I hadn’t thought of making coconut milk from shredded coconut until I read Sarma Melngailis’ book Living Raw Food.  I cannot recommend this book highly enough.  Sarma has great recipes and tons of fabulous information for everyone –you don’t have to be raw to enjoy this book.

I also want to recommend Sarma’s products from her company One Lucky Duck.  I haven’t ever met Sarma (or spoken to anyone at her company, I place all of my orders online) however I think she’s really onto something.  I found out about her through my Mother-in-Law, who loves Sarma’s Manhattan restaurant Pure Food and Wine, though I have yet to eat there.

If you do order from One Lucky Duck, Sarma’s living food company, then you might like her Grawnola and her Cheese-y Quackers –those are my favorites and the boys love them too.

DIY Coconut MilkNote: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.
2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
4 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 drops stevia

1. Soak coconut in water for 1-2 hours (do not discard water)
2. In a vitamix, combine coconut, water, vanilla and stevia and process on highest speed
3. Strain liquid through a fine mesh paint strainer bag, discarding solids
4. Serve

Now, you might be wondering why we keep the soaking water in this recipe and not in my Almond Milk recipe.  Well, there’s a reason and it’s a good one.

When we soak the almonds, it is to release their phytic acid which is an enzyme inhibitor that can interfere with digestion.  That’s why some folks soak all of their nuts and nut products (I do not find it necessary to do so for myself and my family).  If you have questions or want more information on this, I would highly recommend looking up Sally Fallon and her book Nourishing Traditions, another one of my favorite cookbooks.

With this coconut milk, there is no need to discard the soaking water because, as far as I’ve been taught, coconuts do not contain enzyme inhibitors.  This recipe is a little messy to make,  however, I like it since it’s a heck of a lot easier than cracking open a fresh coconut and scooping out the “meat,” etc.  And, it helps me avoid canned coconut products.  I don’t like to eat food out of cans (see BPA), though that’s another story, or post perhaps.

This Thursday, at 8:45am I’ll be on Good Day Colorado demonstrating the (gluten free) Strawberry Shortcake recipe from my book, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook.

One last note, Boulder’s own Dessert Diva from Boulder Weekly appeared on Daybreak on the Deuce to make my Gluten Free Almond Butter Brownies from The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook. Watch the video here!

The post DIY Coconut Milk appeared first on Elana's Pantry.

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.

Cashew MilkNote: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.
1 cup (raw) cashews, soaked overnight
4 cups water
1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey
pinch celtic sea salt

1. Discard soaking water and rinse cashews thoroughly until water runs clear
2. Place cashews, (4 cups fresh) water, agave and salt in a vitamix
3. Process on high speed 20-30 seconds
4. Store in glass mason jar in refrigerator

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 Vitamix; 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!

PS. Don’t forget about the cookies!

The post Cashew Milk appeared first on Elana's Pantry.

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.

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 homemade almond milk in chai with a splash of agave nectar; perfect for fall.

You can use the leftover pulp to make my Almond Pulp Crackers!

The post Almond Milk appeared first on Elana's Pantry.