Chocolate Stained Kitchen: Warm and Fuzzy Inside and Out

Yesterday's downpour and super chilly weather left me cold inside and out. As a result, I was craving for something warm and soothing to get my circulation movin'. Work slowed down a bit towards the tail end of my day, which gave me plenty of time to think of a drink that would hit the spot. After conducting a mental inventory of what alcohol I have stocked up at home, I remembered that I had an almost empty bottle of Gentleman's Jack in the pantry. I usually mix this with coke or drink it on the rocks but those two variations are not suitable for this North Pole kind of weather. So, I decided this was a perfect time for a glass of Hot Toddy but I did make some changes to the traditional version. The ingredients of a Hot Toddy usually include cloves but I left it out since I don't have any and I wasn't going to make any grocery stops in this rain. Also, I chose to use Madagascar Vanilla Bean Paste in place of honey because I was looking for something sweet but with a bit more flavor. And most recipes usually call for 1 oz of whiskey but I used up the remaining amount in the bottle since there wasn't much left anyway. So, instead of 1 oz I ended up using 2.5 shots., which is fine since I like my drinks strong. =)

Hot Toddy

1 cup of hot water
2.5 shots of whiskey
1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
1/2 lemon - squeezed
1 slice of lemon

Served with a bit of chocolate

The drink definitely rejuvenated my circulation and left me feeling warm and fuzzy inside and out. Great way to end the night. =)

I woke up this morning to various Cinderella songs stuck in my head, which made me think of how her beautiful carriage turned into a sad lookin' pumpkin when the clock struck 12. This, in turn, made me want something pumpkin-y for breakfast. I know it's weird but whatcha gonna do ya' know? Sometimes ya' just gotta go with the flow.

Pumpkin Oatmeal

Base:

1/4 C - Rolled Oats
1/4 C - Pureed Pumpkin
1/2 C - Unsweetened Vanilla Soy Milk
1/2 C - Water
1/2 Tsp - Pumpkin Spice Mix
1/4 Tsp - Ground Cinnamon

Toppings:

1 Tbsp - TJ's Fig Butter
1 Tbsp - TJ's Pumpkin Butter
1 Tbsp - Nutiva Coconut Manna
1 Tsp - Ground Flaxseed/hemp seed/chia seed mix
Handful of halved walnuts and bits o' cacao