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A warm, healthy, tasty, comforting and nourishing take on hot chocolate! This Tahini Hot Chocolate recipe is vegan, gluten-free and full of heart-healthy cacao, delicious cardamom, and protein-rich tahini. The perfect winter beverage!
I’m just a wee bit obsessed with cacao powder (not to be confused withcocoapowder). . .
Cacao powder is about the healthiest form of chocolate that you can consume. It is the product of ground raw cacao beans — completely unprocessed unlike the cocoa powder that most of us are familiar with. And, boy does it make for one healthy hot chocolate!
Cacao Powder Health Benefits
extremely high in anti-oxidants that combat disease, aging, pollutants, stress, and dangerous free radicals
a serotonin booster lending it to be a great reliever of mood swings and depression
high in iron
high in magnesium
high in calcium
containsanandamide (the “bliss molecule”) lending to feelings of euphoria and relaxation
containsphenylethylamine, a natural energy and mood booster
contains protein (protein!)
has been shown to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol
contains sulfur (great for healthy skin, hair, and nails!)
has been shown to support good metabolism and healthy weight loss
Through many experimental cups, I discovered the amazingly delicious and complementary power of protein-rich tahini and flavorful cardamom paired with amazingly healthy cacao powder. This combo will blow you away, as you sink into delicious and relaxing guilt-free bliss. Enjoy! xo.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Creamy, soothing and comforting.
Rich and chocolate-y.
Perfectly laced with cardamom.
Silky smooth.
Slightly earthy and nutty with the addition of tahini.
Easy to make.
Healing, and packed with nutrients.
Vegan, dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free.
A warm, healthy, tasty, comforting and nourishing take on hot chocolate. Vegan, gluten-free and full of heart-healthy cacao, delicious cardamom, and protein-rich tahini. The perfect winter beverage!
Great news for plant-based dieters – almost all tahini is vegan tahini! Generally, tahini only contains sesame seeds and occasionally some vegetable-based oil and salt, all of which are perfectly safe for vegans to consume.
The Starbucks Hot Cocoa varieties to keep an eye out for include Double Chocolate, Classic, and Peppermint. These hot cocoa tins are all vegan-friendly.
Tahini also has selenium. It acts as an antioxidant and helps lower inflammation in the body. Studies show sesamol, a natural chemical found in sesame seeds and sesame oil, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging benefits. Other studies suggest it also has strong anti-cancer effects.
Chickpea butter. Chickpea butter is a great substitute for tahini in your vegan recipes. This plant-based alternative is simple to make at home and is packed full of protein, making it a healthy choice for your family.
The mocha sauce is vegan, so all you need to do is nix the whip and swap the cow's milk for soy, oat, almond, or coconut … and pay the non-dairy milk upcharge (womp, womp). Barista tip: The drink is made with both mocha and peppermint syrups, making it very sweet.
Lindt Excellence is pretty excellent chocolate (I always used to steal squares of it from the fridge when my mum wasn't looking) and it's pretty naturally vegan, too. The ingredients of these bars include cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, and vanilla.
Unfortunately, Nesquik isn't vegan-friendly. This is because the powder is fortified with vitamin D, and this comes from lanolin which is obtained from sheep's wool. As this is a byproduct of animals, Nesquik isn't vegan, despite not having any other ingredients that contain milk as one might've expected.
Unfortunately, no, Hot Cheetos are not suitable for a vegan diet. Cheetos are perhaps most well known for their intense cheesy flavor, which is present in all of their different varieties including the Flamin' Hot line. Unfortunately, cheese is not vegan, since it is a dairy product that comes from cows.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: a high-quality cocoa powder or cacao powder is essential. I highly recommend using Ghirardelli's 100% cocoa. I think it has the best flavor for hot chocolate (and trust me, I've tried quite a few!)
Milk, with its white base, can dilute the brown color of the hot chocolate. In contrast, water's clear base allows the cocoa to appear much darker. Furthermore, water enables the hot chocolate powder to melt seamlessly into the liquid, dissolving more easily than it might with milk.
Your cocoa powder will have a 'best-before' date on it.The taste might start to gradually mellow after that date or it might go a bit 'clumpy', but it's unlikely you'll notice much difference. It's still safe to eat as long as it doesn't feel moist or smell unpleasant.
Hummus is a vegan staple that allows you to have some versatility in your diet. It's an immensely popular food amongst vegans so you may have found a new favourite yourself. It's available in a wide range of flavours and is very versatile in the kitchen so you can experiment with it if you wish to.
What is Tahini? Tahini is made by grinding sesame seeds into a smooth paste. Sometimes the sesame seeds are hulled, sometimes they're left unhulled; sometimes roasted, sometimes raw. We like to use tahini to make dressings, soft serve, snack bites, stuffed dates, and SO many other dishes.
Introduction: My name is Edwin Metz, I am a fair, energetic, helpful, brave, outstanding, nice, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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