAYS

Servings

16 servings

Passive Time

7 DAYS

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup agave syrup or other liquid sweetener
1 cup apple cider vinegar I always prefer Bragg’s
2 cloves whole
4 medium pears
pinch nutmeg

Servings: servings

Instructions

Combine the sugar, syrup, vinegar, and cloves in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Stir occasionally.
Let cool, then pour over diced pears in a non-reactive bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Strain and store in a sterile jar. Refrigerate for 5 to 7 days before serving.
Recommended dilution: 2-4 Tablespoons shrub syrup to 8 oz water. This is a good starting place, but I like it a little stronger, about 2T to 4 oz., so about double.

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September 25, 2017

Orange Chai Spiced Wine

To set the scene, it’s New Hampshire. It’s December. We got about a foot of snow in the past week and we’re expected to get a bit more soon. It’s freaking cold. So I need a hot drink, preferably with alcohol. I’ve been seeing posts about chai hot chocolate and hot chocolate red wine, but those sounded a bit heavy. So I decided to try an orange chai red wine, sort of like a mix between sangria and mulled wine, but with a chai spice flavor profile. I didn’t know that my idea was actually pretty close to a German spiced wine called Glühwein until I started poking around. Mine doesn’t have brandy or other spirits in it, and I have a few more spices in mine. It’s a pretty thing on a cold afternoon, and great for a wintry get-together. For those of you who are vegan, you’ll need to investigate your wine carefully, and for those of you who are more sensitive than I am corn-allergy wise, you’ll need to be careful in your wine choices. I do well about 75% of the time as long as I avoid American wines, but your mileage may vary.

Orange Chai Spiced Wine

The complete recipe is in the card below, but this is a pretty easy one. Juice and zest some oranges (I used a julienne peeler for removing the zest easily with a strainer), slice part of an orange, and throw the zest, juice, orange slices, spices, sugar and wine in a crock pot on low for a hour. After cooking, I strained out the spices and used the orange slices for garnishing the glasses. I have a bit left over, and I may braise some pork in it because it was totally delicious.

Using a julienne peeler to zest the oranges

Orange Chai Spiced Wine after cooking but before straining

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Orange Chai Spiced Wine

A lovely drink for cold winter parties in the crock pot.

CourseDrinks

Servings	Prep Time
6 people	5 minutes

Cook Time

1 hour

Servings	Prep Time
6 people	5 minutes

Cook Time

1 hour

Orange Chai Spiced Wine

A lovely drink for cold winter parties in the crock pot.

CourseDrinks

Servings	Prep Time
6 people	5 minutes

Cook Time

1 hour

Servings	Prep Time
6 people	5 minutes

Cook Time

1 hour

Ingredients

3-4 oranges
1 bottle red wine 24.5 ounce or 750 ml, fruity red wine such as Merlot, Zinfandel, or Cabernet Sauvignon
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp whole fennel seed
1/2 tsp whole cloves
2 whole black peppercorns
1 star anise whole
5 green cardamom pods, smashed
1/2 tsp cracked dried ginger
4 tbsp brown sugar
3-4 quart crock pot

Servings: people

Instructions

Wash your oranges carefully. Using a julienne peeler or a regular vegetable peeler, peel thin strips of the zest off of the orange, being careful not to peel too deeply and get into the white pith. Add about a tablespoon’s worth of peeled zest to the crock pot.
Cut one of the oranges in half, and slice one half thinly to add slices to the crockpot. Juice the remaining oranges until you have about 1 cup of orange juice to add to the crock pot.
Add all spices, brown sugar and wine to the crock pot, and put on low for 1 hour.
Strain out spices, but save orange slices for garnish. Add an orange slice to glass and pour wine into glass and serve. Enjoy!

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January 2, 2017

Atomic Fireball Liqueur

Remember when we were little kids and you could get Atomic Fireball individual candies for a penny or five cents depending on the era and rate of inflation? I wonder how much they are these days. In any case, I was trying to make a spiced cranberry liqueur when I came up with this recipe, but when we sipped it after steeping it, the cinnamon had really taken over, and my husband said it tasted like an Atomic Fireball candy. You know, that’s really not such a bad thing. I think this is pretty good served over ice and sipped carefully. I’ve mixed it with some kombucha (yes, not good for the probiotics, but it tasted good). It’d be great with some hard cider, in a spice chai tea, and I bet it would perk up your coffee. It’s pretty easy to make, and it’s a nice thing to round out your bar for cocktails. If you make some interesting drinks, let us know. Also, I tried to take a pretty picture with the ice shot glasses again, but you can see why ice shot glasses can be fraught with peril, as the bottom melted out before I could take the shot.

