Well, as some of you may already know through twitter, my boyfriend surprised me with a trip this Christmas.  He also surprised me with a trip last Christmas (to VEGAS, and the Grand Canyon) but you probably don't know about that because I hadn't started blogging (or tweeting) then.  This year he decided to go bigger... a longer trip, a longer flight and an awesome location...

Here's a hint:

Also known as HAWAII:

I won't gush about all of the details of the gift (which includes a LOST tour) but I will say that it involved a slideshow. And that said slideshow was password protected with the code being: 4 8 15 16 23 42 (and then press EXECUTE).  I just love that man.  

So anyway, now that the time for resolutions is upon us, and my trip is happening in February, I am working to continue with exercising regularly and eating a bit healthier (ignore the fact that my last post was about cookies...I exercised restraint people, I swear).  So I decided to take a traditional winter classic and give it a healthy spin, and that's how this hot chocolate was born...

The Elements:
1 cup non-fat skim milk
1 scoop EAS Chocolate protein powder (or an alternative if you have a favorite kind already)
A steamer of some sort (or you could alternatively microwave your milk)

Procedure:
Steam the milk, then mix the protein powder in to the hot milk, stirring until it is fully incorporated

The Verdict: 
Honestly I thought it was almost as good as the real thing.  Now when I say "the real thing" I mean real chocolate shavings and not the crushed powder that you buy at the store.  If you are used to the powder, than I would say that this is just as good!  Love it.  Easy and I don't have to feel guilty eating it.  Bring on the bikini! (Okay not quite there yet, but getting there!)  EAS powder is a great choice because it is 23g of protein with 130 calories and only 3 carbs!  Other protein powders may work just as well, this one I just love because it tastes fantastic and is very versatile (I also love to mix it in a blender with 1 cup vanilla or regular soy milk to make a healthy chocolate milk!)

Here are a few of my other favorite healthy items*:
Greek Yogurt-- high in protein and low in calories and carbs
Uncle Ben's Whole Grain Ready Rice-- whole grain rice that's ready in 90 seconds!
Skim milk
Grapes
Bananas
Green Tea
Cottage Cheese (individual packs, fat-free)--still getting used to this one...

*The thoughts and opinions in this post are mine alone and no one has provided me with these items

What are your new year's resolutions??


These are some of mine:

• keep working out regularly and eating smart
  
• create more time for the things I really love, like maintaining this blog and developing recipes
  
• make more videos for the blog, such as the one I did here
• make the following things at some point this year: pork belly, foie gras, braised lamb, and attempt some surprises I have up my sleeve
  
• try making some things I haven't done before--I'm currently working on a list of things to try in 2012 with my beautiful and talented friend Marnely from Cooking with Books.  So far we would like to do the following: pork belly (as mentioned above), pate, fresh lobster (meaning, still alive, not just tails), something involving molecular gastronomy, shuck oysters (and other shellfish), filet a whole fish, learn to perfectly cook steaks to all temperatures, and how to butcher beef properly.