Raw Oatmilk

Raw, vegan, gluten-free, waste-free!

 
Directions:
Rinse 1 cup of oat groats*
Soak oat groats in 1 cup of water for 2+ hours (I just soak them overnight because then I don't have to think about it...).
Puree oats and water in a blender or food processor until macerated.
Add 3 more cups of water and allow to soak for another 1-2 hours.
Puree the oats and water.
Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth.

Save the solids to be used as a thickening agent or cook it oatmeal style!

Oatmilk can be used just as you would dairy milk or soymilk.

*If you are from the Ann Arbor area, you can buy oat groats from the bulk section of the People's Food Co-op. Don't forget to bring your own bag!

And great for chia seed pudding...

Yes that's a casserole dish and yes I was eating it in my bed while studying.

Unity Vibrations Kombucha and other pretty things

I have been playing around with bacteria again, surprise surprise. I have been attempting to make kombucha for about 2 months now and I cannot seem to get it right! I have no idea what I'm doing wrong and it's very very frustrating. Luckily, there is a Brew-Your-Own Kombucha workshop this Thursday that I am very excited to go to (thank goodness for the Ann Arbor Free Skool...)!

Straight chillin above my fridge.

But while I wait, I am very happily sipping on Unity Vibrations Kombucha! I fell in love with this stuff last summer and the Kombucha Scare of 2010 (when all kombucha had to be taken off the shelves because the alcohol content was too high bahaha) was a very dark time in my life. Unity Vibration's kombucha is made by a couple that live in Ann Arbor (this is the cutest love story in the world) and they use local ingredients from the AA farmers' market which I am obviously in total support of!

As the kombucha started coming back on the shelves after a change in the fermentation process that prevents the formation of alcohol, I still could not find the UV kombucha for the life of me! Until 2 weeks ago. Apparently UV did not want to change their fermentation process because they believe that it  hurts the bacteria that grows in it so they instead filed to be a beer so they can keep the 1.5% alcohol content! I think that this is hilarious. It also means that they can only be sold at places that have a liquor licence. Meaning not the People's Food Co-op, but instead Everyday Wine! They don't carry my favorite flavor, Cranberry-Clementine, but I am working on that ;)

Moving on to the other pretty things...

Freezing fruit and mint in ice cubes!

Because it makes things prettier...

...and who doesn't want to make the world a little prettier?

Already gone :(

Pumpkin Pie in a Bowl

From Natalia Rose

With a piece of raw cinnamon toast.

2 c carrot juice
1 cup raw sweet potato (about 1/2 of medium one), peeled and cubed
4-6 dates, pitted (depends on how sweet you like it)
1/2 avocado
Pumpkin pie spice or a dash of cloves, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg to taste

Blend ingredients in a food processor or high speed blender until smooth.

This is not an all local recipe but all ingredients can be bought trash free. For Ann Arbor residents:
-All produce can be purchased packaging free.
-Spices can be bought in bulk at the People's Food Co-op.

-Dates can be bought in bulk at Whole Foods

Drink your greens.

As I said yesterday, when I know I have a stressful week coming (i.e. midterms and a mondo paper), I stuff myself with vegetables. Here's another (sneaky) way to do just that!

The combination of the pink raspberries and green chard creates

a lovely chocolate hue... that looks nothing like pond scum...

Chocolate Raspberry (and Greens) Smoothie
Don't limit yourself to what I did. The idea is to drink your greens so add whatever else you like after that initial ingredient! The chocolate raspberry mixture is delicious but don't be afraid to experiment with other fruits, no fruits, nut milks, nut butters...

Ingredients:
2 bunches greens of your choice (I used rainbow chard)
2 handfuls of frozen raspberries (or blueberries, strawberries, rasberries...)
a heaping spoonful or two of unsweetened cocoa powder
optional: natural sweetener of choice (honey, maple syrup, stevia...)
water (or juice or non-dairy milk of choice)

Directions:
Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor.
Add enough water to achieve desired consistency.
Drink your greens and cheers to your health!

Red Quinoa Ginger Snaps and Homemade Almond Milk

Also known as Christmas Cookies Attempt #1. I am pretty specific when it comes to baking. The whole vegan thing is a zero-percent issue since there is a substitute for everything. There's dairy-free milk/butter/cream cheese, egg replacers, vegan binders. You name it, some laboratory created a vegan substitute for it.

The problem I have is that chemicals/processed things scare me. Yeah, they make things super easy and convenient but do you really know what partially hydrogenated soybean oil or carrageenan gum does to a human body? Neither do I...

Well I found a pretty amazing recipe on a blog called (never)homecooking. Whole wheat flour, healthy oils, and a taste that is wonderfully reminiscent of winter. I have a few kinks to work out (notice my cookie lattice above due to major spread-age) but they sure are tasty.

