a joyous union of eggs and nogs.

it's day two of december, and as you can see below on my bucket list,
i have officially checked off two items.
score.

and now ladies and gentlemen...

i would like to formally let you all know that not only did i find dairy-free eggnog,

i found two different types of dairy-free eggnog!

...so obviously i had to buy both and do a taste test.

the competitors:

'SO DELICIOUS' Dairy Free Coconut Milk "Nog"

vs

'Silk' Soymilk "Seasonal Nog"

i typically try to steer clear of most soy products, due to health reasons, so i have to say:

 i entered this challenge with a bias.

i tried the coconut 'nog' first hoping it would be the winner.

it was definitely 'noggy'. it had the right taste, and it was just as thick as normal eggnog.

however, i usually water down my eggnog with milk to make it less thick, 

so i tried thinning it with almond milk, but it didn't mix well. yuck.

it also had a super strong after taste. 

if you've ever had coconut milk products before, you know what i mean. 

it leaves a 'thick' aftertaste/feel in your mouth. i am not a fan of that.

next was the soymilk 'seasonal nog'.

for me... it was love at first pour.

it was thinner than the coconut nog, 

and the perfect consistency for a watered-down-normal-nog-lover.

i was just as pleased when i tasted it. it had the perfect balance of the eggnog flavor, 

without being overwhelming and without the yucky aftertaste.

there you have it folks. the soy-nog wins the prize...

and my holiday devotion.

is it sad that these are the things i get excited about these days?!

my one true love.

being a new mom comes with many changes.

we have all heard the usual:

"you'll never sleep again"

we prepare ourselves for changing diapers...

spit up...

crying.
we get excited for the snuggles and the smiles.
and let's not forget the giggles...

but what i wasn't prepared for was having to give up my one true love.

milk.
ok, i realize that was a bit dramatic...
and maybe milk isn't my one true love, but let's just say:
i.love.me.some.milk!

i had no idea, prior to having a baby, that i might have to change my diet due to nursing.
fortunately, most women don't have to change their diet at all.
unfortunately, i happen to be unlucky and did not fall into that 'most' category.
it's a good thing i don't live in district 12, because the odds are not in my favor...
{yes, i did just reference the hunger games}

no milk means:
no milk {duh}, no cheese, no butter, no chocolate {you can eat specialty dark chocolate},
and no anything that contains any of the previous mentioned items.

most people would probably have used this to their advantage and decided,
"hey, i'll just make healthier options now and eat better...aka no pizza, desserts, etc"
but what do i do?
i research every dessert that doesn't need dairy,
find all the substitutes to dairy that i can use,
and make/eat every dessert i possibly can...
especially my new favorite chocolate chip cookies.
which i've made 3 times already.
{have i mentioned i have a sweet tooth?!}

now i'm off to make a dairy free chocolate cake.
...and i wonder why 'i just can't loose that extra baby weight!'
ugh.