Homemade Almond Milk

Almond milk has been a staple in our home for years.  We usually go through at least one 1/2 gallon carton each week.  Recently we ran out, and rather than go to the store for more, we made it in the blender from scratch with ingredients on hand.  It was so good, and I liked knowing exactly what was in it so much, that we made it again.  Now I really don't see the need to buy commercial almond milk.  It's so easy to make a child can do it, and only takes a couple of minutes.  This recipe makes 8 cups.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup almonds, soaked overnight in water and rinsed (if you didn't soak the almonds first it will still turn out great)
2 pitted dates (or to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla (omit if you prefer plain)
1 1/2 tablespoons ground flax meal
filtered or purified water


Place the first four ingredients in the blender with about two cups or less of water.  The amount of water you start with may depend on your blender.  You want to use less water at first because that way it will turn out less grainy.  Blend until thick and creamy.  This will take a couple of minutes.  Then fill the blender with more water, and blend well.

At this point it is usually recommended to strain the milk - we don't bother.  If we did strain the milk, we would probably blend the almonds separately, strain, then blend the additional ingredients in the strained milk.  It does turn out a teensy bit grainy this way but it doesn't bother us.

Leftovers should be placed in a shaker container so that it can be shaken before each pour.  Obviously, this can be flavored any way you can think of - with cocoa powder, fresh fruit or berries in season, or for a soothing, healing drink:  a dash of turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, saffron and manuka honey, served slightly warm.



A note about soaking the almonds:  This has to do with removing an enzyme inhibitor from the skins.  In our home, if we know ahead of time we are going to make something out of almonds we soak them.  Otherwise we haven't been worrying about it.
 
It would also be possible to use flax seeds rather than flax meal.  We haven't tried this yet, but we would probably start with two tablespoons.  Soak them separately from the almonds in a cup of water overnight.  Use the seeds with the flax soaking water in the blender with the almonds. 

This is the new bacon

Last time I attempted to make raw vegan eggplant bacon, I didn't have a deyhdrator.  Our lowest oven setting is 200 degrees Fahrenheit, which basically ruined it.  It was awful.  Since then I have found recipes that involve baking the eggplant at a higher temperature for a shorter period of time, but we prefer to avoid using our oven and in my opinion the raw vegan method tastes amazing and has a bacon-like texture.  Leave the skin on to give it a nice bite.

One thing I love about this recipe is that it's easy for the family to slice up the eggplant and place it in the marinade while preparing the evening meal, and then place it in the dehydrator during cleanup after the meal.  The next morning, you have "bacon" for breakfast!

Some folks advocate salting the eggplant, pressing out the excess moisture, then placing it in the marinade, but we skipped that step and it turned out fine.

This recipe can be found in several places online.  Next time we'll omit the chili powder to make it more kid-friendly.

Here's how we did it:

Two regular eggplant, sliced thinly with a mandolin
1 tablespoon Spike salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons tamari
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Whisk the marinade ingredients until blended, and place the eggplant in the marinade for two hours.  Dehydrate at a low temperature, (105 degrees Fahrenheit) for twelve hours. 

This recipe filled four dehydrator trays.  While this was drying, we also made some fruit rollups.  This were made with three baskets of strawberries, the juice of one lime, and two pitted dates.  Process until smooth and dehydrate at a low temperature for about twelve hours.

Fruit rollups, of course, are a hit.

We also dehydrated some "cauliflower popcorn" but that recipe is still being perfected.

And now, off to make the kale chips!

Transitioning in phases

Change is essential to life.  We change anyway whether we like it or not.  Every day we are growing, degrading, becoming weaker, becoming stronger.  Our thoughts can harden into intractable attitudes, our actions become habits which can eventually be seen in our bodies.  When we stop changing we die - except that even after death, our physical bodies continue to change until dust.

