Low Sugar Hot Cocoa (Vegan Option)

/ Kristen Yarker Dietitian Agency/

Makes 1 mug 

I’ve been sharing this recipe with a lot of clients lately and they’ve found it the perfect warm, comforting solution. So, I wanted to share it with you. This recipe is so simple that it barely qualifies as a recipe. But I wanted to share it because it’s a great way to satisfy a sugar craving with barely any sugar. It makes a hot cocoa that my fellow dark chocolate lovers will enjoy.

Use this as a technique more than a recipe. Adjust it to suit your tastes. For example, make it vegan by using a plant-based milk alternative and maple syrup. Want a stronger chocolatey flavour? Use more cocoa powder (or do the opposite if you want it weaker). Like orange chocolate? Try adding a drop or two of orange blossom water. Want to get the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric that made golden milk so popular a number of years back? Add some, along with the black pepper to activate the anti-inflammatory compounds. For the photos, we jazzed it up with some whipped cream and some chocolate shavings.  

 

Low Sugar Hot Cocoa Ingredients

1 mug milk of your choice (dairy, oat, soy, etc)

Scant 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

½ teaspoon sugar (or sweetener of your choice)

Options:

2 drops orange blossom water

1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder and a small pinch of black pepper

Top with whipped cream or non-dairy whipped topping 

 

Low Sugar Hot Cocoa Directions

1. In a small saucepan on medium heat, add the milk, cocoa powder, sugar, and other optional ingredients.

2. Warm, stirring frequently, until steam rises from the saucepan.

3. Enjoy!

 

Looking for something cold and chocolatey and low added sugar? Check out this super simple recipe for chocolate banana popsicles

Photo credit: Olivia Dodsworth

Chocolate Chia Pudding

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All I can say is chocolate chia pudding ... yum!

Healthy eating is all about eating good fuel for your body AND eating for pleasure. This delicious treat fits both categories. It's chocolatey goodness that's made with chia seeds. Chia seeds are rich in protein, iron and fibre. The result is a gelatinous or pudding-like consistency similar to tapioca pudding. It's also quite low in sugar.

Feel free to play with the recipe. The richest version is made with the canned coconut milk (coconut and chocolate - awesome!). I love orange chocolate and mint chocolate so sometimes I add a drop or two of mint extract or orange blossom water.

Chocolate Chia Pudding Ingredients

3 TBSP           chia seeds

1 cup              milk (dairy, plant-based alternative, canned coconut milk is especially delicious)

1 TBSP           cocoa powder

1.5 tsp             sugar

Chocolate Chia Pudding Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a container with a lid.

  2. Stir well to thoroughly combine.

  3. Leave at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow gel to start.

  4. Refrigerate overnight.

  5. Enjoy!

Chocolate Fruit and Nut Bark

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I'm frequently asked for healthy treat recipes. With Valentine's Day around the corner, I figured that today was the perfect time to share an idea for a healthy (and delicious) chocolate fruit and nut bark.

Like many of the food ideas that I share, this is more of a technique than a recipe. Pick and choose the dried fruit and nuts that you want to use. Add more or less chocolate. Once you get the hang of this you'll wonder why you've been eating cheap chocolate bars!

The healthiest options are raw (non-roasted, unsalted) nuts, unsweetened, unsulfured dried fruit, and dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa.

Note: Chocolate does best when allowed to cool slowly. Make this the night before you want to eat it!

Chocolate Fruit and Nut Bark Ingredients

1.5 cups nuts (e.g. hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts, almonds, pistachios)

1.5 cups dried fruit (e.g. raisins, goji berries, mango, apricots)

400g chocolate (NOT semisweet baking chocolate)

Chocolate Fruit and Nut Bark Directions

  1. Chop larger fruit and nuts into bite-size pieces.
  2. Spread evenly over a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  3. Chop the chocolate.
  4. In a medium-size pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Turn off the heat.
  5. Place the chopped chocolate in a large, heatproof (i.e. not plastic) bowl. Place the bowl over the boiling water. Using a spatula, stir the chocolate until it melts.
  6. Pour the chocolate over the fruit & nut mixture.
  7. Allow the bark to cool to room temperature. Then, refrigerate overnight.
  8. Cut into pieces and enjoy!

In this photo I'm testing out different fruit and nut combinations. It's a tough job but someone has to do it!

Matches made in heaven: hazelnuts and dried mango, cashews and goji berries, salted peanuts and raisins, almonds and golden raisins, pistachios and apricots.

Get more healthy recipes here.

Healthy Valentine's Day treat: Chocolate, fruit and nut bark.