Chocolate Martinis & Vanilla Pancakes

It's just not possible to bring in the New Year on a positive note without a little chocolate and pancakes ;)
My Auntie Rigel sells and uses Epicure's products religiously, and with good reason. I was lucky enough to be the recipient of gourmet meals and drinks for days, created by her and her husband (my Uncle Roger) while staying with them in Calgary. We used the Epicure chocolate sauce recipe for these martinis, but changed it slightly to make it a little healthier :)
Keep scrolling after the chocolate martini recipe...there are pancakes, too! ;)

Epicure Chocolate Sauce:

Ingredients:

2/3 cup Epicure cocoa (or regular cocoa powder)

1 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup water

Directions:

1) In a saucepot over high heat, whisk all ingredients together and bring to a boil.

2) Reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer for three minutes.

3) Remove from heat and set chocolate sauce aside to cool.

Chocolate Martinis:

1) Combine 1/4 cup vodka with 1/4 cup chocolate sauce in a martini shaker. Shake, baby, SHAKE!!

2) Poor equal amounts into two glasses and garnish with berries (we used blackberries!).

3) Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly ;)

New Year's breakfast? Everybody loves pancakes! After waking up to a destroyed house, we all worked together to get the bottles, glasses, streamers, party hats, confetti, and food cleaned up. I found a basic vegan pancake recipe online, and adapted it, using the ingredients I had available. Results? Everyone loved 'em :) They were light and fluffy, and the vanilla almond mylk added just enough sweetness :) Topped with vegan margarine and pure maple syrup, it was a delicious start to 2011!

Vanilla Pancakes (makes 16)

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 cups sweetened vanilla almond mylk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions:

1) Sift together all dry ingredients, then mix in wet. Stir until well-combined.

2) In a greased pan over high heat, drop 1/4 cup scoops of batter and spread evenly. Flip pancakes when bubbles begin to form, about 2-3 minutes.

3) Remove from heat when both sides are golden brown.

4) Serve with vegan margarine and pure maple syrup.

5) Om nom nom :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

peace, love, food<3
Char, xo