On dark, chilly mornings, my preference is for a breakfast that’s going to be warming and filling. One of my current breakfast obsessions is this….
Hot chocolate!
However, this is no ordinary hot chocolate. I add some secret ingredients into the blend to transform it into a full breakfast in a glass 
Here’s a sneaky peek…
I add three ‘super foods’ to this hot chocolate, which are packed with nutrients: chia seeds, shelled hemp seeds and ground almonds. Here’s a quick run down of their great properties:
Chia Seeds
- Good source of protein, and contains all 9 essential amino acids.
- Very rich source of omega 3 essential fatty acid.
- Good source of minerals, notably phosphorus, manganese, calcium and zinc.
- High in dietary fibre.
- Easily digested and absorbs more than 9 times its weight in liquid when soaked, helping to regular blood sugar and hydration.
Hemp Seeds
- High protein content and contains all the essential amino acids, making it a ‘complete’ protein.
- Has the perfect ratio of omega-3 to omega-6.
- Contains phytosterols, which have been shown to reduce bad (LDL) cholesterol.
- High content of antioxidants (all part of the Vitamin E family).
- The globulin edestin in hemp seed closely resembles that found in human blood plasma and is completely compatible with the human digestive system, making it easily digested, absorbed and utilised.
Almonds
- Good source of protein.
- High in minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese and copper.
- Great source of antioxidants, including vitamin E
- Contain lots of compounds called phytochemicals which help protect against cardiovascular disease and fight free radical damage.
- Good source of dietary fibre.
- Low in saturated fat and a good source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.
While you can use regular cocoa powder in this drink, I use raw cacao powder, which has a huge range of health benefits (check out this post for more info).
After reading about all these wonderful nutritional benefits, you’re going to feel so good when you drink a glass of this hot chocolate
As well as adding lots of great nutrients, I find that the addition of the seeds and ground almonds actually enhances the texture of the hot chocolate, making it lovely ‘n’ creamy. Also, thanks to the seeds and almonds (especially the chia seeds), just one glass of this hot chocolate will leave you feeling full up.
As well as making the perfect ‘breakfast in a glass’ for chilly mornings, it also makes a great post-school or work snack. I hope you love it as much as we do!
Here’s how I make it:
Ingredients
1 Tbsp cacao powder (you can use regular cocoa powder if you wish)
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1 Tbsp ground almonds (‘almond meal’)
ish)
1 Tbsp shelled hemp seeds (optional, adds even more nutrition but can alter the taste slightly)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup non dairy milk (I use Alpro sweetened almond milk, soya milk or hazelnut drink)
1 tsp natural sweetener (or, to taste. I use agave syrup or coconut palm sugar)
To make a lightly spiced hot chocolate, add a dash of ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg
Method
- Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend at high speed until smooth. Pause after a minute or so to scrape down the sides of the jug, then blend at high speed again for another couple of minutes.
- Pour into a small saucepan and gently heat through, stirring regularly. (If using raw cacao powder, make sure you keep the heat very low and gently warm in order to preserve all the nutrients).
- Our favourite way to serve this drink is in glass cappuccino mugs.
Delicious!
[This recipe has been submitted to Ricki Heller's #Wellness Weekend 20-24 December 2012]
Suppliers
Shelled hemp seeds, chia seeds and raw cacao powder are available from health food stores. If you live in the Bath area, they can be bought from Harvest, on Walcot Street.
Shelled hemp seeds and chia seeds are also available from Holland & Barrett stores, as well as from their online shop.
Good Hemp supply a great range of hemp products. I contacted them today, and they’ve kindly given me a discount voucher for their online shop to share with my lovely readers 
Just enter goodstuff20 at the checkout to receive 20% off all their products! The voucher expires on 30th December 2012.
In addition to their seeds I highly recommend the Good Hemp oils and milks. I haven’t tried my hot chocolate using hemp milk yet, but Good Hemp have assured me that it’s delicious. I’ll definitely give it a try and report back!
Raw cacao powder, shelled hemp seeds and chia seeds are available from Elements for Life, both online and from stockists in the South West of England (see their website for details). In replacement of the raw cacao powder, vanilla and sweetener in my hot chocolate drink, you could use some of the delicious Elements for Life raw hot chocolate powders.
Healthy Supplies offer a huge array of super foods from their online store, including chia seeds and shelled hemp seeds. They have a structured discounting system that is available to everyone all year round.
Magic Mayan Raw Chocolate Giveaway Results
And just before I go, I must share the results of my December giveaway. The entries were places in chronological order, and three winners selected at random.
The lucky winners are…
- Laura Agar Wilson
- Karin
- Althaf
Congratulations guys! Please email me your postal addresses (sharon at bitofthegoodstuff dot com) and I’ll arrange for the chocolates to be sent to you asap x
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Love this recipe!! The healthiest hot coco ever
Not just Hot Chocolate. Super Hot Chocolate! Would have loved to have been a Hot Chocolate Winner; guess I’ll have to buy my own. Or drink someone elses. Well done to the lucky winnners!
Good job you managed to give the Mayan Chocolate away before the Apocalypse! LOL
Yeshe the Blue Garuda recently posted..COMBINATION DEITIES
This sounds fantastic and I love all the additions that you made. I do like something more substantial for breakfast normally though, perhaps this would be good for when I get up a bit later at the weekend.
