Friday, June 7, 2013

Quick and Easy Homemade "Nesquik": Naturally Sweetened

Photographer/ArtistGeoffreyWhiteway. freerangestock.com

I love chocolate milk, chocolate milk shakes and smoothies with a chocolate base. I stay away from white sugar and artificial sweeteners as much as possible, so this presents me with a bit of a dilemma when it comes to indulging in those delicious beverage treats. The solution is to make my own "Nesquick" using stevia instead of sugar and the tried-and-true ratio for baking cocoa-to-sweetener (sugar).

The rule of thumb for making this mix is to use twice as much stevia (or sugar) as you do cocoa. This means the mix is one part baking cocoa; two parts sweetener. I make several batches and store it in a glass jar. For each 8 oz of chocolate milk I want to make, I use one tablespoon of the mix.

Homemade "Nesquik" Mix

1/3 C baking cocoa
2/3 C stevia (or sugar)
dash of salt

Place ingredients in container and mix well.
To use:  1 tablespoon per 8 ounces of milk.

TIP: unless it is going into a blender, this mix blends up best when first mixed with a small amount of hot water and then adding the paste/syrup to the cold milk. Otherwise, you may get "floaties".

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Three Rules of the South Courtesy of Ax Men's Dreadknots

Photographer/ArtistChance Agrella. freerangestock.com 


I don't watch a lot of reality tv or much tv at all, but one reality show I enjoy is Ax Men. Something that recently caught my heart's notice was the three rules of the south presented by one of the members of the Dreadknots.

In the South you:

1. Go to church.
2. Say "Yes, Ma'am" and "No Ma'am".
3. See a neighbor in need? Ya help him. (Regardless of how you feel about that neighbor-if someone is in need you help. It's the right thing to do.)

I really like that.