Elana’s Pantry

Iced Tea

Baseball is indeed over. However, all-stars have begun and my son and several of his little cohorts are on the team. We are now therefore faced with practice daily from 5:30 to 7:30. Thank goodness I am not coaching!

I will however, be providing the team with lots of snacks and good beverages such as the one below. This scrumptious iced tea really hits the spot on a summer’s day. It is sweet, lemony and refreshing.

Rooibos tea is said to be an excellent recovery beverage. Although it does not contain caffeine, I find on days when I am feeling a little draggy that it can put a punch back into my step. I really enjoy drinking it after a good workout.

Iced Tea
2 tablespoons loose rooibos tea
2 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon agave nectar
⅛ teaspoon stevia
12-18 ice cubes
¼ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 lemon, sliced into wedges

1. Place rooibos in a 2 cup pyrex glass measuring cup
2. Pour boiling water over rooibos; add agave and stevia
3. Steep for 10 minutes
4. Meanwhile, divide ice cubes and lemon juice between 2 large tumblers
5. Strain tea into cups
6. Serve with wedge of lemon

My husband says this beverage tastes like an Arnold Palmer, I think it tastes like the Nestea I grew up on (which I loved). Either way, when I serve it at our summer barbecues this iced tea is quite a hit. I make a huge batch of it in a stock pot, throw in tons of ice and serve it with a soup ladle. Enjoy!

Thai Iced Tea

We are in the middle of our little league baseball tourney (presently in quarterfinals) and play tonight to see if we can advance to the semis. My older son has been playing first base while the little one is bat boy.

We have had much fun, though it is getting quite competitive and the team we are playing tonight (the Nationals) is known as the meanest in the league. We have played them twice and lost both times so this is our chance to make a comeback. If you are hanging on the edge of your seat with baited breath, then sign up for my twitter –I generally leave tweets of our scores over there.

Summer is not only perfect for baseball, it is a great time for iced tea. While I generally salivate at the thought of Thai iced tea, I have not actually had the privilege of consuming one. This sweet, thick gooey drink usually consists of black tea, sugar and condensed milk (more sugar). Since I don’t do caffeine, sugar or dairy, it hasn’t been my drink of choice.

Now though, after seeing friends drink this sweet treat and reading all about it, I think what I have come up with is a decent approximation of this delightful drink.

Thai Iced Tea
2 tablespoons loose rooibos tea
2 cups boiling water
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon agave nectar
12 drops stevia
10-12 ice cubes
½ cup cashew milk

1. Place loose tea in a 2-cup pyrex measuring cup
2. Pour hot water over tea, add almond extract, agave, stevia and steep for 15 minutes
3. Place ice cubes in 2 large glasses
4. Strain tea into glasses
5. Pour in cashew milk
6. Serve

Serves 2

Thai iced tea makes an ideal dessert drink for summer as it is both cool and satiating. The boys and I have been making a lot of these lately after dinner. My little one uses heavy cream in place of the cashew milk, though the older one and I make ours using the recipe above. Either way, enjoy!

Top 10 Healthy Memorial Day Recipes

Memorial Day weekend is a great time for picnics and barbecues. Below you will find some of my favorite festive dishes for this great little three day weekend. These are perfect for warm weather parties. Packed with nutrition as well as flavor, this simple, healthy grub will wow your guests.

Select 3 or 4 dishes if you are having a smallish gathering, or cook up just about everything below if you are having a grand affair.

What do you like to do on Memorial Day weekend and what is your favorite dish to cook once the warm weather settles in? Leave a comment and let us know!

Cashew Milk

Cashew milk is my new favorite. I use it in smoothies and tea or splashed over a bowl full of granola.

Smooth, creamy and naturally sweet, this milk offers a much needed respite from the ubiquitous almond, which reigns supreme in my kitchen –unlike my almond milk recipe, this cashew milk does not require any straining. It is a cinch to make. Quick and easy, I like to have a quart of cashew milk ready in the fridge at all times.

