Strawberry Milk – Healthy Style

I don’t know about you (well, I probably don’t even KNOW most of you!), but I am trying to avoid sugar at all costs.

I was entirely sweetener free for a year (including honey, agave, stevia, you name it) and it’s amazing what we DON’T need sugar for! For that year, everything was sweetened entirely with fruit, and I learned to like it. A lot!

Since that time, whenever I bake, the sugar is always reduced, and even then, some things are too sweet.

However, over the cold, bitter winter, I let myself slip and began consuming sugar again little by little.

And I don’t like how it makes me feel.

Neither does my family.

But that’s a little personal, so we’ll just keep moving on.

Getting used to ‘no sweeteners’ takes time; but with perseverance, it becomes the preferred way to go.

That being said, I love fruity smoothies, sweetened with only fruit. And I love strawberry milk, sweetened only with ripe, red strawberries!

This is how I do it:

In a blender, place 6 very ripe CHILLED strawberries, MOSTLY hulled (the leaves are actually good for you). Then take a picture. No, I’m just kidding. You don’t really have to take a picture.

Next, add your choice of  COLD milk. (I used Original Unsweetened Silk Almond.)

2 Cups is just the right amount for one serving.

At this point, if you like a little more sweet, add a Tablespoon of honey or agave. But not too much: you don’t want to mask the strawberries.

Blend well on medium high speed or on the ‘smoothie’ setting.

Pour into your glass and enjoy!

You really don’t need sugar, honey or agave to make things taste good! We Westerners were just raised to *think* that we do.

Strawberry Milk

• 6 very ripe, chilled strawberries – mostly hulled
• 2 cups your choice milk
• If desired, 1 Tb honey or agave

Place all ingredients into the blender. Blend well on medium high or on the blender’s ‘smoothie’ setting until combined.

Serve chilled.

Happy Being Sugar Free!

Eggless, uh….. Eggnog.

Yes, you’re right.

It sounds so wrong.

How can it be ‘eggnog’ if it doesn’t have any eggs in it?

If it truly bothers you, then perhaps you can just call it ‘nog’. Or ‘Grog’. Or ‘That really good drink that reminds me of eggnog, yet doesn’t have any eggs in it, so we don’t call it eggnog.’

Well, whatever you call it, it’s the perfect substitute for your childhood favorite Fall and holiday beverage.

And it’s so easy, you’ll be more than pleasantly surprised!

Above photo shamelessly stolen from the Worldwide Web.

Eggless, Dairy Free Eggnog

• 1 (3.4 oz) pkg french vanilla instant pudding mix
• 1/2 gallon Silk Almond Milk (I use Original Unsweetened) or your choice milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups cold milk & pudding mix until smooth.

Add in vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg. Scrape the bowl to make sure all ingredients are added & mixed thoroughly.

Slowly stir in remaining milk, then transfer eggnog to an air tight container and refrigerate for 30 minutes. It will thicken slightly. Stir before serving.

Serve hot or cold.

NOTE: For those who prefer a thicker drink, increase instant pudding mix to 2 boxes.

Also, I have been assured by the folks over at JELLO brand that their pudding mixes are gluten, soy and dairy free. It is always wise to read the label, though, because ingredients do change from time to time.

Happy Sipping!

Cold Beverages for HOT Summer Days!

My friends…

Don’t, don’t, don’t go blowing money at Starbucks.

Well, more than once a week anyway.

Although, I like the local Roastere’ better because they make me whatever I want with almond milk and honey and they don’t look at me strange. Oh, and they offer buy one get one free coffees six days a week from 2 – 4 p.m.

But I digress.

You can make your own little iced coffees right in the comfort of your home. And you can do that by saving up all the money you would spend at a coffee shop and buying yourself an inexpensive espresso machine instead.

And the recipe for iced coffee is simple:

* Brew two shots of espresso

*Fill a tall cup -not a glass or it will shatter when the hot brew hits it- (I like the ‘sippy’ cups with a lid and straw) with ice.

*If you want any sweetener in your beverage, stir it into the hot espresso. Sometimes I like to use a few tablespoons of honey along with unsweetened Silk Almond Milk. But you want to stir any sweeteners into the hot beverage so that they dissolve entirely.

*Pour your brewed espresso, sweetened or unsweetened, into the iced cup.

*Fill the rest of the way with your favorite alternative milk. I like Silk Dark Chocolate Almond Milk. If using the chocolate, no prior sweetening is needed.

*Stir, add a straw, and you’ve got a ‘coffee house’ type iced latte’ that will keep the heat away.

Oh, and before I go, one little helpful hint for going out for coffee, if you must:

If you cannot have soy and find that all of your favorite coffee places only offer such, then take one ‘baby box’ of almond milk along:

When ordering, ask for a double shot on ice in a 20 oz cup. They will look at you like you have just grown goat’s hair on your face, but that’s okay. Just explain you’ve brought your own milk because they are big, mean ogres for not offering anything but soy. Well, don’t say that, but make your point that they need to get with the times.

ANYHOW, once you have your iced espresso shots (which are usually less than 2 bucks, oh yeah!), open your little, bitty drink box and pour the contents in. Give it a good stir and put your lid/straw back on. Now you’re in business.

And you get to carry around a cup with some weird mermaid woman on it just like everybody else.

Happy Cold Sipping!

Getting Your Smoothie On

There is a lie.

A lie that says that in order to enjoy a smoothie, it must contain dairy.

How. Could. They?

You have been deceived long enough. It is time for your eyes to be opened!

Because you can make a smoothie without dairy. Yes. You. Can.

And the ingredients are simple. You will only need:

Non-dairy milk

Frozen or fresh fruit

Optional: Non-dairy yogurt or sorbet

Optional: Ground flax seed

::Measure into your blender::

1/2 cup semi-frozen berries or fresh berries

1-2 cups almond or other milk, amount depending on how thick you like your smoothie. (I like to use Silk unsweetened vanilla)

::If desired:: Add 1 container So Delicious coconut milk (or other) yogurt.

OR add 1/4 cup sorbet, such as Haagen Dazs or Julie’s

For a protein punch, add 2 tsp ground flax seed

Hit the smoothie button and let your blender do its thing.

 

Links for ingredients:

Silk Almond

So Delicious Yogurt

Haagen Dazs Sorbet

Julie’s Sorbet

Happy Summer Smoothies!