19 Nov 2017

The temperatures are getting colder. We turn to hot drinks and soups to warm us up from the winter weather. Hot chocolate is a favorite among pretty much everybody. It is a nostalgic childhood drink that adults love just as much as kids do. I’ve always enjoyed a nice cup or two of hot chocolate. There is a slight problem, however, if you are trying to meet fat loss goals.  Most of the conventional packaged hot chocolates are full of sugars and calories.  Even a lot of the organic varieties, while they are not full of artificial ingredients, still have a lot of calories.   Also, some of the healthier hot chocolate varieties get kind of expensive.
 


 
This prompted me to create my own recipe.  For milk, I will typically use an unsweetened almond, cashew, or coconut milk. However, I came across a very creamy 10 calorie sugar free dairy-free creamer called Nutpod yesterday as I was shopping at Mom’s Organic Market.  The Nutpod non-dairy creamer will be an ingredient in my hot chocolate.
 
Here is all you need:
 
2 tbsp. of Trader Joe’s Cocoa Powder (Hershey’s has a variety as well if you are not by a Trader Joe’s) – 20 calories
1 tbsp. of Nutpod Unsweetened French Vanilla Non-Dairy Creamer (You can use 2 tsbp. if you want for a little extra creaminess.) – 10 calories
Several dashes of Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Pie Spice (You can use cinnamon or spice of your choice. I am still on my pumpkin kick.) – 0 calories
1 cup of hot water – 0 calories
1 packet of Sweet Earth Stevia and Monk Fruit blend – 0 calories
 
This recipe only sets you back 30 calories, maybe 40 calories if you want a little bit more cream.
 
Stir all the ingredients and enjoy.
 

 
Bonus:
 
Let’s get a little indulgent and add some whipped cream to the top of your hot chocolate. To keep everything non-dairy, I use the So Delicious Light Coconut Milk variety here. 2 tbsp. is 25 extra calories. I used 1 tbsp. in this picture. It is a good substitute for regular whipped cream, but do not get carried away with using it. It still should be reserved for a treat and not for regular use. It does dissolve a little faster than traditional whipped cream would. Either one would work for this recipe. Add this whipped cream on top when you have stirred all the ingredients above together. This will range from 43 to 65 calories per serving, depending on how much creamer and whipped cream you use. Even at 65 calories, it is still half the calories of a lot of traditional packaged hot chocolates, and is an acceptable amount for a nice sweet cheat treat.
 

 
Do not let the cold winds and falling temperatures get you down. Warm your soul without a lot of unnecessary calories this winter!
 



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