Tag Archives: almondmilk

the weekend nurture menu: self-study… the more difficult path

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d3ffa55ce005aca3589e8e36e4657f43If your goal is to live a full and happy life, there is no greater tool than self-study.  With ever increasing responsibilities and mediums to escape reality, taking time to look inward can be an effort. Indeed, it is lovely to get together with friends, have a glass of wine, or watch a great TV show, but often those activities hold you back from being with yourself.

In Sanskrit, the term svadyaya signifies this essential yogic practice of self-study. Physical postures combined with self-exploration is what embodies a yogic practice and a mindful life.

Look back on your week or day, did you keep busy running from activity to activity? Did you cruise the internet or your smartphone while you ate meals? Were you constantly listening to music or did you have the TV on to quiet the sound of your thoughts?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask why… What is it that keeps you from looking inward?

Part of this self-study for me is ayurveda, the traditional healing modality of vedic culture. Ayurveda is a self-study in health and well-being. Chyavanprash is a new obsession of mine, only you must find something to eat it with. My recommendation are the crackers below. The fruity jam with the savory cracker is a lovely combo of salty and sweet.

photo (3)rosemary almond crackers
about 12 crackers

  • 2 cups packed almond flour or pulp (from almond milk)
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped rosemary
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
  3. Transfer the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press the dough into a flat sheet, roughly 1/4 inch thick. Cut the dough into squares.
  4. Bake for 30-40 minutes until crackers have browned and hardened. Go over the lines again to separate. Allow to cool. [Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.]

Explore yourself through yoga, ayurveda, or simply sitting without distractions. This is perhaps the more difficult path, but if you can stick with it, the complexities and beauty of you will unfold before your very eyes.

the weekend nurture menu: be vibrant!

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[As always, gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined-sugar-free!]

When I was 22, I had a conversation with a yoga teacher about her recent engagement. She said, “There could be 1000 people in the room, but my fiancé thinks I’m the most beautiful. Always.” My self-hating mind thought, “How will anyone ever feel that way about me?”

Years later, even without looking in the mirror, I know I’m beautiful–not because of how I look, but because of how I feel. While I look exactly the same–same yoga practice, same way of eating–I think and give differently. I do yoga and eat from a place of nurture and not hate. More importantly, I give love to myself and others willingly.

With this, I omit a loving, vibrance–this creates the longest-lasting, external beauty. Eating, exercising, thinking, and giving from a place of love–instead of trying to fix yourself and others–you will feel and be vibrant!

Start with vibrant food… Think: how many natural colors can I bring to a meal and how bright can they be? This week’s coconut red lentil soup has the most vibrant, delicious reds and greens. You can be creative and add kale or spinach towards the end for even more pop. You could also serve this with brown rice or quinoa. Or if you eat dairy, add a garnish of yogurt or goat’s cheese.

coconut red lentil soup
serves 6-8

  • 2 cups red split lentils
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inchs
  • 1 fresh jalapeno or serrano chili, finely chopped, including seeds
  • 1 tablespoon fresh peeled and minced ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/3 cup tomato paste
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 can unsweetened light coconut milk
  • 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
  • fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving
  1. Heat the tablespoon of olive oil in a dutch oven or large soup pan and add the onions, bell pepper and jalapeno and cook for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables have softened and start to take on some color.
  2. Add the garlic, ginger, spices and tomato paste and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes until the mixture is toasty and fragrant.  
  3. Add the water, coconut milk, lentils and chickpeas and cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes adding the lime juice at the end of cooking.
  4. Taste and adjust with more salt or more lime juice if desired.  Serve the soup topped with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro and some extra limes on the side.

[adapted from 101cookbooks.com]

Eat sweet and vibrant…

Part of feeling vibrant is not depriving yourself of anything. When you limit your sugar intake, do so from a place of nurturing your body, not because you don’t deserve it. Simply put, you DO deserve this cake!!

Gorgeous blueberries and a subtle, yet bright taste of lemon, spices the almonds’ flavor. If you’re making your own almond flour, by soaking the nuts, the almonds taste even sweeter.

