Homemade Cashew Milk

Did you know, humans are the only species that drink milk after infancy? The nutrients in milk are designed to promote rapid growth from birth to about 24 months. After that, humans aren't programmed to need or even tolerate milk (let alone milk from another species). Think about it... do we really want to consume a product that nature designed to turn a small calf into a full-sized cow? Probably not. The good news is, there are so many wonderful milk alternatives out there, you shouldn’t have a problem swapping out the dairy beverage for one of these other options. A few to consider are almond, soy, coconut, rice and hemp.

You can make these milk varieties at home with a good blender and it is surprisingly easy! I personally like nut milks and typically make almond milk. This time I decided to do an experiment with cashews. It was delicious!

I used the leftover “pulp” to make cookies, but you could dry it out in the oven to make cashew flour, mix with spices/quinoa/egg to create a burger, or mix into oatmeals & smoothies for a protein & fiber boost. Check out my Cashew Pulp Cookie recipe at the bottom of the post.

Homemade Cashew Milk

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw cashews (or almonds)
• 3 cups water

Optional additions (recommended):

• 1 tsp honey
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 pinch sea salt

Preparation Instructions

1. Soak cashews in a bowl of water, just enough to cover nuts, overnight or at least 6 hours. The longer they soak, the better they will blend.
2. Rinse and drain cashews. Add to blender with 3 cups water.
3. Add honey, vanilla extract, cinnamon & sea salt if desired.
4. Pour through a cheese cloth and strainer or use a nut milk bag (you can find this at Whole Foods or other natural grocer).
5. Save the cashew “pulp” for later use and whats left is your milk!

1. Soak

2. Rinse

3. Blend

4. Strain

Enjoy!

Alternative Serving Suggestions:

• Add more cinnamon and a few drops of stevia for a sweet drink.
• Heat milk, then add unsweetened cocoa powder & stevia for a healthy hot cocoa. 

Fuel Facts

Numbers: 40 calories, 0 g protein, 3 g fat, 6 g carbs, 0 g fiber

            **Approximate amount for 1 cup

Ingredient Breakdown:

v Cashews – The tree nuts have a lower fat content than most other nuts and most of this fat is in the form of monounsaturated oleic acid, the same heart healthy fat found in olive oil. One quarter cup of cashews provides about 38 percent of your daily needs for copper, a mineral that acts as a coenzyme in many body processes. 90 percent of copper in the body is used to create the transport protein ceruloplasmin. Ceruloplasmin aids in the oxidation of iron, allowing iron to bind to transferrin for transport to body tissues. Without adequate copper intake, iron-deficiency anemia can occur.

v Honey – Due to the combination of glucose and fructose, honey will keep you energized longer than it’s sweet counterparts. Glucose is used quickly by the body, providing an immediate energy source. Fructose takes longer to absorb, sustaining blood sugar levels. When blood sugar is kept stable, your energy will also remain constant, so say goodbye to the afternoon crash.

Honey is also a great natural healer. For starters it is packed with polyphenols, antioxidants that have immune boosting properties to keep you from becoming sick. In addition, honey contains an enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide which is why it is believed to be antibacterial in nature. Honey can be used topically to treat burns, wounds, and even acne. Honey fights off impurity-causing bacteria while also hydrating the skin.

v Cinnamon – Many studies have shown the stabilizing effects of cinnamon on blood sugar. This is beneficial for anyone who wants to keep energy levels constant throughout the day, and especially helpful for diabetics or those who experience hypoglycemia. Cinnamon has also been shown to act as an anti-inflammatory by limiting the release of arachidonic acid from cell membranes, a fatty acid that typically causes inflammation.

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Cashew Pulp Cookies

Make note of how to make flax egg & date paste. These are good tricks to have up your sleeve, especially for healthy baking!

