I can’t stop experimenting with superfruits! One in particular that I am adoring is Maqui Berry. You may have seen my recipe for Maqui Berry and Sunflower Butter Bites where the combination of the sticky, sweet sunbutter and smokey berry flavors result in a peanut butter jelly alternative that is perfect for when you are on-the-go. And, they are made with all REAL ingredients! No hydrogenated oils, no trans fats. Yes please!
Maqui, like many South American magic foods is off-the-charts high in antioxidants. It increases your immunity, provides sustained energy, and repels free-radicals (damaged cells that speed up aging and promote disease.) Raw cacao is no less fantastic! It delivers over sixty antioxidants, fiber, protein (yep, quite a bit actually,) magnesium, iron, and essential fatty acids. You can now relish in the fact that eating pure, dark chocolate elevates your wellbeing! Who can say no to that?!
With the oodles of maqui experimentation occurring daily in my test kitchen, I feel like I am carving out a food category all of its own for this Patagonia mega-fruit. I’m mixing it with cooked quinoa for breakfast, stirring it into fresh pressed juice, adding it to smoothies, and the latest––this hot cocoa creation. This creamy and decadent drinking chocolate is dripping with seduction. Its subtly sweet, smokey, and tart flavor profile as well as its velvety-frothy finish are down right pleasurable. Your insides will hum with delight from every sip as your body is bathed in antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and the vitamins and minerals it loves.
Makes: 2 (9-ounce) hot chocolates
Time: 10 minutes
Equipment:
1-quart saucepan, electric whisk or milk frother
Ingredients:
2 cups unsweetened plant milk (such as almond, hemp, rice, or hazelnut)
2 teaspoons Maqui Berry Superfruit Powder (I used Navitas Naturals)
1 1/2 tablespoons Raw Cacao Powder
3 tablespoons low-glycemic Yacon Syrup (I used Navitas Naturals)
1 teaspoon Cacoa Nibs (I used Navitas Naturals)
Preparation:
1. Bring plant milk to a simmer on a 1-quart saucepan.
2. Add maqui powder, cacao powder, and yacon syrup to milk, and whisk to blend thoroughly and until you achieve a frothy consistency.
3. Pour into your favorite mug, dust with maqui powder and sprinkle with cacao nibs.
Find more hot beverage, juice, and smoothie recipes like this one in my book, Superfood Juices and Smoothies.
