Grown up Hot Chocolate

(secret ingredient - but this cocoa is good without it)

I've discovered a newer, darker way to make hot chocolate here in Ghana.

We have wonderful cocoa powder so I don't like to mess with it too much. That means - much less milk (and our milk is yucky boxed here anyway).

Fill a cup about 2/3 full of water. Heat in microwave until very hot.

Stir in 2 or 3 tsp of good flavored cocoa powder (please not Hershey)

Add a tsp or 2 of a good quality sweetened cocoa mix if you like - I use starbucks

Stir with small whisk

Add a little milk to fill your cup (to taste)

Drink, if you dare - or add sugar first - to taste

We've also been adding something you can only find in Ghana - Dawadawa powder. It does for cocoa what soy sauce does for rice - deepens the flavor (umami taste)

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But chocolate is wonderful any way any time any place

My original hot chocolate recipe is here

Tumeric Tea

How To: Making Turmeric Tea
Published: 8/7/2013

From Dr Weil

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a culinary spice that spans cultures - it is a major ingredient in Indian curries, and is what makes American mustard yellow. Evidence is accumulating that this brightly colored relative of ginger is a promising disease-preventive agent as well, outperforming many pharmaceuticals in its effects against chronic, debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer's, arthritis, cancer and even possibly depression - all with virtually no adverse side effects.

To get more turmeric into your diet, consider drinking it in tea form. The recipe is simple, and you can experiment with the ingredients and flavorings until you find a combination that suits your taste.

Turmeric Tea

1. Bring four cups of water to a boil.
2. Add one teaspoon of ground turmeric and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Strain the tea through a fine sieve into a cup, add honey and/or lemon to taste.

Some people like to add a teaspoon of ginger along with the turmeric. While ground versions are more convenient, it's worthwhile to experiment with freshly grated turmeric for a more vibrant flavor. These distinctive, deep-orange roots are increasingly available in American grocery and natural food stores. Enjoy!

Pumpkin pie smoothie

It's fall. I love it!

And one of my favorite fall traditions is pumpkin pie. So why not bring that flavor into a healthy breakfast treat?

Here's a recipe I tried out this morning:

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
one serving

1/2 banana (frozen, if possible - a great way to keep overripe bananas)
1/2 cup milk or milk plus yogurt (or maybe a little  more to make it blendable, I used some plain Greek for the protein)
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp honey
scoop of vanilla protein powder, if you want
pinch of cinnamon
tiny pinch of nutmeg
blend with a handful of ice

top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon