Robyn's handouts - Almond and Coconut Milk

Making Almond Milk

Making almond milk is a great alternative to using cow’s milk and is super easy as well as inexpensive.  My family enjoys almond milk on their cereal in the morning and I use it in my baking.  You can substitute it for milk in any recipe.

Soak your almonds overnight, and if your almonds are raw this will cause them to become ‘live’, greatly increasing their nutritional benefits.  This is not necessary though if you cannot find truly raw almonds.  Just soak them overnight or for 8 hours, then put them in the blender adding 4 times the water.  So, I usually use about 2 cups of almonds and this makes 8 cups of milk.  Blend your almonds until pureed, and then strain using a nut bag or cheesecloth, or even an old t-shirt that has been washed really well.

When you’ve strained your milk you can sweeten it using honey or agave nectar, which has a lower glycemic index, or you can use organic cane sugar.  Also some people prefer vanilla flavouring.  All these things you can add according to your taste and preference.  Play around with it and see what you like best. 

Now you’re done, see I told you it was easy!  It’s going to taste even better knowing that you made it yourself!

After you’ve strained the milk you will have quite a bit of almond pulp left, don’t throw this away, you can use it later.  I like to add it to my baking for some extra nutrition.  I put it in cookies, brownies, granola, anything really.  Just make sure you adjust the flour accordingly.

Live Nutrition

Now I’m going to explain about the live nutrition part as that may be a little confusing to some people.

“Sprouting seeds, grains, nuts, and legumes causes starches to convert to easily digested sugars.  Germinating activates the enzymes so the plant begins to produce vitamins that it needs for its own growth.  According to research performed at the University of Minnesota, sprouting increases the nutrient density of foods.  Sprouted wheat had 28 percent more thiamine (B1), 315 percent more riboflavin (B2), 66 percent more niacin (B3), 65 percent more pantothenic acid (B5), 111 percent more biotin, 278 percent more folic acid, and 300 percent more vitamin C than non-sprouted wheat.  In some legumes, vitamins multiply by up to 500 percent after the bean in sprouted.  Enzyme content is sometimes more than 40 times higher in the sprouted grain, and even fibre multiplies 300 to 400 percent over the ground, dry whole grain!  Another change brought about in the sprouting process is that carbohydrates decrease and protein increases substantially, as atmospheric nitrogen is absorbed in the breakdown of molecules, reformed as amino acid building blocks of protein.  Sprouts regenerate human cells and tissues because they have high concentrations of RNA, DNA, protein and essential nutrients found only in living cells.  You cannot obtain these benefits from any synthetic supplement source.  All of this makes very clear the fact that we are meant to eat raw foods, the only natural sources of digestive enzymes.  Although all raw foods have enzymes, they are found in most concentrated form in sprouted seeds, nuts, grains, and legumes.”  -from Robyn Openshaws 12 Steps to Whole Foods

So you can see why sprouting is so important.  Unfortunately, in Sept 2007, the almond growers in California were required by law to begin pasteurizing almonds, which heat treats them above 115 degrees and makes them unsproutable.  This means that since California produces 80 percent of the world’s almonds, it’s now a lot harder to find raw almonds for sprouting.

It is possible, though it may be more expensive.  You can go to www.upayanaturals.com to order some.  These ones come from Spain I believe.  Also if you get down to Utah, there is a woman who runs a food storage store out of her garage and she orders her almonds straight from a grower in California. Her web address is  www.alpinefoodstorage.com  .

Almond Cherry Cookies (from Robyn Openshaws book)

2-2 ½ cups almond pulp                                                                                                                  

¼ cup natural peanut butter                                                                                                       

1cup sesame seeds, soaked several hours and drained                                                                

1tsp almond extract                                                                                                                          

½ cup honey                                                                                                                                    

 ¼ tsp nutmeg                                                                                                                                    

½ tsp cinnamon                                                                                                                             

1cup craisins, soaked for several hours and drained

Process all ingredients except craisins in Blender until smooth.  Add craisins and blend on low just to chop craisins up, not puree.  Press large spoonfuls onto teflex sheets in dehydrator.  Dehydrate for 12 + hours until dry on tops, then flip and dry another 2 hours until desired consistency is achieved.

COCONUT MILK

Coconut milk is a bit more labour intensive, so if you don’t have the time, the coconut milk in the can is a good alternative.

First you need to buy a coconut from the store.  You can find them at Walmart or Superstore and they’re quite inexpensive.  Just make sure that you are buying a mature coconut, the brown hairy ones.

When you are ready to use it, take a hammer and a screwdriver and put 2 holes in the shell.  One is the air hole and the other is for the water to pour out.  I pour the water out into a container and then I use it later in our morning smoothie.  After that I wrap it in a tea towel and I let my kids go at it with the hammer.  This is obviously their favourite part.  The towel keeps the mess contained.

