pizza dough

26th May 2020

This dough can be made on the day or refrigerated for up to 3 days (the latter allows the dough to develop, creating more flavour and texture). If short on time, I allow at least a day in the fridge, but the best results are 3 days.

notes

Choose quality flour: Flour is the main ingredient in pizza dough, so use high-quality and high-protein flour. All-purpose works fine, but for better texture (in terms of hole structure), use tipo “00.”
Lean towards a wetter dough: When mixing the dough, if in doubt, keep it on the wetter/stickier side. You will be adding more flour during the roll-out phase.
*Cold ferment: As mentioned above, a cold ferment improves flavour and structure. After making the dough (step 2), keep it in the fridge for 1 (minimum) to 3 days (ideal). Then, on the day of pizza making, take the dough out 3 – 4 hours prior to cooking and repeat as above (step 4).
Keep toppings simple: use quality ingredients and keep the toppings to 2-3 vegetables.
Crispy crust: Invest in a baking stone. It holds a lot of heat, releasing it into the pizza as it bakes, giving it a crispier crust.
Hot oven: A very hot oven plays an important part in the finished result. Preheat the oven to the highest setting, generally 290C/550F, for at least 45 minutes—1 hour.

pizza dough

Recipe adapted from Shir, with guidance here and here.

Makes 3 medium pizzas (enough for 3 people).

Active time – 90 minutes

Total time – 4½ hours

ingredients

1 tsp yeast

1 cup/220g water

2 Tbsp olive oil

2½ cups/340g organic soft wheat flour/Tipo “00”

1 tsp salt

cornmeal or semolina, for cooking

preparation

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast and water and allow it to sit for a few minutes for the yeast to activate. Add the olive oil.

2. Add the flour and salt, and with the dough hook attached, turn the mixer on a low, and mix for 4 minutes. The dough should look sticky but still resemble a loose ball. If not, add a tablespoon of flour or water accordingly, it is safer to lean towards a wetter dough, you can always add more flour later on. When you touch it, the dough should be sticky on your hands. I leave it to sit in the bowl, however, if kneading by hand, transfer to an oiled bowl.

IF YOU WANT TO PREPARE THE DOUGH IN ADVANCE – at this step, refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days (*see cold ferment above).

3. Cover and allow the dough to rise for 2 – 3 hours.

4. Cover a working surface with a generous amount of flour, gently shape into a rough rectangular shape, and divide into three equal portions. Working with one portion at a time, gather the four corners to the centre. Turn seam side down and mold gently into a ball. Dust with flour; set aside on work surface. Repeat with the remaining portions.

5. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes—1 hour (preferable). Preheat your oven to the highest setting, 290C/550F, with your pizza stone or baking tray in it. Prepare your toppings (see below).

6. When ready to bake, cover a baking sheet with semolina/cornmeal and press down the dough, working from the centre outwards with your fingers to form a crown. Then, pick up the dough and stretch the dough between your knuckles, slowly enlarging the circle, keeping a raised edge. This is a helpful video to watch, from 1 min onwards. Avoid using a rolling pin because the pressure pops the bubbles. Leave the outer ½-inch untouched to keep the bubbles intact. Repeat with the remaining dough.

7. Assemble your toppings: drizzle a little olive oil on top and assemble your toppings. I try to keep the topping to 2 – 3 vegetables. When finished, brush the outer edge with olive oil.

8. Cook your pizza: In the preheated HOT oven, scoot the pizza (still with the baking sheet) onto the pizza stone or preheated baking tray. Bake for 8 – 10 minutes. After 2 minutes of baking, lift the dough and slide the baking paper off – but if you forget – no problem, the baking paper gets brittle where there is no pizza.

favourite pizza toppings

olive oil, pinenut sauce, sauteed red and green peppers, sauteed eggplant rounds or zucchini, sauteed red pepper, charred torn cherry tomatoes, and chopped green olives. When it comes out of the oven, sprinkle with pine nut parmesan and microgreens.
finely chopped rosemary, tomato base (I use smaller quantities of this sauce), *torn strips buffalo mozzarella, sauteed red and green peppers, sauteed eggplant rounds. When it comes out of the oven, sprinkle with fresh oregano leaves and red pepper flakes.
olive oil, ¼ cup ricotta cheese, *torn strips buffalo mozzarella, ¼ cup basil pesto, grilled zucchini, finely chopped green olives, fresh basil leaves. When it comes out of the oven, sprinkle with ¼ cup grated parmesan and fresh basil leaves.

