Hot chocolate recipe

Last week I posted a recipe for an Ayurverdic favourite: golden milk. This week I thought I'd give you my take on a healthy hot chocolate. I always give this to the kids and really like the idea of giving them a treat whilst boosting their systems.

Raw cacao sounds exotic but in reality its not. It is the main ingredient found in chocolate, but you will find a lot of commercial UK chocolate doesn't actually contain enough to actually define itself as 'chocolate'! Cacao is obtained by cold pressing cocoa beans. Cocoa powder is cacao that has then been roasted which reduces its overall nutritional value. You can get raw cacao in lots of supermarkets. I use it in all my baking to make anything chocolatey combined with something sweet and unrefined like honey, maple syrup or dates (raw cacao is quite bitter on its own). One tub goes a long way so if you do bake a lot you will find this more economical than buying cooking chocolate each time. Cacao is high in magnesium (nature's relaxant mineral) iron (necessary for energy and oxygen transport around the body) and the potent antioxidant reservatrol.

Interestingly, it is unknown whether heating or cooking with cacao destroys some of its nutrient value. But it is known that dairy inhibits the antioxidants in cacao so best to steer clear of milk-cacao combo's.

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ teaspoon (or more if you can tolerate the taste) of turmeric paste 
• 1 cup almond milk, coconut or oat milk
• 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of organic, cold pressed raw coconut oil
• Maple syrup or raw honey to taste (optional)
• Pinch of cinnamon plus 1 grated cardamom pod

RECIPE:

Add the milk, turmeric powder plus raw cacao with a dash of black pepper, ¼ tsp of coconut oil and maple syrup to taste.
 
Bring to just below boiling point, stirring constantly.
 
Add cinnamon and grated cardamom.
 
Serve in a mug, enjoy the comfort and goodness!
 
A lovely alternative to hot chocolate and great to give to children too.
 

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