CHOCOLATE CRAVING ALERT! HOT COCOA ELIXIR SAVES THE DAY & WARMS YOUR BONES!
This is an amazing substitution for store-bought, highly processed, & chemical-laiden hot chocolate, which I indulge in on occasion since it’s been pretty cold for us here in AZ! (in other words, in the 50s)
The teeny amount of caffeine in the cocoa (1 Tbsp of raw cocoa= 8mg caffeine) is enough to give you a slight kick, so be careful drinking too close to bed. Other cocoa benefits include being high in magnesium and antioxidants! Since this is a sugar free treat, sweetened with stevia, your blood sugar will not be on roller coaster mode & your pancreas will be happy too!
1 cup water*
1-teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract
2 teaspoons unsweetened natural/ unprocessed cocoa or raw cacao powder**
1/4-1/2 teaspoon liquid stevia, to taste
1 pinch Himalayan pink salt (optional)
*If a creamier consistency is desired, substitute with unsweetened coconut milk, packed with metabolism boosting medium-chain fatty acids.
**Natural unprocessed cocoa is preferred to the Dutch processed; raw cacao contains less caffeine.
In small saucepan, boil water on stove. Remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients & stir well. Serve.
**FUN OPTIONS:
+pinch of cayenne pepper or chili powder
+few drops of peppermint extract