Tag: almond milk

Swap-Out Makeover: Ingredient Swaps for a Healthy Winter

Chef V

swap out makeover

The smallest things matter the most and in this case, small changes can make a big difference. Simple ingredient swaps this fall and winter will help you stay on track while eliminating at the feeling of indulgence guilt. Whether it’s an appetizer or a dessert, these easy changes will help you avoid that pesky holiday weight gain we all hate.

And we promise, you won’t even miss the butter or white flour, in fact, a lot of the time these substitutions will enhance the flavors of your favorite dishes. We’re here to help you make being healthy easy and we can’t wait to see what you cook up this holiday season.

pumpkin skin mask

pumpkin skin mask

Chef V

Berry Blast

Chef V

Chef V’s Tip: want to get more calcium into your diet? Look no further! My Berry Blast is chock full of calcium from sources you may not know –  almonds (from my raw almond milk), chia seeds, and flaxseeds. Calcium is essential for a healthy heart, bones, blood, and more.

berry blast

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Serving Size: 1 person

Ingredients

1 cup Chef V’s Raw Almond Milk or coconut milk
1/2 Fuji apple, cored and seeded
1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 teaspoon raw chia seeds
1 teaspoon raw flax seeds
1 cup ice
1 tablespoon vegan protein powder, optional

Directions

Process all ingredients in a Vitamix for 1 to 2 minutes, or until smooth. Will keep for up to 3 days refrigerated.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Chef V

Total: 40 Min

Prep: 20 Min
Cook: 20 Min

Serving Size: 4-6 people

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup raw cashews
3/4 cup Chef V’s Raw Almond Milk or coconut milk
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 1/2 cups canned artichoke hearts (or partially thaw if using frozen)
2 cups fresh spinach

OPTIONAL SIDES
Fresh veggies, gluten-free crackers and bread

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Process all the ingredients except artichoke and spinach in a Vitamix until smooth. Add the artichoke and spinach. Pulse but do not blend.

Transfer the mixture to a 6×6-inch dish, or to multiple small oven-safe dishes, and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the dip and let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy with gluten-free bread, crackers, or your favorite veggies.

My Spinach Artichoke Dip is a favorite snack for watching football, as an hors d’oeuvre at a party, or with a glass of wine on the deck while the sun goes down.

Creamy Berry Parfait

Chef V

Chef V’s Tips: Many raw food recipes call for soaking nuts. Why? Soaking nuts (from 2 hours to overnight) improves the flavor and  nutritional value of the nuts by releasing dust, residue and tannin into the water, leaving the nuts with a softer, buttery texture and increasing their digestibility. Never use the soak water – always discard it.

creamy berry parfait

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Serving Size: 2-4 people

Ingredients

Nut Mix

1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup raw walnuts
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 raw sunflower seeds
1/4 raw flaxseeds

Raw Cashew Vanilla Cream

1 cup raw cashews, soaked and drained
1/4 to 1/2 filtered water
1 tablespoon raw coconut
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch sea salt

Berries

1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh raspberries

Directions

Combine all the nut mix ingredients in a bowl. Next, process the Raw Cashew Vanilla Cream ingredients in a Vitamix until smooth and creamy.
To serve, assemble the parfait in a mason jar or clear glass:
Step 1 : Place 1/2 of nuts on the bottom;
Step 2: Sprinkle 1/2 of the berries over the nuts;
Step 3: Spoon the cashew cream over the top;
Step 4: Sprinkle the remaining nuts over the cream;
Step 5: Garnish with remaining berries.
For easy breakfast planning, my Raw Cashew Vanilla Cream recipe can easily be doubled and will keep for up to a week refrigerated.

Beet-It Smoothie

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Go red! Research has shown that red fruits and vegetables such as beets and raspberries are nutritional superheroes. So drink up! – Veronica

ginger apple berry smoothie

TOTAL 10 minutes

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Serving Size: 1 Person

Ingredients

  • ½ cup organic blueberries (fresh or frozen)
  • ½ cup organic raspberries (fresh or frozen)
  • ¼ cup diced organic red beet, raw & skinned
  • 1 piece organic red chard
  • ½ cup ice
  • 1 cup organic unsweetened almond milk
  • Optional 1 serving of vegan protein powder (hemp, pea, or brown rice)

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend 1-2 minutes until smooth. Add ¼ cup filtered water if necessary. Bon Appétit!

Chef V Ranch Dressing

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Total: 10 Min

Prep: 10 Min

Serving Size: 2-4 people

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Chef V Raw Mayo (recipe HERE)
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped
½ cup unsweetened almond milk

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix or blend all of the ingredients together. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to chill before serving.

My Ranch Dressing is a great dip for watching football! Made with vegan mayo and almond milk, it is healthy and delicious.

Easy Homemade Almond Milk

admin

Making your own almond milk is SO easy! All you need is a blender (I prefer Vitamix), a nut milk bag or cheesecloth, raw almonds, and filtered water. I soak the nuts for 24 hours to remove the dust or any mold from shipping and handling, which also improves the nutritional value. Then drain the nuts and use fresh filtered water to blend. Cheese cloth is great because you get so much in one package, it’s so versatile, and you can use it on a million things (making nut cheese, poaching fish, nut milks, straining seeds from fruit, and lots more.) However, I bought a nut milk bag and it is so much faster and easier to use the nut milk bag.

I use almond milk in so many things. I cook with it any time a recipe calls for milk and no one can ever tell the difference. I also use it in my smoothies to make them creamy. You can add it to coffee or tea, cereal, or just have a refreshing glass with ice.

The milk will stay fresh about 3-5 days in the refrigerator. I keep them in mason jars, since each jar is about 2 cups and this recipe makes 4 cups. I use two jars so the milk stays fresher for use later in the week.

Once you try homemade almond milk it will be almost impossible to drink store-bought milk again, which is pumped with artificial crap to keep it fresh on the shelves. The sad part is that a typical consumer would have no idea about what is inside of store bought almond milk or that it’s actually bad for you. The toxic ingredients found in almond milk stress your immune system and weaken your health. The ingredients are also misleading and include words such as Vitamin A Palmitate, which can cause birth defects and bone fractures. Vitamin D2, which if taken in excess, can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, muscle weakness and bone pain. But the worst thing about store-purchased almond milk is it usually doesn’t even contain much almonds!

In light of this, I suggest making your own nutritious and delicious almond milk. And the great part is, it’s really easy!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup raw almonds
  • 2 cups water, for soaking
  • 4 cups cold filtered water, for blending
  • High power blender (I prefer Vitamix)
  • Nut Milk Bag or Cheesecloth

INSTRUCTIONS

Soak the almonds in 2 cups of water overnight. Drain the nuts and rinse. Blend 1 cup of almonds and 4 cups of cold water on high for 2 minutes. Pour the almond mixture into the cheesecloth or nut milk bag. Squeeze out excess milk. Pour into mason jars or a milk jug. Save the leftover almond meal for future recipes.

You can do this by heating the almond meal at 170 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours. Make sure to mix the almond meal frequently while baking to dehydrate the water from making the milk. Use Chef V’s Almond Milk right away or store in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.

You can add some almond milk to your Green Drink to make it a little creamy. Yum!

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