neverhomemaker: almond milk

Showing posts with label almond milk. Show all posts

Another Homemade Almond Milk Trick

>> Tuesday, September 2, 2014

So, you want to make Homemade Almond Milk . . . and you're especially keen on the idea after seeing how easy it can be if you use a French press to do the heavy lifting. Your problem now: Having leftover milk you can't seem to finish before it gets sort of funky. Thankfully, I have a super easy solution for you!

Make a big batch. Perhaps a double.

And before you place it on your refrigerator shelves, take a 1-ounce ice cube tray and fill each cube about 3/4 of the way full, and place in your freezer for a couple hours. Yup -- you can easily freeze your almond milk into cubes.

I love the perfect cube silicone trays made by Tovolo. I use them for foods and even for body care recipes, like my Natural Lotion Cubes.

Anyway, freeze like so:

Plop these cubes into your hot morning coffee or thaw overnight in the fridge for use in baking (8 ounces = 8 cubes = 1 cup of liquid). I don't usually thaw to drink straight because you will notice some separation, but the milk works great in stuff. Like SMOOTHIES! Indeed: I also like to use mine in place of ice in smoothie recipes. I just add a little water to the mix to help things get blending.

All the nutrition is there -- minus the crap that's in store-bought almond milk.

PEANUT BUTTER CUP GREEN SMOOTHIE
A delicious, protein-packed way to start your day.

Blend the following ingredients together . . .

1 ripe banana
2 handfuls of kale
6 almond milk ice cubes
1/2 cup water (or more to achieve preferred texture)
1 scoop chocolate protein powder*
1 tablespoon peanut butter (perhaps homemade?)

* I use PlantFusion Chocolate, but you can also use 1 tablespoon cocoa powder if you don't want the added protein or have any powder on hand. A green smoothie is still a good smoothie.

// Oh, and if you missed yesterday's recipe -- be sure to check it out! It's my new favorite cookie. Plus, it's a great fall twist on your usual dessert favorite: Oatmeal Raisin Peanut Butter Chocolate Chippers. Vegan, gluten-free.

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Homemade Almond Milk Trick

>> Sunday, August 17, 2014

The Homemade Almond Milk post I wrote last month is one of the more popular things I've published in a while. So, I thought it would be fitting to do a quick follow-up on a spankin' new method I'm using these days that has transformed the process for me. Full disclosure: I am not the first person in the world to use this method . . . but I honestly (!) came up with it on my own on the long car ride back from our beach vacation.

I thought I was brilliant.
A culinary trailblazer.
And . . .

I came home, looked it up, and see that m.a.n.y other people also choose to forgo the messy cheesecloth squeezing and seemingly superfluous nut milk bags and -- instead -- use a French press for a simple straining solution.

// HOW TO

Well, you follow the exact same instructions from the Homemade Almond Milk post (there's a recipe for a tasty chocolate almond milk drink in there too!). But instead of pouring tirelessly in little batches into the cheesecloth and squeezing . . . you pour as much as you can into a French press and, well, PRESS. Press hard.

I had to do mine in two batches, but the milk squeezed through the metal mesh so well. I had the same, dry almond pulp left to put in baked goods. And the same creamy beverage to enjoy. Bonus? Afterward, you can rinse + make coffee with your French press and combine the two for a heavenly treat.

Or -- my favorite -- pour into Homemade Muesli!

How else do you use a French press?

I've read it makes rinsing quinoa quite easy and can even be a good solution for infusing cooking oils with herbs/etc. I love finding simple kitchen-hacks using stuff we already own! Stephen doesn't like when I constantly use his favorite coffeemaker, though, so I may need to get a new one just for me. I like this compact 3-cup press, which might be perfect for smaller jobs.

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Homemade Almond Milk

>> Monday, July 21, 2014

Ah, almond milk. We meet again. Though I haven't yet reached a final conclusion about the whole carrageenan debacle, I have found my kitchen cupboards stuffed to the gills with almonds. If you haven't made almond milk at home before, it's definitely worth a try. I won't lie, the first few times I made it, I sort of felt like all the effort just wasn't worth it. But homemade almond milk tastes delicious and is much creamier than its store bought counterpart.

