raw almond milk

I wanted to start making my own almond milk because I felt bad about all the packaging from store-bought milks, but the homemade kind is also much more delicious, healthier and cheaper than pretty much any store-bought milk. Plus, I can get all the ingredients from the local farmers market, so I can feel extra greener-than-thou. My family drinks it so fast I've been making it every few days, but fortunately it's pretty easy to make.

Almond milk has been around since at least the Middle Ages, when it was popular instead of cow's milk, which would spoil quickly unless turned into cheese or butter. It can be used exactly like cow's milk in just about anything--cereal, coffee, or dunking chocolate chip cookies.

Almonds should be soaked at least 8 hours or overnight, which makes them easier to digest by neutralizing the tannins and enzyme-inhibitors (which make nutrients less absorbable) in the brown skins. Plus, it softens the almonds which is easier on your blender. You probably could substitute nearly any nut or seed for the almonds--I've had superb results with hazelnuts. If you replace the soaking water daily, the nuts can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

The ratio of nuts to water is also highly variable: if you want a really creamy milk, use 1 1/3 cup almonds for every four cups water, whereas 1/2 cup almonds for every four cups water creates something closer to skim milk. For all-purpose milk I usually use around 2/3 cup almonds.

You can strain nut milks with cheesecloth, but if you plan to make them often I would invest in a nut-milk bag, which are inexpensive, convenient, and reusable. You'll be left with a flavorless nut pulp which I compost, but supposedly you can use this in baked goods.

Makes 1 quart

2/3 cup raw almonds

4 cups filtered water

a pinch of salt

2-3 dates, pitted (optional)

Rinse the almonds, place in a bowl and fill with filtered water. Soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or overnight (see notes above).

Place all ingredients in a blender, and blend on high for a minute or two, until the almonds are very well broken down. Letting this sit about 10 minutes will make the almond milk creamier.

If you have a nut milk bag, place it over a bowl and pour all the milk into it. Squeeze it to release the excess liquid, then remove the nut pulp, rinse the bag well, and hang it up to dry.

If you don't have a nut milk bag, set a metal strainer over a bowl and place a few layers of cheesecloth over it. Pour the almond milk through the cheesecloth (you may have to do this in batches). Once most of the liquid has drained out, gather up the cheesecloth and squeeze to remove the excess liquid.

Store the almond milk in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and be sure to shake before use. It's best used within 3-4 days.

coconut: the dairy of vegan baking

Coconut is a convenient replacement for dairy in baking for many reasons. First, like butter and cream, coconut has a delicious, rich flavor. Second, coconut oil is primarily saturated fat, which makes it solid at room temperature (with a melting point of 76F) and can function like butter or shortening. Coconut oil is also increasingly being recognized as one of the healthiest types of fat (see below).

Baking with Coconut

Heavy cream (aka whipping cream) in many baked goods can be directly substituted with coconut milk, the kind found in cans. Avoid "lite" versions, which are pointless as far as I can tell because some of the fat is removed, which is what contains all the flavor. Be sure to shake the can before opening, as coconut milk usually is separated, unless you know you want just the thick cream on the top.

Coconut oil usually comes in a jar and is solid at room temperature. The easiest way to use it in baking is to place the coconut oil jar in a bowl of hot water, which melts the oil inside, then pour out the melted oil. Clarified butter and ghee, which are nearly all butterfat, can be directly substituted with coconut oil. Normal butter is only about 80% butterfat, as it retains some liquid and milk solids, and in most recipes this should be taken into consideration. To simulate butter in most pastries, I like add 1 part coconut milk to 3 parts coconut oil, and whisk them together with a fork until the oil resolidifies and the mixture resembles whipped butter. This can then be creamed together with sugar or cut into a flour mixture. Coconut oil comes in both scented and unscented varieties. I use the scented version exclusively because I think it imparts rich coconut undertones and makes a better substitute for butter, which has its own flavor. However, if you don't want everything have a coconut taste, try the unscented version.

Shredded coconut is great for adding texture and flavor to baked goods. You can toast shredded coconut to add a caramelized, toasty flavor and a slightly crisper texture. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet, and bake at 350F for about 5 minutes. Stir with a spatula and return to oven for another couple of minutes. Repeat until evenly golden brown.

If your oven isn't already on, you can also toast coconut flakes in a skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring or shaking the pan often, until evenly browned. Keep a close watch on the coconut when almost done because it will become overcooked very fast.

Coconut Health

There's much that's misunderstood about coconut oil. This is partly because most of the past research on coconut oil was based on hydrogenated coconut oil, which, like any hydrogenated oil, is unhealthy.