With one bite, the nutty, sweet, and bursting flavors can’t help but make you feel beautiful!

blueberry, lemon, almond cake
serves 8-10

Cake

  • 4 cups almond flour (I used the almond pulp from my almond milk. Store purchased almond flour or a vitamix will give you a finer consistency.)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup grapeseed oil
  • 2 small organic lemons
  • 3 large eggs (or you can combine 3 tbsp chia seeds and 9 tbsp water and let sit for 15 minutes)
  • 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
  • 2 cups blueberries (save half for topping)

Glaze

  • 1 cup vegan cream cheese or goat’s milk yogurt, drained
  • 2 tbsp Grade B maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 8-inch spring form cake pan. [I like coconut oil spray.]
  2. Combine almond flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl and set aside.
  3. Heat oil and syrup in a sauce pan on very low heat until combined. Grate the zest from the 2 lemons and add it to the syrup/oil batter. Divide them in half and squeeze the juice from three of the halves into the mixture, saving one half for the glazing.
  4. Add the batter to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Beat the eggs and then fold them into the batter together with 1 cup of the blueberries. Stir gently around with a wooden spoon until combined.
  5. Pour the batter to into the greased pan. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until golden on the outside and baked all way through. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes before removing the sides.
  6. Meanwhile, start making the glaze. [If you're using yogurt, drain it yogurt in a milk cloth or coffee filter for about 10 minutes. This is to make the yogurt less runny.] Combine the cream cheese or thick yogurt with the syrup, vanilla extract, and the juice from the remaining lemon half. Leave to chill in the fridge.
  7. When the cake has cooled completely, cover it with glazing, top with the remaining blueberries and serve. [You could also just serve the cake with blueberries and yogurt on the side.]

[adapted from greenkitchenstories.com]

When you let go of trying to look beautiful and, instead, strive to give yourself the utmost love, “beautiful” is irrelevant–vibrance shines.

xo, S

the weekend nurture menu: soak your nuts

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[As always, gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined-sugar-free!]

Funny title! Not mine, but it got your attention! (The book with this title is by Karyn Calabrese.)

Why should you soak nuts?

Nuts have a natural enzyme inhibitors that keeps them from sprouting. When you soak nuts, the enzymes breakdown, making the nuts easier to digest. Plus, when they release their nutrients for easier absorption, you get fuller faster!

This weekend, I soaked almonds, cashews, and walnuts overnight. Drained and blended them separately. Then I created some nurturing and delicious eats: pizza and cupcakes!

My brother saw pictures and he said sarcastically, “I’m sure that tastes exactly like pizza.”

Let me be clear, the purpose of creating healthier versions of classic dishes is not so they taste like them. This pizza is delectable creation, but it does not taste like Domino’s deep-dish. I use these words as a reference to show how you can be innovative with whole, nutritious foods. Don’t expect Domino’s–expect to feel energized, nourished, and enamored by a new take on an old favorite!

Note: the walnut cheese making isn’t time consuming–just plan in advance. The soaking and draining process requires a couple of days.

pepper, onion, and walnut cheese pizza
with a sweet potato socca crust

for the crust (If you want a thin crust, cut the ingredients in half)

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes
  • 1 cup chickpea flour
  • 1 cup water

for the sauce:

  • 1 15oz can of white beans (rinsed), I prefer the creamy cannellini beans
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp cayenne
  • 1 large clove of garlic
  • 1/4 cup of water (addition water needed if you need to make the dip smoother)
  • 1 Tbls lemon juice

for the toppings:

  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup sliced bell peppers (any color)
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • dash of sea salt
  • bunch of Arugula
  • walnut cheese (see below) or if you’re cool with dairy, 2 oz goat cheese
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
  2. Peel and cube sweet potatoes then steam. Mash in a medium size bowl. Add the chickpea flour and water. Stir well. Pour into the greased pan and spread evenly around. Bake for 35 minutes.
  3. While the crust is baking, blend the sauce ingredients. Put aside. (It will be more of a sauce than a spread. Use less water if you want more of a hummus consistency.)
  4. Sauté the onions in a saucepan over medium heat with a little oil until caramelized. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar if desired. Add the peppers and sauté. Set aside.
  5. Remove the crust from the pan (it will probably stick a little bit). Drizzle the olive oil and the dash of sea salt after the crust has cooled for a minute. Then top with the sauce.
  6. Sprinkle half of the arugula. Add the onions and peppers. Add the remainder of the arugula. Top with the walnut or goat cheese.
  7. If you’re using real cheese, return to the oven for 7-8 minutes or until heated through. If you’re using the walnut cheese return to the oven for 3 minutes or less (otherwise you’ll toast the walnuts).
  8. Slice and serve with love.