Ingredients

• Cashew pulp from 1 cup raw cashews
• About 1/4 cup date paste (4 pitted dates & 4 Tbsp water)
• 1/2 cup oats (use gluten free if desired)
• 1 flax egg (1 Tbsp flaxseed meal & 3 Tbsp water)

Preparation Instructions

Making Flax Egg: 

1. Whisk 3 Tbsp water with 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal.
2. Refrigerate for 15 minutes until viscosity is that of an egg white.

Making Date Paste:

1. Heat dates and water over medium heat in a sauce pan (1 to 1 ratio, you can make this in larger batches and keep it on hand).
2. As dates heat up, mash with a fork until they are thoroughly mixed with water into a jelly like paste.

Cookies: 

1. Mix cashew pulp, date paste, oats & flax egg.
2. Separate out into 10 small, formed cookies on baking tray. 
3. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Let cool to set. 

Cashew Pulp

Cookie Dough

Fuel Facts

Numbers: 108 calories, 3 g protein, 5 g fat, 14 g carbs, 2 g fiber

            **Approximate amount for 1 cookie

Ingredient Breakdown:

v Cashews – The tree nuts have a lower fat content than most other nuts and most of this fat is in the form of monounsaturated oleic acid, the same heart healthy fat found in olive oil. One quarter cup of cashews provides about 38 percent of your daily needs for copper, a mineral that acts as a coenzyme in many body processes. 90 percent of copper in the body is used to create the transport protein ceruloplasmin. Ceruloplasmin aids in the oxidation of iron, allowing iron to bind to transferrin for transport to body tissues. Without adequate copper intake, iron-deficiency anemia can occur.

v  Dates  – One of nature's many gifts, dates are one of the best natural sweeteners. Not only are they sweet, but they contain high amounts of fiber, promoting good digestion & intestinal health.

v Oats – Many studies have shown the cardio-protective effect of oats. They contain loads of soluble fiber which helps to lower cholesterol and prevent plaque build-up in the arteries. Oats are inherently gluten free but are often contaminated during processing. Make sure to buy gluten free oats if you have a wheat or gluten allergy.

v Flax Egg – This is a great substitute for egg when baking vegan goodies. Make this first and let it set up in the refrigerator while you prep the rest of the recipe you are working on.

Apple Cider Tea

Now that the weather is cold, I am craving hot drinks all the time. Christmas lights have gone up on the trees in the Pearl, and that means holiday beverages are on the mind. I thought I would share my favorite go-to drink for those of you who have also been dreaming of hot chocolate and cider.

Apple Cider Tea

Ingredients

• Celestial Seasonings Cinnamon Apple Spice Herbal Tea
• Hot water
• Apple Cider (No sugar added)
• Stevia (liquid dropper)

Preparation Instructions

1. Boil water in kettle or heat in microwave.
2. Add tea bag and steep for a few minutes.
3. Splash apple cider to top it off.
4. Add stevia to desired sweetness (~5 drops / 8 oz)

Fuel Facts

Numbers: 40 calories, 0 g protein, 0 g fat, 10 g carbs, 0 g fiber

            **If you use 1/3 cup of apple cider

Ingredient Breakdown:

v Herbal Tea – Different varieties have different healing properties, but whichever you choose, unsweetened herbal teas are great to sip on any time. For one, they are a zero calorie, natural alternative to other beverages you may be reaching for throughout the day. Also, herbal teas are caffeine free, so you can drink them at any time of day. They can be soothing on the digestive system after dinner and especially calming before bed.

v Apple Cider – Make sure to choose one with no sugar added. Apple juice is already sweet on its own and the spices added to cider provide a lot of extra flavor as well. Unsweetened apple cider is one of the best options for holiday beverages because it is made from all natural ingredients and apples are a good source of vitamin C.

v Stevia – Stevia Rebaudiana is an herb originally grown in South America. It gets its sweetness from glycosides in its leaves, which are 300 times sweeter than sugar. I prefer the liquid form because it does not contain erythritol and other artificial ingredients that are used in many of the powder forms. Liquid stevia droppers are great to throw in your bag and carry with you.

