Bye Bye Hershey’s……

Good morning, everyone, and happy Monday! I hope that everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend. Here it felt really short. We went on a beautiful hike around part of Lake Lanier here in northern Georgia, and let the kids play on the beach. They went crazy picking up little clam shells, and rocks. The rocks around here are stunning. And our big five-year-old is so proud of himself that he learned out to skip rocks. I have to admit, that was pretty impressive. The lake is still pretty low so we were able to walk across a sand bar that was connected to a little island, but I don’t know how long that will be there once the lake fills back up. Regardless, we will be going back all summer long.

Right now the house is quiet, I am the only one up. I get to enjoy my coffee before everyone gets up for work and school. Usually I write during nap time, but our four-year-old little princess has decided that a 20-30-minute nap is sufficient now, so this may be the better option. 😉 I’m going to tell you about one of their favorite foods, I don’t know if I can actually call this a food, so hopefully that doesn’t wake them. Yeah, I think I will call it a food. That seems fair enough. It is made from three simple, healthier ingredients, so we will put it in the chocolate food group.

Growing up Hershey’s syrup, we still bought ours in the can back then, was one of my favorite treats. I’m a little embarrassed to say, I would steal sips right out of the can. Knowing what I know now, I’m pretty saddened by what exactly was in that can, and the fact that they are still allowed to sell it. 😦

Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup

45 calories per Tablespoon

10 grams of sugar

1 gram of fiber

Ingredients

High Fructose Corn Syrup

Corn Syrup

Water

Cocoa

Sugar

Contains 2% or less of: Potassium Sorbate, Preservative

Salt

Mono-and Diglycerides

Xanthan Gum

Polysorbate 60

Vanillin, Artificial Flavor adds a negligible amount of fat

I’m not going to lie; I have given Hershey’s a run for their money. This syrup is a dead ringer for the “stuff” they have on the shelf. (Seriously, we can’t call it food). It only has 3 ingredients, if you choose the right milk and cocoa you will have organic, non gmo syrup for pennies, and look at this…..

22 calories per Tablespoon (HALF the calories)

3 grams of sugar (1/3 of the sugar and it is organic, and non gmo)

4 grams of fiber (4 X the fiber!!!!!)

This syrup is perfect. It is great for adding to milk, putting over ice cream, using as a fruit dip, or eating by the spoonful. (Yes, it happened, don’t tell. 😉 ) Its shelf life may not be as long as the processed syrup you’d buy in the store, but that is a good thing. If time can’t alter a food, it isn’t really a food. It doesn’t take long to make, and it is so easy. The only thing you really need to pay attention to is stirring out the cocoa clumps, and stirring constantly once it comes to a boil. Don’t over boil, because it will become clumpy. Hurry up and a make a batch of chocolate syrup that you can feel good about eating, and serving to your family. Then you can sit back, relax, and enjoy!

How do you like to eat your chocolate syrup?

Three Ingredient Chocolate Syrup

By Angie Gouchenour

24 Servings

Ingredients

1 cup nondairy milk (I used silk unsweetened cashew milk)

¾ cup Sugar 2.0

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

Combine all three ingredients in a small sauce pan

Stir occasionally until it comes to a boil (At first it will seem like the cocoa powder doesn’t want to stir in, but it will. Just break up the clumps)

Boil for 90 seconds STIRRING CONSTANTLY, remove from the heat, and allow to cool

Once it is cooled pour in to a container and store in the fridge for 7-10 days