Strawberry Pomegranate Limeade And A Giveaway

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**PLEASE NOTICE THAT THE DEALINE FOR THE COOKBOOK GIVEAWAY HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO THE 27TH OF JULY. GET THE REQUIREMENTS TO PARTICIPATE BELOW**

The other day when I was photographing my Chocolate Agar Agar I made a flavored drink to go along with the dessert. Since the Agar Agar was sweet I wanted the drink to compliment and not add more sweetness to my mouth. Though water is my number one drink preference sometimes you want a little more flavoring. Fruit it the best way of giving water a little flavor splash, not to mention the healthiest option. Basically all I did was crush pomegranate seeds into the water. It worked great because there was a sweet tartness flavor in the water along with a pretty pink hue.

After cleaning up I began munching on the pomegranate and strawberries that were used to decorate the table on the Chocolate Agar Agar photos. They tasted great together! I also wrapped them in the mint leaves and noticed another burst of flavors. So great in fact that I knew I had to make something with them. It's been very nice and warm here so the first thing that came to mind was a limeade to cool off with. There really is no recipe other than blending the fruits, juice and sweetened to taste. So simple in fact that you have no excuse to try it. Don't forget all of the vitamins and health benefits of choosing a drink like this over a caloric softdrink. Plus if you have children this is a great way of getting more fruits into them.

Strawberry Pomegranate Limeade :

fresh ripe strawberries, stem removed

pomegranate seeds

lime(s), juiced

fresh mint leaves

honey or brown sugar to sweeten, optional

blender and fine sieve

large pitcher and ice cubes

1. Place the fruit, lime juice, and mint leaves in a blender. Add some water and process until fruit is completely broken down. Taste and add sweetener according to taste. Process in blender again. Strain through the fine sieve and discard the leftover pulp. Pour into a pitcher with ice cubes and refrigerate for about 15 minutes. Serve with ice cubes and decorate with fruit if you like.

* TIP* You may need to strain it twice so that yours doesn't collect the extra fruit pulp like mine did. That is what you see in the photos.

**PHOTOGRAPHY TIP** If it is really hot outside make sure the limeade has cooled in the refrigerator long enough. Even though my limeade was cool, it was still so hot outside that the ice cubes melted very fast. Picture wise glasses with fresh ice cubes will look best. Also you can either wipe the moister off the glasses or leave if you like, I choose to give mine off. **

Now for the giveaway. To celebrate my 2nd blogoversary I am giving away a copy of my cookbook, An Epiphany of The Senses, to one lucky winner. This is going to be a contest type giveaway. The contest will work like so,

- Open to everyone, will ship worldwide.

- Cook a "Spicie" recipe and post it on your blog. Any type of recipe be it a dessert, drink, main dish, vegetable... you get the point. What I mean by "Spicie" is a new recipe that is either spicy to you OR a new recipe using your favorite spices as the main flavoring for the recipe. (Use several, or a few not just one. Have fun and be creative, perhaps cook something outside of your comfort zone.)

- The contest will run from today July 12th to July 27th, Your recipe must be posted on your blog during that time.

- Send me an email to spiciefoodie (@) gmail.com with your name and a link to the new recipe on your blog.

- On July 22th I will post a roundup of all the giveaway participants and choose a winner.

- In addition to winning a copy of my cookbook the winner's recipe will also be featured here on Spicie Foodie.

- All recipes will be judged on originality and how hungry they make me feel.

Ready, Set, Start cooking! Remember to have fun and be creative. Good luck and I can't wait to see your recipes. Leave a comment saying you want to participate so I can expect your recipe.

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Spring And A Breakfast Strawberry Soy Shake

Spring is in the air! For me spring is when everything starts to come back alive. It feels as though everyone is waking up from the long slumber of the cold winter. The days are getting longer, and here (in northern Europe) we are beginning to see the sun make more appearances. People seem to smile more, it's definitely the effects of sunshine and warmer weather, I'm sure. My chile plant and rose bush are beginning to bloom, soon there will be chiles to spice up my food and mini roses to brighten my home. I can now hear the little birds singing their beautiful morning melodies, welcome back birdies.


