AIP Hot Chocolate
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I love the holidays and am quick to break out my sweaters, string up various shiny decorations, all while warming up a mug of something warm to sip. We all love our bone broth, but you’ve just gotta treat yourself sometimes. Nothing is better for that than hot chocolate, or Paleo AIP hot chocolate in this case.
“Hot Chocolate” is problematic for a few reason if you’re Paleo or following the Autoimmune Protocol. For one, it’s most often made with conventional whole milk (hello, GMO corn-fed, CAFO, sad cows) and made with lots of sugar and chocolate, both of which are off limits of the autoimmune protocol.
My gut health issues are literally life long, and though I’ve come a tremendously long way, I still just can’t pop into any ol’ coffee shop and get a hot chocolate without suffering consequences. It’s not worth it, and it’s not really even necessary when you plan properly!
That’s where this recipe for Paleo Autoimmune Protocol hot chocolate comes in…
Not only is it quick and easy to make, but it’s so close to the real thing! It’s super rich and creamy, and really hits the spot for a craving on this traditional treat.
So, how does one do “chocolate” on AIP? Say hello to my new favorite Paleo/ AIP pantry staple, Carob powder.
Carob powder is cheap, AIP, Paleo, and tastes just like chocolate. I sub it for chocolate in AIP mug muffins, chocolate avocado mousse, and even add it to my smoothies if I’m feeling spicy. Get it here on Amazon if you don’t have it yet, and I promise that you’ll thank me!
This hot chocolate also wouldn’t be the same without it, along with coconut cream which helps make it nice and creamy, even without the dairy!
Last but not least, I’ve given this hot chocolate a bit of a face lift since I first shared it and added in vital proteins collagen powder.
Collagen from grass-fed cows is amazing for gut health support, as well as hair, skin and nail health. It literally disappears in liquid, and doesn’t have any taste. It’s the perfect boost to this hot chocolate, and instantly elevates this from just a treat, to an added healing food.
PrintPaleo Autoimmune Protocol Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 2 cups of coconut milk
- 1 tbsp coconut cream
- 2 tbsp carob powder
- 1/2 tsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp collagen powder
Instructions
- Add coconut milk to a small sauce pan and begin to heat on med/low heat for about 4 minutes
- Add in coconut cream and whisk until combined and melted
- Stir in carob powder, collagen, and maple sugar and whisk vigorously until there are not more clumps
- Top with extra coconut cream if desired, and enjoy!
There you have it! Creamy, chocolately, and totally compliant with a healing diet. I’m going to be enjoying this baby on many a cold night this winter.
Is hot chocolate one of your cold weather favorites? Have you ever had carob?
This recipe was shared on the Phoenix Helix AIP Recipe Roundtable and featured on the top 100 AIP Recipes!
AIP
Low Carb
Paleo
Whole30
Ok…so, I have Hashimoto’s and have set out on the AIP diet. However, after having had the blood test for food sensitivities, carob is moderate 2+ on the sensitivity response and chocolate is zero.
Hello! That’s a bummer that you have a carob sensitivity. I have hashimoto’s as well, and have had food sensitivity testing as well that’s been helpful. However, it’s been important for me to remember that we’re all bioindividuals with very specific needs and differences. Just because something is on off limits on the AIP doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone will have issues with it, and the same goes for foods that are okay on the AIP. I can actually have regular chocolate and egg yolks in moderation, but not broccoli. There doesn’t seems like a lot of sense to it, but we all have our own quirks that we need to listen to. In the event of having a leaky gut (unboundwellness.com/leaky-gut/), we can form all sorts of intolerances due to our own intestinal permeability that don’t always make sense… hence things like broccoli for me and carob for you. Healing your gut makes a world of difference for both food allergies and for autoimmune disease in general. Some things are still going to be weird even after healing, but many of my weird food allergies subsided after I worked hard on healing my gut. For me, when I was in your shoes I still avoided things that came back fine on my food allergy testing but I knew could be a problem for a time. Then I reintroduced and was fine. I also reintroduced many foods that were 2+ and such, so carob may be fine for you some day when you heal more. I’m not actually a doctor so that’s not medical advice but that’s what I did (disclaimer haha). Remember that it’s usually the landscape, not the food!
In the mean time! I’m planning on making a peppermint creamer recipe as a holiday alternative to this one 😉
I hope you have an amazing holiday! Feel free to shoot me an email if you ever want to chat more about Hashimoto’s and food 🙂
Is the maple syrup necessary? I have a sensitivity to maple and would like to have a substitute for this if possible or just eliminate it all together.
You can use another sweetener of your choice!
Is this just for one serving? Seems like a lot, but I didn’t see the number of servings above the recipe.
This recipe makes about 2 cups of hot chocolate!
YUM!
I’m confused. The ingredients list states maple syrup, but the body of the recipe says maple sugar. Although I imagine either one would be fine, which did you actually mean? Thanks!
Yum! I make this recipe with one cup of coconut milk instead of two and then add the mixture to a cup of brewed Sip Herbals seasonalPeppermint Mocha “coffee”. I also add a few drops of peppermint oil. Instant Peppermint Mocha that tastes just like Starbucks.