*to avoid a soggy pizza, place fresh mozzarella which has been sliced between paper towel sheets to absorb excess water – allow to rest for 15 minutes.

to serve

a big green salad of arugula leaves, toasted pinenuts, and shaved parmesan with a sweet balsamic and olive oil dressing.

Because of the hot oven, the cooking time is quick, so as one pizza comes out, the next one goes in, and by the time you have finished the first pizza, the next one is ready!

note to self

4 pizzas – increase flour 480g

0

pasta dough (without eggs)

29th August 2017

Once you get the feel of the dough, making pasta without eggs is easy, it is a little softer, more delicate, however, the texture is divine. Homemade pasta is much lighter on the system and easier to digest.

The durum wheat flour helps absorb the flavours. It makes a softer, silky, smooth dough, that you will not get from other flours. It also absorbs more water then ordinary flour, so keep that in mind if swapping the flours around.

This is a recipe that has developed over trial and error, as time goes on I am sure it will evolve even more and I will update accordingly. So far, I found when rolling and thinning the dough I used a liberal amount of flour – this may have something to do with where we live, as there is a lot of moisture in the air in Sintra. I found using an icing sugar shaker very handy for this purpose, a sifter or sieve will work just as well to get a fine layer of dusting. The process is quite time-consuming, however, the more confident you become with the process the quicker it is. The results are so delicious and worth the effort and impossible to go back to a box of dried pasta. Making your pasta from scratch is a very satisfying process.

pasta dough without eggs

Preparation 1½ hours

Serves 6

Recipe inspired by Kusama via Elegantly Vegan.

If making for the first time, halve the dough recipe. It comfortably serves 3 – 4, once shaped I serve 120g per person.

The best way to get good at making fresh pasta is to make it again and again!

ingredients

480g/4¼ cups finely ground semolina flour from durum wheat

2 tsp fine rock salt

4 Tbsp olive oil

1 – 1¼ cup/250 – 300ml warm water

extra flour for dusting

special equipment

pasta making machine

preparing the pasta dough

1. In a medium bowl, measure out the flour, add the salt and whisk to combine, then create a well in the centre, drizzle in the olive oil and slowly pour in the water, little by little.

2. Using your hands, combine the dry into the wet, adding water a tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together into a ball.

3. Dust your work surface with flour and knead the dough, begin gently folding the dough on itself, flattening, and folding again, for about 10 minutes, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for ½ – 1 hour. For best results knead and allow the dough to rest for as long as possible.

rolling out the pasta dough

4. Unwrap the dough and divide it into quarters, and then each quarter in half again so you have eight equal portions, weighing approximately 90 – 100 grams.

5. Work with one portion at a time, and cover the rest. Flour your work surface and flatten one piece of dough. Feed it through the thickest setting on the machine – #0. Lightly dust both sides of the sheet of pasta with flour and fold this piece of dough into thirds, like folding a letter, dust again and feed the pasta crosswise between the rollers.

Repeat this step 5 – 6 times. This helps strengthen the gluten in the flour, giving it a chewier texture when cooked.

6. Change settings to – #1, dust with flour and feed it through the machine without folding; then set it on #2 and so forth until achieving the desired thickness – I finished at #5 for fettucini/spaghetti and lasagna sheets, #6 for ravioli/tortellini.

If your pasta sticks at all, dust both sides with more flour or is too lengthy to manage, lay on a cutting board and cut in half. Don’t tug or pull on the pasta as it goes through the machine. Let the rollers do the work.

7. Cut the sheet of pasta crosswise into pieces about 25 cm long and lightly dust them with flour again.

To make the process easier, roll out all the dough at once before cutting it into the desired shape. Dust the sheets of pasta generously with flour and overlap them on a floured board. When ready to cut, use the sheets which were rolled out first and have been sitting longer to dry.

cutting the pasta

8. If making filled pasta or lasagna, proceed with shaping. If cutting into noodles, switch from the pasta roller to the noodle cutter, dust again with flour and run the sheet of pasta through the cutter. As soon as the pasta comes through the cutter, dust generously with flour and gently fold into loose rounds to make a nest or lay flat. Dust again with a little flour and continue with the remaining dough. Leave the pasta to air dry for 15 minutes – 3 hours before using. This helps the pasta to not clump together while cooking.