Another thing that awakens from the winter slumber is the selection of fresh fruit and vegetables. No more root vegetables and no more boring fruit selections. The biggest sign (produce wise) that spring is on its way is the sudden appearance of strawberries. Large, bright red, sweet strawberries. Oh how I long for that sight all winter long. The taste smell and sight of strawberries will help awaken you from your deep winter slumber. Every spring I eat my weight (times one hundred) in fresh strawberries. I love to start my spring days with a strawberry milkshake, it's healthy and the natural sugars will give our bodies energy that releases slower into our bodies. Sometimes the milkshakes are made just with strawberries and other times (to keep it interesting) other fruits get added to the mix. Another variation I like to play with is the milk used. You can use soy, almond or regular milk and all will give you a delicious variation. Play around with the variations and let your mood or pantry decide how to get your spring morning off to a deliciously fruity start.

Ingredients:
makes 1 serving
6 large strawberries
1 small banana
1/2 cup or 118 ml soy/almond or regular milk
honey to taste, optional

blender

1. Peel the banana and slice into 4 pieces, place inside blender. Remove the stem from the strawberries, cut in half and add to the blender. Next add the as much honey as you like. Then pour in the soy milk (or other milk choices) into blender.

2. Blend until the fruit has broken down into a smooth thick mixture. If you would like a thinner smoothie feel free to add more soy milk.

Last April I posted my recipe for Strawberry Green Tea Smoothie. That recipe contains caffeine so it will give you more energy. If you don't fancy a milkshake for breakfast then enjoy it as an afternoon snack or pick-me-up. Now grab a good book, sit back near a bright sunny window and let the sweet fruit flavors fill your mouth. I can't think of a better way to welcome the sunny days of spring, can you?

By the way I'm not changing my moodier (darker) style of photography, I've just been testing out shooting on a white backdrop for my stock agency photos. I'm also so happy to finally have sunlight coming into my flat. Can't wait to start shooting more natural light photos.

** In case you missed the announcement, Signup For March's YBR Roundup here. Deadline to submit your photos and recipes is March 30!**

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Homemade Non Separating Almond Milk

Have you ever tried almond milk? The taste is a velvety creamy taste with a hint of almonds. It can be sweetened (If I sweeten my I like to use honey, raw cane sugar or even maple syrup), it can also be flavored with vanilla or even chocolate. I find the taste of almond milk to be absolutely divine! I would even go as far as saying it is addictive. The first time I tried almond milk was about one year ago when I bought a liter from my local organic market. I knew immediately that this was going on my rotation of non-dairy milks.

Last June I shared my recipe for raw Almond milk, and it has been one of my most popular post to date. The recipe that I shared works perfect and it is hassle free. But for some reason when I added the almond milk to my tea or coffee it would separate. The taste is still great but it's not the prettiest looking thing. (I should note that as the almond milk sits in the refrigerator it does separate, but a quick shake and it's ready to drink. ) I experimented with warming up the almond milk before adding it to the tea (coffee) or pouring the brewed tea (coffee) into the almond milk. Both of these methods prevented the separating but it was a pain having to dirty extra dishes or when I just wanted a quick splash. Then the lightbulb when off, cook the almond milk. Viola! This yielded non separating thicker almond milk. Cooking or boiling the almond milk prevented both the separating in tea, coffee as well as preventing the almond milk from separating as it sits in the refrigerator.

My recipe for non-seperating almond milk is the same as the raw almond milk, obviously the only difference being that at the end the almond milk is boiled. Here is the recipe (doubled) or you can also find it in my archives here.

Ingredients:
-200 grams or 7.5 ounces blanched almonds (learn how to blanch almonds here)
-4 cups or 1 liter water

optional:
sugar or honey or dates to sweeten

-1 large bowl
-cheese cloth or a clean kitchen towel or very fine sieve colander
-blender
pot

1. Place the blanched almonds in a large bowl and cover with water. Leave to sit overnight.

2. Drain the water, and place the almonds in a blender. Pour 2 cups of water into blender, and if using sweetener add it to the blender as well. Blend until the almonds have completely broken down to a fine almost paste. Place the cheese cloth (or other options) over a large bowl. Pour the liquid over the cloth, then pull up on all ends to squeeze out liquid onto the bowl . Once the liquid is all removed, place the ground almonds back inside the blender and add the remaining 2 cups of water, again repeating the process.

