Nutritionbysam’s Guide To Healthy Hot Chocolate
My Guide To Healthy Hot Chocolate
Welcome December!
It’s that time of the year again when the weather is starting to get chilly and we all have our favorite winter rituals we involve ourselves in to keep us cozy and warm. I had my hopes up this weekend when I saw my weather app say snow. Unfortunately since I live by the shore sometimes snow can just mean rain and wind… which is exactly what we wound up getting.
Regardless of the weather predictions one thing we know is true is that it is cold. While many people complain about the cold, I actually really enjoy it. There is something about cuddling up in a warm fuzzy blanket, sipping on a rich hot chocolate, and getting some work done.
Hot chocolate is one of my favorite winter delights and over the last few years I have learned how to make my own to steal all those wonderful benefits from raw cacao while enjoying the delicious taste.
With a little help from my favorite products.
There are so many ways to get creative when it comes to hot chocolate. I have a favorite white chocolate recipe, traditional hot chocolate recipe, & peppermint hot chocolate recipe, in which I can’t wait to share with you! Additionally, some of the recent products I have tried have taken my hot chocolate making to the next level. From creating stress relieving blends to help with the stress of the holiday season to immune boosting blends to help strengthen my immune system as the weather gets colder. This guide will show you everything from homemade recipes, to my favorite products I keep bringing back, to some new additions to my superfood cabinet… and I can’t wait to share it all with you!
TRADITIONAL RECIPE
1 cup nut or seed milk (I love using cashew)
1 tbsp raw cacao powder
1 tbsp raw cacao butter
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
Combine all the ingredients into a saucepan over high heat, using a whisk to break up any clumps.
Keep stirring until smooth and piping hot, then pour into a mug and serve warm.
Substitutions: For white chocolate I would leave out the cacao powder and add 2 tbsp coconut butter & for peppermint hot chocolate I would swap the vanilla extract for peppermint extract.
PRODUCTS
My favorite brand over the years has been Nativas Organics. I have used them through changing their name to changing their packaging and they feel like family. I am over the moon excited because they recently launched some new cacao products that has taken my hot chocolate to the next level. In the past, I’ve used Navitas Cacao powder & cacao butter in my homemade recipes but happily welcoming these below!
Essential Blend Cacao & Greens
Navitas Organics Organics Daily Focus Blend
This is not to replace your cacao powder but a great addition & boost to the traditional recipe I shared above. This powder is packed with 100 mg of natural caffeine from plant-based sources that support mental attention and endurance making it a great day time or early afternoon addition. The addition of lucuma provides immune support, the addition of maca and lions mane help with the bodies stress response, acai and maqui supply antioxidants, and yerba provides energy. Add this to your hot chocolate (1 scoop) in addition to all the ingredients in the traditional recipe above.
Ingredients: Lucuma powder*, maca powder*, cacao powder*, yerba mate extract*, lion’s mane mushroom powder*, matcha powder*, ashwagandha powder*, acai powder*, maqui powder*, stevia leaf extract*. *Organic ingredient
Navitas Organics Cacao + Longevity Blend
Cacao Powder joins reishi mushroom for a delicious cacao with added health benefits. Reishi mushroom supports longevity through balancing your body’s energy, stress response, immunity and other fundamental systems. Tastes like cacao, rich dark chocolate, but with a secret boost. Add this to your hot chocolate by swapping for traditional cacao powder.
Ingredients: Cacao Powder*, Reishi Mushroom Powder* (Ganoderma Lucidum*, Ganoderma Applanatum*, Ganoderma Tsugae*). *Organic ingredient
Navitas Organics Cacao + Antioxidant Blend
Cacao Powder joins with antioxidant powerhouses Acai and Goji Powder for a delicious cacao with added nutritional benefits for whole-body wellness. Same cacao taste with a sweet berry addition this powder can be added in replace of your typical cacao in the traditional recipe above.
Ingredients: Cacao Powder*, Goji Powder*, Acai Powder*. *Organic ingredient
Navitas Organics Cacao Latte
Hot chocolate should be able to be enjoyed from anywhere you are. You may not always have the luxury of making it homemade over the stove top but Navitas has your back. Their new travel packet cacao lattes make it easy to travel with your favorite hot drink. Just add water or warm milk and you have a delicious latte full of healthy fats and other goods.
Ingredients: Coconut oil powder* (MCT oil*, acacia fiber*, tapioca maltodextrin*, citric acid), coconut palm sugar*, cacao powder, maca powder,* guar gum*, natural flavor*, sea salt, cinnamon*, monk fruit extract*. *Organic ingredient
Navitas Organics Keto Cacao Powder
Keto got you missing your hot chocolate? Think again. This high-fat cacao powder is made from 100% cold-milled cacao nibs to retain all of cacao’s naturally occurring fat. Add this to the traditional hot chocolate recipe above and remove the maple syrup to call it keto.
Ingredients: Certified Organic Cacao Powder (theobroma cacao)
Navitas Organics Essential Blend Cacao & Greens
Greens in hot chocolate? I think so. Just one serving of this blend gives you 12 grams plant protein, 14 superfoods, 6 billion CFUs probiotics. I wouldn’t recommend swapping the traditional cacao for this powder in the hot chocolate recipe above but the essential blend is a great addition to the traditional recipe. This powder is harder to blend with an electric whisk so I recommend adding this to a blender with the traditional ingredients then pouring into your favorite mug to enjoy.
Ingredients: Protein Blend (pea protein*, pumpkin seed protein*, sunflower protein*, golden flax protein*, hemp protein*), Superfood Blend (cacao*, goji*, pomegranate*, maca*, camu camu*), natural flavor*, Greens Blend (wheat grass*, kale*, spinach*, spirulina*), inulin (agave)*, natural chocolate flavor, guar gum*, salt, acerola cherry extract*, monk fruit extract, Probiotic/Enzyme Blend (B. bifidum, B. breve, B. longum, L. acidophilus, L. casei, L. paracasei, L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus, S. thermophilus, Cellulase, Lipase, Amylase, Protease), cinnamon*. *Organic ingredient
Whether you are making a big batch of hot chocolate for a holiday party, sipping on some at your family movie night, or making some simply for yourself… there is nothing better. Hot chocolate is a winter tradition and when its made right can actually support overall wellness with so many delicious benefits.
Raw Organic Cacao has over 40 times the antioxidants of blueberries, is one of the highest plant-based source of iron, has more calcium than cows milk, and acts as a natural mood elevator and anti-depressant. It’s also a great substitute for coffee with its natural source of caffeine.
I hope this mini guide to homemade hot chocolate helps you bring joy to your home this winter season.
