The Perfect Iced Mocha.... When You Know You're Gonna

~1 tsp. sugar

~1 heaping tbsp. cocoa

~1 shot espresso

~1 1/2 c. milk, cold

~4 cubes ice

~handful crushed ice

~mason jar, with lid

1. Brew a shot of espresso

2. Meanwhile, stir together your cocoa powder and sugar

3. Add hot and steaming espresso to cocoa mixture and stir until dissolved

4. Add milk and ice

5. Put lid on mason jar and shake a few times

BONUS: The lid will keep flies and mosquitos out of your drink!

The Best Lemonade

4 lemons
1 1/4 c. hot water
2/3 c. sugar
stir
add ice
+
stir

Yum!


alternatively:

8 lemons
2 1/2 c. hot water
1 1/3 c. sugar
stir
add ice

DIY Pumpkin Spice Syrup with Molasses!

1 c. water

3/4 c. brown sugar

3 tbsp. pumpkin puree

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

(alternatively, a dash of cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and ground cloves)

1 tbsp. molasses

whisk together in small saucepan

bring to a boil

stir for 3-5 min. or until slightly thickened

remove from heat

to make a pumpkin spice latte:

1 shot espresso

1 shot PSL syrup

6 oz. (3/4 c.) steamed milk

stir to combine

Super, super delicious! ;-)

Homemade Margaritas + Orange Margarita option

Homemade Margaritas:

add salt to rim of glass, if desired

4.5 oz.  Tampico limonada (sweet Mexican Lemon-Limeade)

1 oz. tequila (2 oz for a more boozy margarita)

Add whole or crushed ice, stir

Homemade Orange Margaritas:

add salt to rim, if desired

3 oz. fresh orange juice

1 oz. margarita mix or limonata

3/4 c. crushed ice

1 oz. tequila

add all to blender, serve frozen

Nutella Mint Hot Chocolate

1 large spoonful Nutella
1 large piece mint chocolate (my Mom brought us back some fine mint milk chocolate from Seattle. I can't remember the brand, she got it in the airport), but a few Andes mints would work
1 1/4 c. milk
mini marshmallows

1. Melt the nutella for 30 seconds on high in the microwave.
2. Break up the mint chocolate into pieces.
3. Microwave the mint chocolate pieces into the Nutella, for 30 sec. and stir.
4. Add cold milk into the chocolate mixture and stir really well.
5. Heat milk until hot but not boiling. Stir really well.
6. Add marshmallows and enjoy!

I know mint + nutella sounds strange, but it was actually creamy and excellent.

Mocha Frozen Cappuccino & Coco-Banana Smoothie

So, number one, you need to know that I am addicted to caffeine.

Ok. Now, that we've got that out of the way, lets talk about some recipes I wanted to share with you, dear reader.

The first recipe was inspired by a book,* however, I think it turned out original.  Here's why. The first recipe didn't include cocoa powder, so it wasn't really a Mocha drink at all. I also substituted whole milk for skim, and used instant coffee instead of instant espresso powder. This last change was not a fault at all- the final product had the perfect- in my estimation, of course- amount of coffee flavor. I slightly increased the amount of instant coffee, as well.

Most important I think?  This.was.delicious.  That's really the only fault in our Mocha.

Southern Mocha Frozen Cappuccino

1 c. whole c. Mayfield milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 heaping tbsp. instant coffee
2 tbsp. sugar or agave
1/2 c. ice cubes

Blend in vitamix. Start at 1 and slowly but gradually increase to high. Vitamix recommends blending for 5-10 sec. on high.

After trying a version that my aforementioned friend recommended, I changed the amounts (read: added more agave and cocoa powder than she originally recommended!), and came up with this delicious recipe. Cocoa powder may have a little bit of caffeine, but not more than a chocolate chip cookie, right?!

Coco-Banana Smoothie

4 frozen bananas
3 tbsp. agave
3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 can coconut milk

Place all of the above ingredients in Vitamix and run Smoothie program until done.

Delicious!

*A photo of the Basil Lemonade that we made, recipe from the Vitamix cookbook. This particular cookbook came with our Vitamix, and it is entitled Savor: Recipes {by Vitamix.}

Saturday Superfood Smoothies

A friend of mine turned me onto the idea of Vitamix.  After a conversation about how great they are, combined with her generous idea of bringing us smoothies at the playground, I was sold. I asked for one for my birthday this year! I was especially sold as I watched my kids drink kale like it was going out of style.

Here is the recipe that sold us (me) on the idea of purchasing a Vitamix!

Triple Berry Smoothie

1 c. almond milk
2 bananas
1 c. frozen mixed berries
2 handfuls kale or spinach
1 tbsp. agave

Put everything in a vitamix on Smoothie program until done. Delicious and the kids gobbled it up!

Strawberry Smoothie

1 c. strawberry greek yogurt

1 banana

1 c. frozen strawberries

1 c. almond milk

Put everything in a vitamix on Smoothie program until done. Molly's favorite! :)