9. When ready to cook the pasta, bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil, then add the pasta to the water, wait for it to boil again and cook for about 1 – 2 minutes – don’t overcook! The pasta should float to the top of the pot when it’s ready and be al dente. Drain and then just drizzle it in olive oil or toss it with your favourite pasta sauce, and it’s ready to serve.

To dry, allow to air dry until completely brittle, turning the nests from time to time. Depending on the humidity it should take 5 – 6 hours.

To freeze, gather the bundles in a single layer separated with baking paper and freeze, in an airtight container, up to 3 months. Do not thaw them – place them directly in boiling water – may take 2 – 3 minutes to cook.

serving suggestions

walnut parsley pesto

Jonathan’s Sunday night pasta sauce

tortellini with roasted pumpkin & sage butter

pine nut sauce

Note to self

Lasagna – #5 (use 320g flour)

Ravioli/tortellini – #6 (240g flour)

Goodness shared by Stacey

0

fig and ginger cluster granola

17th August 2017

quietness

Just now I went out into the garden, it was so quiet and still out there, except for a single bird, melodious and sweet.

tara o’brady’s fig and ginger cluster granola

Preparation – 1 hour

Makes approximately 8 cups.

The recipe is taken from Taro O’brady’s Seven Spoons Cookbook, with a few small changes.

Tara goes on to say ‘This recipe is my standard and is intended only as a starting point. By all means, add, substitute, or subtract ingredients (add ground nutmeg or ginger, cardamom; or take away the seeds and go heavy on the nuts; swap pistachios for pecans, or dried apricots and dried cherries for the figs) as long as the general guidelines are loosely followed.”

wet ingredients

¼ cup/60g ghee/coconut oil

3 Tbsp/30g olive oil

3 Tbsp/55g maple syrup

½ cup/100g packed brown sugar or 100g rice syrup

½ cup/105g hot water

1 tsp fine rock salt – divided

1 tsp vanilla extract

dry ingredients

5 cups/455g old-fashioned rolled or quick-cooking oats

1½ – 2 cups/180g slivered almonds (chop whole almonds into thin slivers)

¾ cup/65g flaked coconut

¼ cup/35g sunflower seeds

¼ cup/35g sesame seeds

2 heaped tsp cinnamon powder

½ cup/70g candied ginger, finely chopped

1 cup/150g dried figs and sultanas, chopped

prepare the wet ingredients

1. Preheat oven to 325F/160C.

2. In a saucepan set over medium heat, melt the ghee into the olive oil and maple syrup, turn off the heat, add the brown sugar, hot water, and ½ tsp salt. Cook, stirring often until the sugar dissolves.

3. Remove the saucepan from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract, and set aside to cool.

prepare the dry ingredients

4. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, grind 2 cups/180g of the oats into flour. Transfer to a large bowl.

5. Stir in the remaining 3 cups/275g whole oats, the remaining ½ tsp salt, nuts, coconut, seeds and cinnamon powder.

6. Pour the wet mixture over everything and stir to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes, to give the oats the opportunity to lap up the sugar syrup.

7. Cover 1 large tray with baking paper. Using your hands, drop the oat mixture in clumps onto the pans, then bake in the preheated oven until dry, lightly golden, and evenly toasted 45 – 50 minutes, gently stirring and turning the granola with a large spatula every 10-15 minutes.

8. Remove from oven and leave the granola in the pans. The granola will continue to crisp as it stands. After 5 minutes, stir in the candied ginger. Once the granola has cooled completely, stir in the figs.

9. Transfer the granola to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Goodness shared from Stacey

3

garam masala powder

25th January 2017

Garam means “heating” and masala means “spice blend”. Garam masala is a warming spice mix – in Ayurveda, the word ‘warming’ refers to the ‘heating properties’ of the ingredients.

Garam Masala is a very simple spice to make, you can toast the spices on the back burner while you prepare the vegetables for the dish you are going to make. When you grind the spices, the most delicious aromas fill your kitchen and puts you into a state of blissful contentment. And that is a good place to start when cooking!

