Homemade Raw Almond Milk

I've never been a fan of dairy milk. The only way I would drink it as a child, was if there was so much Hershey's syrup mixed in, that it left a pool of chocolate at the bottom of the glass. Not much has changed as an adult. I spent years searching for an alternative for coffee, cereal and protein shakes, not only for flavor, but nutrition as well. Leaving the hormones and GMO's aside, organic milk is quite spendy as still has the strong cow's milk flavor that makes me cringe. Soy has a worse flavor in my opinion than the real deal and it wasn't until I discovered the delightful flavor of almond milk that I was satisfied. 

Why make your own you ask? Well you control everything that goes into it. You get the freshest flavor, avoid stabilizers, preservatives and sugar just to name a few. There's a large debate on a widely used thickening ingredient called Carrageenan that is added to processed almond milk and may possibly cause the C word.. CANCER. After further research, I found out there are two types of the seaweed extract; substance degraded and undegraded. They are very different compounds, only the undegraded carrageenan is approved for human consumption. Crisis averted, Gwyneth Paltrow can rest assured that her consciously uncoupled household shall remain cancer free. ;) As for the rest of us, just know that homemade is always best and all of your friends will think "You so fancy!" when they come over for tea and cookies and you bring out your beautiful French carafe of almond milk. (I have yet to do this for my friends, but it's on my list. Love you!) 

Take the extra time on a lazy weekend afternoon, 30 minutes of actual work at most and serve up a glass of almond milk. Just remember to stir before serving.

Raw Almond Milk

2 C. raw, organic, unsalted almonds
3 C. Pure filtered water
1 tsp. Organic vanilla or almond extract (or vanilla bean)
3-4 Tbs. of Stevia or natural sweetener (if sweetness is desired)
1/4 tsp. sea salt, fine grain


Cover the almonds with water in a small bowl and soak overnight (10-12 hours, at room temperature. Drain and rinse the almonds. Don't skip this step as soaking the almonds breaks down phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors and also cultures beneficial enzymes in the almonds. 

Add the almonds and filtered water to a food processor. Blend until pulverized and well combined. At this point, the mixture will be very frothy. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, several layers of cheesecloth or a nut bag into a large bowl. You may add the extract, salt and sweetener at this point if desired and stir until sweetener is dissolved. Taste for flavor, making any needed adjustments.

Funnel into an airtight container for storage. Since there are no stabilizers or preservatives, the shelf life is short for raw almond milk and it should be stored in the refrigerator for 4-7 days. Settling and separation are normal, shake before each use to combine.

As almonds are nutrient packed and can be pricey, get the most out of this recipe by reusing the almond pulp and making almond flour:

Almond Flour:

Preheat the oven to the lowest setting. Usually 150° or 170° F.

 Spread the pulp onto a cookie sheet lined with a silp mat or parchment paper. Place on the middle oven rack and leave the door slightly ajar, helping the moisture to escape. Bake the pulp for 2-3 hours until dry. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes and place back in the (dry) food processor to pulse until flour is smooth.

 Now you have almond flour to make some delicious cookies to dunk in your fresh almond milk! Give yourself a little hair jooge for being so awesome and handling the organic kitchen like a boss. Eat your heart out Martha Stewart! ;)

I haven't baked anything with my almond flour from this batch, but I'll be sure to post a great cookie recipe soon for you to try. I have to say, this process was fairly easy and I feel great knowing I've left all of the bad stuff out of my milk. No hormones or preservatives! try a batch out for yourself.

Xoxo,

Amelia.

Rustic Heirloom Tomato Tart

Lately I have been craving breakfast foods and the savory, the better. I look forward each week to Sunday brunch with friends. There's nothing better than being able to relax and enjoy great food and conversation. Usually we dine out, but on occasion when everyone has the free time, I enjoy cooking at home and having a proper brunch made with love. 

As fall approaches, I'm enjoying the last few heirloom tomatoes fresh off of the vine. What better way to showcase them than as the star of this beautiful tart. Using the puff pastry makes this recipe so simple, yet still elegant with beautiful presentation to delight your guests. 

Ingredients:

3-4 large heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1/4" slices
Fresh mozzarella
2 sheets (1 box) puff pastry, thawed
1 bunch of basil chiffonade
balsamic glaze for garnish
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C. olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. Line the puff pastry sheets side by side on the cookie sheet and lightly press the seam together, creating one large sheet to fill the pan.

3. Add the chopped garlic to the olive oil and brush mixture evenly over the entire top surface of the dough. Reserve a tablespoon or two to top the tomatoes right before placing the tart in the oven.

4. Meanwhile, place the tomato slices onto a triple layer of paper towel. Lightly sprinkle them with salt and pepper and let them sit for 15 minutes while the oven heats. This step will absorb the extra moisture and will prevent the dough from becoming soggy. Press additional moisture out of the tomatoes before topping dough.

5. Line the tomato slices evenly onto the dough, leaving a 1/2" gap from the sides as the uncovered section will form a crust. Alternate tomato colors for better presentation.

6. Add chunks or balls of mozzarella to the dough, in between the tomato slices to make for an even covering once baked. Drizzle remaining olive oil over the topping surface.

7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until crust has raised and browned evenly.

8. Let the tart cool for 5 minutes, sprinkle with basil and cut into squares or strips. Garnish each serving with balsamic drizzle and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese if desired and serve.

Grilled Artichokes with Garlic-Lemon Aioli

• 
• With the last few days of Summer winding down, I have been making the most of the Summer harvest and enjoying the last few local tomatoes, peaches and one of my favorite snacks, artichokes. This grilled version is absolute heaven. The slightly smokey earthiness that comes from charring the leaves makes these babies a snack so mouthwatering, you won't want to share. 