But change doesn't have to mean erosion and degradation.  It can also mean adding to, building up.  It seems to me that the effort of building up, adding to, staying positive and productive is far greater than the simple act of surrendering to natural decline.  But the effort is very worthwhile and sometimes it's just a matter of making simple choices.

I never would have tried to change to raw veganism if someone hadn't served it to me, on a plate, a gift of love, a burst of flavor in my mouth, a feeling of wellness surging through my body.  At another gathering, a dear heart said to me, "Open your mouth, this is too messy to pick up with your hands," and she fed me.  Once again I felt that love, tasted that amazing fresh flavor, and felt the good from top to toes.

That was the first phase.   It was an uplifting experience.  But it made me curious, and that led to some time online, a couple of visits to a restaurant and the library, watching documentaries, buying a book.  That was the second phase.  We opened our minds and our eyes.

The third phase was finding products and materials for the things we want to do.  Where do you buy sprouting jars?  What's the best dehydrator?  Do we need a juicer?  Which are the best nutritional supplements?  Which books are worthwhile to read?  Who's who in the world of raw veganism?

The fourth phase involves developing skills and deepening research.  We are learning how to grow sprouts.  We are trying new recipes.  We are figuring out how to make sure that our growing 12 year old son really does get enough B12, vitamin D, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids and protein.

The fifth phase involves changing habits and retraining our tastebuds.  The morning routine is evolving - the sprouts are rinsed right after letting the dog out.  The morning meal is a fruit and vegetable smoothie instead of cereal.  As I bring new raw vegan cookbooks into my home, the familiar old cookbooks are pushed to the back.  As we munch on flavorful raw dehydrated cauliflower "popcorn," the SAD (standard American diet) snack chips are forgotten.  We aren't deprived of anything, we are simply making room for what is better.  As we continue, the SAD is less appealing and we crave the fresh, raw and fabulous.

The sixth phase is sharing.  One day I will have the privilege of feeding delicious raw vegan food to someone, perhaps even someone who has never tried it before.

The phases overlap, and we are going at our own pace.  Certainly every experience is different.  The important thing is that we are taking charge of the natural flow of change in our lives, and working with nature to bring about the results we want.

Day 13

It's been almost two weeks and I'm still excited about this lifestyle change.  I have lost 3 1/2 lbs. without exercising or changing anything but the types of foods we eat.  I'm eating a lot - the equivalent of about four massive salads each day - but most of the time there are no animal products in the food.  I'm usually full, and if I get hungry between meals it's simple to grab a piece of fruit and go.

My beloved husband reports that his blood pressure is already lower and soon he will speak to his doctor about a timetable for getting off his medications.  I'm finding my anxiety far easier to manage, and I'm sleeping better at night with fewer aches and pains in the morning.  My fatigue is subsiding and I'm feeling more cheerful.  I'm thankful for these improvements and can hardly wait to see how much better we will feel in a few months. 

We still have animal based foods in the freezer and pantry, and according to our agreement we will consume these instead of throwing them away.  However as we adjust to the new diet, animal based foods are less appealing.  If and when we do eat them, it will be in small quantities.

I have some cauliflower marinating to go in the dehydrator, and one jar of sprouts that will be ready in a few days.  A day may come when the dehydrator is always humming and there is a different jar of sprouts for each day of the week, but for now we are still taking things slow.

When we made that huge Mexican-style meal on Monday, it occurred to me that each course was basically a different kind of salad.  Wrap leafy greens around chopped veggies and it's a salad dressed up as a burrito.  Before we starting eating raw vegan, I thought a diet of nothing but salads sounded dull.  These dishes were anything but dull.  It was the creative and appealing cuisine of raw veganism at the Go Raw Cafe that drew me in, but it's the wonderful feeling of well-being in my body that makes me want to stay with it.

