You Will Go Bananas Over This Healthy Hot Chocolate

As a child, I used to look forward to the abundance of hot chocolate every winter. The warmth of the sweet beverage left me feeling so comforted during every snow day, after-school snack time, Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts visit, and holiday party. After high school, my research about nutrition led me to learn that hot chocolate was much worse for my body than I thought. This was because of the dangerous amounts of added sugar it contains, which is what provides its sweet and addictive taste. I approached that realization by cutting hot chocolate out of my diet completely, only later to find that I still had that same craving for it that I had as a child. Last winter, I discovered that I can, in fact enjoy this same drink at my leisure – by making healthy hot chocolate at home. 

Healthy Banana Hot Chocolate

• Prep Time:2 mins
• Cook Time:2 mins
• Total Time:4 mins
• Servings:1
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon cacao powder
• 1 banana
• Cinnamon
• Whipped cream

• Step 1

  Peel the banana into a microwave-safe bowl. Slice and mash it into as small pieces as possible.

  

• Step 2

  Microwave the mashed banana for 30 seconds and add it to your favorite microwave-safe mug.

  

• Step 3

  Add 1 tablespoon of cacao powder to the mug. You can stir it now or wait until after the milk is added in the next step.

  

• Step 4

  Add 1/2 cup of milk to the mug. Feel free to increase or decrease the amount of milk depending on the size of your mug. You should have almost 1 inch of space between the rim of the mug and the mixture so that it doesn't easily spill over in the microwave.

  

• Step 5

  Thoroughly stir all ingredients in the mug for about 1 minute. This helps to evenly distribute the ingredients and thin out the consistency of the mixture. You might find clumps of cacao powder which stirring as well as microwaving in the next step will help eliminate.

  

• Step 6

  Microwave the mug for 30 seconds. Be sure to cover the mug with a paper towel to avoid creating a mess and don't forget to keep a close eye on the mixture as it rises. After the first 30 seconds, microwave for additional 15 second intervals if needed.

  

• Step 7

  Stir the ingredients in the mixture again with a spoon. Top with whipped cream and cinnamon at your leisure!

  

#SpoonTip: If bananas just aren't your thing, you can skip the banana and follow the recipe from Step 3 onward. Add a few drops of vanilla extract or honey for sweetness in your healthy hot chocolate instead.

You can adjust this recipe according to your preferences and the supplies that you have available. Feel free to get creative! This healthy hot chocolate is suitable to make in a college dorm room or small kitchen. This recipe will give you what you need to create a healthy hot chocolate beverage filled with natural sweetness. If this recipe seems too simple for you, you can level up your healthy hot chocolate game with this other recipe for a healthier hot chocolate with even more ingredients. Throughout the holidays and for the rest of the winter, you can still indulge in hot chocolate without feeling guilty.