Holiday Drinks

The cold weather has officially come to Maryland.  In fact, I worked from home Tuesday when I saw there was a mini-blizzard blowing outside my window.  Fortunately the blizzard cleared up around 1 and it was all sunny skies for the rest of the day - I even convinced Josh to go on a short run outside with me! 

 

But on those days when it's just too cold to venture out, it's nice to curl up with a warm drink the comfort of your heated home.  My old go-to for those occasions was Ghirardelli hazelnut hot cocoa mix.  But when I started hunting around the stores the other day to replenish our supply, I came to the rude realization that it had been discontinued! 

 

Once I'd spent a sufficient amount of time reeling from this tragedy, I had to settle for plain hot chocolate mix, made with chocolate soy milk for extra chocolate-y goodness!  It doesn't taste quite as good, but it still manages to warm you up on a cold night! 

 

Beyond plain old hot chocolate, I've been indulging in a few other favorite holiday drinks lately - both old favorites and new.   On the new favorite side is SO Delicious coconut nog - egg free and dairy free!  I'd actually never had real egg nog before, so I don't exactly have anything to compare this to, but I think it's excellent!  It's creamy, nutmeggy, and tastes oh-so-decadent!  The cool drink is also a nice alternative when you want something festive but you're not actually feeling all that cold. 

 

Josh and I have also been drinking a lot of an old favorite - apple cider.  One of the great things about cider is that it can be enjoyed hot or cold - best of both worlds.  I normally just have it cold, mostly because I'm lazy, but it's nice to have the option.  It's also less rich than hot chocolate or the coconut nog, so you don't feel like you're drinking dessert.  Guilt-free holiday treat ... sign me up!