So last week we were digging on detox and although I am all about gentle cleansing and getting ready for spring I need to share this recipe with you before the warm weather finally arrives.
Yes I’m talking about warming, whimsical, transport-you-right-back-to-childhood hot chocolate that warms your bones, comforts your soul, and gives you a sweet little indulgent kick.
When I was in middle school I used to come home everyday, pour two packets of Swiss Miss into a cup with a little milk and eat it with a spoon in front of the TV. It was my go-to “snack.” It did the trick for forgetting the day and made me feel a little rebellious sneaking in a sugar session before my mom came home. Then there were the really sweet memories of coming in from the cold after a long afternoon of playing in the snow and sitting down and having my mom make me a warm cup of hot cocoa. Those are memories I treasure.
The problem with traditional hot chocolate though is that it is filled with refined sugar, and, depending on the brand, a whole bunch of other junk that, frankly, we should not be feeding ourselves let alone our children. To see what I’m talking about, check out the Swiss Miss ingredients here. Corn syrup, sugar, hydrogenated coconut oil (a trans fat known to cause heart disease), carageenan (which, in its degraded form is a known carcinogen), acesulfame (a toxic artificial sweetner), sucralose (another artificial form of sweetner that has been shown n studies abroad to cause cancer in rats).
No one like to hear that their beloved hot chocolate is secretly destroying their health, but I’ve been at work looking for a solution and there’s some good news. It is possible to enjoy the cozy tradition of a hot cup of chocolate without hurting our bodies or feeling crappy about it afterward. Here’s how:
Ingredients:
serves 1
1 1/2 cups almond milk (or your favorite milk)
2 Tablespoons raw cacao powder (a superfood jam-packed with antioxidants)
1 teaspoon maple syrup (coconut sugar is another option, or leave it out)
pinch of cayenne pepper
large pinch or two of cinnamon
Directions:
Whisk the above ingredients (feel free to adjust amount of ingredients to your liking) into some homemade almond milk (find out how to make it here) in a small sauce pan and heat until warm. Pour into a mug, curl up with a warm blanket and enjoy!
- 1½ cups almond milk (or your favorite milk)
- 2 Tablespoons raw cacao powder
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- large pinch or two of cinnamon
- Whisk the above ingredients (feel free to adjust amount of ingredients to your liking) into some homemade almond milk (find out how to make it here) in a small sauce pan and heat until warm. Pour into a mug, curl up with a warm blanket and enjoy!
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