MY ORGANIC CACAO RECIPE
This week I wanted to share a quick and easy Ayurvedic drink recipe with you..
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is an ancient, holistic healing system orginiating in India. Balance of the mind and body is key and food is viewed as medicine.
Following the principles of Ayurveda has been key in improving my overall health and digestion and, as somone who loves sweet things, I've spent a lot of time trying out recipes to make my own healthier treats!
A hot cacao drink is a winner in my book. It doesn’t need cooking or baking, I always have the ingredients on hand, it’s really rich and satisfying but won't cause a blood sugar spike or be difficult to digest.
A pick you up at the end of Yoga Nidra
Those of you who’ve come to an evening Yoga Nidra session at my garden studio will have taste tested this recipe and it seems to be pretty popular....Cacao is slightly stimulating and heating so it's perfect to help you feel fully awake after being so deeply relaxed.
How is hot cacao different to hot chocolate?
Hot cacao is a luxurious tasting, sweet and warming drink and I have it a few times a week.
You make it pretty small and rich and it's dairy free, so the opposite of a tall milky hot chocolate. Think of it more as the espresso of sweet drinks. It’s not healthy per se but it does contain a number of great nutrients and is a balanced alternative treat to a traditional hot chocolate or chocolate bar.
I use organic raw cacao which is less processed and very different to cocoa in terms of nutritional content. It has a high magnesium content plus iron, antioxidants, zinc, copper, selenium and calcium.
The other ingredients are both tasty and healthier in relation to the alternatives and you’ll still feel like you’ve enjoyed a treat.
The non-dairy milk is easy to digest and adding warming spices also supports our digestive fire (called agni in Ayurveda).
Hot Cacao Recipe
Ingredients
To make 1 small cup of organic hot cacao you need the following
1 tbsp organic cacao powder (mine is Naturya brand that I buy from Sainsbury)
1 tbsp organic coconut sugar (a little like brown sugar but from the sap of coconut palm. Buy at most supermarkets or online)
1/2 tsp sweet winter spice mix - a mix of ground cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger that I make in a larger quantity then use over the season.
A dash of coconut cream or 1cm cube of creamed coconut block
Boiling water
Non dairy milk to top (I use cashew, hazelnut, almond or oat milk. Cashew is creamiest and my favouite)
Method
Put cacao powder, coconut sugar, spices and coconut cream in a small cup
Mix in a few cm or boiling water to form a thick, smooth paste
Add a few cm of warm non dairy milk to taste but keep it small and thick for an authentic taste.
Stir and drink
This is the basic recipe. I sometimes add a pinch of sea salt or chilli flakes for variation..
Let me know how it works out if you try it. I’m not someone who generally follows recipes that closely so the amounts above are approximate! Tweak to your taste and enjoy.
