Not Your Ordinary Hot Cocoa

It'll instantly feel like Christmas, I promise :) Heat 3/4 cup of almond milk with three pieces of Dove Dark Chocolate in the microwave or—even better—on the stovetop. The resulting hot cocoa tastes like authentic Filipino tsokolate de batirol.

I recently got into making my own almond milk; it's unbelievably easy and so much fun to do. Here's the Instagram pic from earlier this month:

Homemade almond milk stores perfectly in glass bottles. This is from one of Organic Avenue's green juices.

The following two recipes are actually better suited for All My Sugar, but I'd like to close 2013 on a sweet note over here at Ny Minute Now. (I know, I know—I've been MIA on the blogosphere for a while now…oh well.)

Almond Milk

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 2 cups cold filtered water
• Strainer + cheesecloth (optional)
• Glass bottle or jar

Soak almonds in tap water for at least two hours. They'll get squishy enough to peel easily. Drain and rinse peeled almonds and blend with the filtered water until mixture turns into a frothy white "shake." Strain into a large liquid measuring cup and transfer into bottle or jar. If using cheesecloth, place it above the strainer and squeeze the almond pulp with hands, as you would traditionally with coconut milk. Otherwise, press liquid through the strainer using the back of a spoon. Refrigerate almond milk for up to three days.

Gushing yet again: You'll end up staring delightfully at the resulting liquid as it's unbelievably creamy and, well, milk-like. The general almond-to-milk ratio is 1:2, but feel free to play around with the proportion.

Option to add vanilla or dates for flavor and sweetness.

Hot Cocoa

• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 3 pieces Dove Dark Chocolate

Combine the two ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat. Serve hot. This I guarantee, it tastes like hot chocolate from back home—thick, chocolatey, the perfect nightcap.

Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2014 to us all!