Well…it’s 70 degrees today, but the cold weather is coming!  It’s been a bit of a roller coaster weather wise and we have very cold days in the forecast.  Time for hot drinks and a cozy house.  And, maybe some decorating?

Today I’m at our real estate office closing out our books for the month, every once and a while checking the webcam in Old Forge, NY where we have a cabin, to see the winter wonderland of snow and ice blanketing this adorable mountain town.  Wish we could be there!  See for yourself  HERE

Tomorrow we are going to the Christmas parade in our new town with the kids.  They have never really seen a parade – but I think they will have fun (with the exception of Robbie, my spectrum kid, inevitably covering his ears when it gets loud).

So, unless you live under a rock, I’m sure you’ve seen that a popular coffee chain has a “holiday menu” out right now.  The drinks look absolutely delicious!  Cozy and sweet with whipped cream and fancy sprinkles on top.  They are a sweet treat!  But also, they are just inundated with sugar <insert sad face here>

In fact, if you look at the nutrition facts on their website you can clearly see that a Grande (medium) Peppermint Mocha has 54 grams of sugar!  That’s almost twice the amount of daily sugar recommended by the American Hear Association in one drink!

The word sugar is listed several times in the ingredient list, along with other preservatives and emulsifiers.  I wanted to create a junk-free, and very low-sugar recipe that’s delicious and healthy.  

You can easily make a really delicious copycat version of the Peppermint Mocha at home and my recipe as less that 1 gram of sugar (or ZERO grams if you leave out the whipped cream).  It also contains cacao powder which has beneficial antioxidants. 

You can upgrade this drink with a teaspoon of MCT oil and/or a teaspoon of grass-feed ghee to get brain and energy boosting effects – great for a breakfast on the go!  

If you aren’t used to stevia or other zero-calorie natural sweeteners, they may take some getting used to.  But when you do, it’s a good switch!

Here’s how you make it:

Peppermint Mocha (Copycat Recipe)

Ingredients:

• 4 oz brewed espresso or coffee
• 8 oz unsweetened almond milk
• 1-2 drops Peppermint vitality essential oil OR 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 heaping teaspoon of cocoa powder or cacao
• 8-10 drops organic Stevia (or to taste)
• Canned whipped cream (Redi-whip dairy-free version)
• Optional -Chopped chocolate for topping (I used Lily’s stevia sweetened)

Pour brewed coffee/espresso into your favorite mug.

With a frother or wisk heat and mix the almond milk, stevia, cocoa and peppermint until hot and frothy.  Pour over coffee and add whipped cream and chocolate topping if you wish.  

Enjoy!

<3

Shannon