Once it cracks open you can pull the pieces apart and put them on a baking sheet.  I put my coconut in the oven for 20 min at 400.  You don’t have to do this, but it makes it easier to get out of the shell.  When it comes out of the oven and has cooled a bit but still warm you can use a butter knife to pry the meat from the shell.  When it comes out of the shell it will have a brown skin on it.  You can either leave it there or remove it with a vegetable peeler or a paring knife.

Once you’ve done that you can chop it up, put it in your blender, add water and blend her up!  Then, as you did with the almond milk, you need to strain the milk.

There are so many ways to use coconut milk and it is so good for you.  You can use it to cook your rice in, or your potatoes, and it gives them a really great flavour.  the possibilities are really limitless.

You can also use the coconut pulp in any recipes calling for shredded coconut.

Coconut Pancakes (from Robyn Openshaws book)

2 cups whole wheat flour                                                                                                                   

2 cups coconut milk                                                                                                                             

1 ½ cups shredded coconut                                                                                                                

4 eggs                                                                                                                                                  

½ cup coconut oil (could also use olive oil)                                                                                      

1 Tbsp honey                                                                                                                                     

½ tsp sea salt                                                                                                                                      

1 tsp baking soda                                                                                                                                1 Tbsp baking powder

Cook on hot griddle and enjoy!  You could also add some pineapple for a bit of a different flavour.

Noodle Recipes!

Gnocchi Mac n' Cheese
From Cuisine at Home

1 pound homemade gnocchi (recipe follows)
2 Tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup shredded fontina cheese
Salt and white pepper to taste
1/3 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
Basil leaves for garnish, optional (I chopped fresh basil and added it in to my cheese sauce)

Preheat oven to 375. Prepare gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and place gnocchi in a single-layer in a 1-1/2 quart shallow baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in flour until it thickens and bubbles, then whisk in milk and Dijon. Continue to whisk mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes.

Combine Gruyere and fontina, then add by the handful to milk mixture, stirring until melted before adding the next handful. Once all cheese is melted, season sauce with salt and pepper.

Pour sauce over gnocchi and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano over top. Bake gnocchi until they puff and the cheese is golden and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Let gnocchi rest for 5 minutes before serving.

    

Gnocchi Recipe

Scant 2 pounds of starchy potatoes (2 large russets
1/4 cup egg, lightly beaten
scant 1 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour
fine grain sea salt

Fill a large pot with cold water. Salt the water, then cut potatoes in half and place them in the pot. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until tender throughout, this takes roughly 40-50 minutes.

Remove the potatoes from the water one at a time with a slotted spoon. Place each potato piece on a large cutting board and peel it before moving on to the next potato. Also, peel each potato as soon as possible after removing from the water (without burning yourself) - I've found a paring knife comes in handy here. Be mindful that you want to work relatively quickly so you can mash the potatoes when they are hot. To do this you can either push the potatoes through a ricer, or do what I do, deconstruct them one at a time on the cutting board using the tines of a fork - mash isn't quite the right term here. I run the fork down the sides of the peeled potato creating a nice, fluffy potato base to work with (see photo). Don't over-mash - you are simply after an even consistency with no noticable lumps.

Save the potato water.

Let the potatoes cool spread out across the cutting board - ten or fifteen minutes. Long enough that the egg won't cook when it is incorporated into the potatoes. When you are ready, pull the potatoes into a soft mound - drizzle with the beaten egg and sprinkle 3/4 cup of the flour across the top. I've found that a metal spatula or large pastry scraper are both great utensils to use to incorporate the flour and eggs into the potatoes with the egg incorporated throughout - you can see the hint of yellow from the yolk. Scrape underneath and fold, scrape and fold until the mixture is a light crumble. Very gently, with a feathery touch knead the dough. This is also the point you can add more flour (a sprinkle at a time) if the dough is too tacky. I usually end up using most of the remaining 1/4 cup flour, but it all depends on the potatoes, the flour, the time of year, the weather, and whether the gnocchi gods are smiling on you. The dough should be moist but not sticky. It should feel almost billowy. Cut it into 8 pieces. Now gently roll each 1/8th of dough into a snake-shaped log, roughly the thickness of your thumb. Use a knife to cut pieces every 3/4-inch (see photo). Dust with a bit more flour.

To shape the gnocchi hold a fork in one hand (see photo) and place a gnocchi pillow against the tines of the fork, cut ends out. With confidence and an assertive (but light) touch, use your thumb and press in and down the length of the fork. The gnocchi should curl into a slight "C" shape, their backs will capture the impression of the tines as tiny ridges (good for catching sauce later). Set each gnocchi aside, dust with a bit more flour if needed, until you are ready to boil them. This step takes some practice, don't get discouraged, once you get the hang of it it's easy.

