vanilla

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

Vanilla Rosehip Hibiscus Cider

With the winter amongst us, I find myself continually wanting to grab a hot cup of anything delicious. Java, matcha, hot water with lemon, apple cider, black tea, green tea, blueberry tea, mulled wine – there are a ton of options for all times of the day and some more simple than others.

This weekend was probably the first where we really felt Winter in the air (lately we have been SO LUCKY with above average temps).  After strolling around the city all day in these cooler temps and almost immediately as I come in from the cold, I find myself looking for something warming and special. A cup of deliciousness to cozy up on the couch with and catch whichever Christmas flick that may be on.

With a ton of apples lying around, I decide to juice them and make homemade apple cider. While healthy and delicious, how can I fancy this up, make it special, make these apples worth juicing. 🙂

I come up with a vanilla bean, cinnamon stick and rosehip hibiscus; in my mind – perfection! This combination could not go wrong.Vanilla Rosehip Hibiscus Apple Cider

A cup of HEAVEN was just how right these flavours were when brewed together. Sweet, warm, rich, extraordinary, a treat for those days when you need that special pick me up.

  1. Juice apples (I used a mix of gala and fuji), remove foam from juice. 6 apples yield about 3 servings
  2. Slice open the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into a large pot; add the scraped pod as well + cinnamon stick
  3. Pour in the apple juice and heat over low-medium heat until liquid starts to simmer
  4. Remove from heat, add the rosehip hibiscus and let steep for 10-12 minutes
  5. Strain cider and serve

Vanilla Rosehip Hibiscus Cider

Keep warm. xx