Last week, we had record-low temperatures and a ton of snow. After an afternoon of playing in the snow, my kids came in, dropped their wet snow gear by the door and declared they’d like some hot chocolate. I love hot chocolate. I wanted to indulge with them but the idea of having creamy, sugary hot chocolate on a random afternoon filled me with guilt. Trying to be optimistic, I set out to find a hot chocolate I could have anytime without feeling guilty. Mission accomplished! Since then, I’ve come up with several variations to fit any mood or occasion.
Basic, guilt-free hot chocolate:
- Heat 1 C unsweetened almond milk in the microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes
- Whisk in 1T unsweetened cocoa powder and 2 packs (about 1/2 t) stevia. If you really don’t like stevia, you could add about 1t honey or maple syrup instead. The stevia makes it more guilt-free and gives me the kick of sweet I need.
Almond Hot chocolate
- 1 recipe Guilt-Free Hot Chocolate
- Stir in 1/8 t almond extract
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
- 1 recipe Guilt-Free Hot Chocolate
- Stir in 1/4 t peppermint extract or 1 drop pure peppermint oil
Coconut Hot Chocolate
- Make 1 recipe Guilt-Free Hot Chocolate, but use coconut milk instead of almond milk
Mexican Hot Chocolate
- 1 recipe Guilt-Free Hot Chocolate
- Whisk in 1/4 t cinnamon and 1 pinch cayenne pepper
Orange Hot Chocolate
- 1 recipe Guilt-Free Hot Chocolate
- Stir in 1/4 t orange extract
Using almond milk keeps the sugars low, but makes the hot chocolate extremely creamy. If you’re not a fan of dark chocolate, add less cocoa. If you like your chocolate super dark, consider adding more cocoa. This hot chocolate has been a big part of my life this cold season (which only started two weeks ago???) and will likely last through March.
