There’s definitely a nip in the air lately.
With the weather getting cooler, and Halloween just around the corner, I’ve been thinking a lot these days about things like chocolate – and hot drinks, in general.
Depending on my mood, I might opt for a mug of hot chocolate – dairy-free, of course – or a steaming cup of tea.
And while I’ve never been much of a coffee drinker, I do like a good, bracing cup of tea first thing in the morning, preferably a robust variety of green tea such as Hojicha or Gunpowder.
The names alone are part of the experience!
Regardless of whether you’re a tea or coffee drinker, chances are you’ve visited a local Starbuck’s on at least one occasion.
Perhaps it’s a regular part of your daily routine?
Of course, you could just as easily get your tea or coffee fix in the aisles of your local grocery store, which usually offer such a wide assortment of brands and flavors, it can be really hard to decide.
And – if you’re not careful – this is where being gluten-free presents just one more challenge, since any of these flavored brews just might be suspect.
Yes, you read that correctly – tea and coffee may not be gluten-free.
It always comes back to the same thing – being diligent about reading labels; in this case, look for words like “natural flavors” listed in the ingredients; this indicates that particular beverage may or may not be gluten-free.
It isn’t always clear.
For a really excellent, up-to-date review of what else might be lurking in your tea, check out this recent article from the Food Babe.
Here’s the thing: if anything sounds the least bit suspect – and the words gluten-free do not appear on the label – the best advice is to keep looking!
The same goes for chocolate!
(Although in this case, the more likely culprit could be dairy, if you need to avoid dairy as well as gluten).
Speaking of chocolate, or cacao, did you know that it’s actually really good for you?
Cocoa – or cacoa – comes from the cacao bean, but my preference is for raw cacao that contains no dairy or sugar and has been minimally processed. (Which means it retains its high mineral content along with an abundance of antioxidants).
And yes, even though they are interchangeable in recipes, just keep in mind that not all cocoa is created equal.
Before I share with you my favorite recipe for a really tasty, and healthy, hot chocolate, I thought it would be fun to take a quick trip down memory lane, back to a time in history when coffee, tea and chocolate were such a rare and exotic treat – that only the upper levels of society could even afford these expensive brews.
Coffee was actually the last of these drinks to arrive, imported as it was from Africa.
By the time coffee had made an appearance in Europe in the early 17th century, tea and chocolate had already been introduced about 100 years earlier!
Tea, as you may know, was originally imported from China.
Chocolate, on the other hand, owes its European debut to Spanish explorers who had visited Aztec lands.
Yet the earliest chocolate drinks were quite different from anything we’d partake in today.
Imagine, if you will, a chocolaty beverage that was hearty and bitter – and served cold!
We’ve certainly come a long way since then.
Indeed, there is nothing quite like a mug of hot cocoa when the weather warrants it, although chocolate in any form seems to be the perfect indulgence any time of year.
I, for one, certainly appreciate a cup of hot chocolate as much as the next person, even if mine happens to be dairy free.
The following recipe for a Hot Chocolate Elixir comes from Replenish PDX, one of my favorite resources for healthy, mouth-watering recipes as well as an abundance of nutritional advice.
HOT CHOCOLATE ELIXIR – Serves 1
From Andrea Nakayama, from Replenish PDX
1 tbsp Gluten-Free, Raw, Cacao Powder
¼ tsp Cinnamon (optional)
Boiling Water
A few drops liquid Stevia, or your choice of Sweetener
1 – 2 Tbsp Coconut Milk
Combine the first 3 ingredients in a mug, and fill to the brim with boiling water. Stir to dissolve, before adding coconut milk.
Sweeten to taste as desired.
Sit back & enjoy!
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