Food Preparation

In yogic philosophy, the cook who prepares the meal is very much honoured. The mindset of the cook deeply affects the food. It is important for the person preparing the food to maintain a calm and quiet demeanour, thinking about divine subjects is also highly beneficial while preparing food. If the cook is a seeker of Truth, holding the thought that her efforts to prepare the meal will support aspirants will have a positive effect to those who eat it.

~ The Sacred Tradition of Yoga – Dr Shankaranarayana Jois.

garam masala

Recipe inspired by ‘The Vegetarian Table’ by Yamuna Devi.

If you have ajwain seeds add ½ tsp to the recipe below. Grind your own cardamom as the taste is so much more fragrant, fresher and more intense. An easy way to do this is to place 3 tablespoons of cardamom pods in a high-speed blender or coffee grinder, and roughly grind. Use a strainer to sift the ground pods, discard the shells and grind the bigger chunks again to a finer powder. Make in small batches, as the spices can lose some of their flavours after just a couple of months, which can change the flavour and balance of the whole blend. When using garam masala it is best to add at the end of cooking.

Makes about ⅔ cup

ingredients

½ cup/35g coriander seeds

3 Tbsp fennel seeds

1 Tbsp black mustard seeds

1 tsp cardamom seeds

10 whole cloves

½ tsp red pepper flakes

2-inch piece cinnamon stick (roughly broken up)

preparation

1. Preheat a heavy skillet over medium-low heat, add all the ingredients except the cardamom (as roasting it destroys the ‘sweetness’ in the seeds) and dry toast the spices, stirring occasionally until they darken slightly – about 10 – 15 minutes.

2. Transfer the spices to a bowl, allow to cool completely, when cool place in a coffee grinder or blender, add in the cardamom seeds and grind to a powder.

3. Sift through, discarding the roughage – depending on how powerful your grinder is.

Use while fresh or store in an airtight container for up to a month. I use garam masala in this gingerbread spice cake and fruit cake in replace of the all-spice, in this tofu curry or in these vegetable samosas.

Goodness shared by Stacey

2

a traditional Ayurvedic herbal drink – Kashaya

3rd December 2016

Kashaya is a deeply nourishing and soothing drink that brings calmness to the mind and supports the general health and balance of the system. Kashaya is appropriate for all constitutions and in all seasons. It is recommended to consume at the end of a meal and to have once-twice a day. Kashaya balances vata, pitta and kapha, helps maintain the digestive fire and reduces heat in the body.

There are many variations of Kashaya – below are two very simple and easy to prepare recipes for everyday use. They require only two of the main spices – cumin and coriander. The first is a Kashaya powder which involves lightly roasting and grinding the seeds and the second, a simple infusion using the whole seeds.

Considering your constitution, it is good to keep in mind that jaggery is more heating for the body than brown sugar.

coriander seed

Coriander effectively supports healthy digestion. Bitter, pungent and sweet in taste, it evokes the digestive fire while simultaneously cooling and soothing. Coriander seed removes excess heat in the body, making it useful in cooling Pitta-related imbalances associated with menopause.

cumin seed

A common household spice, its Sanskrit name literally means ‘promoting digestion’. Cumin seed is bitter, pungent and astringent. It is carminative, aromatic, and on the whole, cool in action. Cumin evokes the digestive fire, promotes healthy absorption and eliminates natural toxins. It enhances immunity and invokes good sleep.

Coriander-Cumin Kashaya Powder

This recipe was shared by our teacher, Ganapati Aarya, as part of the Sadvidya Yoga Programme. It came about as an aid to reduce Pitta disturbances in the body and to assist with interrupted sleep due to menopause. It is a deeply nourishing and satisfying drink to have after a meal and satisfies that sweet craving, as well as benefiting from its wonderful medicinal qualities. The key to opening up the real flavour is making sure that you get the kashaya to a rollicking boil just before straining – the heat changes everything.