So . . .

HOMEMADE ALMOND MILK

What you'll need . . .

3 cups raw almonds
10 cups water
1 teaspoon sea salt
Additional 6 cups water
Cheesecloth or a nut milk bag

Method . . .

In a large bowl, pour in your almonds and 10 cups of water. Add the salt and let soak -- covered -- overnight or 12 hours.
Drain and rinse almonds. Then place them in a blender and add the 6 cups of water. If you can filter the water, you'll get the best taste. But I usually don't bother.
Blend for 1 to 2 full minutes until almonds are well processed.
I like to use wide mouthed Ball jars for this next step, which involves laying a piece of cheesecloth (or using the nut milk bag) over top of the mouth of the jar and then slowly pouring the nut milk through it to sort out the solids.
Squeeze the cloth to get all the liquid out before repeating this process with the remaining nut milk.
Be sure to hold onto the almond pulp to toss into muffins or other baked goods.
Then cover and store in your fridge and drink within a few days, which isn't hard at all to do!

// IN PICTURES

And who can resist a good chocolate milk recipe? I certainly can't. So, I didn't even get this batch of milk in the fridge before I took some of it and made this treat with a few whisks of the spoon.

It's really that easy.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND MILK
Vegan, delicious, serves 2!

What you'll need . . .

8 to 12 ounces of fresh almond milk
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 to 2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method . . .

Whisk together the cocoa powder, water, honey, and vanilla extract in a large glass.
Pour your almond milk over the mixture and swirl around until well incorporated.
Drink by yourself or divide into two glasses and drink immediately.

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Breakfast Beans // Chocolate Smoothie

>> Wednesday, July 16, 2014

You guys have so many questions about beans! I'm not really the queen of beans, but I do eat my fair share. As some of you pointed out in my post about soaking/cooking them, beans that have been frozen do tend to lose their original form. If you're making foods where texture doesn't matter much, it's all good. So, I thought I'd share the types of recipes I make with my beans after they've been frozen, starting with this delicious smoothie!

There's some CSA spinach in there, too:

I usually thaw my beans in the refrigerator since I'm using them for other things like quesadillas, soups, burgers, etc. -- which I'll get into in another post -- but I imagine you could also use the beans frozen if you have a talented enough blender. As I've mentioned before, we have a Ninja Blender. It does the trick without the huge price tag.

Behold!

CHOCOLATE + BLACK BEAN SMOOTHIE
Makes 24 ounces -- or two 12 ounce servings.

Blend together the following:

2/3 cup black beans
1-1/3 cup almond milk, unsweetened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon peanut butter
2 gigantic handfuls spinach
1 cup frozen banana coins*
2 tablespoons cocoa powder

* What the heck? Well, I just use the bananas that I freeze for Frozen Banana Bites and Banana Ice Cream and Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches, etc, etc, etc,, since they are convenient and blend well.

More chocolatey bean recipes:

More breakfast proteins:

And don't miss our 90 healthiest recipes of 2013! Lots of delicious, wholesome foods for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and beyond. Includes both vegan and vegetarian recipes to please the entire family -- even toddlers!

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Whole Wheat "Buttermilk" Biscuits

>> Tuesday, April 22, 2014

So, I emailed Aldi about the carrageenan conundrum and soon got a call from our local distributor of almond milk. The milk in our stores locally does contain the ingredient and there are no plans of taking it out. I don't really understand why it's in my milk and some of you said it isn't in yours.

But there you have it!

Not thrilled at this inconsistency, since there's so much good to say about the store and their products. I'll have add that as another thing I don't love about Aldi. But at least I know that I should take that item off my list for the time being, if not indefinitely.

// MORE INFO

I wrote more about carrageenan back when Ada was transitioning from breastmilk to hemp milk. Then we decided on organic cow's milk for this same reason. Basically, I found a handy website with comprehensive lists by food for which brands contain this carcinogen. I'm just super surprised it's in so many "healthy" and "natural" foods.

