This morning I am loving some Hot Cocoa. Yes, Vegan Hot Cocoa. It’s uber easy. And I make it one cup at a time in the microwave. So easy. So yummy. So warm and toasty and it feels like home. Okay, that was corny. But that’s what I feel when I drink hot cocoa. I remember snow days from school and putting on all my snow gear and going out to play in the snow. In the 1960s, you didn’t go out in sweats, you had this one piece coat thing that was intended to keep you warm. LOL. I just looked it up. It’s a snowsuit and they still make them. My poor kids apparently were deprived because they never had one except as babies. Mea culpa (yes, I know I mix my phrases from different cultures. I guess I’m multi-cultural, at least in slang).

Oh, but back to my memories. We’all bundle up and go out and play in the snow. We’d sled and make snow angels and shout loudly with joy as we rode down the hill. Then when our cheeks were rosy and we could no longer feel our hands or our feet, we’d come inside and drink the hot cocoa that my mother had made from scratch. And if we were lucky, there’d be marshmallows (or if my sister and I hadn’t snuck them as snacks).

So cocoa feels like home. However, with the advent of the microwave, we can have a cup of hot cocoa in less than 5 minutes and experience nostalgia anytime our little heart desires.

• 1 T. Vegan Cocoa (actually all cocoa powder, if processed correctly, is vegan, and I like going Organic so Anthony’s from Amazon is my fave.
• 2 T. Agave or your sugary substance of choice
• 1.4 t or a splash of vanilla extract (I actually used almond because it’s so my fave)
• 1 c. of Milk Alternative (I use soy because I just like it, but I’ve used Cashew and Almond and Oat)
• Any other flavoring you like (I used a dash of cinnamon, but cardamom, saffron, or none would be good too)

Put all the ingredients in a large mug. Nuke on high for 2 ½ minutes. Stop about halfway through and stir. Don’t bother before that because cocoa is hard to deal with until it’s hot. I have a hand foamer (see note below) and I find this lovely to mix it all up. Add your favorite whipped alternative I like Coco Whip by SoDelicious and it’s made from coconut milk).

Mocha Variation: This morning I wanted a mocha, which is darn near impossible to get a Vegan version commercially (like not, not, not!) The reason being is that the chocolate they use has milk in it. So I invented my own. Here’s the variation:

• 3 T Vegan Cocoa
• 2 ½ T. Agave
• ¼  t.  your choice of extract
• 1 c coffee
• ½ c. your choice of milk
• Cardamom to sprinkle on top

Follow the instructions above. At the end, after adding the whipped topping, sprinkle the cardamom. Enjoy.

Note on Hand Foamer: A hand foamer is a cool little gadget that helps you make a latte easy-peasy. I like it not only for easy whisking, but for things like mixing alternative milks in coffee. One of the things I dislike about alternative milks is that they look unmixed or clabbered in my coffee. No bueno. But that’s not a problem with this little gadget.