12/22/2016 Hot Chocolate with Cacao PowderHow did this year fly by so quickly!? The countdown to Christmas and Hanukkah is on and it's finally starting to feel cozy and wintery in Los Angeles (AKA it dropped below 60 degrees and it's currently drizzling). I know it's officially the holidays when all I want to do is listen to Mariah Carey, sit by my fireplace, and drink hot chocolate. So who else loved those packets of Swiss Miss hot chocolate as a child? I definitely did! Especially the packs with the mini marshmallows. Oh the good old days, before we knew how important it was to read ingredient labels. I was strolling through the grocery store the other day when I passed by the Swiss Miss boxes and was curious what's actually in those powdery packets. Let's just say the ingredient list isn't so sweet. Among the 15+ ingredients are corn syrup, carrageenan, "artificial flavors" (hmmm?), and a several other hard-to-pronouce ingredients. YIKES. Scary! Run! I'm going to assume that we're probably all on board with a 5-ingredient, antioxidant-rich hot chocolate recipe that also happens to taste rich and decadent! I can't think of anything more festive or delicious to drink while cozying around the fire this week! Ingredients 3 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk 5 tbsp cacao powder 3 tbsp coconut sugar 1 tbsp honey 1 tsp cinnamon Optional topping: Whipped Coconut Cream! Serves 2 - 3 1. Whisk all ingredients together in a saucepan. 2. Heat saucepan on the stove, over medium heat, whisking occasionally. 3. Taste and adjust the sweetness to your preference. 4. Pour into mugs. Serve with whipped coconut cream on top and an extra sprinkle of cinnamon. 5. Be cozy and happy! By the way, wondering what the deal is with cacao powder? Cacao is the purest form of chocolate that exists. The bean of the cacao plant, which provides the delicious chocolatey flavor we all love, is actually packed with magnesium, fiber, protein, and is a major source of antioxidants. So you heard it here my friends, chocolate really does come from a plant, and when you're enjoying raw cacao, you're actually making a healthy choice for your body! Hot-chocolate-cheers to that! Wishing you all a very Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas! Photography by Kristen Schellenberg
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CATEGORIESPOPULAR POSTSJuly 28th, 2016Almond Milk Matcha LattesJune 23, 2017Almond Butter Cup SmoothieABOUT LINDSAYLindsay is a Holistic Nutritionist who lives for a great meal, a beautiful farmers market, daily matcha lattes, and homemade chocolate chip cookies. Weeknight Bite is Lindsay's happy place where her nutrition practice, simple recipes, and wellness tips come together to inspire you to live a healthy, balanced life.
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