Savory Chocolate Sauce

Chocolate is a food of the heart, from its associations with love to the healing properties of its antioxidants. WebMd reports chocolate has a good mix of minerals, including magnesium, zinc, iron, phosphorus and copper. Chocolate also has the potential health benefits of improving brain health and lowering cholesterol. In addition, most people love the flavor of chocolate.

Indulge this February in a bit of chocolate sauce and savor the flavor. This sauce can be used to dip fruit, on ice cream or to make a mug of hot cocoa to share with a loved one.

YIELD: 12, ¼-cup servings

2¼ cups granulated organic sugar or coconut sugar
     (note that flavor will change if coconut sugar is used)

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch

¼ tsp salt

1½ cups canned coconut milk

1 Tbsp vanilla

Place first four dry ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan, along with ½ cup of the coconut milk and whisk to combine into a thick paste.

Add the remaining coconut milk, bring the mixture to a boil and whisk to combine well. When the sauce boils, reduce heat to low and simmer very gently for 5 minutes, whisking often.

Remove from heat, add vanilla and cool. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, covered.

May be used hot or cold; on ice cream, cake, fruit or combined with milk to make a quick cup of hot chocolate (blend milk and amount of sauce to taste).

Recipe courtesy of Tiffany Hinton, founder of Cultivating Guts. Connect on social media @iamtiffanyhinton and listen to her podcast, Cultivating Guts, on Spotify or iTunes.