I served them with a lemon-garlic aioli that I cleaned up using mayo made with olive oil. I tried greek yogurt, but it was entirely too tangy. Sometimes it's worth a few extra calories for flavor, and the olive oil mayo is still half the fat of regular. Try this one out and comment below on your thoughts. I think you'll have a hard time ever just boiling an artichoke again.

Ingredients:

4 medium to large artichokes
1 large lemon, halved
olive oil
McCormick Roasted Garlic & Herb Seasoning
Kraft Mayo with Olive Oil
2 Tbs. chopped garlic
salt and pepper

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While water is heating, prep the artichokes using 1/2 the lemon as indicated. Once prepped, add to the boiling water and cook until almost tender, but not falling apart, approximately 10-15 minutes. Drain the artichokes, brush with olive oil and season the leaves. Be sure to open a few middle leaves to let seasoning fall inside.

While the artichokes are cooking, heat the grill to medium-high. Clean the grates well to prevent sticking. Grill your seasoned artichokes flat side down for 5 minutes, or until charred in spots. Flip over, lightly char the outer leaves and remove for plating. Serve with the Lemon-Garlic Aioli on the side.

• To make the aioli, squeeze enough juice from the remaining lemon half to measure 2 Tbsp.; place in a small bow. Whisk in the olive oil mayo, garlic and season with a dash of Roasted Garlic and Herb seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
  
  
  
  

  

  
  

Chopped Chinese Chicken Salad

After my last few posts on bacon and pasta, I decided it was time to get back on the wagon and make a refreshing and light salad. This Chopped Chinese Chicken Salad is so tasty, you won't know it's clean! I cleaned up the dressing by using stevia instead of sugar and light soy for a lower sodium option. I was careful to make sure none of the flavor was lost from the standard calorie ridden dressing everyone loves.

With so many colors, this salad has a beautiful presentation, which makes it a great option as a healthy side at your next potluck, luncheon or shower.

Chinese Chopped Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

1 Romaine lettuce heart, shredded

1 bag of coleslaw mix 

1 red bell pepper, julienned

1/2 head of shredded purple cabbage

2 Cups of shredded carrots

1 bunch scallions, chopped

1 lb of ground chicken

1/2 cup of salted sunflower seeds

1 cup shelled and cooked edamame

1 large can of mandarin oranges in their own juice, drained

chow mein noodles

Sesame Dressing:

1 1/2 tablespoons safflower oil 
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil 
1 1/2 teaspoons stevia
2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos 
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Combine all the salad ingredients, minus the mandarin oranges and chow mein noodles in a large bowl.
Make the dressing by combining all the dressing ingredients into a salad carafe and shake well. Immediately pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Plate a handful of salad on each plate and garnish with a small handful of chow mein noodles in the center. Add mandarin oranges in a ring around the outside of the chow mein noodles for pretty plating.

This salad is a great option for the Mason jar meal prep that has been so popular as of late.

Layer the salad in this order from the bottom of the jar up to the lid and store for up to 4 days in the fridge. This size will yield about 4 large jars of salad.

Layer order:

Chicken

Mandarin oranges

Carrots

Edamame
Scallions
Bell peppers

Dressing to coat layers to this point

Sunflower seeds

Cabbage

Coleslaw and romaine

Chow Mein noodles

To serve, just shake the jar well until combined, toss onto a plate and enjoy.

Caramelized Praline Bacon

Do you know what today is? Only one of my favorite food holidays! It's....

Bacon is the support structure of my food pyramid. I consider it a seasoning that should be used as frequently as salt and pepper. It goes on, or with everything. I have had bacon served just about as many ways as humanity has been able to create it.

By far my favorite has been the Maple-bacon Donut. combining the perfect blend of fried, airy dough with sweet maple frosting and salty bacon to crown it the donut king. It's one of the most delicious and decadent foods I've ever put in my mouth.

That being said, I had a very hard time deciding what to showcase as my bacon recipe for this grand occasion. I settled on featuring bacon as the star, jazzed up with sweetness and a little kick of heat.

Friends, I give you.. Caramelized Praline Bacon!

This bacon has everything one could ask for in a food. Sweet, salty, spicy, crunchy and the right amount of chewy fat to give your mouth an explosion of happiness and flavor. The touch of cayenne pepper is just enough kick to give you an unexpected surprise and the caramelized nuts and brown sugar are a crunchy coating of heaven. So without further adieu.. try this one out:

Caramelized Praline Bacon

1 lb. of thick, center cut bacon. (go for the good $tuff)

1/2 C. of toasted pecans after being pulverized in a food processor 

1/2 C. of dark brown sugar

1/4 tsp. of cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 400.

line a cookie sheet with tin foil and place a metal cooling rack set atop the cookie sheet.

Mix together the pecans, brown sugar and cayenne pepper. Place in a long casserole dish to coat your bacon in. Starting one piece at a time, heavily coat each side of bacon with the sugar mixture and place side by side on the cookie rack. You will most likely need to make two batches, so don't crowd the slices. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes until browned and crisp. Watch the last 5 minues carefully as sugars will move past caramelized quickly and become burned. Remove from the oven with a spatula and set on a piece of foil on top of a cutting board to cool. Don't let the slices touch as they will stick together until the sugars have cooled and hardened.

Once cool, try to share with others and don't be selfish! (Yes, YOU!)

This bacon is amazing with any breakfast item, or crumbled over ice cream for dessert. Try it in a Fat Elvis sandwich for a combination too sinful to admit you ate in public. But there will be no judging on this blog! I'll just be jealous you ate some without me. Now go forth and eat bacon!