There are many foods that we give up on the path to health. There are also many delicious replacements. This post is about hot cocoa – a better, healthier version.
Most everyone loves hot cocoa on a cold winter day, but hot cocoa mixes are generally full of unhealthy ingredients.
Popular chocolate syrups contain several different sweeteners: high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and sugar. Popular powdered hot cocoa mixes go further, adding hydrogenated oils. Most contain additional chemicals, with a few even using artificial sweeteners. You can make a delicious hot cocoa without any of those ingredients.
Some hot cocoa mixes will have you add warm milk, yet pasteurized milk is not something I recommend consuming. In my home, we use raw milk or goat’s milk.
Other mixes tell you just to add hot water. This is a terrible option because without (full-fat) milk, there is no fat to slow the absorption of sugar into your blood stream. This means you will have a sugar rush, and a quick crash.
Good news. We can do so much better!
It is very possible to enjoy a cup of hot cocoa without the harmful effects of chemicals, sugar, and hydrogenated oils.
Here is a simple replacement:
Mix the following together in a saucepan and heat on low-medium. Whisk well and enjoy.
- 1 cup goat’s milk (coconut milk or raw milk would work well, too)
- 1 tbs raw honey or pure maple syrup to sweeten
- 1 tbs organic cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Optional: 1 tsp coconut oil, a dash of cinnamon, or a cinnamon stick
Yummy! Thanks! This is the way we make it too….although I admit we use regular (but whole!) milk. Our family would probably go broke if we used raw. Unfortunately it’s very expensive.
I just found out my son is allergic to dairy, so the coconut milk is a great option! So excited to try this!