There was a distinct chill in the air last night which lead me to put on slippers and make a cup of gluten free, dairy free hot chocolate. This quick and easy beverage can be simply made from scratch in a matter of minutes.
Hot Cocoa
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (raw) cashews
- 1 cup water (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey
- 20 drops stevia
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Instructions
- Place cashews and (room temperature) water in a vitamix; puree on high until completely smooth and no lumps of cashew remain
- Blend in cacao, agave, stevia and vanilla
- Divide cacao mixture evenly between 2 mugs
- Top off each mug with ½ cup boiling water
- Serve
Equipment
My younger son and his friend Kai were my taste testers for today’s hot chocolate. I make sure to test the recipes that I post on someone besides myself, often making each one several times.
Here’s what they had to say, “It tasted really good with the stevia.” Initially I had a mere 10 drops of stevia in the recipe, however the boys said it was not quite sweet enough, so I doubled up to make it taste more like regular hot chocolate by adding 10 more drops, resulting in the 20 drops you see in the recipe above.
On another note, while this site is still a well kept secret, my recipes are often reviewed by others online, generally in a positive tone. Today I saw this review of my simple bread. While it was nice that the review was honest (I always appreciate the feedback) the tone wasn’t something to which I’m accustomed.
I would have to agree though that my recipes are not for those looking to save on food costs (see Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma
How do you view food? What priority does it take in your life? Leave a comment and let us know.
Mariella says
Dear Elana,
I did read the review. Yes the loaf could be termed a luxury loaf…it is expensive to make. But it is also delicious, extremely moist, keeps an entire week, it’s a synch to make and above all it’s nutritious. How many loaves of bread GF or not can claim the same merits at one go!
Since going the GF way i’ve also realized something else…bread and pasta do not need to be the be all of every meal or snack. With a little imagination…and your blog… one can whistle up gorgeous stuff from very simple ingredients. That took some doing for me. I’m from the Meditterranean!
Love your hot chocolate by the way. But where do you find nuts that you’re sure are not gluten tainted? That’s been one of my biggest challenges.
Mariella
Freedom says
My thoughts on spending more for organic whole foods is this…When you eat healthy without all the pesticides and added hormones, your health improves, which leads to fewer health issues. Of course fewer health issues leads to fewer Dr. office/hospital visits in the long run. Doesnt it make more sense to spend a few extra dollars to eat healthy(and BTW much more tastier) if it saves you hundreds in medical bills at the end of the year?
Another way I save is to make a menu for a full one to two weeks, make a list and STICK TO IT! Limiting your grocery store trips to once a week/two weeks, greatly cuts your grocery bill costs. If you’re running to the store everyday, you always see something else you think you need and you end up buying more than what you went to the store for in the first place.
Also, if you see sale prices on certain Items, buy two of them instead of one.
This is just a few ways I’ve saved money since I started eating healthy, and my grocery bill really hasnt gone up all that much. When you consider how much I’m saving not eating out 2-3 times a week, I’m actually spending less on eating healthy than I was when I was eating junk!
noosh. says
i’ve been craving hot chocolate recently, and look forward to trying this! do you use raw cashews in this?
i do have to agree with you in terms of food and health… my compromise is that we don’t have to eat these huge meals, but can have good sized, nutrient dense meals that we spent a little more on for the quality. i think of it as prevention :)
CeliacChick says
Hi!
Nut breads are heavy…although I LOVE nut flours mixed with tapioca starch or rice flour. I know that goes against SCD, but is still better than just straight up refined gluten-free flours. Maybe Alchemille could experiment with that combo and it would cut down on cost. I thought her review was fair…didn’t sound extremely negative to me, just that it was heavier than she preferred.
Elana, I love your style!
robin @ caviar and codfish says
Hi Elana – love this recipe.
As for my food, I’m focused on good quality, which doesn’t always mean expensive. However, when quality=expensive (like with nuts), I usually will go for it anyway. If food isn’t enjoyed, what is it worth anyway? :)
C says
I read your cocoa recipe and got to thinking…well, what if I substituted some almond milk for the cashews, and cut down the water by half…you get the idea. And, that is the point, I think – to challenge and get others thinking about making some changes, doing things a bit differently, unconventionally perhaps, but healthier always. Keep up the great work – your blog is a terrific inspiration.
Emilia says
I have also made your bread and liked it, and it is true that you can’t view as a regular bread since it is so filling and nutritious.
Making food from real, protein rich and filling ingredients will cost more, but I think that it is worth it. Food with protein costs more than sugary/starchy foods – nuts cost more than potato flour for example, and meat is more expensive than pasta for example, but I don’t think you can compare them with just how much they cost, since you have to think about nutrition too.
Many people who go gluten-free end up with severe blood sugar problems and weight gain because of the rampant use of starch in gluten-free baking. It is great that you provide recipes which are an alternative for that, even though they will cost more.
As for hot chocolate it is a nice treat now that it is cold; I usually melt some dark chocolate straight into the nut milk along with spices like cinnamon. It makes for a very thick and “creamy” hot chocolate :)
Laura at Wild Parenting says
A well-kept secret? No, honey, you are famous!
Zo says
Hi there,
Just found your site through tastespotting. I’m a student food writer and so I’ve had to look for cheap ways to make delicious yet healthy meals. I’m also quite a fan of organic foods, which over here in NZ isn’t too much more expensive. I think that it’s actually not expensive if you begin to make things yourself rather than buy pre-made or packaged foods, and shop at markets and co-op organic stores rather than at supermarkets.
I think it’s really important that blogs like this one exist to show people that there is an alternative out there, even if it costs a little more. Just think of it as decelerating your way towards global warming!
Christianne says
HI Elana and others,
This cocoa looks like something I will fix myself immediately, yum! (thanks to you I have cashew milk in my fridge most of the time :-).
About food: I definitely spend more money on food than the general public here. First, that is because of my celiac, second that is because I believe organic foods are a win-win situation for the planet, people and myself. That does involve some priority setting, because certain foods are very expensive here (for instance, 1 pound of blanched almonds costs 15 dollars here, and that is wholesale pricing!) I never save on food, but I do try to get the best price possible. Another thing is that cooking and eating with family/friends are my favorite hobbies. Other people spend money on their eh, skiing equipment, Japanese fish in the pond… anything! I spend it on foods. I am a research student (which means in Europe the same as with you: very little salary, so I have a second job on the side) so in order to make it work I got rid of my car (gasoline is 5 dollars here per liter) and I don’t go on holidays (except house swaps. anyone looking for a great appartment in Amsterdam? :-) But being able to cook great food and share it with my loved ones feels like such a luxery, I feel so satisfied and lucky. I just read Michael Pollan’s new book and I totally agree with him. I recommend it to many people here! Another thing: Courtney mentioned that Americans are used to buy food so cheaply. I imagine that is true. We Europeans are very surprised when in the US because it is so much cheaper than here (people go on big shopping sprees nowadays over there ai ai). It might indeed be a matter of culture. Bottomline for me is that it is very much worth the investment. We are so used to wealth in the West that the time where people worked most of the day, just for food seems far away. Maybe we should go back to that a little more and adjust our budgets.
Have a lovely day you all!
Christianne