Hot Chai, HMR Style

One of my favorite hot drinks is this vanilla chai. It's made quite simply with my Keurig brewer and the blender. It's also easy to make if you just wish to use a chai teabag, and hot water for the basic liquid. I use an 8 - 9 ounce cup of liquid for this and all of my hot drinks, since the ice cubes are not added to bring up the volume of liquid. I warm this for about 30 seconds in the microwave, but if you are using freshly brewed tea, it's not necessary unless you really like your tea piping hot.

1 cup (8 - 9 ounces) freshly brewed chai tea.

1 scoop vanilla HMR shake powder

Pour tea into blender. loosely cover, and run on low speed for a few seconds. Raise cover to add vanilla powder carefully. Add powder while still blending on low. Recover, and turn speed to medium or high. Pour into a tall mug and enjoy.

Baked Apples

There are lots of ways to eat apples. Here is one of the ways I like to make them so they can be part of a fancy meal. I have used Cortlands, Macintosh, Jonathans, and unidentified apples from a tree that a lady at church has. All are good. The Macs get a little mushy, but all of them taste great. Here's the recipe:

1 apple

1 tablespoon water

1/2 to 1 envelope Truvia

1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice (or a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg & allspice that you like.)

5 - 6 raisins

Wash and core the apple, and place it in a small bowl. I use a little glass apple dumpling bowl that I got from my mother. Pour the water over it. Then sprinkle on the Truvia and apple pie spice. Finally, put the raisins in the cup. I like putting a couple on top of the apple, and the rest in the core area, so they get a little plump from the water. Microwave on high for a minute and a half. If you like a softer apple, cook longer; for a firmer apple, cook for a shorter time.

This is not the apple dumpling bowl. As far as I remember, it is a dip container 

from an old chip and dip combo set I received . It works great, though!

Hot Carmel Chocolate

This is really easy to whip up with a packet of the Chocolate HMR 500. Although I don't like the clean-up associated with using a blender, I do like the frothy, light texture that it gives to hot drinks. I use caramel sugar free flavoring with this, but I think any favorite flavor would work. Try it with almond, vanilla and hazelnut flavored sugar free flavorings. Those flavors are generally available in the coffee section of larger grocery stores, and additional flavors are available online through many vendors.

1 packet or scoop chocolate shake powder

8 oz. room temperature water

1 Tablespoon sugar free caramel coffee syrup

Add syrup to water in blender container. Cover, and turn blender to low speed. As blender runs, slightly open blender and add chocolate powder to the mixture. Recover blender, and run at medium speed until frothy. pour into tall mug, and warm in microwave for 30 seconds to a minute. (50 seconds is perfect for me) Your drink will overflow the cup if you allow it to get too hot. 

Pumpkin Creme - Another Great Hot Drink

I always think of the 'pumpkin juice' from the Harry Potter books when I make this. It is borrowed & then changed from one of the HMR recipe sites. On that site, this is a cold shake. In my remake of the classic, I drink it hot. I tried it without the sweetener and even though I usually get along fine with things that are less sweet, this drink can use the extra touch of Truvia. I'm also not particularly accurate on the measurements, so change it up as you like for your own taste.

7 - 8 oz cool water

2 heaping tablespoons of canned pumpkin

1/2 to 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 scoop vanilla powder

1/2 to 1 packet Truvia or other artificial sweetener

Put water into blender. Add pumpkin and spice. Blend on low speed until mixed. Add sweetener and vanilla powder. Blend on medium speed until frothy. Stop blender and pour drink into large mug. Heat in microwave until warm, about 50 seconds to a minute. Do not overheat.

Time for Hot Drinks! "Almond Joy" Cocoa Cream

While drinking my evening shake a couple of nights ago, I decided that a nice, warm drink before bedtime would be a welcome change at this time of the year. I looked up 'Hot Beverages' in my HMR Recipe Booklet, and found some good choices. I have, of course, done some variations that are quite tasty. I started out mixing my hot drinks with a fork, but found that the blenderizing makes a frothier drink, with fewer clumps of unmixed powder. (of course) I also like it better if I blend first, then gently heat in the microwave just to drinking temperature. Here's a variation that's similar to the candy bar shake of this summer:

7 to 8 oz. cool water

1 scoop vanilla 120 powder

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 teaspoon coconut extract

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Put water and extracts  in blender. Run blender on low speed, adding vanilla powder and cocoa to the blender as it runs. Turn speed up to medium, blending until frothy. Pour drink into tall mug, and heat in microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute. (My drink is perfect for me at 50 seconds.)

I personally find the chocolate powder too overpowering, and prefer the vanilla/cocoa combination. Chocoholics, however, may find the chocolate powder exactly what they crave. I also like the less sweet, faintly bitter flavor of this recipe, but my daughter thinks it tastes better with a half of a packet of Truvia. Obviously, do what you like to get it just right for your personal tastes.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

I like soup, and I'm trying to stay within the boundaries of my HMR Phase 1 plan. That's 2 entrees, 3 shakes (or soup or hot cereal), and at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. I have gotten to kind of enjoy the chicken soup available on the plan, but I also wanted to use that soup as a base, and then see how I could change it up a bit. Here is my first attempt:

1 packet of chicken soup

1/2 cup tiny fresh broccoli florets, washed

1 teaspoon dehydrated onions, chopped

1/4 teaspoon chicken bullion granules (don't use if you're on a low sodium diet.)

pepper to taste

1 cup water, room temperature or warmer

Put the cup of warm water in a soup bowl. Add onions, and allow to sit for about five minutes. Add the tiny broccoli florets and microwave, lightly covered with waxed paper or a plate, for 3 to 4 minutes. Check broccoli for doneness. Continue to microwave in 1 minute intervals until broccoli is tender, and onions are rehydrated. Add water if it seems to be below 3/4 cup of water (or if you like a thinner consistency soup.) Add chicken bullion granules, stir to dissolve. Add chicken soup powder, and whisk until completely mixed. This is good to have with an entree when you feel like a special dinner. I like it as a first course, then lasagne and spinach or green beans, then a serving of fresh fruit salad or frozen berries with Truvia and a cup of decaf. Lots of variety, enough food to feel full, and no reason to feel like a food martyr.