Gut-Healing Hot Cocoa

I was never a fan of hot chocolate growing up. Why? Because we drank Swiss Miss (the horror!) and it was…meh. Even with the microscopic marshmallows. That’s why when we read my favorite Christmas book–The Polar Express–I dreamed about ” hot cocoa as thick and rich as melted chocolate bars.” Did such a thing exist? Was it as elusive as Santa Claus himself?

Hot cocoa like melted chocolate bars is not a make-believe children’s tale, my friends. It’s this recipe, and…it’s lectin free and Plant Paradox compliant. Also, it doesn’t require melting an actual chocolate bar, though you’re welcome to do that and add it. (I used melted chocolate chips instead.) More chocolate can only be an improvement, am I right?

What You’ll Need

Rich, creamy hot chocolate–although simple–requires a secret ingredient or two. I’m certainly not the first to discover this formula of ingredients–there’s nothing new under the sun. But I can share with you what I personally use in this recipe and can attest to its deliciousness.

Compliant Milk

Any milk from the Plant Paradox Yes list:

• Nut milks: coconut, almond, any other compliant nuts
• Seed milks: flax, hemp
• *Dairy milks: Goat,  A2 cows

*These final two are only supposed to be consumed in small amounts (like for coffee creamer). Since we don’t drink coffee and this hot chocolate is a delicious occasional treat, I chose to use thick and creamy A2 whole milk for this recipe.

Cocoa Powder/Chocolate Chips

Use a raw, organic cacao powder to get the polyphenol benefits that are great at reducing inflammation. Criollo beans are known among chocolate connoisseurs for their superior quality and rich, non-bitter taste. Viva makes a cacao powder from these beans that’s pure heaven in chocolate drinks and baked goods.

Any chocolate chips above 72% are Plant Paradox approved; however, I like to go with these ones that are 85%. The chocolate chips serve as the sweetener for this recipe, so if you use 100%, you may want to add a little bit of compliant sweetener (see which ones are approved HERE).

Collagen (Secret Ingredient)

Not really a secret–it’s all been done before. A scoop of marine collagen not only adds extra thickness to this recipe, but it also makes your mug of hot cocoa a gut-healing recipe. Studies show that collagen peptides enhance the tight junctions of the gut lining–you know…those things that keep lectins out. (Read more about this process HERE.) (1)

This is the only brand of marine collagen I’ve ever tried, and I use it nearly every day. It’s not only good in hot chocolate, but also in soups, stews, and smoothies. If you’ve never tried marine collagen, it doesn’t taste fishy! It’s flavorless, and simply adds thickness and nutrients.

Discount Ingredients

If you need to stock up on ingredients for this recipe, Thrive Market has a variety of nut and seed milks, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and grass-fed collagen peptides for up to 50% off store and Amazon prices.

Hot Chocolate Recipe

PREP TIME 5 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 10 MINUTES     SERVES 1

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Plant Paradox-approved milk
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon marine collagen
• 1 tablespoon extra-dark chocolate chips
• optional add-in: 100% chocolate shavings

INSTRUCTIONS

1. HEAT the milk in a small saucepan over the stove on medium heat. Stir frequently.

2. TURN heat to low and add the cocoa powder, marine collagen, and chocolate chips. Whisk constantly until well-combined and beverage looks frothy. This can take up to 5 minutes for the chocolate chips to melt.

3. ADD the chocolate shavings (if desired), sip, and enjoy!

Printable Recipe

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Source

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28174772