Recipe: DIY Almond Milk

Have you read the ingredients label for almond milk? Eek! It’s not just almonds and water, kids. Take a look at this common, unsweetened version:

Ingredients: almond milk (filtered water, almonds), calcium carbonate, sea salt, potassium citrate, carrageenan, sunflower lecithin, natural flavor, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin d2 and d-alpha-tocopherol (natural vitamin e).

Pshaw. Who needs all those additives? Here’s how to make your own. It’s easy, I swear.

Yields: half-gallon of almond milk

Ingredients & Equipment
1 cup raw, organic almonds
8 cups of water
1/2 tsp. sea salt
Strainer & cheesecloth
Blender
Optional: pure vanilla extract and/or natural sweeteners like stevia and maple syrup

Instructions

1. Soak almonds in 2 cups of water and salt for at least 3 hours or overnight.
2. Toss in a blender with 8 cups of water and run on high for about a minute, until it’s creamy and frothy.

3. Pour 1 cup of almond mixture through double cheesecloth-lined strainer and then use cheesecloth to squeeze into a large bowl. Repeat until all almond mixture has been transferred to bowl.

Note: keep the almond ‘pulp’ and use it to make gluten-free almond flour or for smoothies. It would be a shame to throw this out.
4. Optional: for sweetened milk, put liquid back in the blender and add preferred sweetener (above).
5. Pour liquid from bowl into large jug or containers.

Lasts about 6 days in the fridge. Product will naturally separate; just shake it before serving.

Recipe: Roasted Broccoli and Brussels Sprouts

photo source: steamykitchen.com

Ingredients
2 lbs Broccoli florets
1 lb Brussels Sprouts
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil or grass-fed butter, softened
salt and pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 lemon juice and zest
1 pinch cayenne
Celtic Sea or Himalayan salt and pepper
1⁄4-1⁄2 cup parmesan cheese from grass-fed animal (optional)
2 Tbsp. raw Almonds, chopped (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash veggies and dry thoroughly.
2. Slice broccoli stems into 1/4 inch thick rounds, cut florets in bite sized pieces. Have as many flat sides as possible so they caramelize. Remove the ends of the Brussels sprouts and slice in half.
3. Place veggies in a single layer on a parchment lined sheet tray with sides. Toss with 2 T of the olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes depending on how crisp you like them. Stir halfway through and toss with fresh garlic. Remove from oven when finished and allow to cool slightly.
5. Whisk together the remaining 2 T oil, lemon juice and zest, dijon, cayenne and salt and pepper to taste.
6. Toss with the veggies and cheese and almonds if using. Serve immediately or allow to come to room temperature.