“A Love Letter to Cacao” and my Ceremonial Cacao Recipe

Cacao as a Teacher of Enoughness
Every time I make cacao, I’m reminded that she's not just a drink — she's a teacher.
She is ancient medicine. She is heart and soil, earth and love.
For me, cacao continues to whisper one simple truth:
You don’t have to be perfect to be potent.
Her spirit, wild, grounding, generous, has guided me through years of softening around enoughness, worthiness, and what it means to be fully here, fully alive.

​ The Ceremony of Making Cacao

Making cacao is one of my favorite daily rituals.
It’s simple, sensory, and reverent, and no two batches are ever exactly the same.
I make mine slowly, with gratitude, and always begin with a moment of thanks to the plant itself.
Whether you’re serving yourself or a whole circle, this process is a beautiful invitation to slow down, breathe, and receive.

​ Choosing Your Milks

I usually make my own almond and coconut milk, but you can use clean, simple store-bought versions too.
Some of my favorite options are:

• MALK (almond or coconut) – organic and minimal ingredients
  
• Native Forest organic unsweetened coconut milk
  

I love a ratio of ¾ almond milk to ¼ coconut milk — creamy but not too heavy.
If you prefer something richer, lean into the coconut.
If you like it lighter, reduce it.
The body always knows what it wants.

 Cacao Ratios

Ceremonial cacao is traditionally measured by weight.
For a gentle, heart-opening cup:

• Use ½ ounce of cacao per 8 ounces of liquid
  For a deeper, darker ceremonial dose:
  
• Use 1 ounce per 8 ounces of liquid
  

If you’re serving a group, scale up easily — for example, for 32 ounces of milk, you’d use 2–4 ounces of cacao depending on how strong you’d like it.

 Preparation

1. In a small pot, gently warm your milks over low heat, never boiling.
   
2. Add the ceremonial cacao and stir slowly until it melts completely.
   
3. If desired, transfer to a Vitamix or blender and blend for 10–20 seconds until frothy and smooth. I recommend this step if you have access.
   
4. If you’d like a touch of sweetness, add ½ a Medjool date per 16 ounces of liquid and blend again.
   
5. Optional: For extra froth and richness, blend in ½–1 teaspoon of coconut oil per 16 ounces while still warm.
   

 Serving

I often make my cacao the night before in a large pot, store it in the fridge, and reheat it gently in the morning or before ceremony.
Warmed slowly, it tastes even deeper — as though the night infused her with dreams.

 The Medicine Within

Cacao is so much more than flavor — she’s full of medicine:

• Antioxidants + minerals like iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium, manganese, calcium
  
• Theobromine, a natural mood elevator that opens the heart and enhances focus
  
• Bitterness that helps move stagnant energy and emotion through the body
  

But more than anything, what I feel from cacao is infinite love.
Unconditional, grounding, abundant love, the kind that reminds me that my presence is enough.
When we sit with her, sip slowly, breathe, and allow the heart to soften, we remember that we are never separate from the abundance we seek.

 To me, cacao is not about perfection — it’s about devotion. A practice of slowing down, tasting life, and letting yourself be filled.

 CACAO RECIPE (Quick Reference)

Serves 1–2

• 6 oz almond milk, 2 oz coconut milk
• ½–1 oz ceremonial cacao paste (by weight)
• Optional: ½ Medjool date or 1 tsp coconut oil
• Warm gently, blend for froth, serve with love.