Hot Cocoa & Nog (new finds!)

Last year, I wrote about cruelty-free options for the traditional hot chocolate and egg nog. Very important for the season, especially if you’re coming in from the cold after a few hours spent caroling in the neighborhood. This year, I’ve tried a few new things to add to the list of options. Enjoy!

Dagoba Organic Drinking Chocolate
Pure decadence, and a slice of heaven for all the hardcore chocolate lovers out there. Organic cacao powder and bits of unsweetened dark chocolate. Three flavors: Chai, Authentic, and Xocolatl (chiles and spice!)

Scharffen Berger Natural Cocoa Powder
A new seasonal favorite. Not nearly as rich as drinking chocolate, which makes it “just right” for this Goldilocks. Don’t forget to have a couple of vegan marshmallows with it. I like Dandies mini-marshmallows with my hot cocoa.

Earth Balance Soy Nog
Although I try not to overdo it on the soy products, eggless nog is such an rare treat that I don’t mind indulging.

So Delicious Coconut Milk Nog
So Delicious Coconut Milk anything is heavenly. This new holiday flavor is immediately at the top of my nog fave list. So Delicious also is offering Mint Chocolate Coconut Milk as a seasonal treat.

Homemade Nog
Here’s a recipe for “Vegg Nog” from one of my new cookbooks, Vegan Holiday Kitchen:

• 1/2 cup cashew butter
• two 32-ounce containers vanilla almond milk
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup rum (optional)

1. Combine the cashew butter in the blender with 2 cups of almond milk (reserve the rest), agave nectar, vanilla, and nutmeg. Blend until smooth.
2. Divide the mixture between two pitchers; then divide the remaining almond milk between them.
3. If using the rum, divide between the two pitchers. Stir well.
4. Serve at room temperature.

*Check out my 2011 post on Hot Chocolate & “Egg” Nog for a list of other sweet and delicious alternatives.

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