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My love for the holidays/winter is synonymous with my love for hot chocolate.
It is legit one of my favorite things about this season, as a warm, creamy, cozy cup of hot chocolate always brightens my spirits, even on the dreariest and darkest of winter days.
What doesn’t work for me and hot chocolate? Artificial sweeteners, too much sugar, dairy or additives that can have a negative impact on my gut, digestion, mood and blood sugar balance (all things directly tied to hormone balance).
So what’s a hot chocolate loving gal who also wants to feel her best do? Implement some simple swaps, aka follow the Hormone-Balancing Hot Chocolate Formula.
Yes, after countless hot chocolate recipe making/testing, I’ve developed a tried and true formula to help your hot chocolate taste as creamy and dreamy as it gets, while still sneaking in nutrients and implementing simple swaps to keep your blood sugar stable and hormones happy.
Snag the formula and my all-time fave hormone-healthy peanut butter hot chocolate recipe below.
Looking for more yummy + hormone-healthy beverage & treat recipes? Check out my 28-Day Hormone Balancing Guide.
HORMONE-HEALTHY HOT CHOCOLATE FORMULA
+ Use Cacao + Dark Chocolate As A Base
Not only does cacao and dark chocolate (typically made from cacao) have a rich, earthy taste, but they’re both loaded with magnesium, a powerhouse nutrient that works to reduce stress in the body and keep hormones running smoothly. This is my absolute favorite clean chocolate brand, use my code “Lauren” to save 15% off your purchase from their site!
+ Add in A Healthy Fat
Critical for a creamy, indulgent taste and texture, as well as keeping blood sugar balanced, a healthy fat like coconut oil or nut butter helps trigger the release of CCK, aka your satiation hormone. Healthy fats are also crucial for hormones to do their jobs effectively, positively impacting everything from ovulation, fertility and your menstrual cycle to brain function and mood.
+ Sprinkle In Anti-Inflammatory Spices
I love adding in cinnamon, which works to regulate blood sugar, while spices like cardamom, cayenne, turmeric, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves are rich in anti-inflammatory antioxidants that do everything from boost metabolism to optimize digestion. They’re also a great way to add a lot of flavor, with zero added sugar.
+ Try A Superfood Boost
An easy way to give your hormones a bit of a boost is to sneak in superfood powders and adaptogens, which help maintain homeostasis and balance in the body. I especially love adding in powder blends such as gut-supportive collagen **use code SOGREEN10 to save, adaptogens like maca (fertility-boosting), aswagandha (stress-reducing) or reishi mushroom (calming and relaxing) or beet root powder (supports liver function + detox).
+ Use A Clean Non-Dairy Milk (Or Make Your Own)
Crucial for an optimal hormone-healthy hot chocolate, as many store bought non-dairy milks contain shelf-stabilizing emulsifiers and added sugars that can mess with your gut and hormone health. If you have time, try making your own, which tastes delicious and minimizes processed additives. If not, make sure to read those ingredient labels or check out my favorite clean non-dairy brand **use code Lauren15 for 15% off.
+ Opt For A Natural, Less Processed Sweetener
I love using pitted, chopped dates or a small amount of maple syrup in my hot chocolate as a way to add a sweet taste, while avoiding over-processed sugars or artificial sweeteners, which can wreak havoc on your blood sugar and intestinal tract. No matter which option you choose, it’s important to remember sugar is still sugar, and a little goes a long way. When you have such other high quality ingredients, I think you’ll find you don’t need as much anyway!
So there you have it, a simple Hormone-Healthy Hot Chocolate Formula you can use any time a craving strikes. Feel free to get creative with any of the ingredients (i.e. swapping adaptogens, trying a different non-dairy milk, switching up your nut butters, etc.) Or if you need a recipe to help get you started, try one of my all time faves, Hormone-Healthy Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate below!