3. Pour the almond milk into the pot, partially cover and under low heat simmer for 15 minutes. Keep a close eye on it as it may boil over. Stir now and then. Allow to cool before storing in the refrigerator. The almond milk will keep fresh in the refrigerator for 5 days.

Last time I also advised you not to discard the ground almonds because you can used them in baked goods. Or also "An option is to dry the ground almonds then once they have completely dried place them back in the blender and blend into a fine almond flour. Again this can be used in baked goods or any other recipes that might call for almond flour." I have used the leftover ground almonds in a couple of recipes. I will have them written up to share with you very soon.

You may be wondering how to use the almond milk, just like you would cow or soy milk. My favorite way is to just enjoy a cold glass of almond milk, but I have used it in baking, cereal, muesli, and I've seen some people adding it soups. I will experiment further and get back to you. But now go on and enjoy some delicious, healthy, no preservatives, homemade almond milk.

*Update March 11 : Click here to see how you can use the leftover ground almonds, Chocolate Craisin Almond Cookies.

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Mandarin (Tangerine) Spiced Tea

Hi guys! I know you are all waiting on the first photo tutorial but I'm working with only 4 hours sleep today and I just couldn't finish it without making sure there are no mistakes, so that will be the next post. I promise! On another note, Julie from Gourmet Getaways just reviewed my cookbook. I think she liked it ;), So I'd like to invite you guys to stop by her site and read her review. Guess what? in addition to the review she is also giving away a copy. She is making it really easy and fun to enter your chance to win. Please stop by Gourmet Gateways to enter your chance to win.

Check out her pretty photo of the recipe (Apple Chai Masala Muffins) she choose.

The recipe that I have for you today is for one of my favorite drinks in the whole world, tea. I'm a tea addict and always experimenting with different spices and flavors to keep it all interesting. Mandarin oranges also know as Tangerines are such a great tasting fruit to eat on their own, juice for cooking and baking and of course the zest or peel is one my favorite ingredients. I don't buy dried zest or peels I dry my own. It's very easy and while it's drying it makes your house smell really good. But perhaps I'll do a tutorial another time so I can convince you guys. In the meantime I'll leave you with this lightly spiced and fruity tea. It's a great tea to drink anytime of the day.

Ingredients: ( makes 3-4 cups)

*black tea, bags or loose leaf
3 bruised cardamom pods
4 whole cloves
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, or half 1 stick
Peel of 1 small Mandarin (Tangerine) fresh or dried equivalent
4 cups (1 Lt.) water

* The amount of tea depends on how strong you take your tea. For this amount of water I will typically use 3 strong black tea bags. If I have loose leaf tea on hand I will use about 1.5 tablespoons. Adjust to your taste.*

Utensils:
pot and fine sieve**see photos below for the ones I use.

1. Pour the water into the pot then add the cardamom,cloves, cinnamon and Mandarin peel. Cover and over medium heat bring to a boil. Leaving the pot partially covered simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tea to the pot and continue simmering an additional 5 minutes then turn the heat off. Allow to cool slightly before straining and serving.

2. Use a small tea strainer to pour the tea into tea cups or using a normal sized fine sieve strain the tea into another pot or teapot.

I don't sweeten my tea but if you would like to sweeten yours I would recommend using honey or brown sugar for the best tasting tea. This was my breakfast, tea and a slice of Bundt cake.

One last photo of Mandarins, they are so cute I couldn't resist shooting a bunch of photos.

Do you like to listen to music while you cook? I listen to music pretty much all day long on most days. I have quite an eclectic taste in music... well actually eclectic is a good word to describe myself. Anyways, this warming spiced tea was made to the smooth-relaxing sounds of Corinne Bailey Rae. She is one of my favorite musicians to listen to when I'm in a need to relax kinda mood. The sounds came from her "Like A Star" album, a must have in my opinion.