I watched a Youtube video of a raw vegan woman who said that she only eats two smoothies and one large salad each day.  As the summer heat increases, I can see the appeal in that.  Smoothies are quick.  They are basically a salad in a blender.  Toss in some spinach, carrots, cucumber, a banana and some berries and the meal is ready.  This morning we finished the last of our Amazing Meal, which I mentioned here.  The pomegranate mango flavor was my favorite.  This product for us was like the "training wheels" of raw veganism.  Until we had time to do more research into the nutritional requirements it was nice to be able to rely on a product to simplify things.  It's a great product and I'm sure we'll use it again in the future, especially when we travel.

Raw Mexican Fiesta

Last night we had a filling, satisfying raw vegan Mexican meal.   It was delicious!

Over the weekend we used our brand new Excalibur food dehydrator to make Raw Classic Corn Chips.  We served the resulting tortilla chips as "raw nachos" as an appetizer for tonight's dinner.  This recipe came out of the Excalibur cookbook, Preserve it Naturally.  Here's our take on it:

Raw Corn Chips

10 ears of corn
1 onion
1 orange bell pepper
2 carrots
1 cup alfalfa sprouts
cilantro

Place in a food processor and process until chunky.  Place in a strainer and press out any extra liquid.  The liquid is drinkable and tastes a bit like milk.  Spread into two large rounds on a dehydrator tray lined with a Paraflexxs sheet.  Dry 12 hours, then dry on the other side for 17 hours.  To flip the tortilla over without breaking, place a Paraflexx sheet on top of the tortilla, then a tray over that.  Flip both trays over, and peel the Paraflexx sheet off of the top of the tortilla.  The resulting tortilla can be broken into tortilla chips or used for raw tostadas, Mexican pizzas, etc.

Note:  It stuck to the Paraflexx and might have released more easily if it had been lightly brushed with some olive oil.  The resulting tortilla might have looked more appealing if the mixture had been processed until smooth.  The flavor was intense with a hint of bitterness.  My husband liked it.  It wasn't completely dry after 29 hours, but we refrigerated it and then warmed it again in the dehydrator before serving, and by then it was perfect.  I enjoyed it more with the Raw Vegan Nacho Cheese sauce.

Raw Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce

Here's our version:

1 cup raw pine nuts (pine nuts do not require soaking)
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper  (about 1/2 pepper)
2 tablespoons cold-pressed olive oil
2 tablespoons water
1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt (then adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon low salt white miso
1/4 teaspoon turmeric


Blend all ingredients together in a high powered blender.

Note:  Next time, intensify flavor by adding paprika and slightly increasing the nutritional yeast.  This recipe originally used cashews but a family member is allergic.  Try using different nuts or blends of nuts.  The pine nuts were reminiscent of pesto.


We attended a picnic on Friday, and someone brought this beautiful, delicious salad.  I went online and found a recipe for Mexican Fruit Salad and then we made our own version.

Chili Fruit

Chop and slice the following fruit into large bite sized pieces:

1 mango
2 small pineapple
1/2 a large seedless watermelon
1 small honeydew melon
3 kiwi
1 English cucumber
1 medium jicama

juice and zest of three limes
chili powder (we used a mixture of Anaheim chili powder and regular chili powder)

salt, to taste

Gently stir the lime juice and zest into the fruit, and then sprinkle on the chili powder.  Stir and tasted, adding chili and salt until it reaches the desired flavor.  Serve chilled.


Looking for the perfect raw vegan burrito recipe, once again we searched the net.  Rachael Renee Gerk was a great help on Youtube, and we made the burritos pretty much like she demonstrated. 

Rachel Renee Gerk's Raw Vegan Burritos

1 bunch collard greens

Filling:
3 Brussels sprouts, coarsely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper chopped
baby spinach
1 medium yellow squash, chopped

Blend the ingredients and place in a bowl.


Use the largest leaves of the collard greens to wrap the burritos.  The stem can be pounded flat so that it's flexible.  Layer with guacamole, the filling, and the salsa, and roll.

Simple Guacamole

3 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 ripe avocados
cumin to taste

Process until smooth.

Normally we'd add tomatoes, onion, cilantro and chili powder etc. to our guacamole but these burritos are loaded enough!

