Homemade Almond Milk

Family Tricks

      I went through an almond milk phase in college when I started experiencing dairy sensitivity. The cross country team had a tradition of ending dinner with a bowl of cereal. Dinner followed after practice, so we generally arrived hungry and stayed a long time. For a few weeks I would always leave dinner with a serious stomachache. When I put it together that the discomfort immediately followed the milk, it was like a light went on. A search light that is, to find a new milk. Almond milk became a new staple in my mini fridge until one day I flat out stopped enjoying it. It had a strange aftertaste I began to despise. Recently, I decided to give almond milk another try, and with a recipe suggested from a coworker, I was ready. This drink redeems almond milk. It is fresh and creamy and feels like you are drinking from an almond tree. 

     Now onto my sneaky trick. About half of my family loved the almond milk, while the others did not touch it. I'm not sure if it was their inability to find it, poor marketing on my part (I did not push this on anyone), or their inability to decipher what was in the pitcher (unknown foods are usually a no).  After the store bought almond milk ran out, I just poured my homemade one into the carton and placed in back in the fridge. Disrupting the morning routine is risky, but my confidence overruled my fear. That night, my Dad set out everything for the next morning as usual. A box of  Joe's Cherrios, a block of dark chocolate, vitamins, and a wine glass (to drink water from). The next morning, and the morning after that, my almond milk was consumed without the blink of an eye by the other half of the family. Who knows, maybe I will start a deceptively delicious section of the blog.

Disclaimer: I would not do this to anyone with a known allergy, or most likely anyone outside my own family. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups of raw almonds soaked overnight
• 4 cups cold water
• pinch salt
• 2 pitted dates
• 1/2 tsp vanilla opt
• Also optional, honey or maple syrup

Directions

1. In a food processor, blend the almonds and dates with 2 cups of water. Gradually add the next two cups of water and blend until smooth.
2. Place a clean cloth over a bowl, or use a nut milk bag. Pour the milk into over the cloth
3. 
4. Gather it with your hands and squeeze every last drop out of the bag and save the remaining nut pulp for another recipe.
5. 
6.   Add in vanilla or maple syrup if desired
7. Refrigerate and drink cold.
8. Note: Separation is normal, make sure to shake or stir before consuming. 

Meaty Pumpkin Souffle

Autumnal Equinox Dinner

Today is an unusual post for me. I am blogging a recipe that actually involves meat and multiple steps. Sometimes I'm not sure I can tell people that I cook a lot when I mostly grind up everything quickly in my food processor. This however, is a complete meal, and turned out quite tasty. 

      On the first day of fall I decided the time had come to buy a small sugar pumpkin from Trader Joes. I usually place pumpkin in the desserts, lattes, and Halloween carving category. However, you can use pumpkin like you would another squash, and add it to savory foods. The sweet potatoes were not in the original recipe, however they help complement the pumpkin taste. If you have never used a real pumpkin in cooking or baking before, give it a try! The color is a much brighter orange than that of the can. Plus you can decorate your table with the pumpkin for a few days before you eat it.

Ingredients Serves 5

• 1 small sugar pumpkin
• Roughly 2 sweet potatoes
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 T coconut oil
• 1/2 yellow onion diced
• 1 clove garlic, or 1 frozen cube
• 2 C fresh spinach, finely chopped
• 1 C fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1.2 t salt
• 1/2 T ground cinnamon
• 1/4 t ground nutmeg
• 1/2 t fresh ginger
• 4 egg whites

Directions

1. Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds (save them for roasting). Bake at 350 for ~ 20 minutes
2. Peel 2 sweet potatoes and steam or bake. (Time depends on size)
3. Cook the chopped onion in the coconut oil in a large skillet. 
4. Add the ground beef and cook until browned.
5. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and mix well.
6. Stir in the spinach and basil and remove from heat.
7. Spread the meat mixture evenly into an 11 x 7 glass baking dish
8. Place the cooked pumpkin in a food processor (after scooping it out of its skin) and blend until smooth. Add the cinnamon nutmeg and ginger.
9. In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until they are stiff.
10. Fold the pumpkin mixture into the egg whites
11. Spread over the meat and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
12. Serve while warm.

