Stevia Glycerite Recipe (Now brand copy-cat)

Stevia Glycerite (Now brand copy-cat recipe)



This is an awesome recipe - and so easy!

Stevia glycerite is a kitchen staple you will use all the time. Our whole family has used liquid stevia glycerite for years. I have also recommended it to many of my clients and friends, as a natural sugar substitute. For along time, our family purchased +Now brand stevia glycerite from the health food store. It is a bit expensive, so we researched a way to make our own. We found nothing online to help us, so a few years ago, we experimented and created this reliable formula, which we are now very excited to share with you!

This is a very valuable formula and it will save you a lot of money. The vegetable glycerine in this formula is a natural preservative, so no additional preservatives are needed. It is shelf stable too. We like to make up a larger batch and put it into squeeze bottles, old (washed) Now brand stevia glycerite bottles, or dark amber glass bottles with droppers.

We like to use this to sweeten smoothies, protein drinks, herbal teas, and other beverages. You only need about 3 to 4 drops to sweeten a large mug of herbal tea. I will use a little to sweeten applesauce, other fruit sauces and jams. There are lots of creative ways to use this healthy sugar alternative. It is also great to extend the sweetening power of other sugar-free sweeteners like xylitol or erythritol, or use to cut down on sugar sweeteners used like raw agave nectar, raw honey, maple syrup, and evaporated cane juice...We do not recommend using this alone in baked goods, as it does not give the necessary structure that sugar does.


STEVIA GLYCERITE Recipe:

4 C. natural vegetable glycerine, divided
1 C. purified or distilled water
150 grams 90% stevia powder (a white stevioside powder at 90% concentration)


Method:

Pour 2 cups of the glycerine and 1 cup water into a tall pot. Blend together well.
Add the 90% stevia powder while whisking with a wire whisk, to blend well.
Cook the mixture on high heat while whisking vigorously and constantly until it comes to a full boil.
Continue whisking vigorously while boiling for 1 full minute, then turn off  the heat.
Continue whisking vigorously for 5 full minutes.
Allow to cool, whisking occasionally.
When cooled, blend in the last 2 cups vegetable glycerine. Mix together well.
When it is completely cooled, package into air-tight bottles, and store in a cool, dark place.


Tip: This recipe easily doubles.


Note: Stevia leaves are an herb that is naturally very sweet, yet completely sugar-free. Stevioside powder is a concentrated and purified form of the stevia leaf. Very small amounts are needed to sweeten foods and beverages. it is a very good low-carb, sugar-free alternative for those who are concerned about their health.

Stevia leaf - the source for stevioside powder

Stevioside powder

Now brand stevia glycerite (Now you don't need to buy it anymore!)

Enjoy!

Leila

Healthy Sugar-Free Cranberry Juice Cocktail Recipe

Sugar-Free Cranberry Juice Cocktail Recipe

Today I decided to create a healthy version of cranberry juice cocktail. My version uses no high fructose corn syrup, sugary fruit juices, or sugar. Cranberries are very high in anti-oxidants, it's all the sugar that is normally found in cranberry juice cocktail that is a heath concern. This would be an excellent drink for U.T.I., a common female ailment.

I chose to use xylitol for it's anti-cavity and anti-bacterial properties. I add stevia glycerite to cut back on the amount of xylitol needed, and to create a more balanced sweetening profile. The BioSalt adds minerals and the ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) adds a bit more dimension to the drinks flavor.

This is a great recipe to use up some extra cranberries you may have left over from the holidays.

SUGAR-FREE CRANBERRY JUICE COCKTAIL RECIPE:

Yield: 1/2 gallon

Difficulty Level: Easy-Peasy

12 ounces cranberries
8 1/2 c. water, divided
1/2 c. xylitol
1 t. stevia glycerite
1/4 t. ascorbic acid crystals or powder
1/8 t. BioSalt (recipe is on this blog)

Method:

In a blender or food processor, roughly puree the washed and sorted cranberries in 2 cups of the water. Pour into a large non-reactive pot.

Add 2 cups water to the emptied blender (put the lid on!) and turn it on long enough so that the sides are rinsed clean of the berries. Pour blender contents into the pot.

Add 2 cups more water to the pot and bring the mixture up to a boil on medium-high heat. As soon as it starts to boil, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes. then take off heat and let cool a while.


Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a 1/2-gallon glass jar (with tight fitting lid). use a silicone spatula to stir the pulp as you strain, to release more juice.


Mix the spent pulp with the last 1/2 cup water and strain into your juice container.


Add the xylitol, stevia glycerite, ascorbic acid, and BioSalt. Put the lid on tightly and shake to dissolve the xylitol. Taste for sweetness and chill.


Serve over crushed ice. Yum.


