Right From The Teat of An Almond :: Almond Milk

So, with the sale of my favorite juice company that made amazing almond milk, I was on a quest to find either a company selling something similar or to make it myself. Well, since I am fond of the occasional (hehe) diy... I found a recipe I liked but didn't love, and tweaked it til I loved it and it came as close as possible to my memory of cali's yummmmmmmy almond milk. So here we go...

• 1 cup of almonds
• 2 dates
• 3.75 cups of filtered water
• 1.5 teaspoons of pure vanilla

1. Soak the almonds in water for 12-48 hours. This step was actually confusing to me as silly as it sounds so let me spell it out. I had lots of questions - in the fridge or out covered or not covered... etc...
   
   Take a cup of almonds, pour it in a bowl or mason jar, cover with clean water about an inch or two above almond line, drop in some clean salt here if you like, do not cover, do not put in fridge, cover with a dry cloth if you are worried about bugs or things getting in... Let it sit. The longer it sits the better.
2. Drain the almonds and rinse them. Place in blender.
3. Add remaining ingredients to blender, and blend until it is frothy and homogeneous. Should be a few minutes.
4. Pour mixture through cheesecloth or nutbag or fine mesh filter into mason jar or clean container. Squeeze the last bits of yummy milk out of the almond meat to get as much as possible.
5. Refrigerate for up to 5 days if it lasts that long lol. No almond teat is safe in this house.

BONUS :: Take the leftover drained meat (almond meal) and either bake it in the oven to use as a snack like granola, or store it in the fridge to use as almond flour (I like to mix it as a portion of the flour when I make homemade bread). Or if you don't have a use you can throw it out - you crazy waster!

Cider Soda

yummmmm

• apple cider
• diet ginger ale

1. pour glass with 3/4 apple cider
2. complete glass with 1/4 ginger ale
3. enjoy :)

Best Pumpkin Smoothie

OK. My husband tells me tonight "I want a smoothie, but I want to make it because youll put green crap in it."  HA Then I said ok - I won' put spinach in it. And he said "but you won't make it sweet enough, I need peanut butter and sugar and good stuff." So I convinced him to let me make him one and promised him it would be good and not green. Well I not only impressed him but myself as well. This is the best pumpkin smoothie I have made thus far.

• 1 banana
• 1/2 C ice
• 1 C coconut milk
• 3 t pureed pumpkin
• 1 C frozen peaches
• 1 t pumpkin spice
• 1 t raw agave nectar

1. Blend
2. Enjoy

Cholesterol Killer Peach & Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie

So I decided to try and perfect a cholesterol killer breakfast smoothie so I can get my key cholesterol fighting ingredients in it. It actually turned out pretty well but I am bound to redux it at some point. :)

• 1 C ice
• 1/2 C water
• 1/2 C lite coconut milk
• 1/2 banana
• 1 C frozen peaches
• 1 C rolled oatmeal flakes
• 1 t cinnamon
• 2 t low fat greek yogurt

1. blend
2. enjoy and share with your favorite 2 year old

 

Blueberry Kale Purple Smoothie

 Oh man - am I having fun with these colors. If I knew I could be drinking purple smoothies this week I would have been perfecting the color purple long before. Not only did this look beautiful, but tasted yummy - so yummy my 2 year old treasure decided to steal some and then needed his own glass which he slurped down and asked for more saying "mhmmm mhmmm mhmm"

• 1 C lite soymilk
• 1 C kale
• 1 frozen banana
• 1/2 C carrots
• 1/2 C pineapple
• 1/2 C frozen blueberries

1. Blend
2. Enjoy

The Kiwi Carrot Orange Smoothie

I am not going to lie - this has definitely been the best one thus far. I am dying for another one right about now...

• 1/2 C ice
• 1/2 C carrots
• 1 frozen kiwi sliced
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 C lite coconut milk

1. Blend
2. Enjoy

Peach Pineapple Kale Green Smoothie

Today I put a peach twist on the pk smoothie and man was it a good choice. Enjoy my friends, enjoy!

