Skinny Frothy White Hot Chocolate
I'm a little obsessed with this hot chocolate, guys! It's my new favorite thing! As in I-want-to-drink-this-every-day-and-I'm-not-going-to-feel-guilty-if-I-do!! I promise you're going to love it too! Even if you're not a big fan of white chocolate! Even if you're somehow not concerned with calories! Truly, it tastes better than something you'd shell out several bucks for in a specialty coffee place and in no way will you feel like you're drinking something "diet-y"! Yes, miracles can happen!!
When it comes to the world of dieting, I'm always trying to game the system. You know, if I cut out some fat and carbs from one dish, can I eat 3 bites of that cake or a handful of those sweet potato fries that my husband got with his burger? It's a daily battle, especially when you make as many goodies as I do, but it's a battle I will keep fighting and low-cal treats like this make it so much easier to win.
What makes this so special is the minute or so the hot milk spends in the blender with the white chocolate, resulting in a glorious froth that kind of mimics whipped cream but with a fraction of the fat and calories! Look at all that lovely foam!
Which means you can enjoy this relatively guilt-free whenever you want! It may be shallow, but knowing that makes it easier to get the through the long dark days of winter (full disclosure--I have been watching Game of Thrones while I'm on the treadmill and like this hot chocolate, I may have gotten a little obsessed with the "Winter is coming" mantra!!) Have a good one!!
Skinny Frothy White Hot Chocolate
Makes 2 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
You will need a blender for this.
Ingredients
2 cups skim milk
1/2 vanilla bean
Scant 1/2 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1/3 cup white chocolate chips or chunks
Unsweetened cocoa powder (for dusting on top)
Whipped cream (optional)
The Recipe
1. Pour the milk into a small saucepan. Cut the vanilla bean down the middle and scrape the seeds into the milk. Add in the bean as well. Add the espresso powder and stir to together. Place over medium-high heat and heat until milk is hot and simmering.
2. Meanwhile, place the white chocolate in the blender and blend a few times to chop it up. When milk is hot, remove the vanilla bean and pour the milk mixture into the blender. Blend the mixture until it's very frothy. Divide between two large mugs and top with whipped cream (but of course that kind of defeats the skinny aspect, but it would definitely taste great!) and sprinkle on some cocoa powder. Serve immediately.
3. Recipe doubles well but you might want to blend in batches so that you don't overload the blender and have a hot milk spattering accident.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from Brunch @ Bobby's by Bobby Flay. I cut the espresso powder by more than half, omitted the whipped cream and lowered the amount of chocolate used to keep it even lighter.
