Edibles, Essential Oils

Rich Drinking Chocolate

As is the custom in Texas, we shut everything down yesterday for a “snow” day. All it takes is freezing rain and a lite powdering of the fluffy white stuff. But that is alright by me because everybody needs an excuse to drink too much hot cocoa from time to time! And let’s be honest, snow is extra magical for children who grow up here. Some of my most treasured memories happened during said “snow” storms. I remember one year when our close family friends got iced in at our house and had to stay overnight. Nothing beats a whole family slumber party! Complete with homemade cinnamon rolls, potato soup and sledding the next day. Then there was that other year when the town was shut down and my Uncle Bob tied a sled behind the back of his pick-up truck and pulled us through the main streets of Weatherford. Everybody has an Uncle Bob, right? That one Uncle that doesn’t follow the rules and thus makes everything more fun. We felt extra special because we truly were the only ones out and about while the rest of the world seemed to be tucked away in their houses.

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Here is a recipe for a healthier and more delicious hot cocoa than the one most of us grew up with. I actually refer to it as a drinking chocolate because that is the way I prepare it for myself. Thick and rich!

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                              Drinking Chocolate
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  • 1 cup of coconut palm sugar
  • 1 cup of  dark raw cocoa {I like Valrhona}

Mix these two ingredients together and store in a jar for easy scooping and stirring into a mug of warm milk. It’s as easy as that! You can use whatever type of milk you like, however, my preferred choice is equal parts coconut milk and almond. The coconut milk makes it extra creamy! I like to buy the full fat coconut milk you find in a jar. For almond milk I found that Daniel Walker {Against All Grain} has a great {recipe} to make your own without any of the preservatives you find in store bought. In a pinch, when I do use store bought, I make sure it is unsweetened and free of carrageenan. Here is some info on why I avoid this {ingredient}… When I am ready to make a mug of this deliciousness, I heat up my milk and then add a scoop or two of the mix. How much you add depends on how rich and thick you like it.

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To finish it off I add the tiniest amount of essential oil. NOT a drop. That is too much! I like to dip a toothpick into the bottle and then swirl it around in the mug.

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Young Livings Cinnamon Bark essential oil is a fun way to make Mexican hot cocoa. And for mint chocolate goodness add just a touch of Young Living Peppermint essential oil. Yummy!

* It is very important that I mention that I ONLY use Young Living Essential Oils.  So, their oils are the only ones I recommend.  I feel it is important to mention this because I have heard it estimated that about 98% of the essential oils out there are not safe for consumption.

IMG_6034 As we like to sing every chance we get in Texas…

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

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