Hot Cocoa

Hot cocoa is the quintessential  winter treat.  As soon as the weather turns brisk, I'm busting out my saucepan to make some warm beverages to fill my cold tummy.  I used to always buy the hot cocoa packets, until I stumbled upon this recipe.  My eyes were opened to the sheer awesomeness of homemade hot cocoa, and I was a changed woman.  Once you make homemade hot cocoa, it will be hard to go back to the packaged variety.

This is a pretty simple recipe for homemade hot cocoa, but I like this for my everyday go to cocoa.  It is not too rich or too sweet.  I always have the ingredients sitting in my pantry, and this cocoa comes together in minutes.

Hot Cocoa

Yields 1 serving

*3 POINTS+ per serving

1 c. skim milk

2 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp. water

1/4-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a mug, combine the sugar, cocoa and water.  Mix up to make a paste.  In small saucepan, heat milk stirring occasionally.  Do not boil milk.  Pour milk into mug and stir gently until combined with chocolate paste.  Stir in vanilla.  Enjoy!

Change up flavors by subbing out other flavor extract such as raspberry or orange.

Oatmeal Pancake Mix

I love pancakes.  Mike loves pancakes.  It is a win-win breakfast, lunch or dinner in our house.  The problem with pancakes is that that they are frequently packed with white flour and no whole grain.  That is where these amazing pancakes come into play.  They are filled with whole grain flour and oatmeal and give you staying power to energize your day.

Not only are these pancakes good for you, but they are truly delicious.  They have a wonderful nuttiness to them and the oats make them a little chewy but still with a tender crumb of the typical pancake.  These are a definite must try recipe.  I promise these will become a regular in your pancake rotation.  In fact, they are now our go to pancake recipe.  Serve some fruit and milk along side and your meal is good to go!

These pancakes begin with you making a mix.  This mix will keep for 2 weeks at room temperature in an air tight container or indefinitely in the refrigerator.  This makes for quick and easy pancake making since the mix is already made.  Before you know it, your are chowing down on heart and healthy pancakes that will power throughout your morning.  We love to serve these up with a spread of Brummel and Brown yogurt butter and a drizzle of pure maple syrup.  (If you don't buy pure maple syrup, go ahead and give it a try.  You'll never go back to the fake stuff!)

Oatmeal Pancake Mix

King Arthur Flour: Whole Grain Baking

Yield: 10 cups mix, 6-7 pancakes per cup of mix

*1 pancake = 3 POINTS+

 3 1/2 cups rolled oats, quick cooking

3 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups all purpose flour

3 Tbsp. sugar

3 Tbsp. baking powder

1 Tbsp. salt

1 Tbsp. baking soda

1 cup vegetable oil

Mix together all dry ingredients in a mixer with paddle attachment or by hand.  While mixing on slow speed, drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl.  After oil is added, stop mixer and test consistency.  Squeeze a clump of mix in your hand; if it stays together, the consistency is right.  If the consistency is crumbly, continue to aid more oil 1 Tbsp. at a time until the consistency is right.  Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks at room temperature or indefinitely in the refrigerator or freezer.

To mix up the pancakes:

1 cup pancake mix

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

Whisk ingredients together until just combined.  The mixture will seem thin at first, but allow it to sit while you heat up your griddle and the mixture will thicken up as the oats soak up the liquid.  Preheat your griddle to 350-375 F.  Lightly grease griddle with cooking spray  Drop batter onto grill, and cook until the edges look dry and bubbles come to surface and don't break.  Flip pancakes and finish cooking.