Peppermint Hot Cocoa Bites Recipe

Are you like me and the Christmas treats and snacks are down to the last couple in the cookie jar? Maybe you’ve decided to do away with them because you’ve got to fit in to “real” pants to go to work tomorrow. 

You probably wouldn’t be impressed if I said Valentine’s Day will be here before you know it (it was * just * December the other day after all). This is a recipe I originally found on King Arthur’s Baking LINK but have changed and adapted it for my own liking. 

For Christmas I found peppermint candy cane topped chocolate wafers at Bulk Barn.  They were easily cut in half to fit on the tops of these small one bite cookies.  For a winter treat, a mini marshmallow would work in the middle as would a cinnamon heart for Valentines Day or a Hershey’s kiss, but not the full size, I’d choose the baking ones instead. Or just leave the topping off all together. 

I used Tim Horton’s products and even these could be played around with. After I’d made these they released their Candy Cane Hot Chocolate for the season. Starbucks had a Hot Chocolate mix out as well but I find their products pricier.  So you see, you can almost do as you like. 

The decaf coffee lends an interesting note but isn’t prominent. I used decaf because who wants to have their sleep interrupted because of too much caffeine? Maybe only Santa!

I really enjoyed these cookies with evening tea and now that the dull January days have started you just might enjoy them too. 

 

You Can Change Any Time You Want

There’s a lot of pressure at this time of year to make sweeping and drastic changes to your life because of the ringing in of the new year. 

I’m here to tell you that not only do you not need to do that but also that you can change any time you want to. Just because a New Year is approaching doesn't mean you have to have everything suddenly figured out or accomplish everything on your to-do list for 2023.  

You don’t need to do it January 1st 2024 either. You can do it today. You can do it Jan 15 or July 15 for that matter. 

Here's something else that might blow your mind.  If you do decide to start, you can re-start too.

And you can do that as many times as you want or need.

You can make and re-make the to-do list.  We change and our priorities change and it can all happen in a split second.

In a blog post I wrote last year, called Diet is NOT a Christmas Word, I talked about letting go of diet hang ups and enjoying all the season has to offer, within reason of course.  I'm not going to preach about healthy eating habits or joining gyms instead I think these words sum it up well.  "It's all right letting yourself go as long as you can let yourself back."  Mick Jagger said that.  I have no idea what it's in reference to but I'm fine not knowing because it serves me well just thinking about it.  I even have it as a quote in the sidebar of this blog page.

You have to give yourself permission to let yourself back.

We've all indulged over the holiday.  Sugar cookies, fudge, extra handfuls of M&M's while baking etc etc.....  I made the personal choice to just not worry over the holidays.  Do I want to be the miserable one wishing I could have the Nanaimo bar?  No.  However, just like I made that decision to not worry, I've also given myself the timeline to stop too.  Because in the same way that I don't want to be unhappy by having to decline Christmas goodies, I also don't want the feeling of how snug my pants feel.  The day I'm stopping?  That's the day my Christmas vacation is over and I go back to work.

We know that memories and food are tied together.  I remember one Christmas Eve we had a large family meal at my In-Laws and then went to the Christmas Eve church service.  We were so full!  We had to stand and sing and I recall looking over to my Father in Law because he too was struggling to sing and breath just like I was!  We decided to not do that again - the service not the food. Ha!

I also recall another Christmas where I had gotten pants as a gift and they didn't fit.  I went to the store in January and the size bigger didn't fit either.  Nor did the size bigger than that.  I felt so awful.  I was also unaware of how retailers are sneaky with their sizing.  Since then and working a stint in women's clothing retail I've realized the letters and numbers on the tag don't really mean a lot from store to store or within the same building!

Another friend, no not Mick Jagger, but Denny said to me many times ago, but I paraphrase... Christmas is 1 day out of 365 and not 365 itself.

Trying is the important part.  Will it be easy to have one snack instead of two?  Stop having the cream in my coffee or tea? Making sure I eat a fruit and a vegetable everyday?  You better believe I'm going to try though and try and try again.