Preparation 10 minutes

Makes approximately 18 – 20 cups kashaya

ingredients for kashaya powder

⅓ cup/35g whole cumin seed

½ cup/35g whole coriander seed

preparation

1. On a medium flame, heat a skillet until it is hot to touch, dry-roast the cumin seeds until their colour deepens and they become aromatic – approx 1 minute. Seeds may start popping, be careful not to burn the spices as they can ruin the taste of the kashaya. Set aside to cool.

2. Place the coriander seeds into the skillet and repeat the process – approximately 1½ minutes.

3. In a blender/coffee grinder, grind first the cumin seeds to a fine powder. Pour into a bowl and set aside.

4. Repeat with the coriander seeds – these may take slightly longer to grind. Pour into the bowl with the ground cumin and combine well. Store in an airtight container.

To preserve the medicinal qualities of the spices, make fresh every 10 – 14 days.

prepare the kashaya

1 cup water

1 heaped tsp kashaya powder

1 heaped tsp brown sugar/jaggery

1 – 2 tsp/5-10ml milk (less milk is easier for the digestion, especially in the evening)

preparation

1. In a small pan, pour in 1 cup water and bring to boiling point.

2. Add the Kashaya powder and sugar – simmer for a few minutes.

3. Turn off the heat, add the milk, stir and pour into a cup (drinking the powder which collects at the bottom is beneficial for its medicinal properties).

4. Set aside to cool until moderately warm. Enjoy.

Whole Coriander-Cumin Seed Kashaya

1 serving

Don´t throw away those leftover seeds after straining, place them in a garden pot outside your kitchen or in the garden – in no time you will have fresh greens to harvest for your cooking.

ingredients

½ tsp whole coriander seeds

½ tsp whole cumin seeds

1 cup water

1 tsp brown sugar/jaggery

1 tsp/5mL milk (optional)

preparation

1. In a small pan, pour in 1 cup of water and bring to boiling point.

2. Add the whole coriander and cumin seeds and sugar – allow to simmer for a few minutes.

3. Turn off the heat, add the milk (if using), and strain the kashaya.

4. Set aside to cool until moderately warm.

Goodness shared by Stacey

0

pine nut parmesan

28th May 2015

and then Spring arrived…….soft bright light, growth, birth, beginnings, quiet, revel, love, glory and new life.

And a proud mama!

six bundles of softness, fluff and feathers

pine nut parmesan

Slightly adapted from here.

I enjoy parmesan cheese, for my daughter and husband who avoid eating dairy this is a great substitute, it is so tasty that I find myself using it as well.

Preparation 20 minutes

Makes 1 cup

ingredients

½ cup/70g pine nuts

2 Tbsp/20g sunflower seeds

2 Tbsp/20g unhulled sesame seeds

1 tsp lemon zest-optional

½ cup nutritional yeast (sold in the UK under Engevita & in Australia it is called savoury yeast flakes.)

¼ tsp fine rock salt

preparation

1. Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add the pine nuts and seeds, toast until golden, stirring and watch constantly to avoid burning them. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

2. In a small food processor/upright blender, add the nuts and seeds, lemon zest, nutritional yeast, and salt, grind until coarsely ground. I like it quite coarse with a few seeds whole for a little crunch and surprise. Check seasonings and adjust to your liking.

3. Pour into a jar and store it in the refrigerator.

Goodness shared from Stacey

0

tamari – toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds

2nd May 2015

I went to India last week and came back…

Six days full of joys, challenges, moments of confusion and clarity, abundance and grace in so many ways.

I came back with a piece of gold inside my heart. I have been holding it with heartfelt gratitude and inner joy.

early morning perfection

tamari – toasted seeds

These make a great, satisfying, salty snack to travel with on a long plane journey; they are also great to have on hand to add a finishing touch to salads or grain dishes.

Makes 1 cup

ingredients

½ cup raw pumpkin seeds

½ cup raw sunflower seeds

1 Tbsp tamari sauce

preparation

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat, then add the pumpkin and sunflower seeds. To avoid burning, shake and stir the seeds constantly as they are toasting. When the seeds start to pop open and release their aroma, they are done – approximately 2 – 3 minutes. Turn off the heat.

2. Drizzle with tamari sauce and stir until combined – set aside to cool. Store in a sealed jar.

Goodness shared by Stacey

0

raw granola

22nd March 2015

4V7A1596

I thought I would revisit this post which was posted in the very earlier stages of this blog. The previous content and photos didn’t do this amazing raw granola the attention which it deserved – which is a shame because it is a well-loved staple in our house. So here it is again with beauty and intention.

