EASY almond milk and yogurt

if you read my blueberry gummie recipe then you will recall that laziness motivates much of my cooking adventures. btw- this all started because i was disgusted that one tiny lil almond milk yogurt cup from the healthy section of the grocery store had 17 g of sugar in it and cost almost $2.00

so i scoured the interwebs for the easiest, least ingredients, recipe for almond milk yogurt. and then because im incapable of actually following a recipe, i created my own, exact measurements below are my best guess, as i tend to pour and dash and toss, and then add some more ;) 
SO SO delish, and thats all that matters. 

~I do this at night. 

~I recommend making your first batch with JUST honey – no other sweetener or flavoring, so as not to waste if it doesn't turn out. There is always a learning curve involved.

~Be forewarned, the milk is not going to taste like the super sweet stuff you buy in a box. If its not sweet enough for you, add a titch of raw sugar cane, honey, maple syrup or vanilla as needed to your milk in the blending phase.

Milk: 

ingredients: raw almonds. water. yes thats it. 

3 cups of raw almonds. 

Soak on countertop for 24 hrs. don't soak in the fridge. Add more water to soaking bowl as needed.
rinse almonds very well in fresh water. Drain.

blend soaked almonds with 2:1 fresh water.

           ie 1 cup of now soaked almonds with 2 cups water.

               if you have a food processor or vitamix... shhh i dont wanna hear it. 

Strain with cheese cloth into storage container/juice pitcher. 

              lets talk abt this for a minute. im going to assume youre like me and not familiar with straining and milking things. i mean, why would you be when you can buy everything you need strained and milked off the shelf?! #firstworldproblems #hollyhomemaker

heres what i did. btw i got faster and faster at it and soon it was no big deal. at first it was more of a 'how the heck' type of situation. 

so.... i cut a large enough piece of cheesecloth to fit over the top of the juice pitcher with enough hanging off the sides, while still allowing a little bit to slack into the pitcher that i would fill the slack with the blender concoction, and then bundle the extra cloth up and twist around the top of my almond bulge and squeeze the bulge with my CLEAN hands into the pitcher. make sense? youll get good at knowing how much to pour into the cloth before needing to grab it from overflowing pretty quick like. 
dry out leftover almond meal in the oven on a baking sheet on 350’ or less until dry 

         (a couple hours depending on the temp of the oven) check and stir it periodically

          to make sure moisture is escaping and its not burning, may as well bake a gf/df cake at the same
          time since this is like the epitome of domestic behavior 

bag and store in freezer if not going to use right away. 

            google all the wonderful things you can do with almond meal. 

milk can be in fridge for 3-5 days before spoiling. It will separate- Stir well before using.
** this quantity will provide enough for a batch of  yogurt and a bit leftover for drinking, cereal usage, etc. if you don't want that much, use less almonds to begin with. If you want creamer milk, use less fresh water in the blender. If you want thinner milk, use more fresh water in the blender. **

Tip: Can freeze leftover milk in ice cube tray for easy usage in smoothies
Another tip: in true laziness i figured out that putting the meal in a bowl was quite dumb, just dump the meal right onto your cookie sheet for oven drying. duh! 

viola! all the parts - blender, milk, cheesecloth, meal, more almonds waiting to become milk and meal

its so beautiful. brings a tear to my eye

Yogurt:
-4 cups almond milk (that you made 1 or 2 days prior) 

-Honey 

-Vanilla if desired (3 tblspns)

-Grassfed beef gelatin (great lakes) 1-2 tblspsns, depending on how stiff you want your

yogurt. I like 1.5 tblspns= not too runny and not super thick like flan dessert. Nothing wrong with flan, sometimes a hearty thick yogurt is superb, and its easier for kids to get it from their spoon to their mouth.

-Lemon zest/oil if desired. 5 -10 drops essential oil. (or orange, or other ‘flavor’) i use doterra oils

-Culture start. Plain yogurt with LIVE bacteria. 3 tblpsns. I use goat milk yogurt or greek brand plain
            yogurt bc im not completely cow milk intolerant, and I am not a proponent of soy.