Millet Breakfast Bowl

A heaping bowl of whole grains is my favorite base for any meal. If it is breakfast, add nuts, fresh or dried fruit, honey & maybe some spices (cinnamon & nutmeg work well). At lunch, mix with beans and fresh veggies (toss with oil, vinegar and herbs) to create a filling salad. For dinner, top your grains with veggies and lean protein (chicken, fish, tofu or tempeh). This really is the simplest and healthiest way to eat. Not to mention, the possibilities of combinations are endless.

Here are a few suggestions for grains you can use as the base:

• Amaranth
• Bulgur
• Cornmeal (polenta)
• Millet
• Quinoa
• Brown rice
• Teff
• Oats
• Buckwheat
• Farro 

A serving of grains is about 1/4 cup, before cooking. For more information on cooking with grains, check out The Whole Grains Council website, for a chart that simplifies the process. The best part about cooking with grains is that you can make a big batch ahead of time and keep it in the fridge to use for about 4 days. This makes meal prep time super easy!

As an example, here is the combination I tried with millet for breakfast this morning…

My challenge to you: Try your own variation! Experimentation is the best part of cooking at home and you learn a lot in the process.

Millet before cooking

Millet Breakfast Bowl

Ingredients

• ¼ cup millet
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• 2 Tbsp dried cranberries
• 1 Tbsp honey

Preparation Instructions

1. Add millet and water to pot, bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cover for 15 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed.
2. Remove from the burner and mix in honey, almonds & dried cranberries.
3. Enjoy!

Fuel Facts

Numbers:  450 calories, 5 g protein, 14 g fat, 74 g carbs, 8 g fiber

Ingredient Breakdown:

v Millet – One cup of this gluten-free grain provides 19% of the daily value for magnesium and 17% of the daily value for phosphorus, both of which are essential to the production of ATP. If you remember back to your biology days, ATP stores energy in the mitochondria of the cell, then releases the energy when it is needed by the body.

      

      The grain also has great versatility in the kitchen. It can be cooked into a fluffy grain for use in place of rice/pasta, or as a base for a grain salad (much like quinoa). Millet can also be prepared into a slightly mushier consistency as a breakfast porridge, or mashed up like potatoes. When cooked like this, it can additionally be pressed into a pan and placed in the fridge to make a millet polenta.

v Almonds – Almonds are high in monounsaturated fats, similar to those found in olive oil, providing heart-healthy benefits. Almonds are also a great source of vitamin E, one of the most important nutrients for preventing oxidative stress. Vitamin E, when applied topically, has also been found to protect the skin against UV damage from the sun. It is believed by some researchers that this same protective effect can be achieved through consumption of foods rich in vitamin E, such as almonds.

v Cranberries – The berries get their beautiful color from anthocyanins, phytonutrients in the flavanoid category. Cranberries contain several other phytochemicals as well, all of which may have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

      

      The acidity of cranberries has long been credited for their ability to prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs). However, recent studies have shown that this may be due to the content of another phytonutrient, proanthocyanidin (PAC). PAC may prevent bacteria from attaching to the urinary tract lining which in turn protects against UTIs. Researchers believe this same anti-bacterial effect may help prevent the development of stomach ulcers.

v Honey – Due to the combination of glucose and fructose, honey will keep you energized longer than it’s sweet counterparts. Glucose is used quickly by the body, providing an immediate energy source. Fructose takes longer to absorb, sustaining blood sugar levels. When blood sugar is kept stable, your energy will also remain constant, so say goodbye to the afternoon crash.

Honey is also a great natural healer. For starters it is packed with polyphenols, antioxidants that have immune boosting properties to keep you from becoming sick. In addition, honey contains an enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide which is why it is believed to be antibacterial in nature. Honey can be used topically to treat burns, wounds, and even acne. Honey fights off impurity-causing bacteria while also hydrating the skin.