I make this on a weekly basis adding it into my morning porridge, on its own with freshly made nut milk or in a fruit and chia bowl in warmer months. It also makes a great travel food. It is made in a special oven called a dehydrator that blows hot air, but never gets hot enough to burn you or your food. This allows all the delicate nutrients that are usually burned out of cooked foods to remain. If you don’t have a dehydrator, you could use a normal oven. But, only if you set it at the lowest temperature possible (usually around 150F/65C) and make sure the oven is no hotter than 100F/37C, otherwise it will lose most of its enzymes, vitamins, and fatty acids (though not the protein and fibre). If using the oven, you should use Pyrex cookware.

This recipe is time-consuming as the almonds do have to be soaked, then blanched in hot water and the skin is taken off. This is the most time-consuming part. It is well worth it, though. It does need forward planning, and once you get into a roll with it, it becomes easier. If you want to go one step further, you can sprout the buckwheat (usually takes two days after soaking).

With all the soaking and dehydrating, raw granola takes about a day-half to prepare, but the time spent actually making the cereal is only a half-hour.

Just in case you do decide to get creative, here is a little guide for soaking seeds and nuts. By soaking with just a little bit of lemon juice, it helps neutralize the phytic acid.

SOAKING TIME (hours)

almonds 8

buckwheat 6

cashews 8

flax seeds 8

pecans 2

pumpkin seeds 4 – 6

sesame seeds 4

sunflower seeds 4 – 6

walnuts 2

Just remember to always rinse and drain the buckwheat thoroughly, as it becomes very slimy when soaked.

raw granola

Inspired by ‘I am Grateful’ by Terces Englehart, with a few creative changes.

I start soaking in the night and assemble early morning to dehydrate for that day (flip it in the evening) and it is ready for breakfast the next morning.

Makes about 8 cups

ingredients

1½ cups/210g whole almonds

½ cup/65g sunflower seeds

½ cup/95g whole buckwheat

6 medium/550g sweet apples, cored but not peeled

½ cup/90g/ 6 Medjool dates, chopped into small pieces

½ cup/60g dried cranberries/apricots

½ cup/40g dried shredded coconut

1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1 tsp cardamom powder

pre-soak

1. Just before going to bed. In a small bowl, cover the almonds with 1-inch water. In another bowl, cover the sunflower and buckwheat together with water.

preparation

2. The next morning. Rinse and drain the buckwheat and sunflower seeds. After rinsing, allow them to sit in a sieve for 30 minutes, to allow as much moisture to drain out. Stirring them once or twice.

3. Rinse and drain the almonds. Cover again with hot water, allow to sit for a few minutes. Drain and peel. The skin will come off easily without much effort. Pat dry and roughly chop.

4. In a food processor fitted with a large grater attachment, grate the apples (If using organic no need to peel).

5. In a large bowl, combine the almonds, sunflower and buckwheat, stir through the coconut, cranberries, dates, grated ginger, vanilla, cinnamon, and cardamom powder. Add the grated apple in small batches, mixing well after each addition so that it is well combined.

6. I have a small dehydrator oven, so I used all four trays. Cover the four trays both with the grid and Telfex sheets. Divide your granola mixture into equal parts on all trays, about 3 cups granola on each tray. Spread out the granola with your hands.

4V7A1577

7. Dehydrate at 145F/63C for 1 hour, then reduce temperature to 115F/46C, after 10 hours or just before going to bed, flip the granola onto a clean mesh dehydrator tray, carefully remove the silicone sheet, and continue to dehydrate for another 12 hours, until the following morning, or until you have the right texture. I like mine quite dry.

8. Roughly break the bigger pieces of the granola up and store in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator.

This recipe is easily adjusted to your liking.

