Ask me any time of year, and I will tell you winter is my favourite season. That being said, when those words are coming out of my mouth, it is unlikely I have just completed a couple hour stint of shoveling snow, driving on less than stellar roads, or that we are in that in between stage where half the snow has melted and what is left has mixed with dirt, leaving a less than pretty sight. When I am cozy inside with nowhere to be and the world is draped in a soft white blanket, I will confirm that to be true.
In the cold winter months, a mug of something warm tastes even better. Everyone loves a hot mug of hot chocolate, especially when it is filled with whole, real food ingredients. Making your own hot chocolate at home is beyond simple, more of a method than a recipe, really. Why might you want to make your own hot chocolate at home, when there are so many options for hot chocolate mix on the market? Most hot chocolate mixes on the market contain less than stellar ingredients. Refined sugar, milk powders, soy lecithin, artificial flavours, preservatives and more are often found in store bought mixes. These are things that I like to avoid, and by choosing to make my own hot chocolate at home, I can use organic, whole food ingredients which is important to me. Topped off with some organic whipped cream or homemade marshmallows, I promise it will taste better than any mix you can find.
All you need is your milk of choice, cocoa powder, and a little bit of your favourite unrefined sweetener of choice. Raw honey, pure maple syrup, or organic cane sugar all work perfectly. If you prefer a sugar free hot cocoa, organic stevia does the trick. I love to use raw, grass fed dairy for myself, however my husband keeps his dairy intake limited. Unsweetened almond or cashew milk are great, however there is nothing quite like using organic full fat coconut milk for the creamiest hot chocolate. An added bonus of choosing a milk with a higher fat content is that you won’t see the same spike in blood sugar as you would when using a low fat option. Your body and your taste buds will thank you.
”Healthy
Directions
- Step 1 ” servings=”1″ cook_time=”5″ total_time=”5″ difficulty=”Easy” summary=”Homemade healthy hot chocolate filled with real food ingredients. Use your choice of milk and unrefined sweetener. This recipe can be made vegan by using your choice of dairy free milk. For a paleo hot chocolate, full fat coconut milk works perfectly. To make this keto friendly, opt for unsweetened organic almond milk or full fat coconut milk, and add organic stevia to your liking. Often I add collagen peptides for a flavourless protein boost!” print=”yes” image=”https://www.abbeyverigin.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/image0-3-225×300.jpeg” ingredients=”1 1/2 cups milk of choice (raw dairy, unsweetened almond milk, full fat coconut milk work well)
- Step 2 2 tbsp raw cacao powder
- Step 3 1/2 tbsp sweetener of choice (pure maple syrup, raw honey, organic unrefined cane sugar) OR stevia extract to taste
- Step 4 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Step 5 pinch of sea salt ” ]Add milk, followed by all remaining ingredients to a small sauce pan.
- Step 6 Heat hot chocolate over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally.
- Step 7 Pour into your favourite mug to enjoy. If desired, top off with real, homemade whipped cream or homemade marshmallows for the full experience!