Note:
If you are not confident in how your crowd will receive this (it looks pretty different), call it mashed yams over beef. I did this and received good reviews instead of skeptical questions. I am not even sure if they realized there were eggs or pumpkins in there. Sometimes its all about the nomenclature.  If you are pressed for time, you could serve the souffle part only over applesauce for breakfast or dessert.

Strawberry Balsamic Cauliflower

When Erika first suggested I add strawberries to the cauliflower, I thought it a bit absurd of an idea. If you are thinking the same thing, ignore your instincts and just try this out. This is a side dish perfect for those last few days of summer. After all, there are only 3 official days left. 

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower head
• 10 strawberries sliced
• 3 + Tbs balsamic vinegar
• Sprinkle of salt - optional
• 1/4 cup water
• Coconut oil or other oil for cooking

Directions- Serves ~6

1. Break up cauliflower into its small tree parts and insert into food processor. Pulse until it is the consistency of rice or large snow flakes (not mashed potatoes). If you don't have a food processor, just chop into very small pieces. 
2. Pour into an oiled skillet and add 1/4 cup water to the top.
3. Heat on medium for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally so it does not burn to the bottom. It should be soft but not mushy. 
4. Remove from heat and add balsamic vinegar and sprinkle salt if desired.
5. Add strawberry slices after it has cooled slightly
6. Serve on the side of chicken or fish. 

Bay to Breakers Scramble

Rewind to May 20, 2012. Bay to Breakers 12k, San Francisco.

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    At  5:05 AM the alarm rings and Elizabeth and I quickly grab our running clothes. Marie and Pete arrive promptly with black coffee and drive us all to the train station. This dark hour is one that most young people consider the middle of the night, yet there is an excitement in the air already. Students and young adults dressed in flashy flamboyant clothes fill the train, and a few of them are already completely intoxicated. When we finally all find a compartment and relax, someone appropriately compares the situation to the Hogwarts express. First things first is preparing our costumes right. Ali, Marie, Elizabeth and I all braid each others hair for our Hunger Games theme. Little did I know, dressing as Katniss Everdeen (with Peeta, Prim and  Tracker Jacker) made me feel like a celebrity for the day. The ride up passes by quickly on the express train as we braid hair and eat pre-race foods. Pete mixes 100% cocoa powder, cytomax and berries with an intense focus. An onlooker may suspect he is dealing drugs with his unlabeled bags of dark and white  powders. I have a luna bar, a couple squares of 72% dark chocolate and coffee. Just enough to wake me up and settle hunger.

       When we arrive in SF, the serious runners part from the recreational with plans to meet after the race. Some people stumble out of the train and I consider whether they will actually make it to the starting line over a mile away. As Elizabeth and I decided to run this race as a workout, Pete is contemplating different strategies. One of them being an all out mile followed by 6 miles of recovery coasting. At the starting line, corn tortillas are flying, music is blasting and the energy is high. Elizabeth and I run the first half of the race at tempo, and then race the 2nd half. A great strategy for a workout and confidence building, but not one for a fast time. After the race, we all meet up, grab some coconut water, and meandered our way  through the race expo. After that, we begin a long trek in search of brunch. Block after block of only asian restaurants frustrates us. 

       The group tries to articulate what they want, and finally Pete says, "I just want a big fat Omlette" and we agree. Eventually when we do find the cafe, the group looks rather unkempt, and a bit out of place in our costumes. "Whatever" we say "Its Bay to Breakers day" and order our breakfast. 

SF Scramble

- 2 eggs scrambled with goat cheese

-  1/2 Sautéed zucchini

- Sliced beets

- Eat immediately