Here are a few tips and tricks to help you make the best non-dairy milks:

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Shona Vivien Austin
6 years ago
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2 1 How to Milk a Nut! Making your own non-dairy milks couldn t be simpler. All it takes is a tiny bit of prep stocking your pantry with your favorite nuts or seeds and a few simple handy tools to create healthy plant milk to your liking, without all the less-than-healthy extras you find in most commercial varieties. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you make the best non-dairy milks: Plant Milk Basics Nuts and Seeds to Use: Plant milks can be made out of pretty much any nut or seed. The most common nut used is of course almond, mainly because of its availability and delicious, yet subtle flavor. Other nuts or seeds can be used just the same though - consider making Brazil nut milk, hazelnut milk, pumpkin seed milk, etc. All nuts and seeds should obviously be shelled, and generally raw nuts work best for a smooth consistency. UNCONVENTIONAL TREATS CONTENTS - 13

3 Soft Nuts vs. Hard Nuts: Nuts like almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, etc. are texturally harder nuts. When you blend them, even with the most powerful blender (like a Vitamix or Blendtec), you ll end up with a grainy milk. This grainy milk then needs to get strained through a nut milk bag to get a smooth milk, and you ll have the pulp leftover for other uses (more on all this later). Nuts like cashews and pistachios are much softer on the other hand, so straining them may not be necessary if you have a good blender. Soaking the Nuts: There are many reasons why you d want to pre-soak nuts and seeds prior to use. This is a fairly comprehensive topic though, so we ll revisit it in another chapter in greater detail. For now, I just want to mention that it s a good idea to at least pre-soak the nuts you re going to use for your milk ahead of time (for at least an hour), so as to soften them for blending. If you have a powerful blender you could get away without pre-soaking for the softer nut milks, but on the whole, you ll always end up with smoother results if you pre-soak your nuts first. Just place them in a glass bowl, cover with water, and let them sit for about an hour (or more if you re following proper nut soaking guidelines), then strain and discard the water. Time Tip: If you re in a hurry and not concerned with keeping the nuts raw, you can boil your water before soaking the nuts or seeds. This will speed up the softening process and cut down the time you need to soak from an hour to as little as 15 minutes! UNCONVENTIONAL TREATS CONTENTS - 14

6 fresh berry cheesecake This cheesecake is one of my favorite ways to take advantage of various summer berries from the garden, by infusing them into the different layers of the cake. A mix of any fresh berries will do here, though I have a soft spot for the elegant look of black and red currant, which turns this cake into a magical sight to behold at a table. Prep time: 20 mins Chilling time: 6 hours Makes: 6 cake Crust Ingredients: 1 1/3 cups mix of cashews and almonds 1/4 cup fresh raspberries 6 soft medjool dates, pitted 2 tbsp coconut oil, liquefied dash of salt RASPBERRY LAYER: 1 cup fresh raspberries CHEESECAKE LAYER: 1 cup raw cashews, pre-soaked and strained 5 tbsp maple syrup 4 tbsp lemon juice 4 tbsp coconut oil, melted 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 1/2 tsp cinnamon dash salt TOPPING: A variety of fresh berries of your choice DIRECTIONS: Process all crust ingredients into a sticky crumble in a food processor. Transfer the mixture into a 6 springform pan and form into a crust along the base. Spread 1 cup fresh raspberries evenly over the base of the crust. Use the back of a spoon to press them down, crush, and compact them a little. Place the pan in the freezer. Blend all cheesecake layer ingredients in a power blender into a smooth mixture. Scoop this mixture into the pan over the raspberries. Smooth out the top using a spatula. Place in the freezer for 6 hours or overnight to set. Prior to serving, garnish the cheesecake with fresh berries or fruit of your choice and serve. Note: if you want the fruit to have a frosty look, once the cake has set, top it with the berries and place the cake back in the freezer for at least an hour before serving. UNCONVENTIONAL TREATS CONTENTS - 94

8 cashew maple fudge Maple fudge is a classic treat I absolutely adore, yet I ve never been one to enjoy standing over that pot with a candy thermometer, handling boiling hot, sticky goop even when using unconventional ingredients. This raw maple fudge is a quick and effortless fix for that with none of the butter, cream, and refined sugar in sight, of course. Use a candy mold or just pour into a parchment-lined small dish, and then cut into squares for an easy, wholesome, and dangerously delicious raw maple fudge. Prep time: 5 mins Chilling time: OVERNIGHT Makes: FUDGE PIECES OR SQUARES Ingredients: 3 tbsp coconut oil, liquefied (not hot!) 5 tbsp cashew butter 5 tbsp maple syrup 2 tbsp coconut sugar 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (or a pinch of raw ground vanilla bean) DIRECTIONS: Place your candy mold on a tray or flat plate (or line a small baking dish with some parchment and set aside). Process or blend all ingredients together into a smooth mixture. Spoon into your mold or dish. Freeze overnight. Enjoy! Keep the fudge frozen until ready to eat. UNCONVENTIONAL TREATS CONTENTS - 190

Cinnamon Butter Bites

Cinnamon Butter Bites Adapted from http://wholenaturallife.com/cinnamon-butter-bites-gaps-friendly/ 1 pound pastured butter (can sub ghee OR coconut oil/manna/butter OR any combination) 1-2 tbsp raw honey