Atomic Fireball Liqueur

1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
3 whole cloves
3 whole allspice berries
1 cup of sugar
3/4 cup of water
zest of a lemon
1 cup of cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 3/4 cups of vodka (I used a vodka made only from potatoes, be careful as some vodkas may also use wheat or corn)

Add the sugar, water, lemon zest, and cranberries to a sauce pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and continue to simmer until the cranberries begin to burst, for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Cranberries, sugar, lemon zest and water in a sauce pot

Use an immersion (stick) blender to break up the cranberries enough so the juice is released, but the mixture stays chunky.

Pour the mixture into a mason jar. Add the vodka, cinnamon stick pieces, cloves, and allspice to the jar. Seal the jar with an air tight lid and shake vigorously.

Cranberry mixture, spices, and vodka steeping

Let steep at room temperature for 2 to 7 days, shaking occasionally and sampling to check to see whether you’re happy with the flavor. I decided mine was done in about two and half days. Using a strainer lined with cheesecloth, strain the mixture, pressing down to extract as much of the liquid as possible. Once strained, keep in an air tight container either at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to six months.

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Atomic Fireball Liqueur

A fun DIY liqueur

CourseDrinks

Servings	Prep Time
2 1/4 cups	10 m minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
15 minutes	2-7 days

Servings	Prep Time
2 1/4 cups	10 m minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
15 minutes	2-7 days

Atomic Fireball Liqueur

A fun DIY liqueur

CourseDrinks

Servings	Prep Time
2 1/4 cups	10 m minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
15 minutes	2-7 days

Servings	Prep Time
2 1/4 cups	10 m minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
15 minutes	2-7 days

Ingredients

1 cinnamon stick broken into pieces
3 whole cloves
3 whole allspice berries
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1 zest from a whole lemon
1 cup cranberries fresh or frozen
1 3/4 cups Vodka I used a vodka made only from potatoes, be careful as some vodkas may also use grain or corn

Servings: cups

Instructions

Add the sugar, water, lemon zest, and cranberries to a sauce pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and continue to simmer until the cranberries begin to burst, for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Use an immersion (stick) blender to break up the cranberries enough so the juice is released, but the mixture stays chunky.
Pour the mixture into a mason jar. Add the vodka, cinnamon stick pieces, cloves, and allspice to the jar. Seal the jar with an air tight lid and shake vigorously.
Let steep at room temperature for 2 to 7 days, sampling to check to see whether you’re happy with the flavor. Using a strainer lined with cheesecloth, strain the mixture, pressing down to extract as much of the liquid as possible. Once strained, keep in an air tight container either at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to six months.

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January 11, 2016

DIY Creme de Cacao Liqueur

So the 15 food allergy thing, two of which are wheat and corn, ends up cutting out a whole lot of alcoholic beverages out of my diet. It’s looking like I may have another possible allergy (or three) on the horizon that may make my safe vodka no longer safe, so I was poking around at trying to find a potential safe rum, and I got one to trial. At the same time, I’ve been missing stuff like Baileys Irish Cream and Godiva Chocolate Liqueur because it’s the holidays. Since I bought the rum to trial, I thought rum would be a better choice than vodka to make an attempt at a creamy liqueur, as it would give it additional flavor. I chose to do the chocolate first, because chocolate.

I used Rhum Barbancourt Reserve Spéciale which is supposed to be made from 100% pure sugar cane juice. We’ll see how I do with it, corn-wise. I also used Pacori Organic Cacao Powder for the cocoa powder. I do okay with it, but trial with caution. Because I don’t have any safe commercial non-dairy milks, I used homemade cashew milk. (Soak a cup of cashew pieces overnight, drain, and then put them in a blender with 3 cups of water, voilà!) Feel free to use whatever non-dairy milk is safe for you. Or if you can use dairy, I think a whole milk or a light cream would be great.

It’s awesome on the rocks, it’s great in coffee, and it’s pretty easy to make. I bought a silicone ice cube tray that makes solid ice shot glasses, but it’s actually pretty hard to drink that way, although it’s a cool picture.

DIY Creme de Cacao Liqueur on the rocks in a solid ice shot glass — DIY Creme de Cacao Liqueur in a solid ice shot glass

Enjoy!

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DIY Creme de Cacao Liqueur

A yummy drink to have on hand for the holidays!

CourseDrinks

Servings	Prep Time
1 quart	5 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
5 minutes	2-3 days

Servings	Prep Time
1 quart	5 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
5 minutes	2-3 days

DIY Creme de Cacao Liqueur

A yummy drink to have on hand for the holidays!

