Hot chocolate is the ultimate comfort drink in the cold weather. Last year at the Union Square holiday market in NYC, I tried NibMor’s Organic Vegan “Drinking Chocolate” for the first time. Immediately, I was smitten. It was rich, decadent, sweet, comforting — everything you want a hot chocolate to be!
I already knew NibMor was legit because the ladies behind the brand, Heather Terry and Jennifer Love, are both fellow Institute for Integrative Nutrition grads. I trust just about any IIN grad to make a spectacularly healthy product. But after taking the first sip of my hot chocolate, I paused. It was too good. I was skeptical. I wanted answers. What, exactly, is in this?
After all, these are the ingredients in one of the leading conventional brands of hot chocolate, Swiss Miss:
Sugar, corn syrup modified, whey, cocoa (processed with alkali), hydrogenated coconut oil, nonfat dry milk, salt, dipotassium phosphate, carrageenan, artificial flavor, mono- and diglycerides.
Ew. Ew! SICK!
Luckily…I found out quickly:
NibMor Organic Vegan Drinking Chocolate Ingredients:
Organic Coconut Palm Sugar, Organic Cacao Powder, Sea Salt.
That’s it!!!!!! Of course, when I learned this information, my heart soared to the high heavens.
FYI : Mineral-rich coconut palm sugar is derived from the nectar of the coconut palm tree. It’s more natural and has a lower glycemic index than regular sugar. While I don’t consider any sweeteners truly a “health food,” this is one of the best natural choices!
You can see why I had an instant healthy crush on this hot chocolate. Admittedly, during that holiday season I stopped by the NibMor tent so many times that I started to feel like a hot chocolate stalker. It’s that good. ESPECIALLY when made with almond milk!
Ok so you get it – NibMor drinking chocolate is the new must-have for chocolate lovers.
And I’M GIVING SOME AWAY, to one lucky winner, right here on Healthy Crush! YES!
The prize:
1 canister of NibMor 6-Spice Organic Vegan Drinking Chocolate
Organic Coconut Palm Sugar, Organic Cacao Powder, Organic Cayenne Pepper, Organic Cinnamon, Organic Fennel, Organic Cloves, Organic Star of Anise, Organic White Pepper, Sea Salt
1 canister of NibMor Mint Organic Vegan Drinking Chocolate
Organic Coconut Palm Sugar, Organic Cacao Powder, Organic Mint Flavor, Sea Salt
How to enter:
Comment below and tell me — what is your favorite healthier version of comfort food?
***UPDATE***
The winner has been chosen!! I picked the one that made my mouth water the most.
Winner: Lea
Lea’s comfort food: Dairy free/gluten free alfredo sauce made with steamed cauliflower, white beans, almond milk, cooked shallots over brown rice pasta with tons of roasted veggies
I’m going to try Lea’s recipe soon and will post a link to it asap! Congrats, Lea!!!
Nicolette says
Oatmeal was always a comfort food for me. My mom was always giving me a “warm” breakfast. Instead of the quaker oatmeal packages I ate in high school, now a much healthier version and MORE YUMMY. I use Gluten free Oats with a little almond milk, agave, grated ginger and dried cranberries.
DELICIOUS and make me and my tummy extra warm and comforted. <3
Marjorie says
When I am craving something sweet I take a date and fill it with a spoonful of almond butter… yum! Quick easy and really takes care of the cravings!
Amanda says
I love pasta with sauce. I add more nutrition to it by either baking a pasta dish with vegetables, or I will add white beans to the pasta sauce. :) Adds a lot of protein and nutrients.
maya says
i love mac n cheese – now I add tons of roasted butternut squash. it adds color, flavor and deliciousness.
Elizabeth Stockwell says
This sure feels like a comfort food to me, but it’s super healthy and nutrient packed!
Quick weeknight dinners for me mean a big bowl of healthy stuff, whether it’s brown rice, garlic kale, and black beans or quinoa, spicy chick peas and Brussels sprouts (and other endless combinations). I combine beans for protein with a green veggie, sometimes a healthy carb to fill me up, put it all in a bowl with some Sriracha or low-sodium soy sauce sprinkled on top, and eat!
Emily says
I am hooked on your almond milk recipe (made with unpasteurized almonds!) and even took it a step further and put it in my ice cream maker. heaven!
