Friday, December 5, 2014

Snack Attack Series--Hot Cocoa

Seasonal Snacks--Autumn

Sticking to an anti-inflammation diet is easy if you have some good ideas for delicious healing snacks up your sleeve.

With cold weather upon us, a warming cup of cocoa is always welcome.

The problem with the real thing is that milk and sugar are both inflammatory.  We've solved that problem by substituting almond or coconut milk for cow's milk and Coconut Nectar or stevia for sugar.

Here's our version of cocoa...



Healing Cocoa

1 1/3 c of almond milk  (or coconut milk if you don't have almond)
1 T unsweetened cocoa powder  (I happen to like the one from Trader Joe's--great price and good flavor)
1 t vanilla
1 T Coconut Nectar*

Put a small sauce pan on the stove and turn the burner to medium-high.  Add the cocoa powder to the pan and then pour in the almond milk.  Add the Coconut Nectar. Use a whisk to stir while heating the cocoa until all lumps are gone and the cocoa is hot.

*Although I like to use stevia over Coconut Nectar whenever possible, I find that stevia tastes a little bitter with chocolate.  (On the other hand, stevia tastes great with lemons for lemonade.)  You may prefer to use Coconut Nectar to make cocoa, or perhaps use a bit of both. Coconut Nectar is made from the sap of coconut trees and it is low on the glycemic index, so it won't spike your blood sugar like many other sugar substitutes.  It's also anti-fungal which makes it a good choice if you have candida or other gut issues.  
Seasonal Snack Attack Series--  It seems that one of the biggest challenges to sticking to a healing anti-inflammation diet is those times when you feel hungry between meals.  Having a plan in place before hunger strikes is essential.  That's what this series is all about.  Over time, I hope the snack ideas will grow to become a useful tool that you can use to stock your kitchen with delicious healing snacks that keep your tummy feeling full, your waistline trim and your body humming!  We're just getting started, but to see the snacks we've included so far, click here.  



  

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