There’s nothing quite as warm and comforting as a cup of hot cocoa on a cold day. I love drinking hot chocolate, especially in the wintertime. It feels great just to curl up with a good book on the couch or in a recliner and sip on hot cocoa by a warm fireplace.
If you live in Charlotte, then you’re no doubt pretty familiar with our unpredictable weather. In my opinion, that makes hot chocolate even better, because you never know when the perfect occasion to make it will come. It could be 80 degrees in the middle of December, and a week later, they’re cancelling schools and calling for a blizzard. Just a week ago, you were eating ice cream on your deck, and now there’s freezing rain falling outside. Crazy, right? But it happens all the time here, and you’re probably nodding your head in agreement as you read this, because you know how it is!
And when that happens, it’s a great time for a cup of hot chocolate under a blanket by the fire with a good book (or maybe a date-night movie with your spouse or significant other!)
Sometimes I even like to substitute hot cocoa for my morning cup o’ joe. Chocolate is naturally caffeinated, so I get a little boost without the crash that often comes with drinking coffee.
Whether you drink it in the morning to replace your java, or you curl up with a cup in the evening to unwind after a long day’s work, I recommend making your own hot chocolate, using this simple, healthy recipe.
- 1 cup full-fat organic coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons organic unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon organic honey (to sweeten; or you could use 1-2 drops of liquid stevia)
- a dash of cinnamon (to garnish)
- 4 oz. organic unsweetened dark chocolate
- 2 tablespoons organic coconut cream
Heat the coconut milk in a pot on the stove. Add the dark chocolate and cocoa powder, and stir until melted. Pour the mixture over the honey into an 8-oz mug, and top with coconut cream and cinnamon.
This recipe is great because it’s dairy-free, gluten-free, and processed sugar-free yet it still tastes AMAZING. Much better and healthier than the pre-made packets you can buy at the grocery store, which are usually full of sugar, preservatives, and artificial flavors. Yet still just as quick and easy to make.
Enjoy this yummy hot, chocolatey beverage on a cold day, and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below!