Rachel says
I don’t have one, but waiting for you to do a healthy mac and cheese version for comfort food….lol! Pretty please?!
jenny sansouci says
Rachel! Alicia Silverstone has this fab vegan mac & cheese recipe that I make once in a blue moon, when a real mac & cheese craving strikes. I LOVE IT! I’d probably try it with brown rice pasta to make it gluten-free.
Pam@behealthybehappywellness says
Hummus and veggies – but now I make my own so I know exactly what’s in it! In the summer I’ll add roasted red pepper or sun-dried tomatoes from the garden.
Lea says
I’ve altered a recipe I found online – a dairy free/gluten free alfredo sauce made with steamed cauliflower, white beans, almond milk, cooked shallots over brown rice pasta with tons of roasted veggies :-)
Jenna Z says
I love making no bake cookies using oatmeal, protein powder, natural peanut butter and a little stevia. It tastes JUST like the fatty, nasty kind from childhood!
Charmaine says
I make popcorn with coconut oil instead of butter and sprinkle it with curry powder instead of salt. It’s addictive!
Jess says
My favorite “Comfort food”, oddly enough, is unsweetened yogurt. It adds a nice tang on toast with honey, even as a topping on healthy cake in place of icing. Greek yogurt, fruit puree and gelatin can also be used to make an awesome cake in the summer <3.
Leah says
OMG! I absolutely LOVE this challenge because like you, Jenny, one of my passions is to seek out new and delicious ways to make healthy foods taste amazing. That being said…look no further, my fellow chocolate lovers! I have the sweetest recipe for you and just in time for V-Day. These CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES are so gosh-darn delicious, full of healthy Omega-3s and the best part of all—they take only 15 minutes to make. The following recipe will make 12 cookies.
Ingredients:
• 4 dates, pits removed (datepeople.net)
• 1 1/2 cup walnuts (Raw Organic from livingnutz.com)
• 1/2 cup pecans (Raw Organic from livingnutz.com)
• 1 tsp baking soda (Bob’s Red Mill Aluminum-free baking soda)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt (Pink Himalayan Sea Salt)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, unrefined
• 1 egg (I use Omega-3 eggs with EPA and DHA)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (try making your own…yummy!)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (Organic Raw Cacao Nibs from Navitas.com or use a Dark Chocolate with at least 75% cacao or better)
Preheat your oven to 350. In a blender or food processor, grind the 4 dates. Toss in the walnuts and pecans. Grind again. Add the salt and baking soda. Pulse a few times. Next drizzle in the vanilla, the egg and the coconut oil (melted). Blend only until the egg is mixed in. Scrape your sticky concoction into a mixing bowl and stir in the coconut flakes and dark chocolate. Finally, roll into 12 little balls and place on a non-stick cookie sheet. Press each cookie down a smidge with two fingers. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees and voila!
*For the true health nuts, try adding a teaspoon of ground flaxseed for some much needed Omega-6 fatty acids. Don’t love chocolate? Substitute berries or dried fruit.
Recipe by Mark Sisson…perfected by me! :)
Paula says
My two favorite comfort foods in the world are hot chocolate and popcorn. And both of them I make myself now, to make them healtheir.
victoria says
Hi Jenny,
I discovered you through a comment you left on Alicia’s blog, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I am not typically an avid blog follower, but I’ve come to really enjoy your posts – well-informed, personal, and accessible.
My favorite quick and dirty treat is a simple blended vegan “ice cream”………..
Just blend a frozen ripe banana, a heaping spoonful of almond butter and some unsweetened vanilla almond milk and you’re done!
Add seeds from a scraped vanilla pod, some veg chocolate chips or cocoa powder, some chopped dried cherries or goji berries for a super healthy antioxidant boost… however you want to style it up to suit your cravings.
Anything goes!
Erica says
Spaghetti!! My healthy version: Homemade spaghetti sauce made with a variety of garden vegetables (usually whatever is in my fridge; ie: zucchini, red bell peppers, etc.) over spaghetti squash (instead of noodles). Recently, I made the sauce with an extra punch of nutrients from KALE! I blended the sauce and my dinner guests had no idea …until I told them! Definitely doing this every time from now on :)
Brit Conrad says
Tomatoes, basil, thyme, garlic, olive oil, kale, sea salt, and a portobello mushroom. Put everything in a blender= instant raw sauce packed with nutrients and protein. :)
Debra Lee says
I love a pot of ham and beans but now I used smoked chicken breasts instead!
Sara P. says
Every once in a while, I really crave mac and cheese. There is a local vegan place that does a pretty good simulation of what I remember from childhood!
