I have a tall hibiscus shrub in my front yard – it produces beautiful pink flowers that remind me of a tropical oasis. Recently, I was surprised to find out that the unopened buds of these pretty flowers can actually be used to make a richly colorful and pleasantly tart hibiscus tea.
You can layer on sweaters, bundle up under blankets or huddle beside a heater—but nothing stops the shivers better than drinking a mug of your favorite hot beverage. Sipping on something warm increases body temperature temporarily. So if you’ve been outside playing in the snow, try one of these steaming drinks to warm up quickly:
Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa
Get the added benefits of antioxidants along with warmth when you make hot cocoa with dark, instead of milk, chocolate. Many brands now make instant dark varieties, but you can easily make your own with dark chocolate cocoa powder and ingredients you have on hand. In a saucepan, heat a cup of milk with a cinnamon stick. In a mug, combine 2 tsp each of dark cocoa powder, sugar and water; mix well. Remove cinnamon stick from milk and pour into mug; stir.
Creamy Cinnamon Vanilla Soy Milk
Heat vanilla soy milk on the stovetop or in the microwave. Place a cinnamon stick, or a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, in a mug. Pour soy milk into mug; mix well. Sweeten with honey or agave nectar.
Hot Spiced Cider
Combine two quarts of apple cider, two cinnamon sticks, ½ cup of brown sugar, a dash of salt and one TBSP each of cloves and allspice in a large pot. Bring to a boil; remove cinnamon and strain. Serve hot.
Hot Almond Milk
In a saucepan, mix one cup of almond milk, a ¼ tsp each of cinnamon and vanilla, and a dash of nutmeg; heat on medium-low until warm.
Warm Cranberry Orange Drink
Combine ¼ cup of orange juice with a two cups of unsweetened cranberry juice; heat on medium-low until warm.