Note: I mix the spent cranberry pulp into natural, unsweetened applesauce and sweeten it to taste with a few drops of stevia glycerite, or other healthy sweetener of choice.

Tip: Now brand stevia glycerite works well and can be found at health food stores. Ascorbic acid and Xylitol can also be found at health food stores.

Cranberry juice cocktail in the making

Straining and stirring the cranberry pulp

Cranberry pulp with the 1/2 c. added water

Finished Cranberry Juice Cocktail

Note: The quininic acid found in cranberries is what causes the distinctive bitter taste, and is also thought to have nutraceutical properties. When consumed, quininic acid is converted to Hippuric acid, which removes toxins from the urinary tract and kidneys. Here's to your Health!

Author, Leila

A zippy sugar-free 3-bean salad recipe (no artificial sweeteners)

Sugar-Free Three Bean Salad

Sugar-Free Three Bean Salad

This has been a favorite salad of mine since I was a child. My aunt made this salad using regular granulated white sugar. It is really good but I wanted to create a version that does not use sugar. I also use a fresh, healthy oil instead of canola, soy, peanut, or corn oil.

Making this salad yourself is really easy, and now you can control the sugar content.  It never is as good in restaurants as when homemade anyway, have you noticed that?

I like to make and have on hand a sugar-free sweetener blend of 50% erythritol and 50% xylitol, which is conveniently used here. Just store in your pantry for quick access.


Sugar-Free Three Bean Salad Recipe:

1 pint (1 lb) canned green beans
1 pint (1 lb) canned wax beans
1 1/2 c. freshly cooked dried red kidney beans (or 1 can drained and rinsed)
1/2 c. chopped green or red bell pepper
1 very large onion, thinly ringed
3/4 c. erythritol/xylitol blend (mix both granular sweeteners at a 50/50 ratio)
1 c. white wine vinegar
1/2 c. very light olive oil
1 1/2 t. sea salt or BioSalt (recipe on this blog)
fresh ground pepper, to taste (40 grinds)


Method:

Drain beans and combine with green pepper and onion.

Combine sugar-free sweetener, vinegar, salt, and ground pepper and mix until sweetener is completely dissolved  (I recommend heating the vinegar mixture in the microwave for about 30 seconds, stirring well and then heating another 30 seconds, and stir again, to help it dissolve).

Add the oil to the vinegar mixture, mix and pour over the vegetables.

Toss well. Chill overnight. Toss again before serving to coat well.


Note: For a variation use garbanzo beans.


Enjoy,

Leila



UPDATE:

I changed the dressing to cut back on the amount of erythritol and xylitol called for. I also varied the vegies used.

Cutting back on the sugar-free sweeteners used saves you money. Plus adding a bit of stevia glycerite to the mix, makes the sweetening blend more synergistic and sugar-like in taste. Trust me, you won't miss the sugar here at all in this recipe!

I used all green beans because I frequently do not have yellow wax beans just hangin' around. The yellow wax beans are my favorite part of the salad though. I used yellow bell pepper for color and for the milder flavor they have. I used both kidney beans and garbanzo beans for more color variety and nutritional purposes. I think this recipe would work fine using fresh green beans too, blanching them first would probably be best.

Do which ever variation you want, they are both good!

Alternate Sugar-Free Three Bean Salad Recipe:

1 50-ounce can (3 lb 2 ounces) canned green beans
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 15.5-ounce can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 very large onion, thinly ringed
1/4 c. erythritol (Lakanto's sweetener is also great)
1/4 c. xylitol
1/4 t. NOW brand stevia glycerite (or homemade stevia glycerite recipe on this blog)
1 c. white wine vinegar
1/2 c. very light olive oil
1 1/2 t. sea salt or BioSalt (recipe on this blog)
fresh ground pepper, to taste (40 grinds)


Method:

Drain beans and combine with yellow bell pepper and onion.

Combine sugar-free sweetener, vinegar, salt, and ground pepper and mix until sweetener is completely dissolved (I recommend heating the vinegar mixture in the microwave for about 30 seconds, stirring well and then heating another 30 seconds, and stir again, to help it dissolve).

Add the oil to the vinegar mixture, mix and pour over the vegetables.

Toss well. Chill overnight. Toss again before serving to coat well.


ENJOY!

Mixing the sugar-free dressing.

Three-Bean Salad before tossing together.

Tossed  Sugar-Free Three Bean Salad - Ready to marinate.

Variation with thawed frozen green beans.

2nd UPDATE:

Here is another option for you. I changed the dressing again, to lower the amount of erythritol and xylitol called for.

