Homemade Vegan Hot Cocoa

So recently I have been down and out with a winter sinus infection. Yuck! However, very few things come close to the yummy warmth of a cup of hot cocoa, particularly when you are sick. I found this recipe online and had to try it. Turns out it was pretty good! Very chocolate-y! By far the best of the vegan hot cocoa recipes I have found so far, thus meriting a spot for it on my blog. Here are the ingredients for the stovetop version.

2 1/3 cups of non-dairy milk (almond, soy or rice)
I used almond because I like to cut out soy where possible.

3 Tablespoons of non-dairy cocoa powder (hershey's is totally vegan and what I grew up on)

4 Tablespoons of vegan sugar-you can also use agave nectar or stevia in their respective equivalent amounts-for instance, stevia extract would probably only require a few drops.

1/2 Teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/2 tsp of cinnamon (optional, but very yummy!)

Combine ingredients with a whisk and warm until just below boiling.
Serves 2.

Enjoy with a bit of soy whipped cream or vegan marshmellow cream for an especially decadent treat.

Ali Baba's Time Out Deli : a review

For the middle eastern food fan stuck here in Big Orange Country...aka: Knoxville, TN, we can offer you several options. One of my favorites is Ali Baba's off of Kingston Pike between Cedar Bluff and Gallaher View. One of the best falafels I have had outside of the middle east itself can be found here. They also have an entire vegetarian menu. Many of those items can also be classified as vegan. The veggie sandwhich is supposed to be pretty good but my favorite by far is the falafel pita. He steams the pita and stuffs it full of freshly homemade falafels, seconds out of the fryer. Then he tops it with lettuce and tomato. Finally, a drizzle of some of the yummiest tahini sauce finishes this delectable pita. The creamy sauce makes you think it has to have dairy, but it is completely vegan. You can also request other veggies such as pickles or his very own homemade olives. The warm, soft, pita and fresh, crispy falafel balls make this one of the best pitas you can get in K-town.
For those who are not so into the veggie thing, he also offers a variety of steamed deli sandwhiches which are often kosher as well. This place appears to be a little hole in the wall joint, but believe me, the run down building hides a jewel of middle eastern fare in Knoxville. There is also a little market in the deli with a bit of halal and kosher food choices and jars full of his homemade olives, fresh goat cheeses, medjool dates, and other staples of the middle eastern diet.