Many claim coconut oil to be unhealthy because it is more than 90% saturated fat, more than butter or lard. However, just as it's now common knowledge that not all fats are equally healthy (there are monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated, and then the dreaded hydrogenated oils), not all saturated fats are created equal either. Whereas long chain fatty acids, the main type in animal fat, is difficult for your body to break down and stored as surplus body fat, the saturated fats in coconut oil are medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs), which are supposedly burned by your liver as immediate energy. Proponents of coconut oil say they increase metabolism by taking stress off of the pancreas, helping the body burn energy and overweight people to reduce body fat. They also claim MCFAs are easier to digest, assisting the health of thyroid and enzyme systems, and have antimicrobial properties, which helps to control bacteria, fungi, and parasites that cause indigestion.

There's a widespread belief that coconut oil is bad for the heart because of the saturated fat. However, lauric acid makes up about half the fat in coconut oil, and is said to actually help prevent heart problems such as high cholesterol and blood pressure. It is also the most important essential fatty acid in maintaining the body' immune system. The only other rich dietary source of lauric acid is mother's milk.

As much as I'm tempted to take all these virtues of coconut oil as an excuse to eat unlimited coconut-fattened pastries, like everything else, coconut oil is only healthy in moderation. Because pastries are sweet by definition, they are never going to be truly healthy, but I like to think of coconut oil as a reduced-guilt baking technique.

Sources:

Mercola, Joseph. "Coconut Oil Benefits: When Fat Is Good For You." The Huffington Post. 14 Feb. 2011. Web. 20 Feb. 2011.
Patil, Kirin. "Health Benefits of Coconut Oil." Organic Facts. Web. 20 Feb. 2011.
Wilsinson, Fiona. "Health Benefits of Coconut: A Good Diet Aid, Heart Healthy and Helps Fight Cancer." Suite101.com: Online Magazine and Writers' Network. 10 Mar. 2010. Web. 19 Feb. 2011.

ginger

Ginger root has beige skin and hard, fibrous, pale-yellow flesh. Fresh ginger is sweet, aromatic, and pungent, whereas dried ginger powder has a completely different taste—much more spicy. I use both often, but they are so different they cannot usually replace each other in recipes. Fresh ginger tends to have a superior taste and has more health benefits. It can be found year-round in the produce section of markets, but make sure it is firm and free of mold (I see this surprisingly often). The skin should be smooth and shiny rather than wrinkly. The tough skin of fresh ginger must be peeled, which can be done easily by scraping with the edge of a spoon. It is then usually sliced thinly crosswise to cut the stringy fibers as small as possible, and can then be further minced. I nearly always have a fresh ginger root handy, as they are very good in a number of both sweet and savory dishes (such as bashed neeps, pudla besan, and blueberry orange compote). If there's any leftover that might go bad, I chop it up and steep it in hot water to make fresh ginger tea. Tea made this way is delicious and very different than the ginger tea-bag type; it has a very sweet and almost fruity flavor, somehow reminiscent of lemon drops. Ginger stays good on the counter for about a week (depending on the freshness upon purchase), but can also last in the fridge for 2 or 3 weeks or in the freezer for 6 months.

blanched almonds

Blanch almonds have their skins removed. You can buy them pre-blanched from the store, usually in the form of slivered almonds, though these tend to be more expensive. Or you can blanch them yourself.

Total time: 15 minutes

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Put the almonds in the water and reduce the heat, boiling them for no longer than a minute, or they will get soft and soggy. Strain out the water then put the almonds in a bowl of cold water to arrest the cooking process. Once completely cooled, strain them again. To remove the skins, hold the almond between your thumb and forefinger and squeeze. Their skins should come of very easily, so if they are stubborn the almonds probably weren't cooked long enough or haven't cooled long enough. If this is the case, either start over or just use the almonds with the skins; its not worth trying to scrape off each skin. The almonds will probably shoot everywhere when you remove the skins, so I recommend doing this in a large bowl, pointing the almonds down so they will not end up all over your counter.

oats and oatmeal

Oats are a healthy comfort food, rich in protein, B-vitamins, calcium, iron, and beta-glucan, an especially healthy form of fiber. Raw, unprocessed oats are gluten-free, although many oat products are cross-contaminated with gluten. Some oats are labelled gluten-free, indicating the oats were processed in facilities where there is no chance of contamination with wheat or wheat products.