-Crock pot. Hand towel. Bath towel.

1. heat milk to 180’ on stove top. Don't let boil, stir frequently. 

Meanwhile:

1. Blossom gelatin in abt 1/3-1/2 cup almond milk, use just enough milk to blossom all the powder.
2. Turn crockpot onto low, close lid.

2. add blossomed gelatin to pot of milk. Mix with hand blender to avoid clumps.

3. cool milk to 90’. This can take a bit of time. Stir often. Do not put in fridge. Putting on a different surface will help cool faster ie countertop 

4. while cooling - Add sweetener of choice ie honey. 3-4 tblspns.
also add vanilla or essential oil - lemon, lime, grapefruit, lavender, orange or fruit puree etc. 

mix with hand blender for equal distribution.

5. Once cooled: add culture- Don't want to kill the beneficial bacteria with the heat. 

Mix with hand blender.

6. Do a lil lick test to ensure no other flavor modifications are needed

7. pour into crockpot. Cover top with ceran wrap. Cover that with a hand towel. Place lid on top of ceran/towel. Turn it off. Wrap the bath towel around the crockpot. Can heat up towel in the dryer just prior if desired so its warm and cozy. 
Let it incubate. whaaa?? yes. and dont think that turning the crock pot back on 'for just a few minutes' after a few hours passes is a good idea. cuz its not. just trust me. 

8. after 12-18 hours, ie the next morning, pour liquid from crockpot into storage container and place in fridge. Should have ready-to-eat yogurt in a couple of hours or less.

yeilds: one of those tall yogurt tubs that doesnt fit on half your shelves in the fridge, however many ounces that is.

remember: save a few tblspns at the end of the batch to use as the next starter. 

sorry, no yogurt pics, i inhaled it too fast. 

Corny Ham and Potato Scallop Recipe

I made this the other night and it was Delicious.

Ingredients

• 5 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 1/2 cups cubed cooked ham
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 2 teaspoons instant minced onion
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a slow cooker, combine potatoes, ham, corn, green pepper, and onion. In a small bowl, stir together soup, milk, and flour until smooth. Pour soup mixture over ham and vegetables, and stir gently to coat.
2. Cover, and cook on Low for about 8 hours, or until potatoes are tender.

skip to the bottom to see what i actually did, the recipe is a lil fancy schmansy if you ask me....
**quinoa is a gluten free grain**

Spicy Quinoa, Cucumber and Tomato Salad

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

This refreshing summer salad can sit in the refrigerator for a few hours without deteriorating, so it makes a great choice for bringing to work or to a summer picnic.

1 cup quinoa

3 cups water

Salt to taste

2 cups diced cucumber

1 small red onion, finely minced (optional)

2 cups finely diced tomatoes

1 to 2 jalapeño or serrano peppers (to taste), seeded if desired and finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus several sprigs for garnish

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 avocado, sliced, for garnish

1. Place the quinoa in a bowl, and cover with cold water. Let sit for five minutes. Drain through a strainer, and rinse until the water runs clear. Bring the 3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add salt (1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon) and the quinoa. Bring back to a boil, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until the quinoa is tender and translucent; each grain should have a little thread. Drain off the water in the pan through a strainer, and return the quinoa to the pan. Cover the pan with a clean dishtowel, replace the lid and allow to sit for 10 minutes. If making for the freezer, uncover and allow to cool, then place in plastic bags. Flatten the bags and seal.

2. Meanwhile, place the finely diced cucumber in a colander, and sprinkle with salt. Toss and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Rinse the cucumber with cold water, and drain on paper towels. If using the onion, place in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for five minutes, then drain, rinse with cold water and drain on paper towels.

3. Combine the tomatoes, chiles, cilantro, vinegar, lime juice and olive oil in a bowl. Add the cucumber and onion, season to taste with salt, and add the quinoa and cilantro. Toss together, and taste and adjust seasonings. Serve garnished with sliced avocado and cilantro sprigs.