Red Quinoa Ginger Snaps

Ingredients:
1 c whole wheat flour (1)
2 t baking powder
1 T ground ginger
1/2 t coriander
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 c olive oil
1/8 c maple syrup (2)
1/8 c almond milk (recipe below)
1/2 c sucanat (or dark brown sugar)
2 handfuls of uncooked red quinoa, rinsed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F
Mix together flour, baking powder, and spices in a large bowl.
Mix together liquids and sugar in a small bowl.
Pour wet into dry and mix until homogeneous.
Stir in uncooked quinoa.
Spoon tablespoon-sized dollops of dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
These will spread so allow them room to grow!
Flatten the dollops a little and press in a little more quinoa.
Bake for 10-13 minutes (13 for my oven), or until starting to brown.
Remove from oven and allow to cool, transferring to cooling rack after 5 minutes.

My plans for attempt #2:

• Replace baking powder with 1/2 t baking soda and a pinch of salt.
• Roll dollops into smooth balls before pressing them down.

Almond milk

This is super easy to do and it contains none of the preservatives and other unnecessary add-ins that store bought almond milk contains.

Ingredients:

1/4 c raw almonds

1 c water

2 T maple syrup or agave nectar (optional)

Directions:

If blanching

Bring about 2 inches of water to a boil in a saucepan.

Dump in almonds and allow to boil for about 30 seconds.

Strain from heat and allow to cool enough to handle.

Pop off the skins.

If soaking

Put almonds in a bowl with enough water to cover by a few inches.

Allow to soak overnight.

Dump soaking water.

Pour almonds, 1 c water and sweetener into a blender or food processor.

Blend for 1-3 minutes, until milky.

Pour mixture through a cheese cloth or nut bag (something that will strain out the almond pulp) into a container.

Drink or store in the fridge in an air-tight container, or use in any recipe calling for milk or a milk-substitute (like the one above!)

(1) Earnst Farm

(2) That stand that sells MI maple syrup at the Ann Arbor farmer's market

Miso for Breakfast

A couple of weekends ago I ventured north of campus to spend the morning and make breakfast with a dear friend of mine, Darshan Karwat. Darshan is a really cool guy, doing really cool things. For one thing, he's getting a decent amount of press for his current commitment to living a zero waste lifestyle. Yes, that's right, zero waste.

This commitment began in March and so far he's created about 2 pounds of trash. Let's compare that to the "average American" who produces about 3-4 pounds of trash PER DAY.

Darshan has been collecting all of the trash that he creates, not including TP or food scraps (which he composts). So this includes a straw that a waitress brought to him with his glass of water one night at a restaurant and every sticker on every piece of fruit he eats. For him, every piece of trash now has a story and evokes a memory.

One main way that Darshan has significantly lowered his trash is by buying local and in bulk. Therefore he's very familiar with both the Ann Arbor farmer's market and the People's Food Co-op. Also, he has become very open about his lifestyle choice at restaurants. Explaining to the waitress what he is doing and asking for no straws, disposable silverware, or napkins, etc.

Please visit Darshan's blog, Minimizing Entropy, to read more about what he is doing. He has tips and recommendations for how to reduce your waste. He also challenges readers to collect all the trash that you produce in 1 day, week, month, etc. and carry around with you!

Darshan has written an article for the Michigan Daily here.

He has also been featured in:

Lansing State Journal

Annarbor.com

Fosters

So anyways, it was waaay too early on a Sunday morning. Therefore, I felt obligated to capture the mood of the very grey, very misty morning. (I think that the fact that I am judging myself for posting these pictures is a very bad testament for the fact that I AM posting them...)

Annnndddd I hope that whoever lives here, sees this. Yes, yes I am creepin' on you...

The kind of unconventional breakfast that was decided on was Miso Soup! And gosh do I love Miso. Miso is essentially fermented soybeans. Salty and delicious. So anyways...

Miso Soup

Wakame. Mmm, you know I love sea veggies.

Darshan's onion choppin' in action.

Ingredients: (and oh gosh, these are an estimate)

8 c + 4 T water

1 c wakame, rehydrated in 1 c water

1 onion, sliced

2 c dried shitake mushrooms, rehydrated and chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 handfuls of spinach

4 T miso

Why yes, chop sticks are keepin' the asian moood.

Directions:

Bring 8 c water to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer and add in onions and carrots.

Add in wakame and mushrooms.

Add in spinach.

Once all ingredients are cooked through, softened, add in the spinach.

Dissolve Miso in 4 T water.

When spinach starts to wilt, pour Miso mixture into soup.

Remove from heat, garnish and serve.

Garnish options:

chopped scallions

toasted sesame seeds

fried soba noodles

garnish of choice!

And yet it does not end there. This day was a day of new experiences for me. Tea-wise. Everyone knows the words "Earl Grey." But I doubt that many know what those words actually mean... (And I will allow you to explore (google?) as you wish).

Working at a cafe, one would think that experiencing Earl Grey tea would be assumed of any employee. But there were no assumptions for me. And no Earl Grey... Until now.

My first Earl Grey experience!:

So beautiful. But still not... my cup of tea... (Yes, I am embracing that pun). And I am not a black tea fan. But that's personal preference. I can totally see a black tea  lovah to loving Earl Grey. However I am not there yet.