homemade

Almond Coconut Irish Cream

We are officially on holidays and couldn’t be happier; sitting here sipping my coffee and homemade Baileys, anticipating the days to come and reflecting on the amazing year that was had. It’s these simple moments before the day begins that I really want to savour more often. The calmness and joy that comes from sitting and enjoying a cup of java rather than rushing out the door with a cup in hand. And with the holidays amongst us, your regular cup of joe can become much more festive with this quick and easy clean Irish Cream.

For the last two years, I have been loving my homemade Coconut Baileys Irish Cream, but this year wanted to try a recipe that didn’t involve stove time and one that was a bit lighter on the calories. Here comes my newest version, Almond Coconut Irish Cream.

It’s healthier, cleaner, dairy-free, paleo-friendly, vegan friendly and pretty amazing in my opinion. It’s easy to double or triple the recipe and makes for a great gift giving idea too!

Almond Coconut Irish Cream (yields 16 oz)

  • 1/2 cup Irish Whiskey
  • 1/2 cup + 2 Tbs canned coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 cup espresso or strong coffee, cooled
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup or 2 medjool dates work great too (add more or less to your liking)
  • dash of cinnamon
  1. Put all the ingredients into blender and mix
  2. Pour the Homemade Clean Irish Cream into a bottle/ airtight container and store in the fridge for 2-3 weeks
  3. Shake well before serving

Happy Holidays! xx

Pistachio Rose Mylk

Oh lord, this is a real treat! A mylk that you won’t make all the time, but a great way to jazz up your nut mylk game. Inspired by a favourite farmer’s market find (Mylko – Rose Pistachio), this combo is perfect for the holidays! Pistachio Rose

While the Rose water is a nice touch in this recipe, it’s not completely necessary. It won’t make or break this combination! It’s fragrant and lovely and offers great benefits but it adds time and you need to be super selective with where you source your roses.

The key star in this combo is the cardamon. Not a spice I usually steer towards but in this instance it is the perfect flavour partnered with the naturally sweet pistachio milk. Adding a boost when it comes to health promoting properties and combating digestive issues.

Ingredients (yields 4-5 cups)

  • 1 cup pistachios
  • 1/4 tsp cardamon
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 dates
  • Half cup rose water
  • Half cup vanilla almond mylk
  • 3-4 cups of filtered waterIngredients
  1. Place pistachios in bowl and cover with a couple inches of water. Soak nuts overnight (8 hours or longer).
  2. Rinse and drain nuts.Soaked Pistachios
  3. Select, fresh, fragrant, organic roses. Remove petals from stem and and rinse.
  4. Place rose petals in pan with a cup of water covering them. Cover pot with lid and set the heat to low.Rose Petals
  5. After about 20 -30 minutes, you will see that the water takes on the colour of the petals.Rose Petals after 20 minutes
  6. Strain petals.Rosewater
  7. Add all ingredients to blender and blend on high for 1 minute.
  8. Place cheese cloth or nut bag over a large bowl and pour milk.Pistachio Mylk + Cheese Cloth
  9. A lot of milk will filter right through, but you will need to squeeze the cloth/bag to ensure you get all the goodness into your bowl.Pistachio Rose Mylk

Drink up! xx

 

 

 

Vanilla Almond Mylk

I’ve been riding the nut mylk train for a couple years now and replacing dairy milk wherever I can. I’ve always stuck to the typical retail brands such Silk, Blue Diamond, Natur-a for convenience sake and I was always a bit intimidated in trying to make my own.

But at last, after trying some amazing varieties from local retailers and vendors at my favourite farmers markets, I thought I have to give this a whirl. Surely, it couldn’t be so hard and I found myself craving, the all natural, preservative free kinds. And let’s face it, the mass produced varieties with a shelf life, really don’t offer much flavour, nutrients and often have some nasty fillers like carrageenan. This recipe proves that this creamy delicious treat really is a cinch to make and is so satisfying!

For my first attempt, I am super impressed with how it turned out. Slightly sweet and silky smooth, I can literally drink this by the glass and do note, that this is not something I would ever or have ever done with mass produced almond mylk, cow milk and or any other variety. Never have I had that urge, but THIS…THIS is TOO good!

Simple ingredients make for a naturally sweet vanilla caramel flavour.Almond Mylk Ingredients

Ingredients (yields 4 cups)

  • 1 cup of almonds, soaked
  • 3 medjool pitted dates
  • ¼ tsp of cinnamon
  • 1 vanilla bean (for intense flavour – chop up the whole bean!) or half a tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 3-4 cups of filtered water

Soaked Almonds

  1. Place almonds in bowl and cover with a couple inches of water. Soak nuts overnight (8 hours or longer).
  2. Rinse and drain nuts.
  3. Add all ingredients to blender and blend on high for 1 minute.
  4. Place cheese cloth or nut bag over a large bowl and pour milk.
  5. A lot of milk will filter right through, but you will need to squeeze the cloth/bag to ensure you get all the goodness into your bowl.
  1. Almond Mylk + Cheese ClothVanilla Almond MylkGot Mylk?! xx

Coconut Baileys Irish Cream

When I think of Baileys Irish Cream, I associate the consumption with indulgence and am instantly taken back to the colder weather and the winter holidays. I feel nostalgic with the thought of sipping Baileys on ice, Christmas eve or enjoying a Baileys spiked coffee on a cold winter’s morning. Rarely, do I think to enjoy this decadent treat in the warmer months, until now.

Recently, I had been looking for a dairy free option that I could easily make at home with natural ingredients. I wanted to eliminate the unknowns of glycerol monostearate, maltodextrin, and artifical flavours, yet still satisfy that Irish cream craving.

As soon, as I stumbled upon this recipe on Oh She Glows, I knew it would be life-changing. 🙂 Angela Liddon, hits it right, every single time. With five simple, natural ingredients, this homemade treat offers a  hint of coconut and espresso, a dynamite combination. Let’s just say I may have over-indulged, it’s just that good.

Not only, does this vegan option hit the mark on taste, but this recipe is just as easy as picking up a “convenient” bottle at your local liquor store. I insist that you give this homemade recipe a try to see for yourself. From here on in, I will absolutely choose this version over store-bought each and every time.

My Saturday morning coffee on the front porch just got a whole lot better.

Coconut Milk BaileysHomemade Baileys Irish Cream (yields 3.5-4 cups)

  • 1 can light coconut milk
  • 1 can full-fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup strong espresso, or to taste
  • 3/4-1 cup Jameson Irish Whiskey, or to taste
  • pinch of salt

Directions:

  1. In a medium or large pot, add the cans of coconut milk and whisk. Now whisk in the sugar. Bring to a low boil, stirring frequently. Simmer for about 8-10 minutes, while stirring frequently, until it cooks down and thickens slightly.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in the espresso or coffee.
  3. Add a pinch of salt and finally the Jameson, to taste. Make it as strong or weak as you prefer.
  4. Store in sealed jars and serve over ice, with coffee or tea, or in baked goods. The whiskey and espresso settles to the bottom of the jar slightly, so give it a good stir before using.

xx!