Yes you did hear correctly ‘healthy’ and ‘hot chocolate’ and ‘vegan’ in the same sentence!
At this time of year there is nothing more comforting than a warm hot chocolate, however some coffee shop brands having a whopping 24g of sugar in a medium cup! So I decided to play around and create a healthier version that you can enjoy at home.
This vegan healthy hot chocolate is great to help you wind down in the evening but I would suggest having it early in the evening as sugar close to bedtime can prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep.
Almond milk is a source of calcium and tryptophan which help the brain to produce melatonin which is important for sleep regulation. Both cashews and almonds contain magnesium which acts as a natural sedative and help to relax your muscles. Whilst cacao also contains tryptophan helping to balance the body’s serotonin levels
I have not specified how much maple syrup to add to this hot chocolate as ideally you want to make it to your taste. However, be aware that maple syrup is still recognised by your body as a form of sugar, and so your body will respond to it as sugar so use as little as possible. For a more chocolaty taste you can add more cacao but it is bitter so the more you add the more maple syrup you are likely to need.
Vegan Healthy Hot Chocolate Ingredients:
- 300ml almond milk
- 1 tsp cashew nut butter
- 1- 1.5 tsp Cacao powder (to taste)
- Drizzle of maple syrup (to taste)
Method:
- Heat the milk and cashew butter in a pan
- When it is hot place into a blender with the remaining ingredients and blend until frothy
- Serve in a mug and enjoy
A great variation to this recipe is to add a drop or two of peppermint oil to give you a delicious mint hot chocolate!
If you’ve enjoyed this recipe then why not email me for a consultation to find out more about natural ways to help you sleep