On another note, I’ve been receiving many recipe requests of late. Katie asked for a barbecue sauce that does not contain agave. I’m working on it –one with tomato sauce, smoked paprika, ground mustard seed and orange juice. Katie, let me know if juice is going to work for your California barbecues or if you are looking for something free of even a small amount of fruit sugars. If that is the case we will go in a spicy mustard-vinegar type direction.

I broke out my grill yesterday (the first of May) to experiment with the aforementioned barbecue sauce recipe; of course it snowed! The day before that was 80 degrees. Go figure. That’s just the wacky Colorado spring for you. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the baby tomato plants in my teeny backyard survive. In the meantime, here’s that creamy cashew milk recipe.

This cashew milk has the viscosity of regular whole milk; if you want to make milk with the consistency of 2% cow milk, add another cup of water. For half and half (great for coffee and tea), use only 2 cups water in the above recipe.

Cashew milk is very foamy when first removed from the blender; it settles nicely after sitting in the fridge overnight. Often a layer of cream forms on top of the milk, though don’t be thrown, underneath is pure, delicious white stuff.

I sure am looking forward to some warm weather and drinking a creamy Thai ice tea made with this rich and silky cashew milk!

Soothing Chai

Today was the first day since June that I did not wear my flip flops. That means only one thing: the cold weather is here.

Although yesterday was warm and sunny, today we will dip down to a low of 35 degrees! For me, this chilly weather calls for one of my favorite beverages: homemade chai. With just a few basic ingredients, this recipe is easy, delicious and inexpensive.

This recipe for homemade chai is simple and, on a cloudy day, very satisfying! Another vegan, dairy-free, lactose-free, gluten-free beverage for a chilly day. Enjoy!

Got Milk?

Almond milk is one of my favorite drinks. Rich and creamy, it’s easy to make and super nourishing. While almond milk is a good alternative beverage for those on a dairy-free kick or raw food plan, I think it’s just plain delicious, whatever your dietary predilection! My children drink it by the glassful, while I drink it in my tea and blend it up in smoothies.

I used my favorite nine-year-old hand model to take the pictures above and while he’s been a bit of a wild stallion of late, I have to say he was a model passenger for the almond milk photo shoot. Got milk? Yes, we do! He gulped this cupful down as soon as we were finished photographing.

Almond Milk
2 cups almonds
4 cups water
1 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)

1. Soak almonds and vanilla bean overnight
2. Discard soaking water and rinse almonds in a deep bowl of water, repeat until water is clear
3. Place soaked almonds, vanilla bean and 4 cups of water in blender
4. Blend on highest speed for 90 seconds
5. Strain milk through cheesecloth or a fine mesh paint strainer bag, discarding solids
6. Serve

Serves 6

Making this almond milk is quick and dirty, you will definitely get your hands wet as you squeeze it through the paint bag. After you’re done, you can enjoy this rich gluten-free almond milk in chai with a splash of agave; perfect for fall.

Turning Lemons into Lemonade

I have been guzzling gallons of my favorite summer beverage during this hot spell. It’s another easy one,
and better yet, has no sugar or artificial sweeteners.

How’s that possible? See for yourself…

This delicious natural lemonade has no sugar, no calories and no artificial sweeteners!

Ginger Licorice Tea

When it gets cold outside and our throats begin to get a bit scratchy, I put up a pot of ginger licorice tea. Sweet and spicy, the boys love it on a cold day. The last time they went up skiing, they asked me to put some in a thermos for them.

According to The Way of Herbs, by Michael Tierra, ginger is of great benefit to the stomach and may be taken alone or with other herbs to enhance its effectiveness. Licorice is good for adrenal insufficiency (although large doses will exacerbate high blood pressure) and is very soothing for lungs and digestion. We use it in our house to soothe a cold or sore throat. Or to calm down an upset tummy.