Dairy Free Mint Hot Chocolate
I KNOW I caught your attention! Who doesn’t love a warm, creamy cup of dairy-free mint hot chocolate? Well, I have a recipe that’s going to knock your sock off because not only does it taste incredible, but this hot chocolate is healthy too! Real food ingredients like maple syrup, collagen, and turmeric are going to have your body buzzing with goodness! Now, I know what you’re thinking, Leslie, collagen? Yes! Collagen is actually an up and coming trend according to our friends at Natural Grocers and was the first thing mentioned on their top 10 list that you can read here! Collagen is beneficial for joint health, skin support, better sleep, helps with inflammation in the digestive tract, and supports your liver! What a powerhouse ingredient!
Making the hot chocolate dairy free, I like to use coconut oil or MCT oils but another unique ingredient can be ghee or clarified butter. Although not dairy free, ghee has been shown to have been used as far back as 2000 BC and was used in religious ceremonies as well as revered for its health benefits. That takes us back to the Natural Grocers top 10 list! Remeber Ghee is great for the lactose intolerant since it has had its milk solids removed and you are just left with the pure butter fat. Another item on the list is traditional medicine meets modern science. Prepare to see more ancient medicines incorporated with our current western medical sciences! What an exciting time we live in, right?
Let’s also not forget that the cocoa in this drink is good for you since it contains iron, manganese, magnesium, and zinc! Cocoa also contains flavonoids which function as antioxidants in the body and relaxes the muscles in the blood vessels, thus helping to lower your blood pressure. I know I feel more relaxed while drinking a warm cup of hot chocolate! Now that we know how good this beverage is for us, let’s get to making it!
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tbsp organic cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp collagen
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp coconut oil or MCT oil (ghee is great but not diary free)
- 1 bundle of mint optional
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Heat almond milk on the stove top on medium heat.
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Add cocoa powder and maple syrup, stir.
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Add collagen, vanilla, turmeric, cinnamon, and coconut oil (or MCT oil...or ghee), continue stirring.
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Use an immersion blender on low to froth.
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Wrap the mint with butcher twine and add to the pot, turn the heat to medium high and continue stirring for a few minutes until the mint infuses the hot chocolate.
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Remove the mint, blend with the immersion blender once more and serve in mug with a peppermint stick and chocolate shavings.
copy by Marci West