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Ukrainian Hangover Cure Cocktail

New Years eve is in a few days and you know what that means, party time! It's the last night of the year to let loose, have fun, really enjoy yourself and get the new year off to a great new start. It's the next morning, the first morning of the new year, that many of us will be hungover and saying I will never drink that much again. OK, we all say that and then we go doing it again and we somehow forget the horrible hangover that will need nursing the next day.

There are several things you can do to prevent a hangover from starting. Besides the obvious of not over drinking, the first and most important thing is staying hydrated. My husband taught me this trick and always works, you just have to make sure you follow it. Drink equal amounts of water for every alcoholic drink you put in your body. So you drink 1 glass of red wine, drink 1 large glass of water and so on. Water will flush the alcohol out of your body faster and help it stay hydrated which is the most important thing for your body. The next thing is food. If you have a hearty amount of food in your stomach, I'm not talking about a salad, you will feel better and you shouldn't get sick. Well, unless you over do it with the alcohol and of course that will make you sick to your stomach whether you have a hearty meal or a salad in your stomach.

If you wake up on January 1st and you are horribly hungover, you know that throbbing, pounding headache, sour stomach, feeling lethargic there are some things you can do to feel better. Again drinking lots of water and getting food into your stomach will help you feel better, so start with that even if you are not hungry force yourself. (Take aspirin only after you've had food because the acid can irritate your stomach even more.)

The next trick or cure again comes from my husband. One day, while feeling horrible from a night of drinking, he was having lunch with a Ukrainian friend who could see he was hangover. She suggested that he try this special Ukrainian cocktail to treat his hangover. The waiter brought out this beautiful flute glass filled to the rim with a yellowish-green liquid. At first he hesitated to drink it because he was informed that indeed it was pickle juice. Pickle juice? Huh? Like from a jar of gherkin pickles? Yup! So he chugged it down...as fast as he could so as not to spit it back out. You can imagine getting a whole glass of pickle juice to go down can be hard, not to mention the sour puckering that will leave your face looking like it's being sucked in from somewhere inside your head, while your lips look like they are being sucked out by an invisible vacuum. Within a few minutes his sour upset stomach was gone, completely back to normal. Then adding food and lots of water and he felt so much better.

All you do is pour the pickle juice into a glass and drink. Make it pretty by adding a slice of pickle for decoration, how about some ice cubes too? It's all about the presentation, well whatever helps trick your mind into drinking it. While it may not be the most delicious tasting drink in the world, OK it's kinda gross just picturing it going down your throat, this does work. So if you find yourself in a hangover situation and you try this special pickle juice cocktail let me know how you liked it and how it worked for you. *To clarify any confusion when I say pickles I mean dill pickles or cucumber pickles, though I don't see why other types of sour pickled veggies wouldn't also work.*

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DMBLGIT award and Kofola

I'm so excited I have received another award, this time it's from the monthly photography contest DMBLGIT. July's installment was hosted by the lovely Asha from Fork Spoon Knife.

The award was for 3rd Place and I am humbled and honored to have been one of the winners. As always there were some beautiful shots by very talented fellow bloggers and to have been included in the winners list came as a very welcomed surprise. I'm excited because this is my second time winning, you can see the previous one here. The winning shot was from my Almond milk recipe.By the way they need people to host the monthly events, if you are interested please visit SpittoonExtra for more details.

When I saw the email from Asha yesterday I felt like giving myself a little treat. I had a Kofola. What is a Kofola? it is a Czech/Slovak soft drink that is similar to Coca Cola and Pepsi. In fact the drink is the #1 rival to those companies here in the Czech/Slovak lands. Some of you may have noticed that I'm not big on sugar and certainly not on sugar drinks/ soft drinks or as I like to call them sugar water. It's not something I like to drink well, ever. But Kofola was something I had to try. I have been asked by some Czechs if I have ever tasted Kofola and they couldn't believe I had not. You see they are very proud of their uniquely Czech product and they started to tell me a bit about this drink and insisting that I had to try it some time. Well of course it's something that had to go on my list of things to try. I did a little search and here's what I found out : ( per Wikipedia)