Raw Salsa

4 vine ripened tomatoes
1/2 yellow onion
1/2 cup cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded.

Process until smooth.

Next we had desert.  Strawberries are widely available, and we found this recipe on Me Amoeba for amazing Frosty Berry Squares.

As always, since our son is allergic to cashews we replaced them, this time with macadamias.  Otherwise this is the exact recipe on Me Amoeba.  This recipe makes four enormous servings, with leftover filling that we made into pops.  It could easily serve eight.

Frosty Berry Squares from Me Amoeba

Crust

1/4 cup raw almonds
15 dates, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt

Grind the almonds in a food processor until they are fine, then add the rest of the ingredients and process until it begins to clump together.  Divide into four equal portions and press into the bottoms of individual serving molds.  We used little silicone cake molds in star shapes.

Filling

1 cup macadamia nuts, soaked  2 hours.  (macadamia nuts do not have to be soaked but I did it anyway because it might help with the moisture content of the mixture.)
20 large strawberries
2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Process in a food processor until creamy, then divide in equal portions over the crust.

Place in the freezer until set.

Topping  (make while the desserts are starting to thaw slightly)

6 strawberries
Agave nectar

extra strawberries for garnish

Process the six strawberries with about a tablespoon of agave nectar.  Unmold the desserts and top with the strawberry puree.  Garnish.

Two Salads

Yesterday we shopped at Costco.  There are plenty of great choices of vegan ingredients there, like organic peanut butter, hemp hearts, raw nuts, washed spinach, peeled carrots and ground flax seed.

Abiding by the agreement we established from the beginning, we allowed ourselves to sample from the many free offerings handed out by employees at Costco.  Often as we tasted things, we wrinkled our noses and made faces.  The food was too sweet, too salty, or too greasy.  At one point we shared a sample of Starbucks Frappuccino.  I said to my husband, "I can't believe we used to drink that stuff!"  It tasted like the flavored, sweetened coffee creamers that people add to the coffee, not something to drink straight.  That's the result of training our taste buds to real, whole food.

We did pick up a couple of salads at Costco, and they were pretty good.  I'm going to list the ingredients on the label here, and will be attempting to make my own version in the future.  They are vegan but not raw. 

Quinoa Salad
(Costco Wholesale Deli Case)

Cucumber, Tomatoes, Red Quinoa, Red Bell Pepper, Mung Beans, White Quinoa, Bulgar Wheat,
Red Lentil, Parsley, Soybean Oil, Cilantro, Salt, Lemon Juice, Vinegar, Water, Spices

Texas Caviar Salad
(Pita Pal)

Blackeye Peas, Bell Pepper, Jicama, Corn, Onion, Parsely, Red Pepper, Orange Juice, Canola Oil, Spices, Citric Acid, Sea Salt, Potassium Sorbate and a Lot of Love

We enjoyed both of the salads although we thought the Texas Caviar tasted oily.  We can remedy that by using olive or grapeseed oil and using less of it.

Texas Caviar

1 (15 ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 (4 ounce) can ripe olives, chopped and drained
1/2 cup diced jicama
one ear of corn kernels
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate  (or use the zest and juice of one orange)
1 tablespoon chopped parsely
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon pepper

 Serves 12

Raw Food Philosophies

I spent some time online yesterday, watching some vlogs and reading websites about raw food lifestyles, and learning some new things.

It's possible to gain a ton of weight on a raw food diet.

The raw food lifestyle isn't just about what we eat.

There are raw foodists who eat mostly fruit.

Some even eat 30 bananas a day

You have to eat a LOT of fruits and vegetables on a raw food diet

This guys loads up his car with produce every week

Avoid raw junk food


Some raw foodists have eventually gone back to meat - raw meat.


There is a raw vegan woman who is over 70 and looks amazing, and credits her health and appearance to raw food.

Here is a raw vegan man who is 109 and doesn't look a day over 70