Makes 6 Servings, 6 Ounces Each

Place the cocoa in a 2-quart saucepan. Add about 1/2 cup of the milk to make a smooth paste. Stir well to remove all lumps. Gradually whisk in the water, agave, and remaining milk. Place over medium-high heat and bring just to a simmer; do not boil. Stir in the vanilla extract.

cocoa Factoid:
Unsweetened cocoa powder’s high starch content makes it difficult to dissolve in liquid. To prevent lumps from forming, use cold liquid, which can help separate the starch particles.

Omega-3 Factoid:
Preliminary British studies show that organic milk contains more omega-3s, likely due to the diet of the organic cows. Though the nutrition database for analyzing this recipe does not reveal the omega-3 milligrams for milk, choosing organic is optimal.

Nutrient Analysis Per Serving:
101 calories; 6g protein; 19g carbohydrates; 1g total fat; 0g saturated fat; 0g monosaturated fat; 0mgs omega-3s; 0g fiber; 16g sugar; 77mg sodium.

Cheryl Forberg, RD is a registered dietitian and professional chef, and currently serves as nutritionist for the NBC reality series The Biggest Loser and as an advisor for Prevention magazine. She has written or contributed to nine books, including Stop the Clock! Cooking, The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook, and Healthy Heart Cookbook for the American Medical Association. In 2005, she won the prestigious James Beard award for healthy recipe development. To learn more about Cheryl and her work, visit her Web site at www.cherylforberg.com.