Homemade, Raw Almond Milk Creamer

Time for another recipe! I know I promised I’d let you in on my Liquid Armor coffee concoction…and I will…but first, I wanted to share with you my latest discovery/creation: Almond Milk Coffee Creamer.  It’s so easy to make, and it’s 100% natural…no added chemicals, preservatives, or processed sweeteners. Plus, I find that the store-bought almond milk in my coffee never turns it the right color. I like mine to be a deliciously smooth caramel color. So after stumbling on a few recipes online for homemade almond milk, I decided to tweak it a bit to make a more concentrated, creamier…um…creamer!

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup raw almonds (preferably organic), soaked in water 6-10 hours and rinsed well

• 1-2 cups filtered water (for blending)*

• High-powered blender (I used a NutriBullet)

• Nut milk bag (<- click to go to eBay link where I ordered mine. You could also use a fine strainer or cheese cloth, but I highly recommend getting a nut milk bag…They’re inexpensive and work great!)

*As an aside, you could use this same recipe and make regular almond milk (rather than creamer)…just increase the water to 3-4 cups.

Instructions

• Measure almonds into a bowl and add enough water so that the almonds are completely submerged. Let soak 6-10 hours.

These just finished soaking…left them on the counter for 8 hours with the bowl covered in plastic wrap.

• After the almonds have soaked, drain the water, rinse with purified water, and drain again.

• Combine soaked, rinsed almonds & 1-2 cups filtered water (less water = more concentrated, creamier almond milk) into a high-powered blender. Again, I used a NutriBullet and, to clarify, I used the “extractor blade” (pictured below …because you are essentially “extracting” the milk from the almonds…as opposed to the other “milling” blade typically used for milling grains, grinding fresh herbs and chopping nuts. (again, I used NutriBullet)

  

  NutriBullet “Extractor” Blade

• Blend until very smooth and creamy.

Isn’t this awesome!?! It’s like magic 🙂

• Position the nut milk bag over a large bowl or container (I like using a square one so I can easily pour from that to another container to keep in the fridge as my creamer), then pour the blender contents into the bag to strain.

  

  This is the gloriously creamy Almond Milk that will come out of the bag 🙂

• Squeeze the bag well, until only dry/damp almond pulp remains in the bag. (You can keep the the leftover almond pulp in a container for another recipe…like Paleo Banana Fritter Bites!!)

Leftover almond meal from the nut milk bag! I use it as is to make my Banana Fritter Bites…one batch makes me about 3 servings of the fritters!

Transfer the almond milk to a sealed container (I used a rinsed out Coffeemate container that my roommate had, but anything you can pour from will work), and store in the fridge for up to a week.

And there you have it! The stuff is delicious and nutritious 🙂  I haven’t tried adding anything to the creamer yet, but I’d imagine you could play around with adding things like cocoa powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. If any of you make it and try some variations, please feel free to share!

Ciao for now!

-E

Time to Heat Things Up!

So I’ve noticed for a while now that I’m consistently not reaching a high enough body temperature (I’m usually at about 97.1), and noticing symptoms like cold hands and feet, sluggishness, and joint aches. The low body temp especially surprises me because I eat plenty of protein and have gained a fair amount of muscle mass over the past few months, but still, that body temp won’t budge. Though I’ve been tested in the past and been told I’m within normal limits, I’m quite certain that an under-active thyroid is the culprit.

Source

I have heard a lot of buzz about eating Coconut Oil to help boost metabolism and body temperature and came across some information by Ray Peat, a biologist specializing in metabolic function and repairing hypothyroidism. In addition to some other suggestions, Peat recommends eating coconut oil (at least a tablespoon a day) to help boost overall metabolism.

This makes sense because, as referenced in an article on Natural News:

• Coconut oil slows down the digestion of food, which helps you feel fuller after a meal. Many people notice that after adding coconut oil to their diet, they are less prone to snacking.

• Because it slows digestion, coconut oil also helps prevent blood sugar fluctuations after a meal by slowing the rate carbohydrates are broken down into blood glucose.

• The medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil destroy candida, a condition of yeast overgrowth in the body which triggers symptoms of weight gain, carbohydrate cravings, fatigue and many others. Eliminating candida is an important part of achieving permanent weight loss.

• Coconut oil is excellent for detoxification. It cleanses the body of many infirmities, balances the digestive tract and nourishes all cells in the body. These benefits restore your health and pave the way for natural weight loss.

The article goes on to mention that:

One study examined the effect of medium-chain fatty acids on metabolism. Participants’ metabolism was evaluated before and after a meal rich in these fats. On average, metabolism increased by 48 percent. In obese individuals, the increase was as high as an astounding 65 percent. Studies have shown this thermogenic effect can last for 24 hours.

And a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that medium-chain fatty acids were three times more effective at raising the metabolism than long-chain fatty acids. Researchers concluded that replacing long-chain fatty acids with medium-chain fatty acids was an effective method for weight loss. Another study from the same journal showed that eating medium-chain fatty acids increases metabolism and also helps burn off stored fat.

And today, stumbled on a little gem by Miss Butter Believer who shared that was able to raise her body temperature by a full degree in less than a week by adding coconut oil to her daily diet!

Source

With all of this information, I’m willing to give this a try to see what happens. Starting today, I will consume 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil per day and see what happens. I love a good self-experiment!!

Check back for an update in next week’s post!

Ciao for now,

-E