I cut back even further the amount of erythritol and xylitol used in the dressing. Doing this cuts down on the possible effects of consuming sugar alcohols. Xylitol, cool as it is, sometimes gives some people a bit of gastric distress. Erythritol is the gut-friendliest of the sugar alcohols, which is great to know. Sugar alcohols are also more expensive than regular white cane sugar, as I'm sure you've noticed.

I chose to add some food-grade vegetable glycerine to the mix. It is naturally sweet, sugar free, affordable, and has a warming effect, which nicely counteracts the cooling effects of the erythritol and xylitol. Vegetable glycerine also gives a nice syrupy glossiness to this salad dressing.

I still add a touch of stevia glycerite. Just so you know, when you blend these sweeteners, they act synergisticly with each other, enhancing each others sweetness. The result is that when combined they taste more like real sugar. And your gut is happier too.

The salad still tastes great with these new adjustments. You can choose any of these dressing variations, they are all good.

As far as the vegetables go, I used a red bell pepper this time. and I think I prefer slightly less onion, So I used a med-large red onion instead of an extra large onion.

So I'm just giving you another option for making this salad, Your'e welcome :)


2nd Alternate Sugar-Free Three Bean Salad Recipe:

1 50-ounce can (3 lb 2 ounces) canned green beans
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 15.5-ounce can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium-large red onion, thinly ringed
1/4 c. food grade vegetable glycerine
2 T. erythritol
2 T. xylitol
1/4 t. NOW brand stevia glycerite (or homemade stevia glycerite recipe on this blog)
1 c. white wine vinegar
1/2 c. very light olive oil
1 1/2 t. sea salt or BioSalt (recipe on this blog)
fresh ground pepper, to taste (40 grinds)


Method:

Drain beans and combine with yellow bell pepper and onion.

Combine sugar-free sweeteners, vinegar, salt, and ground pepper and mix until sweetener is completely dissolved (I recommend heating the vinegar mixture in the microwave for about 30 seconds, stirring well and then heating another 30 seconds, and stir again, to help it dissolve).

Add the oil to the vinegar mixture, mix and pour over the vegetables.

Toss well. Chill overnight. Toss again before serving to coat well.


TIP: I like to add 1/2 tsp. Psyllium Husk Powder to the dressing to slightly thicken it.


Enjoy!

Author, Leila.

Dad's Healthified Orange Julius - with a Secret Ingredient (Copy-Cat)

So over the top good and refreshing & good for you too!

My dad comes up with killer protein drinks. Being an athlete and trainer for athletes, he drinks protein drinks a lot. You have to mix it up a little if you drink a lot of them, or YAWN....

He makes protein drinks we WANT to drink. This is one of them, and it has a unique secret ingredient... Angostura Bitters.

As a family, we have been exploring bitters and tonics. Some people use them for alcoholic drinks, but actually bitters are old fashioned remedies for digestion and general health. We like to use them to create depth of flavor in various recipes and non-alcoholic beverages, much like you would use vanilla or almond extract. As far as bitters go, Angostura Bitters is king. It is affordable and has great flavor. It is the secret ingredient in this version of an Orange Julius. Give it a try.


Dad's Orange Julius Recipe:

Makes 2 big servings:

10 ice cubes
1/4 to 1/3 c. frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 c. almond milk
1 scoop (3 T.) whey protein isolate
1 pinch sea salt or BioSalt
1 pinch orange flavor powder or 1 to 2 drops tangerine essential oil
stevia glycerite, to taste
Angostura Bitters, to taste


1 big serving:

5 ice cubes
2 to 3 T. frozen orange juice concentrate
1/4 c. almond milk
1 1/2 T. whey protein isolate
mini-pinch sea salt or BioSalt
mini-pinch orange flavor powder or 1 drop tangerine essential oil
stevia glycerite, to taste
Angostura Bitters, to taste


Method:

Place all but stevia glycerite and bitters in a blender and blend until smooth.

Add stevia glycerite and bitters to taste, blending in well.

Serve cold.


Enjoy,

Dad.

Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins using a new Gluten-Free Grain called Canahua (Recipe with Variations)

Canahua (Kaniwa), a little known powerhouse of a grain... 

And a recipe for Glazed Lemon Canahua Muffins

Canahua from Bolivia is a little known gluten-free grain that is related to quinoa. It is high in protein (15 to 19%) and has a complete amino acid profile. This grain is claimed to be allergen-free as well.

Unlike quinoa, canahua does not have a protective saponin layer. That's the bitter, soapy-tasting saponins that can give off-flavors to your gluten free baked goods. This means you do not need to prewash canahua to remove the bitterness. You do need to prewash quinoa to remove the saponins, in case you didn't know that already.

Often canahua is first toasted (creating a desirable and tasty Maillard Reaction - think of caramelization...yum) and then ground into a flour. Canahua is a very useful, protein-packed nutritional additive. Use it to enhance the nutrition of baked goods, hot cereals, soups, desserts, smoothies, yogurts, energy bars and other neutraceuticals.

