
During the fall months, my consumption of hot chocolate increases immensely. It’s just the perfect after-dinner dessert, and half a cup of hot chocolate curbs my crazy must-have-sweets-after-dinner dilemma. But let’s be honest — hot chocolate isn’t the healthiest thing, and my winter weight increases with every cup. That’s why I decided to convert my adored hot chocolate into a healthier version — and this Turmeric White Hot Chocolate was born.
You might be wondering why anyone would ever want to drink a hot chocolate with a yellow color. I promise you, it’s all natural! Turmeric, a relative of ginger root, is native to India and has a deep yellow-orange color. The active compound, curcumin, is believed to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antiviral properties in holistic medicine. Another great thing about turmeric? You can find it fresh and local at North Tabor Farm for $3.50 per ¼ pound. If you decide to make this recipe using fresh turmeric, grate ½ teaspoon of it into the milk, like you would grate ginger.
Turmeric will seriously keep you healthy this season, I promise! Adding it here and there, in your hot chocolates, your teas, your morning smoothies, and green juices, you’ll get all the health benefits of turmeric without much effort. I mostly use it in beverages, since the full benefits are more noticeable when raw, although turmeric is fantastic in low-simmered soups and curried dishes.
Turmeric White Hot Chocolate
8 oz. whole milk (or your favorite nut milk, like almond)
1 tsp. ground turmeric
4 pods green cardamom, crushed
2 Tbsp. local honey
1 Tbsp. white chocolate chips
To taste: whipped cream and dried lemon slices
Bring the milk to a simmer, and whisk in the turmeric, cardamom, honey, and chocolate chips. Whisk until everything is melted, and strain to serve. Top with whipped cream, extra chocolate chips, a slice of lemon, and a drizzle of honey.