Healthy Hot Cocoa

Dark Is Key
In one study, just 6 weeks of a daily dose of cocoa made skin smoother, better hydrated, and less sun sensitive. And 12 weeks did even more. All thanks to the skin-boosting antioxidants in cocoa, called flavonols. But it’s got to be dark chocolate, according to Wechsler. "Skip cocoa mixes, which don't have the same flavonol levels, and go for the real thing: dark, unadulterated cacao powder that contains 70 percent or more cacao," she writes in her new book, The Mind-Beauty Connection. Here's her to-die-for recipe (actually, it’s her husband Harry's!):

Harry's Super Simple, Healthy Hot Cocoa
The secret to this easy recipe? Heat it slowly. Slow heat helps release the antioxidants.

Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder with 70% or more cacao (such as Scharffen Berger natural cocoa powder or Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa)
2 teaspoons sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup skim or low-fat milk

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat gently (do not let it boil), stirring frequently, until cocoa is just beginning to steam. Pour into a mug and enjoy.

LeNell's Yogurt Smoothie

Yogurt
Frozen fruit
Frozen cranberries
Dried goji berries (cause their so healthy)
Freshly cut AleVera goop
Blend and drink

Fruit Slush

I actually think this might be Jennifer's secret wedding reception recipe that she doesn't give out. It's really good, I used it for Kristen's reception.

2 boxes frozen strawberries ( I used the big bag of strawberries from Costco and blended them in my blender)

1 -6 oz can lemon juice (I used lemonaid)

1 6-oz can frozen orange juice

1 can fruit only crushed pineapple

1 qt water plus 2 cups sugar, boil and cool (I leave out the sugar, it's sweet enough)

2 qt gingerale or sprite

Mix top 5 ingredients and freeze. When ready to serve place frozen juice in bowl, add gingerale and mix with potato masher. This is an old recipe so adapt for our time, for example you don't see 6 oz cans of frozen oj anymore or strawberries in the boxes.

Lynn's Mineral Rich Alkalyzing Drink

The juice of 1/2 lemon, 1-6 T. of Pickling Lime water (1 T. of pickling lime diluted into 1 gallon of distilled water), 1-3 T of Blackstrap molasses, 1 T. of high quality, cold water kelp (a powder)

I am not going to kid you this tastes awful, have some water, fruit, or good juice to follow the drink. On the health blog Lynn reads, people rave about how this drink has helped them feel better...........Ask Lynn about it. Bruce and Jan actually drink it.

Dr. Oz Green Drink

2 apples, cored
2 big handfuls of spinach
1/2 cup of chopped parsley
a celery stick, chopped
1 thumbnail length of ginger root, peeled
1 lemon- juice only
1 cucumber

Place ingredients in a blender, add 4 oz. water or a handful of ice cubes, (I add water and ice), then puree, makes two glasses.( I just cut the yellow part of the lemon peel off and put the rest of the lemon in, seeds and all. The white part under the peel is good for you)

Optional ingredients:
raw carrot, unsweetened fruit juice, banana (I always add a banana, preferably frozen it makes the drink taste better. I sometimes add a kiwi or 2)

I use a vitamixer. If you have a regular blender skip the carrot. It works better to add a few ingredients start mixing then add more.
This is great to have for breakfast. Starts your day off right, and tastes better than you think. Low calorie, high nutrition.

Lemonade

2 c. lemon juice 1 ½ c. sugar Mix above ingredients in warm water to dissolve sugar. Add enough cold water to make one gallon. by: Amy Thompson