Goodness shared from Stacey

2

hemp milk

9th August 2014

Hemp is a quick plant-based milk to prepare because, unlike almond or oat, it doesn’t need to be soaked overnight. Hemp seeds (hulled hemp nuts) are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, protein, all 10 essential amino acids, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, vitamin A and magnesium. I find the taste a little grassy, so I use half-hemp and half-hazelnuts (also no need to soak) – both are very convenient and quick. Drink it on its own, add a little sweetener or spice for a healthy pick-me-up, or a good sprinkling of chia seeds to create an incredible breakfast pudding.

gathering…..

hemp milk

ingredients

1 cup hemp seeds

3 cups filtered water

preparation

1. Rinse hemp seeds well and place in a blender with 3 cups filtered water, then blend on high for 1 minute.

2. Place the nut bag or cloth over a wide-mouth jug and pour in the blended mixture.

3. Strain the milk until only the pulp is left. Use your hand to squeeze out the last of the milk. Pour into a sterilized glass jar.

Homemade milk does separate, so be sure to give your milk a very good shake before using. The milk keeps for about three days in an air-tight container in the fridge.

Goodness shared from Stacey

4

fresh oat milk

26th April 2014

I have been making oat milk lately, as buying almonds and hazelnuts for making nut butter, and then making nut milk, can become quite expensive.

In minutes, you can produce plant-based milk that is fresh and delicious, rich in nutrients and enzymes. The soy, almond, rice, oats or hemp ‘milk’ sold in boxes contain synthetic vitamins to “enrich” (such as Vitamin A Palmitate, calcium carbonate, Vitamin D2, etc.). These have shown to actually deplete your body of the vitamins it needs and actually keeps your body from ingesting the naturally-occurring vitamins in the almonds/oats/coconut in the milk. These kinds of milk are very nutritious by themselves without the added isolated vitamins. Also, the extremely high heat processing in making these store-bought milk renders the contents ‘dead’ and quite hard to be utilized by the body.

Oat milk is high in fibre and iron. It also provides many important vitamins and minerals including manganese, potassium, phosphorus, many B Vitamins, Vitamin E, and Vitamin A.

Oats have long been known for their warming thermal nature, sweet, soothing and restoring. Oats also have skin clearing properties and drinking oat milk has been known to clear acne and improve the overall health of the skin, as well as strengthen and repair the hair.

I use the left-over oat pulp mixed with a little warm water for a face and body scrub in my morning shower, as it rejuvenates and relieves dry and itching skin (a pitta imbalance); leaving my skin feeling soft and silky.

fresh oat milk

Oat milk has a very soothing oat flavour which I like, but it does have a pasty texture, unlike regular nut milk. Because of this, I am less likely to drink it straight, but it’s perfect for a green smoothie or using in baking or pouring over porridge. If you would like the milk creamier, you can experiment with adding less water. This ratio below was my favourite.

ingredients

1 cup organic whole oat groats

4 cups filtered water

You will also need

1 piece of nut bag/muslin for a fine sieve

1 large glass container

pre-soak

1. Place the oat groats in a bowl, cover with twice the amount of water and leave to soak for 6 -8 hours or overnight.

preparation

2. Rinse well and place in a blender with 4 cups filtered water – blend on high for 1 minute.

3. Place the nut bag or cloth over a wide-mouth jug and pour the blended mixture into it, strain the milk until only the pulp is left. Use your hand to squeeze out the last of the milk.

4. Pour into a sterilised glass jar.

Homemade milk does separate, so be sure to give your milk a very good shake before using. The milk keeps for about 3 days in an air-tight container in the fridge.

References:

‘Earthly and Divine’ by Eva Cabaca

‘Healing with Whole Foods’ by Paul Pitchford

https://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-benefits-of-oat-milk-and-how-to-make-it-yourself.html

Goodness shared from Stacey

Recent Posts

homemade basics & staples

pizza dough

26th May 2020

pizza dough

pasta dough (without eggs)

29th August 2017

pasta dough without eggs

fig and ginger cluster granola

17th August 2017

tara o’brady’s fig and ginger cluster granola

garam masala powder

25th January 2017

garam masala

a traditional Ayurvedic herbal drink – Kashaya

3rd December 2016

Coriander-Cumin Kashaya Powder

Whole Coriander-Cumin Seed Kashaya

pine nut parmesan

28th May 2015

pine nut parmesan

tamari – toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds

2nd May 2015

tamari – toasted seeds

raw granola

22nd March 2015

raw granola

hemp milk

9th August 2014

hemp milk

fresh oat milk

26th April 2014

fresh oat milk