by Kelly Roberts
Who doesn’t love hot chocolate? Especially around the holidays and when it’s bitter and freezing outside a hot cup of cocoa in front of the tree is to die for! I’m a sucker for hot drinks on super cold days and if I can get my hands on some really good chocolate I’m going for it! So for all of you that are not aware, I am a Certified Raw Chef. This title tends to confuse people, so I like to say I’m a farm to table chef so they understand a little better. I take raw ingredients (meaning whole foods or foods with only 1 ingredient in them) and teach my clients, family and friends how to make delicious, healthy, and guilt-free recipes.
So here’s my spin on traditional hot chocolate without all the preservatives and guilt! You can make your own homemade warm cacao or if you want it to be hot you can always heat it up on the stove to make it a little warmer. Add you own spices or take things out if you’re not too crazy about some. Hope you enjoy it! Here’s to the upcoming holidays and loving a warm cup of chocolate on a cold winter’s day!
Ingredients:
1 cup of almond milk
1-2 Tbs of Cacao Powder
1 Tbs of organic Agave nectar
a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg
1/8 tsp of organic peppermint extract
(or if you’re feeling extra culinary-muddle some fresh mint with your almond milk)
Combine all the ingredients into an immersion blender such as a Vitamix. Let the Vitamix run for up to 4 minutes and it will warm your ingredients for the perfect cup of cacao. Warm it on the stove, if you want to keep it in raw form, use a thermometer to keep it under 116 degree Fahrenheit. Or if you don’t care to keep it raw. Heat it on the stove till the desired temperature.
Find more recipes on Kelly’s blog or check out her newly released book “The Road to Chianti”.