PREPARATION - The most common preparation is to clean, lightly roast the beans and then grind the beans to give a kind of flour commonly called "Pito". Is consumed by mixing with cold or hot drinks, over 15 different ways to prepare whole grain and the "Pito" are known. 
In the same way in baking excellent results have been obtained mixtures incorporating 20% "WHISTLE ".  (Source: http://ccbolgroup.com/amaranto.html)

Cañahua / Cañihua

Relationship of quinoa and other grains Cañahua

Pra 100% Cañahua Wheat Quinoa Rice Barley Proteins 16.2 11.5 13.8 8.7 10.6 Lipids 8.04 2.0 5.0 2.2 2.1 Carbohydrates 58.6 59.4 59.7 74.6 57.7 Calcium mg. 157.0 41.0 85.0 39.6 26.0 Magnesium mg. 210.0 91.0 204.0 119.6 57.0 Iron 13.6 3.3 7.0 2.0 2.0

(Source: http://ccbolgroup.com/amaranto.html)

Below are instructions for cooking the canahua. You can even cook it with quinoa, since they are so similar. For the muffin recipe below, use just cooked canahua.

The following muffin recipe is gluten-free, sugar-free, and vegan. I have yet to remake the recipe into a lower carb gluten-free formula, but I wanted to give you an example of how you could incorporate this new grain. I want to try this muffin recipe with our "kitchen Cheetahs healthy 4-Flour Blend" (recipe found on this blog). If you beat me to it, message me and let me know how it worked for you.

To Cook Canahua:

Cook 1 part canahua in 2 parts boiling water.

The cooking method is the same as for cooking quinoa. add canahua to the boiling water, cover and turn heat down to a simmer until all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Glazed Lemon Canahua Muffins: 

• 1 1/4 cup superfine brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup  sweet white rice flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch
• 1/4 c. potato starch (not potato flour)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
• 1 teaspoon BioSalt or sea salt (recipe on this blog)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 c. erythritol plus 1/4 c. xylitol (equivalent of 3/4 cup granulated sugar) *
• 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk or almond milk
• 1/2 cup warmed coconut oil
• 1/4 cup cream cheese, neufchatel, or vegan cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid stevia glycerite (recipe on our blog) or NOW brand stevia glycerite, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh organic lemon zest
• 3/4 cup cooked canahua

Method: 

Preheat oven to 350 °F, with a rack  positioned in the middle of the oven. Line 12 cupcake tins with paper liners.

Whisk together the dry ingredients, including the granular sweetener and salt, in a large mixing bowl.

In small bowl, Mix together the lime juice and milk and set aside until curdled.

In a separate medium bowl, cream the cream cheese until fluffy with a hand mixer.

Add the curdled milk to the cream cheese and mix together well.

Add the liquid coconut oil and stevia glycerite to the cream cheese mixture and mix well.

Taste for sweetness and adjust as desired, adding more stevia glycerite if needed.

Stir in the flour mixture along with the lime zest, then fold in the cooked canahua.

Divide the batter evenly among the 12 lined cupcake compartments and let rest 30 minutes before baking.

Bake 32 to 35 minutes, or until slightly golden on top and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. 

Let muffins cool completely and then cover with glaze.

* Note: You may use 1/2 c. Lakanto's zero-cal sweetener instead of the 1/2 c. plain erythritol.

Muffin Variations:

You can add 1 T. poppy seeds and 1-2 t. almond extract for a lemon poppy seed variation.

You can replace the lemon juice and zest for lime juice and zest, and add 1 -2 t. almond or vanilla extract.

Smooth Sugar-Free Glaze:

• 1/2 to 3/4 cup powdered erythritol or Lakanto's white zero-cal sweetener, finely powdered.
• 3 teaspoons egg white protein powder (plain)
• 1 teaspoon Cal/Mag (calcium magnesium powder, to make glaze whiter and more nutritious)
• 2 teaspoons vegetable glycerine
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
• water, coconut milk, or almond milk to thin to desired consistency

Glaze Variations:

Add 2 T. marmalade along with 1 t. fresh lemon juice (omit vanilla extract).

Add 2 T. sour cherry preserves along with 1 t. almond extract and 1 t. lime juice (use lime juice in the muffins).

Add 2 T. sour cherry preserves along with 1 t. lemon juice, omit vanilla extract. 

Add 2 T. lime juice in place of the lemon juice (also use lime juice in the muffins), flavor both with almond ext.

Method:

To make the glaze, mix all the powders together and stir into the 2 T. glycerine. Whisk together until smooth. 