Anyway, I made the following recipe with my Aldi milk . . . but for those of you who are curious about carrageenan, you can find brands that don't contain this ingredient. We used Silk and Wegmans brands for years with no issues.

WHOLE WHEAT "BUTTERMILK" BISCUITS
Vegan. Quick to make. Sweet or savory.

What you'll need . . .

2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup stone ground cornmeal
1-1/2 tablespoons baking powder
pinch sea salt
1/2 cup cold Earth Balance, chopped into pieces
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk*

* Or whatever "milk" you prefer to use. Just do an equal ratio + you're golden!

Method . . .

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
Mix together the flour, cornmeal baking powder, and sea salt.
Cut in the "vegan butter" with your fingers -- I simply dropped bits of the Earth Balance into the flour mixture and crumbled it together with my fingers until it formed a coarse meal texture.
Then pour in your maple syrup, water, and almond milk. Mix until everything is moistened, but don't over-mix!
Then turn onto a well floured (or I used more cornmeal) surface and flatten until around 1-inch thick.
Using a round cookie cutter (I used a Ball jar lid ring), cut dough into 10-12 biscuits.
Place biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes, until golden brown.
Let cool before serving warm with Earth Balance or sliced strawberries, etc.

// HOMEMADE ALMOND MILK

For the immediate future, I'm going to make some batches of homemade almond milk to tide us over. We somehow have like 5 gigantic bags of raw almonds that we need to use up before they expire. I just need to pick up some cheesecloth or maybe one of these nut-milk bags -- as they are less than $10 and I could see one getting good use in our kitchen.

// MORE BISCUITS

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread // Vegan

>> Monday, April 14, 2014

Don't let the long ingredients list fool you. This slightly sweet bread comes together in a flash -- and it's mega-healthy. I mixed up + baked a loaf Saturday morning and we continued to enjoy this treat for breakfast today.

Tastes delicious toasted with a simple spread of Earth Balance on top. Pleases and toddler crowd. I think it'd also work well with shredded carrots. You guys know how much I love carrots, as evidenced by last week's explosion of recipes.

So, anyway. Zucchini. Get shredding!

CHOCOLATE CHIP ZUCCHINI BREAD
Vegan. Sweetened (lightly) naturally. Delicious.

What you'll need . . .

1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats (uncooked)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons flaxmeal
2 tablespoons chia seeds
pinch salt
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method . . .

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a standard loaf pan and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the almond meal, cornmeal, flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, flax meal, chia seeds, and salt. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the almond milk, maple syrup, olive oil, applesauce, ACV, and vanilla extract.
Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Then fold in the zucchini and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and flatten with spatula until top is even.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, until center is set and edges are golden brown.
Let cool for 10-20 or so minutes before removing from pan and slicing.

Off to paint over our chalkboard wall. Grr.

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Fresh Orange Wakeup Smoothie

>> Monday, March 24, 2014

We had some spring snowfall overnight last night with more on the way in a day. Regardless, I'm feeling like I need some color in my life, and this protein-packed smoothie is a jolt of healthy morning energy without caffeine or added sugar.

Also, I made it entirely with inexpensive ingredients from Aldi!

FRESH ORANGE WAKEUP SMOOTHIE
Makes two 12 ounce servings at approx. 19 grams of protein each

What you'll need . . .

1-1/2 cups plain non-fat Greek yogurt
1-1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
3-4 seedless mandarin oranges (or 1 large orange)
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (optional)

Method . . .

Peel oranges and try to remove as much of the pulp as possible.
Combine all ingredients in your blender (or I had better luck pulverizing the pulp in my food processor) and blend until smooth.
Pour into two 12 ounce servings and enjoy.

// NOTE

The very first time I made this smoothie I was frustrated because the pulp was in thick clumps and got stuck in the straw. So, I just made sure the next couple times to blend longer than I would other smoothies. I haven't had a problem since. We have a Ninja Blender and a Cuisinart Food Processor, for reference. I'm sure a pricey Vitamix would blend with zero issues.

