Adaptogenic Hot Chocolate
Hot chocolate can be an incredibly unhealthy drink, filled with refined sugars that spike our blood sugar, and cocoa powders that are stripped of all their valuable nutrients.
However, it can also be a super nourishing and healthy beverage!
The devil is in the details.
Cacao is an incredible super food that is highly prized and revered in many tribal cultures.
Unfortunately in the west we have taken this nourshing superfood and stripped it of all its incredible nutrients and properties, making a refined cocoa powder to use in recipes or call ‘chocolate’.
Allow me to introduce you to the real cacao, a sacred and beautiful plant that holds incredible wisdom and medicine.
This hot chocolate is a favourite of mine all year round but especially in the colder months.
If you want sustained energy without the crashes, feeling wired, jittery or anxious, then this is a great replacement for your caffeinated beverages.
Ditch the caffeine and try this adaptogenic, stress relieving and immune boosting hot chocolate that helps promote calm, yet focus, heightened focus and concentration. This recipe will ensure your brain and you are firing on all cylinders!
Trust me, this hot chocolate turns me into an absolute productivity machine!
Even without adding the medicinal mushrooms, you can enjoy this hot chocolate as a healthier option to its conventional counterpart.
Its super quick to make once you have all the ingredients and so much more delicious than anything you can buy ready made, or in my opinion in a cafe or restaurant too. It's thick, creamy and the perfect balance of bitter and sweet, plus you can make it to your preferred taste.
It is a simple recipe, but the quality of they ingredients is key to ensuring you get the benefits. Here is why.
Medicinal Mushrooms
I like to use a blend of mushrooms because all the different varieties have their unique benefits and properties.
You can also enjoy the mushroom powder as a beverage on its own with some hot water.
The Key Benefits of Medicinal Mushrooms are:
Adaptogenic - These are compounds that help your body to adapt better to stress, thereby reducing the negative effects of stress on the body and making us more resilient to manage stress in our daily lives.
Immune Boosting - Help to support the immune system due to their high beta-glucan and polysaccharide content.
Cognition Enhancing - Can enhance memory and concentration (great for learning those lines) and has been shown to prevent and treat cognitive decline.
Increase Energy and Stamina - Can increase ATP production, the powerhouse of our cells that make energy, thereby increasing energy levels, reducing fatigue and enhancing physical performance. Super helpful if you are taking a stage combat course or on your feet all day rehearsing!
Raw Cacao
Theobroma Cacao has been dubbed the ‘food of the gods’ in the Americas where it was first cultivated.
It is considered a ‘superfood’ due to the high density of essential nutrients.
It has to be kept raw and not heated to high temperatures to ensure all the nutritional benefits are retained. This recipe ensures you do this :)
The Key Benefits of Raw Cacao are:
Energy Enhancing - Contains caffeine and theobromine which boost energy. The magnesium content also supports increased energy levels and stamina.
Boosts Mood - Cacao contains tyrosine, a precursor to dopamine which helps to therefore boost endorphins in the brain such as dopamine.
It also includes tryptophan a precursor to serotonin. Cacao also boosts the body's own natural production of serotonin.
Anandamide a bliss chemical which has mood boosting benefits.
Cognition Enhancing - Increases blood flow to the brain and improves attention, memory and cognition.
Compounds called flavanols in cacao can increase the growth of new brain cells.
Anandamide actually helps to increase neurogenesis, which is the formation of new nerve and brain cells.
This is why when used together medicinal mushrooms and cacao are a true powerhouse, complimenting each other beautifully with their overlapping and unique benefits.
Ingredients
110mls Milk or Dairy Free Alternative
12g Shaved Raw Cacao
1/2tsp Medicinal Mushroom Powder
2tsps Coconut Sugar or Sweetener of Choice (my favourites are, raw honey, stevia and monkfruit)
Generous Sprinkle of Cinnamon
1/2 Cardamom Pod
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
Method
Add all ingredients except the raw cacao to a small pan and heat gently on a low heat until you see bubbles starting to form. You want to catch it just before it starts boiling. Remove from heat.
Shave the raw cacao with a sharp knife and add the shavings to the milk.
Whisk until combined, pour into your favourite mug and voila, expect magic!
*Note that adding the raw cacao shavings once the milk has been removed from the heat ensures that the raw cacao isn't heated too high which would destroy the beneficial nutrients contained within.
Unsure Where to Buy These Ingredients?
These are my favourite brands below and a discount for you.
Medicinal Mushrooms, Coconut Sugar , Raw Cacao Use the Code KP10 at checkout for 10% Discount