• 1/2 C cut pineapple
• 1/2 C frozen peaches
• 1C kale
• 1/4 t raw agave nectar
• 1/2 C ice
• 1 C lite coconut milk

1. Blend
2. Enjoy

Pineapple Kale Green Smoothie

 So, day two of smoothies and here we go. My sister had told me her favorite smoothies / juices were the pineapple kale ones, so I figured that I would give it a try today.

• 1C cut pineapple
• 2C kale (as much as you can fit in the top)
• 1 cut and peeled kiwi
• 1 frozen banana
• 2C ice
• 1C coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon peanut butter
• 1t raw agave nectar

1. Blend all
2. Enjoy all

Green Monster Spinach Smoothie

OK. I found this recipe on Pinterest and was most excited to try it based on what everyone was saying about it. For the second smoothie meal on my smoothie diet I figured I would give it a try for lunch today. It was not as good as the blueberry oatmeal smoothie but it was pretty good and full of nutrients. I will surely be eating it again. I will say that I am so full I can't imagine eating for anytime soon.

• frozen sliced bananas
• 1T peanut butter
• 1/2C greek lowfat yogurt
• 1Cup sugarfree coconut milk
• 4C baby spinach

1. blend it
2. eat it

Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie

So, I am in a competitive weight loss competition with my bestie, and yes I need it can't you tell from my recipes? hehe. So if you are on a diet and that is why you are reading this - make sure when you are off the diet you come take a look at my yummy yummy nondiet recipes hehe.

This smoothie is an adaption on some recipes that I found online. Having cholesterol problems I am always looking for ways to get more oatmeal in to my diet. I was skeptical on what a smoothie with oatmeal would taste like, but let me tell you - this was awesome. I can't wait to try it again!

• 1 C ice
• 1/2 C frozen blueberries
• 3T lowfat greek yogurt
• 1 banana
• 1/2 C old fashion rolled oats
• 1t raw agave nectar
• 1C water

1. Insert into fancy blender
2. Blend
3. Pour and enjoy

Makes 1 big serving

Sassy Water

8. 5 CUPS WATER
1 TSP/ GRATED GINGER
1 MED. CUCUMBER
1 MEDIUM LEMON
12 SPEARMINT LEAVES

drink entire two liters every day

Jamaican Heaven tea

My dad loves fennel and anise. He's been making this awesome drink lately. We found a bag of Jamaican dried hibiscus flowers and a bag of star anise. You can find those in the "weird foods" stores, like International Farm Markets.

All you need for this tasty and exotic summer drink is:

1-2 blooms
1-2 star anise
2-3 cups of water

Boil it all together for a few minutes. The water will start turning a lovely purple color. I like the drink chilled with some sugar - de(wait for it)- licious.

The cool thing about anise is that not only it looks like an alien plant - it makes virtually any herbal tea taste better. I have not tried it with other foods yet, but you bet I'll be researching this further.

Ginger - chamomile tea

This tea is so easy to make and its soooo good if you have a cold and cough. This is the only thing that really helps me sleep.

All you need is:

- Fresh ginger (the root)
- Chammomile tea
- Honey
- Lemon juice
- Hot water

The ginger - I just skin and cut thin strips and throw into the cup. Then pour hot water, honey, lemon juice and chamomile teabag in there, and you got yourself one delicious beverage.

Iced Coffee

I make this at work to start my day, and my hubby makes a yummy one at home


Ingredients:

• coffee
• ice
• splenda
• flavored creamer

Steps

1. prepare hot coffee with sugar
2. add creamer
3. add lots of ice and serve

Homemade Ginger-zinger tea

I've been suffering from never-ending sinus drainage with accompanied sore throat and flegmy cough, so I found this recipe online, and added some of my own stuff to make it even yummier.

What you need:

Fresh ginger root
Herbal tea (I like thyme or chamomile)
Lemon juice
Honey
Hot water

Just cut 3-4 pieces of ginger and throw them in your tea cup. Add honey, lemon juice and your tea and pour hot water over it all. Let it sit for a couple of minutes. The taste is so healthy and fresh that it's going to make you "sick". Its great for colds, upset stomach, cramps, muscle pain and hypertension. Its also a great way to relax before bed (ginger makes your body feel nice and warm), and also wake up in the morning.

Forget coffee - have ginger!