Add lemon or lime juice and vanilla or almond extract to taste. Thin with desired liquid, if needed.

Enjoy experimenting,

Leila.

Better than Almond Breeze (Copy-Cat Recipe)

Smooth and Delicious Almond Milk

This is a recipe I created and demonstrated when I was teaching healthy cooking classes. This formulation tastes much better than the other almond milks out there (with the exception of my mom's). You may drink this as a beverage, or pour over breakfast cereals, and use as a healthy replacement for pasteurized commercial almond milk. You can also make a sweetened almond milk with out all the sugar that commercial almond milk has. A key to making good almond milk is to remember to add a touch of BioSalt, as it brings out the flavor.

Almond milk is an excellent choice for people who are health conscious, watching their dairy and sugar intake or are on low-carb or paleo diets. This is also great for people on cleansing raw-food diets.


ALMOND MILK Recipe:

Yield: 1 gallon

3 c. soaked raw almonds (see how to do this below)
purified water to make a total of 1 gallon
2 T. xylitol or Lakanto zero-cal granular sweetener
20 to 25 drops stevia glycerite (like NOW brand or the stevia glycerite recipe on this blog)
2 t. real vanilla extract
1/2 t. BioSalt (recipe on this blog)
1/2 t. almond extract, optional


Equipment Needed:

High-powered blender
Fine mesh cloth bag, for straining
1-gallon jug with tight-fitting lid, for almond milk storage


Method:

To soak the almonds:

Rinse and soak about 3 cups raw, shelled almonds in water for a total of 24 hours, rinsing every so often until the soaking water is no longer colored. Drain. The almonds will have expanded in size a bit. Store in a sealed jar in the fridge until use.


To make the almond milk:

Put 3 cups soaked almonds into a VitaMix or BlendTec blender and add enough purified water to reach the 6-cup line on the blender container. Secure lid tightly.

Puree the almonds very well on high speed.

Strain by pouring the almond slurry into a finely woven cloth bag, placed inside a large bowl. (Or you can put the cloth bag inside a strainer that is placed over a bowl.)

Wring out and squeeze the pulp in the cloth bag well.

Place the almond pulp back into the blender, add water and puree again. Pour back into the cloth bag and squeeze it as dry as you can.

Rinse out your blender container. Pour in some of the nut milk and add the xylitol, stevia, vanilla, BioSalt, and almond extract, if using. Blend a few seconds more.

Pour into a 1-gallon jug and add the rest of the almond milk that's left in the bowl and then add enough purified water to make a total of 1 gallon. Shake to blend.

Taste the almond milk for sweetness and salt. if it tastes flat, add a pinch more Biosalt.

Store in the refrigerator. Shake before use.



Variations:

For a sweeter almond milk add a total of 3 T. xylitol, and no more than 30 drops stevia glycerite. you may also add a pinch of fresh ground nutmeg, if desired.

For a creamier almond milk that doesn't separate as easily, add 1 t. guar gum and 2 t. liquid lecithin.

Squeezing the almond pulp dry in a cloth bag

Notes: 

Reserve the almond pulp for other uses or compost it.

You can freeze the almond pulp and add to foods to increase the fiber content. Try adding a little to hot cereals, baked goods, pancakes...

You may also dehydrate the almond pulp and then grind it finely, so that you can add it to gluten-free/paleo baking mixes, home made granola, etc...  If you are on a raw-food diet, dry the pulp at or below 110 degrees F.


Enjoy!

Leila

Addictive Cream Cheese & Walnut Stuffed Dried Plums (Gluten-Free Confection)

Exotic Sweet Cream Cheese & Walnut Stuffed Turkestan Prunes

Turkestan Stuffed Prunes

There is something so Arabian Nights about these exotic confections...

I have absolutely loved these since I was a little girl. I still love them. These are a wonderful sweet treat. They are really unique with their sweet, fluffy, anise flavored cream cheese centers, paired with the crunchy walnuts - which perfectly compliment the sweet, soft dried plums. You really must try them.

I remember asking my mom to make these often, and I always wanted more anise extract added.

We did not have candy, soda, and chips in our home when I was growing up. My mom did sometimes make honey taffy with me - and occasionally we would get some carob or chocolate covered raisins, or halva, real maple candy or sesame seed candy from the health food store.

Life was good. My mom has always been a great cook, so I certainly didn't suffer from missing out on junk food! She did me a big favor. Thanks mom!

It is true that the foods we ate as a young child become our comfort foods as an adult. It makes you think twice about what you feed your young children, doesn't it?



