Homemade Protein Hot Chocolate
It’s finally winter, y’all!! The weird thing about Los Angeles is that we only have two seasons: hot and cold. As much as I love bragging to my East Coast friends and family that I’m enjoying bikini weather the week before Thanksgiving, I have missed the coziness of colder weather. Fall completely zipped through L.A. in a whisper but now we’ve got a little bit of rain and a whole lot of cooler weather. Yup, it’s plunged down to 60 degrees which means it’s finally winter in L.A., which means it’s finally time for some homemade hot chocolate!
BUT this is not just homemade hot chocolate - it’s homemade protein hot chocolate. The protein in this recipe comes from Silver Fern, which makes vegan, plant based gut-healthy supplements like fiber and protein powders. I’ll be honest, I’ve never used protein powders before, but as a full-time vegetarian I know it’s something that I have to actively include in all of my meals. I have to sneak it in all the time. It’s too easy to miss the necessary amounts of protein that vegetarians need, which is why I’m glad Silver Fern’s protein powder came into my life at just the right time.
I’m really into this powder because the ingredients aren’t weird, it’s vegan, has less than 1 gram of sugar, contains probiotics (!!) and tastes GOOD. Taste is super important to me and I would not want to use a protein powder that tasted funny, but this one is really great because the chocolate and vanilla flavors taste natural and not weird. This makes them great for smoothies, baking, and homemade hot chocolate recipes!
Making your own hot chocolate at home is easy, and tastes even better than the stuff that you get in the packets. To be honest, when I was growing up I LOVED me a hot mug of Swiss Miss hot chocolate mixed with hot milk. I would still drink it if you offered it to me, but I also LOVE making my own recipes at home, and this vegan hot cocoa recipe is one that you’ll want to make yourself. It’s so good, and tastes even better and more chocolatey thanks to the dark cocoa that is used in this recipe, and Silver Fern’s chocolate protein powder.
Pro tip: add mini marshmallows to your hot chocolate, because it’s the law. Trader Joe’s mini marshmallows are vegan, and cheap! if you live near one definitely look for them in the bakery aisle.
Time to pull out the coziest mug you own, because we’re about to dive into this this hot chocolate. Enjoy!
Ingredients
2 c of almond milk
1/4 c white sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini vegan marshmallows (I use Trader Joe’s)
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until the marshmallows are melted, about 10 minutes.
Pour into mugs and top with additional marshmallows.