"Kofola originated in the Czechoslovak pharmaceutical company Galena in the early 1960s during research targeted at finding a possible use for surplus caffeine produced in the process of coffee roasting. The resulting dark-coloured, sweet-and-sour syrup Kofo became the main ingredient of a new soft drink named Kofola introduced in 1962.
During the 1960s and 1970s Kofola became exceedingly popular in communist Czechoslovakia because it substituted for Western cola-based drinks like Coca-Cola or Pepsi, which were available but priced at more than twice the price of Kofola. Kofo syrup, the main ingredient of Kofola, consists of 14 natural ingredients (such as extracts from apple, cherry, currant, or herbal aroma), sugar, and caramel. In comparison with Pepsi or Coca-Cola it contains 30% less sugar, a little more caffeine (17 mg/100ml, Coca-Cola 15 mg/100ml) and it does not contain phosphoric acid. "

I have to admit for someone who doesn't normally drink or like this type of drink I quite enjoyed Kofola. Though it was still a bit sugary for my taste, it wasn't over the top sweet. It had a slightly fruity flavor with a hint of what I though was cloves - I could be wrong. It was also fun drinking it out of an old fashion glass bottle with a straw. Either way I'm glad I finally tried it even if I can't manage to drink another one I'll remember it fondly. Unfortunately I didn't find any evidence of this drink being available outside of this region. But if you're ever visiting make sure you try the drink, well if you can fit it in with all the beer tasting that takes place here. Czechs are also very proud, as well they should be, of their beers.

Haha maybe the company will come across my blog and get the idea to export it all over the world :) yeah right.

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More Awards and Matcha Madness

Hi everyone, I have a couple of things to share with you. The first is that I am happy to have received more awards in the past couple of weeks, yay!

The first two awards are courtesy of Chef Dennis, from More Than A Mount Full - A Culinary Journey . A great blog that quickly became one of my favorites. Chef Dennis is a super nice and amazing Chef, so stop by and pay him a visit. And here are my awards from him, Thanks Chef Dennis!!

and

The next award I received was from, Thella at I Love. Therefore, I cook. She is fairly new to me but let me tell you she has amazing recipes and it's a blog I'll be sure to visit often and track her progress. Please stop by her blog and show her some love, Thanks Thella!!

The next news I want to share with you is that my kindred spirits buddy, Tanantha from I Just Love My Apron, is showcasing some amazing and beautiful recipes with one of our favorite ingredients, Matcha.



She was sweet enough to include my Matcha Corn Muffins in her Matcha Madness showcase. You must go take a look at the scrumptious recipes that she has included.


I have a couple other Matcha recipes if you are interested in cooling off and enjoying a filling treat! Strawberry Green Tea Smoothie and my Banana Pear Smoothie With a Twist (or two).

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Banana Lassi ( Indian Yogurt Drink)

A Lassi is a very popular yogurt based drink that originates in the Punjab regions of India and Pakistan. They somewhat resemble a milkshake or smoothie and are made the same way, by blending the ingredients. There are savory or salted Lassi and sweet Lassi made with fruits. The salted Lassi are made with yogurt , water , salt and can have some spices and even rose water added. The sweet versions are made the same way as the salted versions just omitting the salt and adding fruit and a sweetener. You may have noticed that at most western Indian restaurants Mango Lassi is typically found in these restaurants. And it's no surprise or coincidence, The reason is that they are the perfect drink to have when eating spicy dishes. The yogurt neutralizes the acid and heat in the spicy dish and so your mouth will feel completely cooled after biting into your Vindaloo. Trust me I know from experience about this because even if I don't drink a Lassi with dinner and instead have a yogurt for dessert after a spicy meal I feel completely cooled down. ( More tips on how to enjoy spicy foods coming in another post. )

While the Mango Lassi is probably the most well know sweet Lassi to us in the west, I have also found variations of all sorts on line. I think the Lassi is one of those drinks or recipes that is about customizing it to your own palette. (If any Indian readers or Lassi experts out there think otherwise leave me a comment and educate me a little :) ) With that in mind I have experimented with both the amounts and with different fruits. So feel free to experiment and have a little fun with your Lassi. I'm no Lassi expert but I do know that they taste phenomenal and are also a great thirst quencher. Don't feel so "guilty" about the calories ( if you are a calorie counter) a Lassi is still lower in calories than a Chocolate Milkshake. Oh and don't forget Banana's are nature's perfect food and extremely good for your body.