Turkestan Prunes Recipe:

1 8-ounce package cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese, softened
1 T. raw honey (or vegetable glycerine, or agave syrup)
1 t. anise extract (or a very few drops anise essential oil, to taste)
A few drops stevia glycerite to taste (recipe on this blog)
1/4 c. chopped "Crispy Walnuts" (recipe on this blog listed as crispy almonds)
1 t. "Frosting Thickener" (recipe below), optional
Softened pitted prunes

Method:

Place the softened cream cheese in a medium sized mixing bowl.
Pour in your sweetener of choice and mix together with a hand mixer until creamy.
Add the anise extract, to taste, mixing in very well.
Taste and adjust sweetening to taste with the stevia glycerite (add just a few drops at a time).
Beat in the Frosting Thickener, if using.
Stir in the Crispy walnuts by hand.
With your fingers open the softened prunes (dried plums) and form into boat shapes.
Fill the formed softened prunes with the cream cheese-nut mixture.
Chill in an air-tight container.


FROSTING THICKENER Recipe:

Measure the ingredients by weight

75% Arrowroot starch or tapioca starch
25% Coconut flour


Method:

Mix the starch and coconut flour together.
Grind together as finely as possible in a Krups seed mill (or as long as you have the patience for).
Store in an air-tight container in your pantry.


Note: I like to use 4 drops essential oil of star anise and no more than 1/8 t. stevia glycerite. Start with less stevia and see if it is sweet enough before adding more. At times I also double the crispy walnuts.

Mom's Recipe card

Crispy Walnuts

A unique treat that is quick and easy to make.

Make little cups out of the soft dried plums.

"Come to mamma"

Enjoy!

Leila & Nancy

The Kitchen Cheetahs

Easy Sun Warrior Chocolate Pudding (Sugar-Free & Vegan)

Easy Sun Warrior Chocolate Pudding.

Here is the beginning of a series of delicious, sugar-free protein pudding recipes that you can make yourself!

We have been talking about creating delicious tasting protein-packed pudding recipes. We wanted a dessert pudding that is good for us and our families. This recipe is the beginning of these formulations. This pudding recipe is low-carb, sugar-free, gluten-free, corn-free, egg-free, dairy-free, and vegan.

My mom discovered that when you puree and heat the warrior blend protein powder with liquid, it "cooks" up to make a silky smooth creamy pudding that thickens perfectly when chilled. Vegan protein powders are not usually this smooth, it's the "cooking" process in the VitaMix that transforms it. we were thrilled to see that it also thickens up beautifully.

This recipe makes up several servings. We like cooking this way, it cuts down on the daily food prep time. Make up a bunch and get it out of the way. That's how we roll.

This recipe is very easy to make in a VitaMix high-powered blender. VitaMix is famous for being able to cook soups just by the friction caused by it's fast moving blades.

So assemble your ingredients and get ready to enjoy a guilt-free treat for breakfast, lunch, or a quick snack anytime!

Sun Warrior Chocolate Pudding Recipe:

Yield: 8 generous servings.

13.5-ounce can Full Fat coconut milk, plus HOT water to make a total of 3 1/4 cups.

1 c. Sun Warrior brand Chocolate "Warrior Blend" protein powder

1/2 c. white or purple yam or sweet potato that has been baked until soft (remove skins)

1/2 to 1 c. White Lakanto sweetener powder, to taste

1/4 c. coconut oil (deodorized makes a more chocolaty flavor)

2 T. vegetable glycerine or other liquid sweetener

2 T. xylitol (or 2 T more Lakanto)

1/3 to 1/2 c. dutch cocoa powder, to taste

1 to 3 t. black cocoa powder, optional for richer color (we like 3 t.)

2 t. real vanilla extract

1/4 t. almond extract
1/4 t. BioSalt

1 fat pinch of canella powder or ceylon cinnamon

Stevia glycerite, to taste, optional

Real chocolate flavoring, to taste, optional
Coffee flavoring, optional

Method:

Place the 3 1/4 cups liquid (coconut milk plus water) into a VitaMix blender container.Then add the 1 cup protein powder.

Put the VitaMix lid on and blend on medium speed just until combined. Turn off the blender and then scrape down the sides of the blender.

Secure the lid on tightly and process on highest speed until steaming hot and perfectly smooth. The temperature should reach at least 130 degrees F. for the pudding to have the best texture and flavor (don't go over 170 degrees). The friction of the blades heats the liquid after a short time. Measure temperature with a thermometer.

Turn off the VitaMix, remove lid and add the rest of the ingredients to the blender, except for the stevia glycerite and chocolate flavoring, if using.

Place lid tightly on and process on the highest speed until the pudding is steaming hot and smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed (with the blender turned off!). If the mixture gets a little too thick, use the "Tamper" to help it along. You may also add up to 1/4 cup more water (making a total of 3 1/2 c. liquid).

