{copy cat} Nesquik Mix

I love a good copy cat recipe. It's like a little taste of home. I was excited when I came across this recipe and the kids were even more excited when they came home from school and found this waiting for them. Super easy, super cheap and definitely going to be a staple in our pantry from now on!

1/3 C cocoa powder
2/3 C sugar
pinch of salt

Mix well then add 1-2 tablespoons to a glass of milk (you do need to stir it a little extra so that the sugar dissolves). Store mix in an airtight container.

Source | Saving With Shellie

Berry Detox Smoothie

I'm a creature of habit. I eat the same thing every day for breakfast, lunch and my afternoon snack. Yes, I feel like a kid having a scheduled afternoon snack. But honestly, between 2-3:00 I become ravenous. I get the munchies in a real bad way and if I'm not conscious about having a healthy snack prepared then I will dig through the pantry and come up with all the junk food that I can find. So for like the past year this has been my go-to snack.  It is sweet enough to satisfy my sugar craving, but with all natural ingredients I can eat it without feeling guilty. I've found that if I sprinkle about 1/4 cup muesli (or granola) on top then it gives it a little more substance so that I feel full after eating it. I know there are about a million and one smoothie recipes out there, but this is my absolute favorite, so I thought it was worth sharing!

1 large banana (best if cut into chunks and frozen)
1/2 cup baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup almond milk (or more, depending on how thick you like it)
1 Tbs ground flaxseed, ground linseed, protein powder or wheat germ- just something to give it a little extra nutrition
1/4 cup muesli or granola
fresh berries to top (optional)

Add the banana, spinach, blueberries, almond milk and flaxseed to a blender and pulse until smooth. Pour into a glass and top with muesli/granola and fresh berries.

*makes one smoothie

Pink Hot Chocolate

I don't know when this tradition first began, but having pink hot chocolate with our Valentine's Day breakfast has been something we've loved for years now. It's fun having a novelty food that becomes a special part of the holiday. This hot chocolate is just dreamy and we could easily drink it all winter long, but I like to keep it as a special treat for the kids to look forward to and get excited about. I won't lie, I get just as excited to drink it as they do! And even though it's still technically summer over here, we woke up to a cold, rainy, overcast morning. The kind of morning made for slippers and hot chocolate. Especially if it's pink. Happy Valentine's Day!

1 heaping cup white chocolate chips
1 c. heavy cream
4 c. half and half
½ tsp vanilla
approximately 7-8 drops red food coloring

Pour the cream into a large saucepan over medium heat and stir until heated through. Whisk in white chocolate chips until melted, stirring until completely smooth. Whisk in the half and half, vanilla and food coloring. Continue stirring until heated through, but don’t bring to a boil. Serve in mugs, topped with mini marshmallows or whipped cream.