Your Ingredients : (2-3 servings)
1 cup plain white yogurt
2 large banana,peeled and sliced
pinch ground cardamom

cold water (optional)*see note
honey to taste (optional)
ice cubes (optional)

*Note* You can add some cold water to thin out the Lassi if you like and that's if you are using full fat yogurt. But I suggest if you are using fat free or thinner yogurt that you skip the water or the Lassi will be too watery.

1. Peel and roughly slice the banana then place in a blender. Next add the yogurt, cardamom and the honey if using, blend until the banana is completely broken down and ingredients are well blended. At this time you can check the consistency of the Lassi and see if you would like to add water to thin out, then blend again for a minute.

Serve straight away with a few ice cubes.

Another way I've experimented is on a really hot Summer day I use the ice cubes by adding them at the beginning of the blending so they break down and blend well with the other ingredients. This makes a very cold and refreshing Lassi too.

Ah yummy memories of earlier today as I sat by the window enjoying my book and cooling off with my Banana Lassi on a beautifully sunny and hot summer day, this is the life!

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Strawberry Love and a Linky Party

Hi everyone! You may recognise the photos in this post from my Strawberry Green Tea Smoothie. I am posting this to invite you all to visit a great new site I have found called Crunchy Betty. Leslie (Crunchy Betty) blogs all about using natural ingredients to make home made cosmetics for your hair and skin. Today Leslie wrote a great article all about strawberries and is also hosting a Linky party to some great recipes using strawberries. It's kinda funny that Leslie should invite me to participate since I have been working on some "Natural Beauty" recipes to share with you, I guess the cat is out of the bag :) ( There are also other features and announcements ,that I'm very excited about, coming in the next few months.)

Anyways if you have a strawberry recipe go participate in Crunchy Betty's linky party today. Well even if you don't have a recipe stop by and pay Leslie a visit.

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Agua de Sandia -Mexican Watermelon Water

Agua de Sandia in Spanish literally translates to Watermelon water. Agua de Sandia is a flavor of Mexican beverages called aguas frescas (fresh waters) . These are beverages made of several ingredients or flavors including fruits, like watermelon, cantaloupe melon, cucumber, lime, strawberries, papaya, guava, tamarind and the list goes on. Nuts, seeds and grains can also be used for example, rice, almonds and barley. There is also one made with hibiscus flowers called agua de Jamaica, one of my favorites. The traditional recipes are very simple the ingredients are blended, water is added and some sugar can also be added to slightly sweeten the drinks.

Mexicans love agua frescas with our meals, they act as a cooling drink to compliment Mexican cuisine. They can also help tone down the burning in your mouth from the spiciness of the dishes, ( at least that is what I've experienced). If you walk into a Mexican restaurant or go to Mexico you will see huge glass containers with all the different flavors available. No matter what flavor you choose it will also be a great way to cool off in the summer heat. They are not sweet like soft drinks and are mostly water content from the fruits so they will actually leave your body feeling refreshed and re-hydrated. These are also perfect for Vegans, Vegetarians and those following a raw diet. I should also mention that they will also be much lower in calories and full of vitamins and antioxidants as compared to soft drinks or other sugary drinks which are full of love-handle growing ingredients and preservatives (E numbers), yuck!



* Please note this is a small recipe enough for 6 servings. But it can easily be doubled or tripled to fit your needs. *
Your Ingredients:
1/4 fresh watermelon ( with rind weight 2.5 lb. or 1.13 kilo - without rind 1.1 lb. or 500 grams)
3 cups or 750 ml cold water
The juice from 1 large lime
3 Tbs. granulated white sugar ( adjust to your taste)

Large Pitcher

Blender

Strainer
Ice cubes (optional)

1. Remove the rind and cut watermelon into cubes. Taste the watermelon to see how sweet it is and to get an idea of how much sugar you will need. Place the watermelon in a blender with half the water ( if you have a small blender you may need to do this in batches.) Blend the watermelon until it has completely broken down including the seeds if there are any. Or if you are concerned about the black seeds you can try to pick them out beforehand.

