I don't drink coffee. Love the smell, hate the taste. I've always been a hot chocolate gal. I associate hot chocolate with cold winter temperatures, getting cozy and warm, snuggling up with a blanket and reading. I've never thought of it as a coffee alternative, able to energize you and give you some extra oomph. Until now.
I have been indulging in Ghirardelli and Starbucks hot chocolate mixes lately, but it's expensive and I'm starting to set into a winter routine. So today I thought I'd try my hand at making my own hot chocolate mix, and then had the brilliant idea to add maca to it and call it a daytime energy treat, rather than my usual nighttime relaxation ritual.
So you can follow the recipe as is, for an energy boost, or omit the maca powder and get to relaxing.
Ingredients
1 c. vanilla soy milk (or regular soy milk + 1/4 - 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract)
1 T. raw cacao powder
1 T. pure maple syrup
1/2 t. gelatinized maca powder*
Dandies mini marshmallows (optional, but highly recommended)
In a small pot, whisk 1/4 cup of the milk with the cacao powder, syrup and maca powder. Whisk until mostly combined. Add the rest of the milk, turn on the heat to medium, and whisk continuously.
You want to keep whisking, or else the milk will solidify and stick to the bottom and sides. Also, you want the powders to totally incorporate into the milk, because chunks of cacao powder are no fun in your mouth.
Whisk on medium heat until it starts to steam. Don't allow it to boil. Just keep tasting the whisk until it gets hot enough for you.
Plop in your marshmallows and enjoy! (I find 13 mini-marshmallows to be the absolute perfect amount, so that has become my ritual.)
This hot cocoa is sooooo good, I never need to go back to the pricey pre-mixed stuff again.
*Gelatinized maca powder is vegan, and contains no gelatin. I use the Now Foods Organic 6:1 Powder. On the label it says "Raw, Gelatinized" and I thought it had to be one or the other. But I've read that the raw stuff can be hard on your stomach, so I make sure what I get says "gelatinized" and I've never had a problem with this brand.
Enjoy!
