May The Froth Be With You: My Dairy-Free, Frothy Hot Cocoa Recipe
May The Froth Be With You
So I've been hearing a lot of buzz lately about the new Star Wars movie, and my mom and I were laughing about how long it would take to do a full marathon of all of the previous movies before going to see the latest installment. Well, with the short, cold days, it might not be a half-bad idea!
When it's cold outside and winter starts to drag, nothing is better than a good movie while sipping a cup of something warm by the fire--especially when it's super frothy! I've got just the recipe for you!
Nuts About Nut Milk
When I made the transition to a totally plant-based lifestyle, one of my favorite wintertime treats was off the table--hot chocolate! Not so fast, my friends! Who says you need milk and whipped cream to make a frothy, smooth, rich cup of cocoa?! If you're feel extra ambitious, check out my Homemade Almond Milk recipe; otherwise, there are tons of delicious dairy milk alternatives out there, like almond, cashew, coconut, hemp, and rice milk. Many of them are also fortified with essential nutrients like vitamin D. My personal favorite is almond milk--I typically get the organic unsweetened original flavor because it tastes great just as it is, and if I want sweetener or added flavoring I can simply add my own.
Cacao: The Superfood Of Chocolate
When upgrading your hot chocolate, opt for raw cacao powder instead of cocoa powder—same rich, chocolatey flavor, more antioxidants! Cacao and cocoa come from the same plant, the same bean, but cacao powder is made by cold-pressing unroasted cocoa beans, keeping the living enzymes intact. Cocoa powder is simply raw cacao that has been roasted at high temperatures. We’ve been slightly misled to believe that dark chocolate is super good for us due to the high levels of antioxidants such as resveratrol, but if you really want to reap the benefits of this superfood, use cacao, not cocoa! Many times cocoa powder also contains added sugar, whereas cacao does not! Read up on cacao on my Top 10 Superfoods blog post!
To make this hot chocolate even healthier, yet still tasty, you can eliminate the use of refined sugar by adding in dates--whole, unprocessed sugar, direct from nature's source!
Scary Dairy
For many people, eliminating dairy can resolve a plethora of health issues, from acne to hormonal imbalances.
My go-to, most-trusted resource for explanations to any health and wellness related concerns (backed by sound research) is NutritionFacts.org. My husband, Dusty, and I had the pleasure of meeting the founder, Dr. Michael Greger, at the International Plant-Based Nutrition Healthcare conference this last October, and he is phenomenal! I highly recommend investing in his recent book, as well: How Not To Die.
Below are three super quick videos on milk and dairy and the reason we're probably better off without them:
Dairy-Free, FROTHY HOT COCOA
dairy-free, refined-sugar-free, antioxidant-packed
serves:1 // time: 5min
This incredibly smooth, antioxidant-packed, superfood version of a wintertime classic will appeal to anyone, plant-based/dairy-free or not! The froth alone is enough to win over the heart of any warm beverage connoisseur, and your body will thank you for this chocolatey, not-so-guilty pleasure!
ingredients:
1 - 1.25 cups almond milk
1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
2-3 pitted dates
method:
Put cacao powder in blender, followed by almond milk and blend.
Remove pits from dates and add to blender and blend until smooth.
Pour contents into small sauce pan and heat on stove on low heat until desired temperature is reached.
Fill up your favorite mug, pop in a movie, cozy up, sip, and enjoy!
options:
Top with shredded coconut, cinnamon, vanilla powder, cacao nibs, or spike with a drop of peppermint extract or essential oil
Protein Boost: SunWarrior Raw Vegan Chocolate Protein Powder (use code: EatMoveRest for 20% off)
Some Reading To Go With Your New Beverage
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