Morning Mocha!

Morning Mocha...

I don't know about you guys, but when I wake up in the morning I want/need 3 things...A big glass of RO water (with my Swansons MultiOmega EFA's, New Chapter Organics Prenatal Vitamin (still nursing) and Swansons methylcobalamin B Vitamin), coffee and something to eat.  I have to eat breakfast.  I love my morning mocha because it is so good, easy, fast and saves me a bunch of money since starbucks is extra expensive for me since I always ask for soy milk.  I may never sleep through the night again (kids to blame), plus with having Hashimotos I really need something to pick me up in the morning to get going or I'm sluggish all day.

This Deliciously easy mocha only requires 3 things

Ghirardelli Premium Hot Cacoa-Double Chocolate (it's dairy free)

Instant Coffee 

Vanilla Coconut Milk

Put the kettle on the stove with water. While heating water, put 2 Tablespoons of cocoa and 1 tsp (or however much  you want) of instant coffee granules in coffee mug.  Add boiling water.  Top off with Coconut Milk for a creamy, tempting mocha!  

And my favorite breakfast to go with my dairy free mocha is a chunk of my homemade Granola Bars that we keep stocked with.  I don't have to bother with reading labels on energy bars and protein bars to see if they are gluten and dairy free...I just always have a batch of these made and ready to go!  And they taste better than any packaged granola bar, protein bar or energy bar that I've had.  My BIL (Bro in law) said they reminded him of chex muddy buddies...which I've never had but I'm sure they are good...although I think these are a bit healthier :)  They are definitely filling and keep my hunger at bay, think of it as eating a big bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, but it tastes better and you are getting healthy almonds, flax seed, brown rice and protein from the peanut butter.

Chocolate Chip and Roasted Almond Granola Bars (modified to be GF and Dairy Free)
1 to 1 1/3 cup peanut butter (I just eyeball it..I probably do a bit more..so decide if you like your granola bars more moist and chewy or more dry and crumbly when adding PB)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup Honey (or corn syrup if you don't have honey)
2 tsp vanilla

3 cups old fashioned oats (Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oats)
2 cups puffed brown rice

1 cup cereal (rice chex)
3/4 cup cold milled ground flax seed (I order mine from Swansons)
3/4 cup toasted whole almonds
1 cup chocolate chips (ghirardelli semi-sweet or 60% both are dairy free but always check)

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9x13 inch baking pan.  (i line mine with foil because it's easier to take the bars out and cut them up.)

Mix first 5 ingredients together.  Then add the oats, wheat germ and ground flax (optional).  Stir in chocolate chips, almonds and cereal.

Spread mixture into baking pan and bake for 20 minutes.  the let cool.