Sarah recently posted..Holiday in the USA (Part 4)
Oh if only I had this a day sooner. For teachers gifts this year I gave them hot cocoa mix in a jar (so they could make it while at school). I would love to have put this mix together instead…oh well there is still next year.
I will have to make a cup for myself as I’ve got everything one needs (I am guessing my kids will want to sample it as well).
Thanks for posting an indulgent breakfast that we don’t have to feel guilty about consuming.
Rachel @ My Naturally Frugal Family recently posted..Brownie Biscotti with Peppermint
This sounds like a lovely combo!
Lauren (@PoweredbyPB) recently posted..Marathon Reflections
This sounds so delicious, I bet those ingredients make it very creamy and rich!
I’m so trying this!! Great recipe. I love how you turned hot chocolate into a healthy, filling breakfast. I’d give you a big hug if I could.
Ali @ WHOLEistically Fit recently posted..Part II: How To Create An Awesome Personalized Email Signature (No High-Tech Skills or Programs Required!)
Thanks Ali. That’s so sweet of you!
Over Christmas I had a break from blogging and enjoyed some ‘downtime’ with the family. I’m now officially back and can’t wait to check out your blog and see what you’ve been up to
Happy New Year!
I’ve just discovered the goodness of Almond milk, can’t wait to try this drink!
Almond Milk is great isn’t it? This weekend I discovered that the Alpro milks are on special offer in Waitrose. The Almond milk is £1 rather than £1.59 so I couldn’t resist stocking up. I did have to stagger across Bath with ridiculously heavy bags but it was worth it as I saved over £7!
YUM. What better way to start a cold winter day? I haven’t made it to the health food store to get more hemp seeds yet but have made it priority #1 for this weekend! I can’t wait!
Candy recently posted..Pause
Hi Candy. Do you have any hemp seed recipes or any favourite ways of adding hemp seeds to your meals? I’m planning to write an article on hemp next month and would love to share my friends’ recipes
I don’t have any recipes of my own–I typically just add hemp seeds to salads, smoothies, and sometimes grain/veggie bowls. I did just see a recipe for a salad dressing that uses them that I am trying tonight: http://www.choosingraw.com/kale-slaw-dinosaur-kale-and-cabbage-slaw-with-hemp-cashew-slaw-dressing/
I look forward to your post since I just bought a huge bag of hemp seeds and I obviously need more ideas on what to do with them. Your hot cocoa is on the menu for tomorrow’s breakfast! I can’t wait.
Candy @ Healthy In Candy Land recently posted..Pause
Thank so much for sending the link to Gena’s hemp cashew dressing. Like you, I tend to simply sprinkle hempseeds into my breakfast and salad bowls but I’ve been looking for new ways to use them raw (so they retain their omega 3). The dressing looks awesome! I’ve got all the ingredients so I’m going to try it out today
I thoroughly enjoyed this hot chocolate for breakfast this morning–thank you! It has been a very long time since I have had any sort of hot chocolate, but I have to say, this is the best I’ve had, maybe ever? I used freshly homemade almond milk in it and I love that it wasn’t overly sweet, but was so creamy and rich that it still seemed like a treat. A treat for breakfast is a lovely way to start the day!
Candy recently posted..Pause
I’m so happy to hear that you liked it! That’s made my day
Can’t wait to try this and think my 8 year old son will love it as he always has hot chocolate before school and not really much else. He doesn’t have much of an appetite in the morning, but makes up for it later on! Thanks so much as I can now be reassured that his hot chocolate will be much healthier.
Hi Claire! The ground almonds and chia seeds are pretty flavourless in the hot chocolate so I would start by adding these to his hot choc first and see how he gets on (the hemp seeds are a little stronger in flavour). One of my son’s all-time favourite breakfasts is the chocolate-banana milkshake smoothie. It’s like a full breakfast in a glass as it’s packed with goodness. It tastes really scrummy too
The recipe can be found here: http://bitofthegoodstuff.com/2012/09/wiaw-ill-bring-the-mediterranean-vegetable-crumble-with-recipe/
Hi Sharon. Just read that chia seeds are classed as a novel food!? Are these safe to consume in the hot chocolate? Can’t understand how something so healthy can be classed as a novel food when macdonalds is so readily available. Thanks and very best wishes for 2013.
Hi Claire. I don’t think chia is classed as a ‘novel’ food anymore. There’s a great article on the BBC website which explains about the classification. Here’s the link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17476690 The article also describes the wonderful nutritional benefits of these little seeds.
I find that chia seeds blend really well into smoothies and add to their ‘creaminess’. You can also soak and blend them to make scrummy chocolate puddings. A couple of our family favourites are listed towards the bottom of my recipe page.
Thanks for the information Sharon, will buy some tomorrow from H&B. hope you have a relaxing Sunday.
Chocolate banana milkshake sounds delicious. He will love that. Thank you.
I went to Holland and Barrett to buy some Chia seeds, they had whole seeds and milled, I didn’t buy either since I was unsure which I should buy. I’m not sure if it makes a difference but I have a basic blender nothing fancy.
I think either whole or milled chia seeds would be fine. I’ve got a cheap blender and use whole chia seeds to making the hot choc, smoothies and chocolate chia puddings. I simple blend on high speed for about a minute. Scrape down the sides of the jug to mix in any remaining seeds then blend for another minute or so. They always come out super smooth.
Do let me know how you get on.
Have a great weekend! xx
Thanks Sharon, in that case I’ll buy the whole seeds. I will let you know if my blender manages.