Settle in, it's the end of winter.


Ok, listen, we don't have much time. Maybe you're still wearing a beanie in the evening, or lighting the fire ... but soon it'll be for ambience, rather than function. You'll light the fire because you really like fires, or because it gives you something to stare at besides your computer screen or tv, or because you need to cook something on it. You won't light it to keep warm, because soon the whole city will be too warm, and the hum of airconditioners will replace plumes of woodsmoke.

So quick, before winter's gone, set yourself down in front of a bright, hot fire with a cup of hot cocoa and a snuggly child and dream of snowflakes dusting your eyelashes like powdered sugar.

Settle in. It's the end of winter.
Amanda xx

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Hot Cocoa with Maca
makes enough for 6-8 cups 

This is my new favourite hot cocoa. If you haven't tried rapadura sugar or maca powder, both have a really lovely caramel flavour that compliments the chocolate beautifully. And with raw cocoa powder? This stuff is seriously good for you.

The time
 5 min prep

The ingredients
1/2 cup raw organic cocoa powder
1/2 cup rapadura sugar (or raw sugar)
1 1/2 Tbs maca powder
1/4 tsp fine sea salt

+ your favourite milk (I use whole), water and optional dark chocolate

*go organic when you can - and raw, for the cocoa. It's better for you!

NOTE: If you're using really granular sugar, you might like to whizz it into a fine powder in your coffee grinder before adding to the mix.

To serve
Stir 2 Tbs powder mix (above) into 1 cup hot milk (or 1/2 cup boiling water + 1/2 cup hot milk) until thoroughly mixed. For added richness, stir in one square of dark chocolate until melted (optional).

Store extra (dry) cocoa mix in a jar until needed.

The cost
The whole lot - made organically - cost me about $4.

More on maca powder:
An Andean "superfood," maca is best known for its positive effects on libido and fertility. A study of post-menopausal women in 2008 found that maca improved mood and libido independently of any effect to reproductive hormones - as in, it made the women feel better, but not via changes in their reproductive hormone profiles (which is good, for us breast cancer survivors). As with anything, I use maca now and then, to vary up the foods (and nutrients) going into my body, and because it tastes nice with chocolate - rather than as a magical remedy for anything.

Comments

  1. This sounds delicious and I have all of these on hand, thank you I will be definitely giving this one a try.

    ReplyDelete
  2. YUM! I need to buy macca powder and try this.
    Definitely pinning this recipe!
    Would you hare this at Tuesdays with a Twist?

    http://back2basichealth.blogspot.com/2013/08/tuesdays-with-twist-18-and-more.html

    ReplyDelete

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Thanks for commenting! Amandaxx