Best Hot Cocoa Mix

What you'll need

• 2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup powdered nondairy creamer
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

How to make it

1. Measure all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk them until they are evenly blended.
2. Store the mix in a tightly covered container at room temperature until you're ready to package it. Makes about 4 cups of mix.

Iranian/Persian Sekahnjebin (Vinegar-Mint Summer Drink)

Makes about two cups

• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups water
• 1 large bouquet of fresh mint
• 1/3 cup apple cider or white vinegar
• a few sprigs of fresh mint for garnish
• 2-3 tablespoons grated cucumbers for each drink

1. Put the sugar and water in a 2-quart steel pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the sugar melts, add the vinegar and let it boil for 5-7 minutes over medium heat.
2. Remove the pot from the stove and drop the mint bouquet in the hot syrup. Cover the pot and let the syrup cool completely. Remove and discard the mint and pour the syrup into a jar. The syrup will keep for a long time in the pantry.
3. To make the drink, pour about 3-4 ounces of syrup in each glass and top with ice cubes and water. Add 2-3 tablespoons of grated cucumbers and garnish with sprigs of fresh mint.

Mcdonald's Chocolate, Strawberry or Vanilla Shake

 

Ingredients:

2 cups vanilla ice cream
1 1/4 cups low-fat milk
2 tablespoons nestle nesquik instant chocolate drink mix (for chocolate shake)
3 tablespoons strawberry-flavor Nestle Nesquik powder (for strawberry shake)
3 tablespoons sugar (for vanilla shake)

Directions:

1 Combine all ingredients for the shake flavor of your choice in a blender and mix on high speed until smooth. Stop blender, stir if necessary, and blend again to help combine the ingredients.

2 Pour into two 12-ounce cups.

soorce: food

5 Natural Detox Drink Recipes

If you are looking to revive yourself from within while increasing your energy level and your overall well-being, a body detox may be in order. Detoxification is the process of eliminating toxic substances from your body. Before beginning any detox diet, it is always good to check with your doctor, especially if there are any health concerns.
In their book 7-Day Detox Miracle, Sara Faye; Stephen Barrie, N.D.; and Peter Bennett, N.D., explain that detoxing with a whole body cleanse can enhance the body’s systems. According to the authors, detox drink recipes can assist in ridding your body of toxins and bringing it back into healthy balance.

Lemonade cleanse

Lemon consists of ascorbic acid, assisting in the cleansing process. Known also as the staple beverage of Stanley Burroughs' Master Cleanse, this detox drink is easy to make. Mix 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup and one-tenth teaspoon of cayenne pepper in 8 ounces of purified water. Proponents of the Master Cleanse recommend you drink 6-8 glasses of this lemonade drink and eat nothing each day of your cleanse. Despite its popularity, nutritionists warn against the lack of essential nutrients in this drink.

Green detox drink

This vegetable detox drink is made up primarily of green vegetables, providing an effective natural body cleanse of the digestive system.
In her book The Raw Food Detox Diet: The Five-Step Plan for Vibrant Health and Maximum Weight Loss, certified clinical nutritionist Natalia Rose discusses the importance of vegetables at length. For this detox drink, you will need:

• 3 carrots

• 3 kale leaves

• 2 celery stalks

• 2 beets

• 1 turnip

• ½ bunch of spinach

• ½ cabbage

• ½ bunch of parsley

• ½ onion

• 2 garlic cloves

Mix all ingredients with water and puree in a blender.

Detox dandelion tea

According to classical homeopathic practitioner Sonya McLeod, B.A., D.C.H., dandelions are a great source of vitamin A, potassium, iron and calcium. According to McLeod, dandelion detox tea is a diuretic that will eliminate bodily toxins through your liver and kidneys. She recommends brewing 6 tablespoons of 1-year-old dried dandelion root and 12 tablespoons of fresh dandelion leaves in 4 cups of purified, boiling water. Other recipes call for simply adding 2 teaspoons of crushed dandelion leaves to a cup of boiling water and allowing it to brew for about 10 minutes.

Fresh cranberry juice

According to Mayo Clinic, there is some evidence to suggest that drinking cranberry juice may help prevent urinary tract infections and ulcers in healthy individuals. Cranberry juice also contains vitamin C, manganese and antioxidants. Though not advocated by any authoritative body, cranberry juice has become a popular detox drink, and according to Mayo Clinic, two 16-oz. glasses of full-strength juice can be safely consumed on a daily basis by healthy adults. To make this detox drink, dilute one part cranberry juice in four parts water. Then, add 1 tablespoon each of apple pectin and psyllium fiber to stimulate gentle intestinal elimination.

Fruit detox drink

Because fruit is high in fiber and packed with essential vitamins and minerals, it is a wonderful natural detox for the body. This recipe incorporates fruit, along with flax oil and lecithin, to provide essential fatty acids while you detox. In your blender, add:

• 8 oz. of orange juice

• 4 oz. of pure water

• ½ cup banana strawberries or yogurt

• ½-inch slice of ginger

• 1 small garlic clove

• 1 tablespoon flax oil

• 1 tablespoon lecithin granules

• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice if desired

• 1 tablespoon of protein powder or spirulina powder

source:   gaiam