fact: peppermint hot chocolate makes being sick better

it's cold season x2 around here

as in, it's cold outside + it seems like everyone is catching a cold

and our family is no exception, unfortunately

we've been fighting a nasty cold for just over a week now

i keep thinking that we've got to be near the end of it, 

and yet, it lingers

the girlies are too young for cold meds

and i can't have them, since i'm still nursing the kiddos

(random nursing tip:  meds that dry up runny noses also dry up your milk supply!)

...yep, we're that strange family

anyway, one thing that has helped, 

is my homemade version of a peppermint hot chocolate

it's easy to make, very lightly sweetened and uses ingredients you probably already have on hand

because, let's be honest, nobody with a cold wants to get out of their bathrobe,

let alone their house 

just to pick up random ingredients

all you need is:

* 1 heaping tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

* hot water

* 1 peppermint tea bag

* maple syrup, to taste (i probably used 1/2 a tsp or so - the peppermint helps sweeten it up naturally)

* unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of choice), optional  

instructions:

- place the cocoa powder in your favorite mug

- add a tiny bit of water and stir to make a paste and stir until smooth 

(this is the trick to getting non-clumpy homemade hot chocolate, by the way!)

- once smooth, add the rest of your hot water then steep the teabag in your cocoa-water

- add maple syrup, to taste

- top with some almond milk (or whatever milk you prefer) if you'd like a creamier hot cocoa

(i added a small splash)

- drink up!