Turn off the VitaMix, Taste the pudding. Add stevia glycerite, a few drops at a time, to taste if you want the pudding sweeter. Add chocolate and coffee flavoring to taste, if you want to.

Give a final blend and taste for balanced flavors.

Portion finished pudding into serving-sized jars and store in the refrigerator. The jars of pudding also freeze well!

To Serve:

A good way to serve this is to top the pudding with sliced or broken bananas and crushed gluten-free pretzels. Pour your favorite cold, milk over top and dig in! Our favorite milks are whole organic milk, almond mylk, coconut/almond mylk, or cashew mylk.

Notes: 

If a less thick pudding is desired, add another 1/4 cup water, to make a total of 3 1/2 cups liquid used This pudding thickens more when chilled due to the coconut oil content. If the chilled pudding turns out thicker than you would like, just stir in a bit more water to suit your individual taste.

We add the canella powder, chocolate flavoring, and the coffee flavoring to the pudding to make the most of the chocolate flavor and to make the least of the pea protein flavor!

Stay tuned, a yummy butterscotch protein pudding is being perfected now!

The Sun Warrior protein powder used for this recipe.

The texture and thickness of the Sun Warrior Chocolate Pudding before chilling.

This makes 8 generous servings of protein pudding.

Sun Warrior Protein Pudding topped with Bananas, G-F Pretzels, and Whole Organic Milk.

Enjoy!

Leila & Nancy.

Protein and Calcium Enriched Brown Rice Milk - YUMMY

Protein-Enriched Brown Rice Milk

Dairy-Free, Reduced Carb, Sugar-Free

Protein and Calcium Enriched

I wanted to create a rice milk that not only tasted great and was easy to make but had more protein and calcium than other rice milks. I also have a major complaint with commercial rice milk - The high carb count from the white rice, and if it's sweetened, the sugar content. I also don't like the price charged for a product that is mostly water.

So I decided to make my own version with the added benefits of more protein, calcium and magnesium, more nutrients from using brown rice instead of white, and sweetened with sugar-free natural sweeteners. This is what I came up with...

Rice milk is an option for those who are going dairy-free, and are allergic to nut milks. You could use a vegan protein powder instead of egg white protein powder BUT they are gritty and have off-flavors. Just warning you...

Typical rice milk is also much higher in carbs than coconut or almond milk. My version is much better, but it is not carb-free. If you are wanting to slim down, I personally would recommend unsweetened coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk (I have a sugar-free almond milk recipe on this blog that is very good and low-carb).



BROWN RICE MILK Recipe:

Yield: 1/2 gallon

To Cook the Rice:

1 c. long grain brown rice
3 c. purified water

Cook until rice is very soft, so that when you taste it, it will mush and not have a grainy feel in your mouth. (Or use leftover cooked rice from your rice cooker, as long as it is SOFT. If it's been salted and has coconut oil added, that's o.k.)

To Make the Rice Milk:

2 c. (10-ounces) hot rice
4 c. hot water

Blend in a blender 2 or more minutes. the mixture will be a little thick but smooth.

Add:

4 c. cold purified water
1/4 t. BioSalt (recipe on this blog)
1 t. real vanilla extract
2 T. xylitol
20 drops stevia glycerite (NOW brand, or home made - recipe on this blog)
2 T. Cal/Mag powder (a calcium/magnesium powder, sold at health food stores)
4 T. egg white protein powder

Add everything to the blender, except the egg white pro, and blend together well. Add the egg white pro last or it will make the milk quite foamy.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. Shake well
before use.


Options: 

You can add a couple drops of natural maple flavoring, coconut flavoring, or rum flavoring.

Try adding 1 t. cinnamon powder, to the rice when cooking it.

For chocolate rice milk add 3 T. chocolate syrup.

You can make a coconut fortified rice milk by adding coconut milk to the warm pureed hot rice/hot water mixture in the blender.

You may strain the rice milk through a fine-mesh cloth bag, if you really feel it is necessary (I don't).



Variations:

For a sweeter, thicker rice milk:

Decrease the cold water to 1 1/2 c.
Increase the xylitol to a total of 2 T. + 2 t.
Increase the stevia glycerite to a total of 24 drops


For a more neutral tasting rice milk:

Decrease the xylitol to only 2 t.


To make into a pudding;

Puree 1 c. hot water with 1 c. hot cooked rice. Add xylitol and stevia glycerite to taste, plus vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg...



Enjoy experimenting with this recipe,

Leila

Mom's Nutrient Tea - Herbal tea formula #12 in a series

Time For Tea

This is herbal tea formula number twelve in a series of  delicious and healthful tea recipes I have posted on this blog. Enjoy!

