I'd just like some raw vegan 'hot chocolate' this winter and am looking for a recipe that is tasty. I'm thinking that almond milk might be good as the liquid base--any ideas? what raw chocolate do you like and what's the best sweetener?
Thanks,


Z Spencer

Z Spencer,

You could make a raw good chocolate milk with almond milk, but once it's as hot as hot chocolate it will no longer be remotely raw. If it's the hot beverage you crave, you're out of luck making it raw. You could enjoy a non-dairy hot chocolate anyway, knowing it isn't raw, or try a hot herbal tea or even just hot water instead. If it's the chocolate beverage you want and don't need it hot, chocolate almond milk can be great. Have you made almond milk before?

Why don't you try some young coconut water and steep some chocolate mint leaves in it? You can warm it up...and you certainly have a healthier alternative. Minty/chocolaty.....rich and sweet.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

I would use raw chocolate with raw agave nectar in fresh almond milk. The hard thing is going to be heating it! :-)

I talk about this and other ideas on my site, www.greensmoothiegirl.com. enjoy

How do you heat it without negating the raw effect??

use a dash of cayenne paper for heat without compromising the enzymes. plus it will help clear your sinuses if you have those problems this time of year.

For milk try Almond Milk, Nut Milk or Coconut Milk.

Raw chocolate, carob, whatever. I've seen raw chocolate syrup on a few websites.

Then just sweeten it with agave or something. You have to play around with the chocolate and sweetener to get whatever your desired taste is. I once used maple syrup (Grade as a sweetener. Wasn't "the best" but hey it worked.


I think to keep it "raw", it's more like "warm" chocolate rather than "hot".

Would it be safe to 'warm' liquids and foods using that thingymajig they use in restaurants- a tray type thing that you put lit candles inside, with the plate/cup on top so the heat of the candle gently warms the food?

To keep a liquid raw you don't want to raise the temperature much over 100°. To do that safely it's important to heat gently so isolated pockets of food aren't raised to much higher temperatures during the heating process. When using those heating trays with the candle underneath I'm not sure how hot the food directly over the candle gets, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were too hot.

The gentlest way to heat food is to put it in a space which is no warmer than you want the food to be. Many people use dehydrators for this because the temperature can be well controlled and moving air encourages the transfer of heat. If you are limited to a more intense, directional heat source (like flame or an electric burner under your food), you might try stirring continuously to keep the temperature more uniform and carefully monitoring the temperature so it doesn't get too hot.

If you're testing for a safe temperature without a good thermometer, dab little onto the inside of your wrist. If it feels neither cool nor warm on your wrist the temperature is good. This is the same test that is often used to test the temperature of baby bottles or water to which yeast will be added.

I made this last night


raw cacoa

lumuca- for sweetness

cashew milk - fairly thin

blended up

you can either add spice with cayenne

or pop into dehydrator very low and keep a close eye on temp