1 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice:
(4 -6 lemons)
4-6 cups of clean water (to taste)
1 tsp of ground turmeric
1 tsp of cinnamon
Pinch of volcanic salt
(Himalayan Salt)
1/2 tsp of liquid stevia (or to taste)
Optional: 1 tsp ground/fresh ginger
Remember, Life is not ALL about green smoothies.
Cocoa is on the naughty list, Right?
It doesn't need to be.
1. Traditional Hot Chocolate
This is the only one of the group here that includes chocolate pieces, which as mentioned before creates a beverage with more fat. That said, this recipe will yield a beautiful cup of hot chocolate that will still be better for you than a chemical- and preservative laden cup made from a crummy instant mix. Using the full three ounces of chocolate will yield a very thick drinking chocolate that may be too rich for some, so adjust to your taste.
1 cup milk (or nut milk)
1/2 vanilla bean, split
1-3 ounces semisweet or milk chocolate, cut into small pieces
Heat milk to scalding in a medium saucepan, add vanilla, and let steep with the heat off for 10 minutes. Strain and return milk to saucepan to reheat milk. (You can use 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract instead and skip the steeping process.) Whisk in chocolate until melted and frothy. Serve, Go "MMMMMMM CHOCOLATE".
2. Dried Plum Cocoa
Okay, okay. Yes, you could call this one the “hot prune smoothie,” but we’re going to stand by it anyway. After all, if the French can make Pruneaux d’Agen (the decadent prune and chocolate cake) then we can make pruneaux d’ cocoa, by golly. (We’re just going to follow the lead of the prune industry and rename it dried plum cocoa.) The truth is, this one is so thick and rich it’s closer to drinking chocolate, and instead of sugar’s empty calories, you get a healthy dose of fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
1 cup almond milk (or regular milk)
3 medium plums
2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
1 pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Put all ingredients in the blender and puree until very smooth, gently heat in a pot on the stove. Voila.
3. Coconut Hot Cocoa
Somehow, mixing the products of a tropical tree — coconut milk and dates — just seems all wrong for making the perfect drink for a frosty afternoon.
But for dairy-free, sugar-free, nut-free diets this recipe may be as close as you get to cocoa nirvana. And for anyone else, if you’ve got the ingredients, this version is super salubrious and delicious.
3 tablespoons canned coconut milk
3/4 cup water
3 soft pitted Medjool dates
1 tablespoon cacao powder
Dash of cinnamon
Put all ingredients in the blender and puree until very smooth, gently heat in a pot on the stove. Sip and dream of the tropics.
4. Maple Cocoa
Maple syrup is one of a wholesome-cooking cook’s best-kept weapons in avoiding refined sugar.
It not only adds a punch of sweetness, but that special almost-smoky maple taste adds incredible depth to baked goods and sweets that are hearty in flavor (meaning, great with chocolate and nutty things, not so good for angel food cake). This one is nice with the neutral flavors of regular dairy, but you can use any alternative milk you’d like as well.
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt
Combine ingredients in a medium pot and warm on medium-low heat, whisking until frothy and hot.
5. Mexican Hot Cocoa
The original chocolate beverage lauded by the Mayans was a bitter spicy slurry drunk cold and nothing like the drink we have come to rely on.
Hot cocoa in Mexico and other southern realms retains the heat, which is very clever since chocolate and spice go together as well any pair of flavours possibly could.
1 cup soy milk (or regular milk)
1 tablespoon Natural sugar cane(If you can find it. If not use maple syrup or honey or agave syrup)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of cinnamon
1 pinch (or more, go crazy!) of cayenne
Combine ingredients in a medium pot and warm on medium-low heat, whisking until frothy and hot. Say "salud" to the Mayans for bringing us drinkable chocolate. Actually, Don't say "Salud" because the Mayans didn't speak Spanish, did they!
My regular Blog posting will be coming within the week
TTFN
IJx
No comments:
Post a Comment