Hot Chocolate!!

It's back to cool fall weather which means it's time for warm fuzzy drinks!  One of the classics and a personal favorite... Hot chocolate!! It's easy to make and you don't need the instant hot chocolate powder that is made up of all sorts of crazy unnatural things. Soooo here is a simple easy recipe! And super tasty too!

3 Cups (unsweetened) Almond Milk - my personal favorite is Whole Foods organic unsweetened almond milk. It seems much creamier and richer than all the other brands I have tried. They are usually available in 2 packs which saves a little money. 

2 TBS Cacao powder or Cocoa - the difference between the 2 is that cacao powder is considered raw- meaning it is subjected to low amounts of heat which do not alter the presence of antioxidants (aka cold pressed).  Cocoa on the other hand has been processed in heat.  Cacao is very high in antioxidants and is considered a 'super food' for this reason- why it is much more expensive.  Cocoa does not have as many antioxidants due to the heating process.  With this being said, you are heating up your hot chocolate so the cacao does not remain in its raw state.  So there really is no benefit to using the cacao over the cocoa in this recipe.  If you were making a cold drink or not heating or cooking with it, cacao would be a much better option.  For more info on cacao vs cocoa visit this link http://nourishmylife.wordpress.com/2013/04/24/raw-cacao-vs-cocoa/.

2 TBS Xylitol, Honey, or Pure 100% Maple Syrup (Aunt Jemima doesn't count)- I didn't have xylitol at home so I used maple syrup. For anyone using xylitol (people on Candida Clear or phase 1) it may need a little bit more.  Just do a little taste test to try it out first.

1/4 TBS of Cinnamon

 

 

Over medium heat mix the almond milk and cocoa/cacao powder. Let it heat up but not boil. I probably kept mine on the stove for 10 min total and stirred occasional. After it's nice and warm take it off the burner and let it sit. Add in your cinnamon and sweetener (xylitol, honey, or maple syrup) at this time and stir. The clumps of cocoa will continue to dissolve at this time. 

Let it sit for a couple minutes and stir occasionally. Then enjoy!! 

Pure deliciousness.