Brit Conrad says
To me, comfort food must include mashed potatoes.
I like to make mashed cauliflower-potatoes with a little almond milk, vegan butter, and Tofutti sour cream. Layer some lightly sauteed veggies (green beans, carrots, kale) over that. Make some home-made Portobello gravy (pureed portobello, garlic, flour, tapioca flour, vegan bouillon, olive oil, tamari) and pour it over the veggies and mashed potatoes.
And since garlic bread goes with just about anything, roast some garlic to spread on some toast (I know how much you love roasted garlic! ;).
Reminds you of a Thanksgiving dinner. And what’s more comforting than that?
Julie says
I found a really amazing ice cream substitute that I’ve become obsessed with. It’s easy to make, too: cut bananas into slices and freeze them for at least a day, but the longer they freeze the better. Then, blend them with some organic peanut butter, a spoonful of honey, and a splash of milk. (You can add protein powder, if you’d like, or chocolate chips if you’re feeling luxurious.) The result is a smooth, creamy banana ice cream-esque treat that has the consistency of soft serve. Truly amazing. All the creamy goodness without the guilt!
Jamie Burnett says
cheese of any kind with crackers is my go to comfort snacky food…I make gluten free almond pulp crackers (made from the pulp of my homemade almond milk) with dill cashew nut cheese! This is now my favorite comfy snack!!!
****raw, vegan & gluten free****
Sherry Lykins says
I buy popcorn and use an air popper! Just add salt, it is so much better than microwave.
Lorin W says
I used to be addicted to Wawa chocolate milk shakes (the kind you sort of make yourself in the store…the one thats packed with sugar and chemicals) Since my health has been more of a priority I now make shakes at home in the vitamix and use Chocolate Almond Milk, Bananas, and a spoonful of Almond Butter and they are SO much better than those gross shakes I was buying, not to mention a fraction of the cost!
Jody says
Nachos! With organic corn chips, avo, beans, salsa and daiya cheese shreds! Delicious and filling bites.. I used to love hot chocolate and got excited about the prospect of a health conscious version. Yah!
Melissa says
Zucchini spiraled into noodle with a vegan cashew based cream sauce with nutritional yeast sprinkled on top!
Vegyogini says
I usually make my own vegan hot chocolate from scratch, but I’d love the convenience of it in a pre-mixed form! My favorite healthy version of comfort food is homemade banana ice cream: 2 frozen bananas, a little grade B maple syrup, and a big spoonful of carob powder made into ice cream in the food processor.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Monica says
I had the most amazing comfort food the other night– meatless loaf w/gravy & fries on a gf soft pretzel, with sauteed kale on top!
My friend ordered it and I barely touched my food, ate half of hers! YUM!
Also I love making hot chocolate with almond milk, stevia & coconut oil!
Happy Love Day! <3
Meredith says
I tend to have a craving for potato chips. I love the salt and the crunch. Recently I started buying brown rice cakes, either with or without salt, and I find that the flavor and the texture provide me with that similar satisfaction. It’s also thicker than a chip so it feels more satisfying. Delicious!
Joanne Tucker says
Hi Jenny,
Happy Valentine’s Day! My favorite comfort food has become the Quinoa Acorn Squash you featured in the fall. I’ve fixed it multiple times and absolutely love it!
I hope to win the hot chocolate so I can give it to Jeanette and her family!
Ashley says
My favorite “comfort food” is actually a smoothie with cereal on top. It feels like I’m eating dessert (but I get a healthy dose of greens, too!) Thanks for the giveaway :)
ellen says
Comfort Food = Chocolate, of course! So my go-to healthy comfort food is Chocolate Mousse (made with avocados, raw cacao powder and maple syrup)! Yum!!
Julie says
Hummus and gluten-free crackers instead of cheese and crackers.
orly says
my confort food to me will be that one that made lost weigh, I love lasagna, and a healthier version will be that one I made switching pasta for eggplant and turkey ground, low fat ricotta chees is absolutly delicious and healthy . I hope I can win :) and keep the healthy side I love all the juices and this page, If I don’t win I will keep loving it anyway. xoxo Orly
Krystal says
I love love love CHICKPEA BROWNIES!!! Even my hubs and kiddies like them. The recipe calls for no flour or sugar (maple syrup or agave provide some sweetness and grsin sweetened chocolate chips as well). It is an indulgence but still a healthy alternative! I also love vegan chicolate zuccini muffins, a recipe by the Hapy Herbivore. Great wsys to gef my chocolate fixes!