From left: steel-cut oats, rolled oats, and quick oats

Oats come in many forms. Steel-cut oats, also called pinhead, Irish, or Scottish oats, are toasted oat groats that have been cut into several pieces. Every cup of steel-cut oats takes about 4 cups of water, and must be cooked on the stovetop for 35-40 minutes, resulting in a distinctive chewy texture and nutty flavor. Due to their long cooking time, they cannot be used in baked goods or cooked in the microwave. Rolled oats, or old-fashioned oats, are groats that are steamed and rolled flat for quicker cooking. They work the best in baked goods and are my personal preference for oatmeal. Quick-cooking oats are oat groats that have been chopped into smaller pieces and rolled thinner so they will cook even faster. Instant oats look much like quick oats but are precooked and need to only be rehydrated with a hot water.

I've read that all these different types of oats have about the same amount of fiber and nutrients (except instant oats, which are ultra-processed), but I've also read that because steel-cut oats are slightly less processed, they retain more fiber and take more time to digest so keep you fuller longer. Who knows how big the difference really is, but I don't have time to make steel-cut oats in the morning so I'm happy with rolled oats.

For the winter months when hardly any fruits are in season, frozen blueberries become one of my staples at breakfast. I try to avoid frozen foods whenever possible because of the excess packaging and energy, but lots of recent studies show that frozen produce retains more of its nutrients than produce that has been shipped long distances. So when the options at the farmers' market are sparse, I eat oatmeal with frozen blueberries everyday, for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner. It's so satisfying that I never get tired of it, and I like to think it meets some of my daily nutrition needs, as blueberries are supposedly rich in antioxidants, and flaxseed and walnuts provide omega-3s.

blueberry walnut oatmeal:

Makes 1 small bowl

Prep Time: 1 minute

Cook Time: 2 minutes

1/3 cup rolled or quick oats (see above)

scant 1/2 cup water

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

dairy-free milk or yogurt (I use almond milk)

2-3 teaspoons ground flaxseeds

Put oats in a small bowl and pour in a little less than 1/2 cup of water, or until the water just barely covers the oats. Sprinkle on cinnamon and blueberries, and microwave on high for about 2 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the berries are thawed. If desired, top with nuts, milk or yogurt, and flaxseed.

flaxseeds

Above from left: ground flaxseeds and whole brown flaxseeds

Not only are these miraculous seeds useful to replace eggs in baked goods due to their binding properties, but are the most concentrated source of omega-3 fatty acids. They are an abundant source of many other important nutrients, such as B vitamins, manganese, magnesium, fiber, and contain plenty of antioxidants. Nutritionists recommend eating 2-3 teaspoons of flaxseeds daily, though they must be ground for the nutrients to be bioavailable (usually I eat mine on oatmeal or cereal). Flaxseed oil supplements are also available, but they lack the fiber and nutrients of real flaxseeds and are much more expensive.

You can buy flaxseed meal in packages from stores, but flaxseeds become rancid much faster once they are ground. So for a longer shelf life and to reduce packaging (not to mention money), buy whole flaxseeds from the bulk section of a natural foods store. The two varieties, golden and brown, are very similar nutritionally, but golden seeds supposedly have a more nutty taste. I prefer using golden flax meal for baked goods because it doesn't speckle them with healthfood-looking flecks. Grind the seeds in small batches using a coffee or spice grinder and store the ground flax in the freezer for only a few weeks at a time. Whole flaxseeds can be stored for up to a year at room temperature in a cool, dry place, but to be on the safe side, you can also refrigerate or freeze them.

Because flaxseeds have a nutty taste, they particularly benefit baked goods that do not have a delicate flavor, such as pancakes, french toast, waffles, bran muffins, whole grain breads, and oatmeal cookies.

1 tablespoon of ground flax whisked with 3 tablespoons of water roughly equals one egg in most recipes. I usually whisk these together vigorously by hand, but they can also be blended. The high quantities of soluble fiber in flax adds structure to baked goods.

citrus zest

Zest is the peel of citrus fruits used to flavor food, most often made from oranges, lemons, or limes. I use orange zest all the time, such as in my blueberry orange compote and orange cranberry scones. The zest should only be made from organic fruits because it is the outer layer you're peeling off. You can get the zest with a grater or peeler, but is worth investing in an actual zester (as pictured above) if you use zest very often because they are extremely easy to use. Gently grate the outer layer of the peel, being careful not to scrape off any of the white bitter part underneath (the pith). Also be careful to keep your knuckles out of the way (I have made this mistake more than once). If I use an orange and don't have immediate use for the zest, I freeze it for later baking use. Where I live, it is orange season right now, so I've zested dozens of oranges and put the zest in the freezer to last me the rest of the year.