Yield: Serves six.

Advance preparation: The quinoa freezes well, and the assembled salad will keep for a day in the refrigerator. The leftovers will be good for a couple of days.

Nutritional information per serving: 236 calories; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 25 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 12 milligrams sodium (does not include salt added during cooking); 6 grams protein

Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ive never cooked with quinoa before so i did, for the most part, follow the instructions about soaking and yes, i even placed a dish cloth btwn the quinoa and the lid. i did not however use the amts called for in all the rest of the ingredients. i dont like cucumber or tomato but they both have nutritional benefits and ever since ive returned from Turkey i find myself craving it - weird, i know.  so i used half of a cuc and half a tom. i used red pepper flakes cuz i dont like biting into jalapeno or serrano pieces. i dont take the time to measure stuff when i cook, so i splashed in some white and apple cider vinegar (thats what was in my cupboard) and squeezed out half a juicy lime into the bowl. i used scallions instead of onions, cuz im not a fan of red onion and i dont really like uncooked white onions. i used the entire avocado in the salad, i didnt garnish anything (why bother, its just for me tonight and school lunch tomorrow). i added chicken (hormel foods natural choice grilled carved chicken breast- cuz im lazy!) for some added protein. because i used less cuc and tom i needed only about 2/3 (if even that) of the cooked quinoa to make a nice grain/veggie ratio. i didnt follow the instructions as far as what-to-add-to-the-bowl-when, i dumped everything in and let it marinate while the quinoa simmered. (i did try the soaking of cucs in salt but did not drain them on towels or anything) My version didnt look nearly as elegant as pictured above. 

it all kinda clumped together into a goolash. I tried to fluff it rather than stir it when i added the quinoa to everything else. 

but it tasted super yummy, fresh, crisp and was quite filling. if i were to make it again id add garlic (i love garlic, you just cant go wrong with garlic) and something orange, maybe orange bell pepper or carrots, doesnt it look like it needs orange? id also add bacon if i was feeling really ambitious and wanted to take the time to make it as well. kalamata olives and some feta cheese would make it a very Mediterranean style dish. 

of course organic veggies/products and all natural hormone/nitrate free meats are the best way to go! enjoy! and id love to hear your additions/deletions/modifications if you get creative! 

i wouldnt have found this if it wasnt for my friend jon

Funeral Potatoes!! YUM!

• 32 oz bag of frozen shredded hash browns shopping list
• 2 (10 3/4 oz) cans cream of chicken soup shopping list
• 2 cups sour cream shopping list
• 1 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (I like to use sharp cheddar cheese) shopping list
• 1/2 cup melted butter or margarine shopping list
• 1/2 c. chopped onion shopping list
• 2 cups finely crushed corn flakes shopping list
• 2 Tbs butter or margarine melted

• Grease 9x13 baking dish and preheat oven to 350
• In large bowl combine soups, sour cream, cheese, onions, and the 1/2 cup of melted butter.
• Gently fold hash browns into mixture.
• Pour mixture into pan.
• Combine crushed corn flakes and the 2 Tbs. of melted butter and sprinkle on top of potato mixture.
• Bake for 30 minutes.
• *If wanting to, you can use cubed potatoes instead of hash browns but you will need to increase baking time to 55 minutes.

I made this a couple days ago and it was DELICIOUS!! I love these so much!!

If you take a recipe--Leave one too

I have had several people ask for some recipes lately and so I decided to create this blog. It will be an open author blog. This way we can all leave recipes for eachother. At the end of 6 months if we've gotten enough I will make a book from all these recipes. There will be tags/labels for each different cattegory:

Main Dish
-chicken
-pork
-beef
-vegetarian
-seafood

Side Dish

Dessert

Drinks

Miscellaneous

So please label them when you are posting so that it will be easier to navigate later on down the road. If you want to get on the author list just let me know!

Hope this works out as well as I hope :)

you can email me birthmothers4adoption@gmail.com with questions or if you want an invite!

BON APETIT!!