In the autumn of 2020 I made the choice to try and be healthier.  T R Y.  I've made a lot of lifestyle changes since then which I'm very pleased with.  Times change and our bodies change and I am deciding to once again make health a priority.  I know that I have to exercise for my mental health as well as bodily health.  I know I need to keep track of my sugar, fat and fibre intake.  These are the things that have gotten me to 2023.

You can bet that I will restart many times.  It's fine if you do too. Starting or re-starting doesn't mean you've failed.  It means that you care enough to keep going.  Remember, failure is how the diet industry wants to make you feel and it's how they make money.  Words like "on track" or

"cheating" are words that fit into that category too.  Don't let them have power over your feelings.  Give yourself the power instead.

Fuel your body and mind. Nourish your soul. Make memories.  

Here's to all of us in 2024 and the changes we want to make or don't want to make.  We are all pretty amazing the way we are but I know, for my own self, that I can be an even better version and that's what I want to strive to be.

New Year, Same Me

The calendar will soon flip over from 31st to first and I’ve prayed a lot that the anxiety, panic and grief I've experienced in 2022 will be erased. I know it won’t. The day changing or year changing really won’t magically make everything disappear no matter how much I want it to. I can keep hoping though and that’s why I keep looking forward to 2023. 

A season of Hope.

Out with the old.  In with the new.

A ritual or tradition for me at this time of year is to sit down with my new calendar and write in all the important dates.  I'm still one of those people who buy calendars and keep track of such things in writing.  I'm not sure most people do this anymore and just rely on adding it to their phone or tablet.  I do that too.  However, I like to see things in writing.  I like to see a visual of how many days until the birthday or anniversary or concert or whatever next big thing is coming along.  I add birthdays and anniversaries and throughout the year I keep track of appointments and other achievements.

This little tradition also means that I get to flip through the calendar I've just finished and reflect on everything that's passed.  As I've mentioned in previous blogs and if you know me then you'll know there's been a lot going on in 2022.  Enough dwelling!  I want to focus on all the good things instead.  

The Good Things.

I've continued to make my health a priority and while this year's weight loss total is only about 15 pounds, it's still nearly 90 over all and I know in 2023 I will finally get to the goal weight I set out for myself.  

I've worked really hard in my job.  I've had to say goodbye to some special students but at the same time those people have made me far far better at my job of teaching music and I am so thankful and grateful for that.  In August, I had a student achieve the highest exam mark in the province and as a result received a medal commendation from Conservatory Canada.  I’ve had this happen before but prior to the pandemic.  It confirms to me that teaching the joy of music through piano lessons is what I was truly meant to do.

I've made a huge effort to be more gracious and giving in ways I wasn't previously.  I’ve tried to lend an ear and lend a hand. I baked and gave lot's away to friends, neighbours and family.  I'd like to continue to share in that way if I can, not just because it’s the holidays, but because an unexpected surprise always makes someone else’s day a bit brighter and it also brings me joy in knowing that  

I've tried to reach out more.  Rekindle friendships.  Form new friendships.  Join communities.  I'm a homebody at heart.  Whenever I do make myself go out and experience things I always enjoy them so I need to step out of my box more.

I’m hoping I’ve learned from my mistakes because holy smokes I made a doozy of one last year.  It all turned out okay but I still think about it and it still rolls around in my head on those nights I can’t quite get to sleep.  

And OMG I need to be less paranoid.

This is turning into a bit of a resolution type of thing isn't it.  Do you make New Year’s resolutions? That's not what it's meant to be at all because I don't need wide sweeping changes. I also don’t really believe in making resolutions just because the calendar changed.  I like myself.  I like the work I’ve put in.  I can decide to change something on any day, week or month...

...or even any year.

So, friends, in this new year, 2023,  I'm going to be mostly the same me but a better me because we can all strive to be better.  I just want to be a better me now and always.