What'd you have for breakfast this morning?

Check out our tips for Automatic Healthy Eating!

Green Breakfast, 2 Ways

>> Tuesday, January 22, 2013

I'm fanatical about using foods before the sell-by date. To a fault, I admit. I imagine much of what I toss is still perfectly OK -- and I really do hate wasting food. Still, if I see anything slimy in a package of greens + the date is yesterday or even TODAY, it's gone.

Unless Stephen eats it, which he usually does. Anyway, these green breakfast recipes started with a package of almost-expired spring mix.

GREEN WAFFLE/PANCAKE MIX

What you'll need . . .

1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups spinach or spring mix
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons flax meal
pinch salt

// Pulse all ingredients together in a food processor until fully combined. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Full disclosure: I originally intended to give you TWO waffle recipes, but what I ended up doing to the sweet version didn't jive so well with the waffle maker. These recipes are both vegan if you like, but vegan waffle making can be tricky, as I've discovered these past several weeks.

Also, if you don't have a waffle maker, you can certainly just do pancakes. But something I didn't know is that you can get an adequate waffle machine for under $20, scratch that, under $10. It may not be fancy, but it does the job every Sunday.

First, a savory recipe . . .

GREEN WAFFLES w/ EGGS, IF YOU LIKE

// Combine half the flour mixture with 3/4 to 1 cup almond milk. How much you use depends on the consistency. It should be thick, but not like pizza dough -- certainly not runny, though

// Preheat your waffle maker + when it's good, scoop onto it 1/3 to 1/2 cup batter (depending on the size of your maker). Cook as directed + serve with peppery fried eggs and oranges.

Now for something sweet . . .

GREEN PANCAKES w/ BLUEBERRIES

// Combine half the flour mixture with 1 small mashed banana + 1/2 cup almond milk and a tablespoon brown sugar. Add in 1/2 cup frozen or fresh blueberries.

// Heat a pan over medium-high heat and grease it a bit with some Earth Balance or olive oil. Scoop heaping 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto it and cook on each side until golden and the middles set.

(I think the reason this didn't work in the waffle maker is because there was too much moisture with the banana and blueberries. I might try it again without banana and substitute another 1/4 cup almond milk.)

MORE GREENS FOR BREAKFAST:

Leafy Green Pancakes
Green Eggs -- errr -- Banana Scramble
Avocado Green Smoothie
Not-So Green GREEN Smoothie
Protein-Packed Green Smoothie
Light on the Greens Smoothie

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New Traditions

>> Saturday, November 24, 2012

A new Black Friday tradition in our house: Apple Cider Pancakes. I whisked up a batch yesterday morning, adding in apple cider because we were low on almond milk. Almond extract because we're low on vanilla.

They're incredible -- spiced perfectly for the season and sweeter than usual pancakes, which is why we're reserving them for special occasions. My favorite part is how browned they get. And how fluffy they are thanks to a heaping tablespoonful of baking powder.

Yum.

APPLE CIDER PANCAKES

What you'll need . . .

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon golden flax meal
Generous pinch salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup almond milk
1 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Method . . .

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, salt, and flax meal.
Then add in the almond milk, cider, oil, and almond extract. Stir with a whisk until well combined.
In a frying pan, heat some Earth Balance (or butter) over medium heat and -- once sizzling -- scoop batter in heaping 1/4 cupfuls.
Cook on both sides until browned (they will brown more than "normal" pancakes due to the sugars in the cider).

NOTE: Recipe makes enough pancakes for 4 generous servings. If you are only making for 2, you might consider making half the batter.

Now I'm off to cook Thanksgiving dinner for the three of us. Our holiday in Pennsylvania was fun, but I sure was jealous of all the tasty vegetarian feasts I saw streaming in on Instagram.

Hope you're all having a fantastic weekend! Any recipes stand out in your own cooking for the holiday?

