Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pancakes

This is a favorite with our children.  They are whole grain, have omega 3's, antioxidants from the cocoa and low fat, and they taste like dessert! We top them with berries or just eat them plain.  Our kids favorite is raspberries.

Naturally Sweetened Cluster Style Granola

This recipe is sweetened using just honey and applesauce.  My favorite reason for using applesauce is because it makes clumpy, chunky, yummy globs of goodness granola. It's more like what you buy at the store than traditional homemade granola. This is yummy stuff. I added raisins to up the sweet factor, but our son B. who loves granola, but doesn't like raisins thinks it would be even better "without raisins and with a bit more honey." So if you aren't the raisin, craisin in your granola kind,  you might want to add a bit more honey. 

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mixes

My issue with commercial cocoa mixes (chemicals aside) is that they all contain hydrogenated oil. Yep, shortening in your cocoa, ick! I've read many labels and haven't found one so I quit buying it. I've made homemade but it's gotten luke warm reviews (pun intended *S*) We like the flavor of this one and the blender trick might just make us all happy.  Still haven't figured out how to make it without sugar though so its not a frequent treat, but there are snowman days and sledding days when it just feels good to have a cup of cocoa. 

Date Sweetened Granola

Thus is a yummy granola.  Sweet without being sickly sweet. My sister loves this recipe. She probably makes it even more often than I do.

Spiced Apple Syrup

This is a nice change of pace.  I think my favorite thing we used it on was German pancakes.

Spiced Apple Syrup

1/2 c. honey