Mom's Nutrient Tea

Years ago my mom made this nourishing blend to use for daily consumption. It is neutral and pleasant tasting. We like to make a big batch of this as a concentrate, straining it before storing in a glass jar in the fridge. To serve we dilute to taste with water.

Horsetail is rich in natural silica, which is good for your hair, nails, teeth and bone. Oatstraw is nutrient-rich and is very good for soothing and de-stressing the body. Alfalfa is very vitamin and mineral rich, and so is the nettle. Spearmint freshens and brightens the whole mix.



MOM'S NUTRIENT TEA Formula:

1 part horsetail
1 part Oatstraw (green tops)
1 part organic Alfalfa Leaf
1 part Nettle Leaf
1/2 part (up to 1 part) Spearmint Leaf


Method:

Mix the dried herbs together.
Store air-tight in a cool dark place.


To Brew Herbal Tea:

Bring purified water to a boil in a stove-top kettle.
Place 1 to 2 teaspoons desired loose leaf herbal tea blend into a cup.
Pour about 1 cup boiling water over the herbs and cover the cup.
Allow to steep 5 minutes.
Strain and sweeten if desired.
Enjoy!


Sun Tea Preparation:

Fill a 1/2-gallon jar with purified water.
Fill a reusable tea bag with desired herbal tea formula (or pour herbs in jar and just strain out later).
Set the jar outside in the sunshine for 6 hours or so.
Chill the tea.


Tips:

You may use a bamboo tea strainer or Tea-ball to make straining your teas a snap.

At our house, we use a French coffee press to make bigger batches of tea - it works great!

Enjoy this herbal blend hot or iced.

Enjoy a cup on cold winter mornings and evenings to chase away the winter chill. They also help chase away colds and are so comforting. Try adding a squeeze of lemon and raw honey when serving. Or make it sugar-free by sweetening with Stevia Glycerite (recipe on this blog). About 4 drops Stevia Glycerite is all you need to sweeten your mug of herbal tea! We find that a cup of hot herbal tea helps us relax before bedtime.

During the heat of summer, try brewing as a sun tea, and then serve chilled with some Stevia Glycerite to lightly sweeten, maybe a splash of lemon or lime and lots of ice. Iced herbal tea makes a great thirst quencher and is so much better for your family than sugar-filled sodas, and such.


To your health,

Leila

A healthy raw chocolate milk recipe - you can even make this sugar-free!

Quick & Raw Chocolate milk 


This delicious & healthy milk can easily be made dairy free, nut-free, sugar-free, low-carb, vegan, paleo, whatever you want. Nice, right?

This is one of my mother's healthy raw food recipes. It is very versatile, and quick to make. Prepare it ahead of time and store it in a quart jar in the fridge, just shake a bit before serving.

You can make this in larger batches once you know how much cocoa and sweetener you like to add.

This is easy to make sugar free, just use erythritol and/or xylitol, then enhance the sweetness with a coupe drops of stevia glycerite. A recipe to make your own stevia glycerite may be found on this blog. It will save you a lot of money to make your own, or use Now brand stevia glycerite.

Our chocolate milk is a much better post-workout option than sugar-laden, commercial chocolate milk! Maybe you heard that the Dairy council made a recommendation last year about chocolate milk as being the ultimate post workout beverage. It was then put on the worst nutritional advice for the year list. Well, fortunately, you get to decide for yourself. I say, have the best of both worlds, and drink this chocolate milk instead...

"Chocolate Milk As A Sports Drink Has To Be The Worst Health (But Admittedly Delicious) Suggestion Of The Year" http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/

http://www.dairyreporter.com/

Kitchen Cheetahs Quick & Raw Chocolate Milk Recipe:

2 c. raw milk or a 50/50 blend of coconut milk & almond milk (or Brazil nut or cashew milk)
2 to 4 T. raw cacao powder (2 T. of this can be raw carob powder), to taste
2 T. (1-oz) baby Thai coconut puree or 1/8th to 1/4th t. guar gum, if more thickness is desired
Golden Lakanto, raw agave or sweetener of choice, to taste
1/2 t. real vanilla extract (or a small piece of vanilla bean)
Raw rice protein powder, to taste (like Sun Warrior brand)


Method:

Blend together in a blender (like a Vitamix). If using a piece of vanilla bean, make sure it is pureed well. Taste for flavor and sweetness and adjust as desired. Serve cold.


Tips:


We like to add protein powder to enhance the nutrition of this beverage.

Recipes for nut milks may be found on this blog. Any combination of nut milks may be used.

You can make up a large batch of nut milk and and freeze part of the batch for later use.

For convenience, you can prepare a large batch of baby coconut puree and freeze it in 1-ounce portions in ice cube trays. Store frozen cubes in freezer-safe containers or freezer storage bags.





Enjoy,

Leila & Nancy.