We all love a good, flavorful morning drink. For many, the go-to is coffee. However, there are some of us that don’t react well to caffeine first thing in the morning (especially before a hearty breakfast). For myself, being one of those people that avoids the jittery and anxiety inducing properties of coffee, finding an alternative morning drink was a must. I have been playing around with different drinks for a while; matcha lattes, chai tea, dandelion root coffee, and hot chocolate. I recently cultivated my latest masterpiece (it truly is one) and hope that all of you agree.

I bet a few of you are thinking: coconut hot chocolate?! No thanks. But, hear me out. It’s absolutely delicious and offers many health benefits. When prepared correctly, the drink has a rich foam and the coconut fat is dispersed throughout the drink. It’s hydrating and full of antioxidants.

If you’re looking for other coffee alternatives, try the chai recipe that I posted last week!

Coconut Hot Chocolate Recipe

Note: having a handheld frother is a MUST for this recipe.

Yields 2 8 oz cups

Ingredients:

• 12 oz water
• 4 oz of milk
• 2 tbsp of cocao powder (NOT to be confused with cocoa)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• a pinch of salt

To Prepare:

1. Add water, milk, cocao powder, cinnamon, and sugar to a pot. Place on a stove at medium heat
2. Use frother to incorporate the powders with the water and milk and avoid chunks (the cocao powder will clump together if you don’t mix well).
3. Mix until the mixture is lukewarm and the sugar dissolves completely.
4. Heat to desired drinking temperature and add in the coconut oil. Wait for the oil to melt and then froth until it is well incorporated into the mix.
5. Serve and add a pinch of salt to the top. DO NOT skip the salt, it’s a must.

The importance of using cocao over cocoa

Nearly all of us have had a cup of hot cocoa or used cocoa powder to make cakes or brownies. However, did you know that there is actually a HUGE difference between the names “cocoa” and “cocao” on the shelf at your grocery store?

Both cocao and cocoa are derived from the cocao bean and both involve roasting the bean before trying and powdering. Cocoa goes through a higher temperature roast and through an additional process called alkanizing, which cuts the bitterness but destroys the nutrients. However, cocao is FAR superior in terms of nutrition and minimal processing.

Cocao, however, only goes through a roast and powdering process, leaving the benefits easily accessible by our bodies! The nutrients in cocao include iron (1 mg per tbsp), calcium (14 mg per tbsp), potassium (116 mg per tbsp), and magnesium (106 mg per tbsp). We should be ingesting at least 400 mg of magnesium each day and this one drink allows you to get 1/4 of your daily recommendation! Magnesium is an essential mineral used in MANY processes throughout our bodies, a lack of magnesium can result in some big issues.

Cocao also has some naturally occurring caffeine, but your body processes it a bit differently, similar to black or green tea and doesn’t result in the same negative impacts.

It also contains 2g of dietary fiber per tbsp, which helps to curb the blood sugar spike associated with the sugar added to this drink!

We use this cocao powder.

Why Add Coconut Oil To A Hot Chocolate?

Adding coconut oil into your morning drink seems a bit strange, right? However, once you try it, you won’t go back. Here are some reasons to give it a try:

1. It tastes delicious. There’s nothing quite like that rich coconut flavor.
2. It contains MCTs (medium chain fatty acids) that assist in energy production.
3. Contains Lauric Acid, which has anti-microbial properties and has been shown to work against some disease causing bacteria. (1)
4. Contains a variety of antioxidants that have been shown to assist in reducing inflammation. (1)

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Hailey