HORMONE-HEALTHY PEANUT BUTTER HOT CHOCOLATE INGREDIENTS
+ ORGANIC PEANUT BUTTER W/ MINIMAL INGREDIENTS
Peanut butter contains a high amount of B-vitamins, which work to support liver detoxification in order to move estrogen effectively out of the body. It’s also rich in zinc, making it an ideal food to add during your period, as it will work to remineralize your blood. Make sure to purchase organic peanut butter without any added oils or sugars.
+ DARK CHOCOLATE
Dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher) is rich in magnesium, which helps lower prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that cause cramping. It also supports pituitary health, helping to signal the release of FSH and LH, necessary for a healthy menstrual cycle and fertility. Make sure to choose a brand without any emulsifiers that can disrupt gut and hormone health. This is my absolute FAVE dark chocolate and you can use the code LAUREN to save 15%.
+ OPTIONAL COLLAGEN PROTEIN POWDER
I love mixing in this flavorless collagen brand, which is rich in gut-healing compounds like glutamine, glycine, collagen and proline that reduce intestinal inflammation and support your thyroid gland.. *Use my code SOGREEN10 to save.
HOW TO MAKE PEANUT BUTTER HOT CHOCOLATE
The trick to making your peanut butter hot chocolate super creamy and frothy is to heating all of the ingredients together on the stovetop, then blending (either in blender or handheld mixer/frother). This will ensure the peanut butter is evenly distributed throughout (instead of sinking to the bottom) lending a smooth, even texture.
PEANUT BUTTER HOT CHOCOLATE CUSTOMIZATIONS
+ VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER HOT CHOCOLATE
This recipe is naturally vegan, however if you want to add a protein source make sure you’re swapping the collagen protein for a plant-based protein powder instead. *This is my fave vegan protein powder, use code SOFRESH10 to save.
+ PROTEIN-RICH PEANUT BUTTER HOT CHOCOLATE
To add plenty of high quality protein, you can add in a serving of collagen powder or plant-based protein powder.
+ GUT-HEALTHY PEANUT BUTTER HOT CHOCOLATE
This peanut butter hot chocolate recipe is naturally gut-healthy, however if you’re looking to sneak in additional ingredients to boost gut health, try adding some prebiotic fiber, which is taste and odor-free but packs in plenty of fiber that works to promote healthy gut bacteria and optimize digestion. This is my go-to brand and you can use the code SOGREEN10 to save 10%.
MORE HOT CHOCOLATE RECIPES
+ Hormone-Healthy Peppermint Hot Chocolate
+ Mood-Boosting Red Velvet Hot Chocolate
+ The OG Hormone-Helper Hot Chocolate (pg. 87 of the Hormone Balance Reset Plan)
Hormone-Healthy Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
My extremely popular peanut butter hot chocolate recipe + tips to make your hot chocolate hormone-healthy & gut-friendly.
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PREP TIME: |
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Ingredients
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1-2 pieces high quality dark chocolate **I love this brand, use code “Lauren” to save 15% off
- 1 heaping tbsp cacao powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 heaping tbsp clean, creamy peanut butter (I like this brand, just organic peanuts + sea salt)
- 12 oz (about a cup and a ½) clean, non-dairy milk of choice (I’m a fan of this brand, use code Lauren15 to save)
- 1-2 dates (pitted and chopped) or 1 tbsp maple syrup to sweeten
- Optional – 1 serving collagen powder (won’t affect taste but will help keep skin + gut healthy) , or 1 serving (tsp) maca, ashwagandha or reishi powder (or use this blend which has all three!)
- Optional – coconut whipped cream for fun
Instructions
- Add the coconut oil and dark chocolate to a small, stovetop pot over medium-low heat, stirring until melted.
- Once melted, stir in the cacao powder, cinnamon, sea salt and peanut butter, until a thick paste forms.
- Add in the non-dairy milk and sweetener of choice and let heat over medium-low heat until steaming, stirring consistently.
- Once steaming (do not boil), remove from head and add collagen powder or optional adaptogens.
- Pour into a blender or use a handheld mixer and mix until well-combined and frothy.
- Pour into mug of choice and top with optional coconut whipped cream and more cinnamon.
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