CourseDrinks

Servings	Prep Time
1 quart	5 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
5 minutes	2-3 days

Servings	Prep Time
1 quart	5 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
5 minutes	2-3 days

Ingredients

2 cups water divided
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup of cacao powder (I do okay with Pacari Organic Cacao Powder)
3/4 cup vodka or rum in a safe for you variety
1/2 cup of cashew milk or other dairy free milk (I use homemade cashew milk)

Servings: quart

Instructions

In a small sauce pan, boil 1 cup of water with the sugar until the sugar is complete dissolved. Remove the sauce pan from the burner, and add the cacao powder. Stir to dissolve the cacao powder, and add the remaining 1 cup of water.
Let the cacao mixture cool. Once cool, add the cashew milk and vodka or rum to the cacao mixture and stir. Pour into a mason jar or a bottle using a funnel, and place it in the refrigerator, letting it steep for two to three days before use. Be sure to shake it to mix well before using and store it in the refridgerator.

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December 28, 2015

Lazy Summer Classic Smoothies: Creamsicle

It’s summer. It’s too hot to cook, but you need a mid-afternoon snack to get you through until dinner. Or it’s breakfast time but it’s 90 degrees in your apartment and food seems, well, heavy. There is a super simple solution to this cooking dilemma: Smoothies, people, smoothies.

I go through smoothie phases. I make them for a while, then get stuck in a rut, and then rediscover them. I’m personally a fan of really simple smoothies that rely primarily on actual fruit, maybe with some yogurt or milk (non-dairy, of course), and generally as few ingredients as possible. I’ve done the green smoothie thing occasionally, and I’ve followed recipes and master recipes. Mostly, though, it’s a way to dump all the stuff in the fridge into a simple healthy creation that just requires a blender.

With this ridiculously simple recipe, a little prep work will give you a snack that taste like the ice cream truck of your childhood just stopped by.

Creamsicle Smoothie

PREPARE AHEAD: Freeze some of your favorite vanilla non-dairy milk* in ice cube trays.**

*Note 1: You can use any non-dairy milk. You can probably even use cow’s milk, but frankly, then, go buy yourself a creamsicle! I have used almond milk, primarily, in the vanilla, unsweetened variety. I am sure soy or rice will work, too. This recipe can be nut-free and soy-free, if you want.

**Note 2: Measure your ice cube trays. I freeze a lot of ingredients in ice cube trays for ease of use later — tiny amounts of leftover broth or stock, sometimes herbs or pastes, fresh lemon or lime juice. All of my ice cube trays hold approximately 1 Tablespoon of liquid. It’s good to measure yours so that you know for the future recipes you’ll make with those ingredients.

In a blender, combine:

4 Tablespoons (4 cubes) of frozen vanilla almond or other non-dairy milk

1 1/4 cup of orange juice

Blend.

Yes, seriously, that’s it. It’s really that easy and that good.

July 15, 2013

Wine Smoothies

So, it’s Labor Day. If you have the day off, and if you imbibe alcohol, you might want to try some wine smoothies. You might note that neither of these recipes contain bananas which many smoothies do. That’s because I really, really HATE bananas. I know, it’s a weird thing, but I don’t even want them in our apartment because I can still smell them, even though I’m not going to touch them with a ten foot pole and my husband likes them. Also, Mary Kate is allergic to bananas, so really it’s all about her, and not my irrational hatred of them. So feel free to use these recipes as a starting point and then experiment on your own, adding other fruits or ingredients that you might enjoy. I also use frozen fruit, because (a) if it’s frozen, it’s always on hand; (b) I don’t have to plan ahead; and (c) you don’t have to use it up before it goes bad or do any prep work. Using the frozen fruit creates more of a daiquiri effect, but I’m cool with that. But if you want to use fresh fruit that works great too.

Sangria Red Wine Smoothie

2/3 cup of red wine (A Merlot or a Shiraz would be nice, but don’t get anything expensive, it’s going to be blended with fruit. It’s time for that $6.00 bottle from the grocery store to shine.)
1/2 cup of fruit juice of your choice (I used Chiquita strawberry-kiwi because that’s what I had in the refrigerator on hand, but any fruit juice would work. Orange juice would be really nice to continue the sangria theme.)
1 Tablespoon of lime juice
2 Tablespoons of sugar, agave syrup, or honey, whatever sweetener you’d prefer.
1 cup of frozen peaches
1 cup of frozen mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries)

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Makes 2 servings. Or one really big serving as shown above, if you don’t want to share, and you don’t need to go anywhere for a bit. You may also want to strain out the seeds from the raspberries and blackberries, but I don’t bother.

Peachy Keen White Wine Smoothie

2/3 cup of white wine (A Riesling or a Pinot Grigio would be nice. You could use Chardonnay, but I find it too oak-y for my taste. Again, don’t get anything expensive.)
1/2 cup of fruit juice of your choice (I used Chiquita strawberry-kiwi because that’s what I had in the refrigerator on hand, but any fruit juice would work. Apple, Orange or White Cranberry would be lovely too.)
2 Tablespoons of sugar, agave syrup, or honey, whatever sweetener you’d prefer.
2 cups of frozen peaches

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Makes 2 servings.

September 3, 2012

Category: Drinks

Orange Chai Spiced Wine

Atomic Fireball Liqueur