Creamy Turmeric Hot Chocolate

Now that we’re officially into winter, I have my late night urge to indulge in something warm and cozy (and by late night, I mean like 7:30). While there are plenty of packaged hot chocolate options out there, taking a little extra time to make something from scratch represents true self care for me.

I’m such a rushed person, but lately I’ve come to realize that when I fail to take time to prepare or sit and eat a meal slowly, I’m sending signals to my body that my nourishment isn’t important.

If food is information for our cells, and it is, then what kind of information do we send our body when we say we don’t have time? “I don’t have time to give you what you need.” Most times, we eat in a rush and don’t get a chance to savor complexity of flavors because we are so busy inhaling our packaged convenience food in order to go on to the next thing.

Taking time to prepare food also prepares our thoughts. Our thoughts are powerful chemical messengers that tell our bodies what to do. If we are stressed and rushed, we tell our bodies to shut down digestion in order to “survive” whatever is stressing us out. This year, I’m making an effort to take my thoughts captive – and even what I think about the process of eating makes a difference.

All right, enough philosophizing – now to the recipe.

You can use whatever milk you like. I am a big fan of this creamy, sweet Thai coconut milk. It’s pretty rich, though, so I only use half for this drink concoction. I sleep better when I have a little fat a couple hours before bedtime, and this hits the spot. Turmeric and cacao are both powerful antioxidants, and cinnamon is great for blood sugar management. For some people, maple syrup and honey may be too much sweetness before bed. Lakanto monk fruit sweetener is another option to use.

I use my Powerlix milk frother to whisk in the saucepan, but you could blend it up before heating or use an old-fashioned hand whisk (it may not be as creamy or smooth, though).

Creamy Turmeric Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

• 8 oz almond or coconut milk (I use half almond, half coconut – my favorite coconut milk is this one)

• 1 tbsp maple syrup (or honey, or preferred natural sweetener)

• 1 tbsp cacao powder

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• Dash of cayenne
  

Directions:

Whisk all ingredients together in saucepan, and heat on medium until it’s at your desired temperature. Pour into mug and enjoy!