[adapted from theleangreenbean.com]

walnut cheese

  • 2 cup nuts, soaked overnight
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon probiotic powder (or a few capsules, opened) or 1 and 1/3 cups nutritional yeast
  • dried or fresh herbs for rolling
  1. In a blender, add together all the cheese ingredients except for the probiotics or nutritional yeast and dried herbs. Add more water if necessary for blending.
  2. Puree for several minutes until as smooth and creamy as possible. Stir in probiotic powder or nutritional yeast.
  3. Pour mixture into a jar or other glass container and cover with cheese cloth. Let sit for about 24 hours at room temperature to develop a cheese flavor. As it sits, the nut “cream” will also thicken up, making it easier to handle.
  4. Once the flavor has developed to your liking (taste test every so often), wrap each in the cheese cloth and place it in a colander with a weight or weighted plate on top. Put the colander in a sink or over a plate or bowl to catch any drips. (A lot of the liquid will be pressed out of the cheese.) Let it press for several hours.
  5. When it has the desired consistency, remove from the cheese cloth, shape into a wheel and roll in dried or minced fresh herbs (optional).

for sweet soaking and blending!

Now for the soaked almonds and cashews… I made almond milk (the almond pulp created almond flour) and cashew butter (see below). After I blended a few more goodies, I mixed everything together to create magnificent, satisfying cupcakes!

raw blueberry-coconut cupcakes
makes about 10 large or 20 small cupcakes 

for the cupcakes:

  • 1 cup coconut flour (grind coconut flakes to a fine powder)
  • 1 cup almond flour (I made almond milk, then used the pulp. Store bought is fine.)
  • 1/2 cup ground, dried blueberries or cherries (grind dried blueberries or cherries)
  • 1/3 cup date paste (blend 1 cup soaked dates with 1/4 cup water)
  • 2 tbsp almond milk (homemade or not)
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
  • 1 tbsp flax meal

for the frosting:

  • 3/4 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter (see recipe below)
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup, grade B or raw honey
  • 4 tbsp coconut oil, melted
  • coconut flakes, optional

For the cupcakes:

  1. Using a hand mixer or a blender, combine the coconut flour, almond flour and ground mulberries.
  2. Add the date paste, almond milk and salt and mix until combined.
  3. Finally, add the coconut oil and flax meal and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. It should look like thick cake batter.
  4. Line a mini muffin tray or a large muffin tray. Scoop a 1/2 tablespoon of the mixture for the small or a tablespoon for the large cupcakes. Gently press it into the muffin cups. Repeat with remaining mixture. Place the tray in the fridge or freezer while you make the frosting.

For the frosting:

  1. Using a high-speed blender or blender, blend the blueberries, cashew butter, and maple syrup or honey until well combined and smooth. Add the coconut oil and blend just to combine.
  2. If you’re fancy, scoop the mixture into a piping bag and attach a small tip. If you prefer my cheap version, scoop the mixture into a plastic bag and cut off a corner. Decorate each cupcake with frosting and the coconut flake (if desired) and return the cupcakes to the fridge until ready to serve.

cashew butter
about 2 cups

  • 2 ¼ cups raw unsalted cashews
  • 1 T. canola oil or olive oil
  • ½ T. fresh orange juice or lemon juice
  • ¼ t. salt
  • ½ t. – 1 t. maple syrup, grade B (optional)
  1. In a blender, process the cashews until they resemble a very fine, almost powdery, meal.
  2. Add the oil, fresh orange juice and salt, and blend for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the blender, making sure that the mixture is consistent and no clumps remain in the bottom. Blend for 30 seconds more.
  3. Store in a airtight container and refrigerate. Find delightful things to use it with, ex. cashew butter and jelly- CBandJ!

Nurture yourself. Eat well. Feel amazing this week and always!

xo, S