2. Pour the juice of 1 large lemon and the sugar into the pitcher, then place the strainer on top. Gently pour the watermelon water into the pitcher passing it through the strainer. Then add the rest of the water to the pitcher and stir until all ingredients are well incorporated.

It's best to allow the water to sit a bit before you serve it , so place inside the refrigerator or cover and leave on the counter for at least 30 minutes. When you are ready to server you can add a couple of ice cubes to each glass or just serve and enjoy.



The Agua de Sandia will really only keep fresh for one day, it looses it taste and a bit of the color the next day. This recipe can be tweaked and adjusted as you like. By adjusting the sugar amount and even the water amount depending on how juicy the watermelon is.



I hope you try this Agua de Sandia or any other flavor from a local Mexican restaurant very soon ! But just a tip for you, agua frescas never have ice crushed or blended in the mix they are not overly sweetened and are always made with seasonal fruit or fresh grains. If you see it different than I've told you, run .... OK you don't have to run, but don't drink it , it isn't an agua fresca!

*If you are interested in my other recipes for aguas frescas see my cucumber or agua de pepino. *

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Homemade Almond Milk ( Raw )

Almond milk is a beverage made from finely ground almonds and water. Almond milk is a milk substitute used by those either lactose intolerant, vegans and vegetarians as well as by people who follow a raw food diet. I am neither of these I just like almond milk for it's taste and to use as a fun substitute ingredient to cow milk or soy milk. This nut milk has been popular since Medieval times throughout Europe and the Middle East. The popularity during Medieval times was mainly because almond milk keeps longer than cow's milk.

This light yet creamy milk does not only taste good it is also nutritious. To those of us who do not have a nut allergy we can benefit from the Vitamin E,Vitamin A, Zinc,Magnesium, Iron, Calcium, No Cholesterol ,lactose free, people with soy allergies can use it as an alternative, and Low Saturated Fat. Homemade almond milk is better than prepackage because prepackage usually has sweeteners and preservatives. Though some companies do add in vitamins and minerals to try to make it comparable to cow's milk, you may want to read the package carefully if you choose to buy prepackaged. But before completely switching to almond milk only you may want to do more research and definitely speak with your Doctor to see if this would be a good alternative for your body's needs.

Almond milk can be used as a substitute in the same way you would soy milk or regular milk. The only instance where almond milk would not work too well would be in baking when the recipe is for fatty or buttery baked goods. If you are following a raw food diet this recipe is one you'll love, no cooking involved. And a tip to you about some to the prepackage almond milk , some companies actually use roasted almonds and not raw, so read those packages. This recipe is a small recipe that can easily be doubled or tripled for your needs.

Your Ingredients:
-100 grams or 3.5 ounces blanched almonds
-2 cups or 500 ml water

optional:
sugar or honey or dates to sweeten

-1 large pot or bowl
-cheese cloth or a clean kitchen towel or very fine sieve colander
-blender

1. Place the blanched almonds in a large bowl and cover with water. Leave to sit overnight.

2. Drain the water, and place the almonds in a blender. Pour 1 cup of water into blender, and if using sweetener add it to the blender as well. Blend until the almonds have completely broken down to a fine almost paste.

3. Place the cheese cloth (or other options) over a large bowl. Pour the liquid over the cloth, then pull up on all ends to squeeze out liquid on the bowl.

4.Once the liquid is all removed, place the ground almonds back inside the blender and add the remaining 1 cup of water. Again repeating step #3.

Done and ready to enjoy the Almond milk. Serve or use the almond milk straight away or store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use ( it will keep fresh for 5 days). The milk will separate a bit while it sits, just give it a quick stir or shake and it's ready.

Don't discard the ground almonds you can use them in baked goods. An option is to dry the ground almonds then once they have completely dried place them back in the blender and blend into a fine almond flour. Again this can be used in baked goods or any other recipes that might call for almond flour. It works great I have a recipe to share using the leftover almond flour, coming soon.

** For my Homemade Non Separating Almond Milk recipe click here.**

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