almond-cashew golden milk with chai
{dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, low-FODMAP}
I love collecting little cups and bowls from different places, and I recently discovered one to add to the collection at the Georgia O'Keeffe museum in downtown Santa Fe. It's handmade out of stoneware clay and has a thumb indent (hence the name "thumb-cup") so it fits perfectly in your hand.
Along with the debut of my new favorite cup, here is a delicious, wholesome recipe for almond-cashew golden milk with chai--it's a mouthful of goodness! It may seem a bit wintry, but it's just as tasty served cold, and oh so good you.
My best friend Heather came to visit me this past week and we got to talking about homemade nut milk. I reiterated how simple it is to make and promised to walk her through it. Lately I've been into making almond-macadamia nut milk, but alas, I was out of macadamia nuts and Heather mentioned that they're too expensive to buy anyhow, good point. So, improvise we did! We made a creamy almond-cashew milk, softly sweetened with a few dates. Of course you could substitute any milk or milk alternative of your choice.
I already had some fresh chai tea that I purchased from an Ayurvedic shop, but you can use any unsweetened blend of your choice or the recipe below from What to Eat for How You Feel by Divya Alter. Just make sure the blend is unsweetened and contains black pepper, which helps the body absorb the positive effects of turmeric. Alternatively, you could add a teaspoon of whole black peppercorns to the mixture (about ten).
Both the coconut oil and heating process (whether you serve it warm or cold) are important steps. The fat and heat help increase the turmeric's solubility and absorption into the body.
You can easily double or triple this recipe and store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Total: 20 min. | Prep: 10 min. (plus 12 hours to soak nuts)| Cook: 10 min. | Serves one
//Tools//
measuring cups and spoons
medium saucepan
wooden spoon
cup or mug(s) for serving
optional blender, fine sieve and **cheesecloth for making homemade almond-cashew milk
//Ingredients//
*1 cup homemade almond-cashew milk (or any milk of choice)
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
1/2 cup filtered water
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey (or more depending on your sweet-tooth)
***Chai tea mixture:
1 teaspoon (about 10) black peppercorns
5 cardamom pods
5 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick or 1/4 teaspoon ground, plus more for garnish (the stick is more fun!)
1-inch fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced or grated or 1/4 teaspoon ground (fresh is always better)
//Directions//
Whisk together all ingredients into a pot over high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn down the heat and let it simmer, uncovered for about 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into a mug or cup. Alternatively you can store it in the refrigerator and drink it cold. Enjoy within three days.
//Notes//
*Homemade almond-cashew milk | Makes about 3 cups
1 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup raw cashews
4 pitted dates
3 cups filtered water, plus more for soaking
Soak almonds, cashews and dates in filtered water over night (about 12 hours). Drain and rinse. Combine almonds, cashews, dates and three cups filtered water into a blender and pulse until the mixture liquefies. Strain mixture through a cheese cloth placed over a fine sieve and into a bowl. Squeeze out any extra liquid. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Shake each time before serving.
**It's fine if you don't have a cheesecloth on hand, the texture of the milk will be a bit grittier, which I personally enjoy!
***Alternatively you can use two teaspoons of a ground, unsweetened chai tea mixture. Just make sure it's high quality and contains peppercorns, otherwise add a teaspoon (about 10) into the recipe.
