Hot Cocoa? NOT Cocoa!

Fond memories of playing in the snow as a kid, and running in from the cold to enjoy a cup of homemade hot cocoa are amongst those at the top of my Christmas Nostalgia list!

Perhaps you have little ones who're out sleigh riding and you'd like to offer them a special holiday treat, but you're keen to keep them dairy free, in order to stay paleo!

Bring in the almond milk!   Be sure to read the labels, as many brands listed as 'almond milk' are actually blends of one sort or another; or make your own.    Using full fat almond milk substituted in for the traditional dairy or soy milk in your favourite hot cocoa recipe.

What about the sugar?  Enter honey. Again- for the once in a while treat, opt for this naturally occurring source of sweetness.

And the cocoa?  Skip the alkali processed dried mixes and go for either raw cacao nibs or 99% cacao chocolate (making sure not to purchase those that are emulsified with soy lecithin).   

Simmer with a fresh vanilla bean and a dash of cinnamon in a heavy bottomed sauce pan and let the aroma fill your kitchen with holiday cheer.

What a great option when compared with the corn-syrupy, hydrogenated version you might see at the local cafe!