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Pumpkin Hot Chocolate

>> Thursday, November 15, 2012

I found myself with an extra five minutes this morning. Enough time to whisk together a warm drink. First idea: Make some basic hot chocolate. Then I thought about making Maple-Peanut Butter Hot Cocoa. All we have right now is sunflower butter. Just wouldn't be the same.

What caught my eye on the kitchen counter was some leftover pumpkin puree from Ada's breakfast. Now? You see where this is going. I made Pumpkin Hot Chocolate (it's vegan, too!) with almond milk and a drop of almond extract. I'm in heaven.

(Also, the wreath "prop" in this photo. What was I thinking? Entirely unnecessary and looks ridiculous. Shoot and learn, my friends.)

Excuse the chocolate dribbles on that last photo. I HAD to sip some while it was super hot. I just finished the last drops, and I will tell you confidently that this is my new favorite cold weather drink. The pumpkin is so light and sweet mixed with the chocolate.

I know. I know. "Pumpkin doesn't belong in everything, Ashley."

I'm not so sure about that. (Many examples . . .)

If you'd like to make your own mugful of this delicious drink, just whisk together the following ingredients in a small saucepan on your stove-top. Medium heat until hot, but not boiling.

1-1/2 cups unsweetened or homemade almond milk
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
1/8 teaspoon (a drop, basically) almond extract (optional, but PLEASE DO IT!)

*** Feel free to use any milk you have. I opt for unsweetened so I have more control over how it tastes. Even put a few chocolate chips in your mug for good measure.

This post definitely replaced the regularly scheduled programming today. I'll be back with some more Mommy Runner thoughts and tips tomorrow. And next week, I'll probably share my favorite mint hot chocolate recipe. At least the cold is good for something!

~~Like~~ love cats? Then you'll love the post over on Writing Chapter Three. Four words: I Gatti Di Venezia! It's Ada's favorite book and will probably pounce its way into your hearts as well. Too bad I can't find it in print anywhere.

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Friday Things

>> Friday, October 12, 2012

It's legit cold here today. Like 40 degrees with blustery winds. The leaves are flying everywhere. Our little heater is working wonders. Just one more week until we get our very adult Christmas present: a brand-spankin' new furnace. I hate to turn the heat on before November anyway.

But. Well. I saw snowflakes! That's early. Even for us.

We'll be fine, though. Next week is supposed to bring warmer temperatures. To cozy up in the meantime, I made myself a gigantic ~~mug~~jarful of homemade chai. And I type "homemade" in the most serious of ways. I made the almond milk and the chai mix myself.

It sounds much more intensive than it actually was.

My friend Jacqui had passed along to me this method for making almond milk. Worked like a charm. The chai mix is a recipe I shared a couple years ago. Sweetened with a little maple syrup.

I warmed it on the stove. Whisked to get some froth.

Of course, feel free to make your own chai with store-bought milk and mix. Or just go get one made FOR you at your favorite coffee shop. Whatever you do, though, drink a warm beverage this weekend. Cider is next on my list.

Ada and I ventured out after her morning nap thanks to some advice we received on Writing Chapter Three.

We bundled ourselves in big sweaters and hit up the children's museum for some fun. Ada is still young and not quite walking, so she can't take full advantage of many of the displays. She loves looking in all the mirrors and playing in the "Under 3" room.

Hello! (Mommy is having a bad hair day.)

I've been picking at this dish of vegan brownies all day.

I tried my best to invent a new, lower-in-sugar recipe last night. They taste good, but not nearly as good as the Change-Your-Life vegan brownies I made a few years ago. If you choose to take on another homework assignment from me this weekend, I instruct you to make them.

You will not be disappointed.

Now I'm going to savor the rest of Ada's nap. I have about 20 minutes left. The heater is blasting at my feet. I've got a cat to keep me company.

This weekend includes an 8 mile long run (tapering for the half next weekend!), a photo shoot of two adorable sisters, and some alone time. For me. I need it!

Have a lovely weekend. (I haven't been sharing much from Writing Chapter Three -- so if you'd like to get caught up, head over there for stuff about Ada's first birthday, DIY baby booties, notes on getting out and about, and more.)

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