Hot Chocolate Bone Broth

My boys and I have had some sniffles this week, nothing too terrible, but a sure sign that our bodies need a little extra help. In our house that means extra cod liver oil, earlier bed times, and lots of homemade bone broth. This week we have had broth in mugs with garlic and ghee, in several soups including a carrot breakfast soup, in reduction sauces/gravies over liver and again over steak, and again in mugs with cinnamon and honey. I have successfully dosed my kids and I with broth all week. So today I made the most special broth of all for my kids, Chocolate Broth! This chocolate concoction uses ginger, honey and cayenne pepper to help blast stuffy noses, warm the body, and strengthen the immune system

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Chocolate Coconut Water

When I drink Chocolate Coconut Water I think of a yoo-hoo for grown-ups, actually for kids too since I would never choose yoo-hoo as a drink for my children, too many chemicals and manmade yuck for my taste. I do realize that you can buy chocolate coconut water already mixed without any real additional cost, just not where I live. I suppose I could order it online, but I don't drink it that often to make it worthwhile. Besides one of the benefits of making this stuff at home is that I don't waste the last bit of chocolate syrup that is stuck to the inside of the bottle I store it in. I just pour some cold plain coconut water into my almost empty chocolate syrup bottle and shake it up, then shake it some more, and then I have a yummy treat to enjoy and no waste!

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Lemon & Berry Infused Water

Drinks can be a slippery slope when you are trying to avoid excessive amounts of sugar. I like to make a batch of infused water every few days so I have something flavored to sip on. I usually look in my freezer for partially used bags of frozen organic fruit and just toss about a cup to a cup and a half into a gallon size glass jug (I do try to use organic because the whole fruit is going to be sitting in my water for several days and I don't want pesticides flavoring my water, just fruit). Or if I am making pickles and I have a few little cukes that don't fit I chunk them up and add them to the jug. I have discovered a few flavors I don't personally care for (cucumber and lime sounded good, but tasted gross) and a couple that I really like to make over and over. This lemon berry variation is currently my favorite. It reminds me of strawberry lemonade, it isn't overly tart but the berries definitely lend a touch of natural sweetness.

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