Now that you are on the final stretch, either reheat your potato water or start with a fresh pot (salted), and bring to a boil. Cook the gnocchi in batches by dropping them into the boiling water roughly twenty at a time. They will let you know when they are cooked because they will pop back up to the top. Fish them out of the water a few at a time with a slotted spoon ten seconds or so after they've surfaced. Have a large platter ready with a generous swirl of whatever sauce or favorite pesto you'll be serving on the gnocchi. Place the gnocchi on the platter. Continue cooking in batches until all the gnocchi are done. Gently toss with more sauce or pesto (don't overdo it, it should be a light dressing), and serve immediately, family-style with a drizzle of good olive oil on top.

Lazy Cheese Pasta

Ingredients 2 - 4 servings:
• 300 grams of cottage cheese (store bought or make your own)*
• 1 egg
• salt
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• about 1/3 cup flour

* If you can not buy cheese, you can use ricotta or cream cheese has a smooth ground, we can also add feta

Extras:
• butter and extra virgin olive oil
• basil pesto, ready or your own

Preparation:

• Cottage cheese put into a bowl along with eggs and a pinch of salt and thoroughly mash potatoes, so that no lumps remain. Can also grind (without eggs) in a meat grinder. Smooth ricotta cheese and cream do not have to grind, just mix with egg. Less cheese may need a little more flour.

• on a pastry board sift the wheat flour (about 1 - 2 tablespoons), put the cheese and egg mixture, on top of potato flour and sift the rest of the flour. Let's try to add as little flour so after cooking noodles did not become hard. Knead the ingredients quickly integrating them into a ball. Divide into 2 parts and roll each to form a thick roll, take a large knife and then cut diagonally into pieces.

• Boil salted water in a large pan, add noodles and cook for several seconds after rising to the surface. Pick out with a slotted spoon and serve with butter and bread crumbs or green pesto, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Egg Noodles

Ingredients:

• As a general guide, use 1/2 cup of unbleached white flour to each egg. With one egg yielding approximately 2 servings.
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• salt

Directions:

Place the flour in the center of a clean smooth work surface. Make a well in the middle. Break the eggs into the well. Add a pinch of salt.
Start beating the eggs with a fork, gradually drawing the flour from the inside walls of the well. As the paste thickens, continue the mixing with your hands. Incorporate as much flour as possible until the mixture forms a mass. It will still be lumpy. If it still sticks to your hands, add a little more flour. Set the dough aside. Scrape off all traces of the dough from the work surface until it is perfectly smooth. Wash and dry your hands.
Lightly flour the work surface. Knead the dough by pressing it away from you with the heel of your hands, and then folding it over towards you. Repeat this action over and over, turning the dough as you knead. Work for about 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Flour the rolling pin and work surface. Pat the dough into a disc and begin rolling it out into a flat circle, rotating it one quarter turn after each roll to keep its shape round. Roll until the disc is about 1/8 inch thick.
Using a pizza cutter cut the dough into usable strips.
To serve, boil salted water. The pasta can be done as quickly as 15 seconds AFTER the water has returned to a boil. Test it for doneness before draining the water and serving.

Freezing Directions:

Prior to cooking you can place noodles in a freezer bag and freeze until you are ready to use.

Potato Dumplings  
Ingredients:
1 cup potato pearls
1 3/4 cups water
1 egg
flour
Directions:
Mix 1C potato pearls with 1 3/4 C water.
Add a beaten egg and enough flour so that the mixture becomes thick and almost stiff. Roll small portions of the mixture into balls and flatten slightly. (although you can also roll it out in a sheet like pie crust, then cut into small squares with your pizza cutter)
Let dry until they stiffen slightly and cook in gently boiling water until tender. Give the dumplings extra flavor by adding fresh herbs and/or cheese. Serve buttered or covered in your favorite sauce.  (One of our favorite things to do with gnocchi is to fry them after they are boiled and serve with fresh Parmesan and herbs, or add them to a nice chicken soup as the noodles)

Recipes from our Party!

As promised, we will be posting various recipes from our 17th of March Party.  As I get them, I will post them:

Hamburger Soup
1 lb hamburger
1 onion, chopped
2 cups celery, chopped
2 c baby carrots
1 green pepper, chopped
3/4 cup pearl barley
2 Tbsp beef OXO
1 Tbsp chicken OXO
1 quart tomatoes
1 can V-8 juice
3 1/2cups water
seasoning salt
salt & pepper to taste

Fry hamburger lightly with onion and bouillion.  Add celery and green pepper, saute.  Add remaining ingredients, except barley.  Bring to a boil, then add barley.  Simmer for 2-3 hours on low in crockpot.  Add more water if needed.



Leek & Potato Chowder
3 large leeks
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 cups light vegetable stock
3 medium-large boiling (waxy) potatoes, peeled and finely cubed
1 tsp salt
generous seasoning freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sour cream
minced parsley or chives for garnish

1. To clean the leeks, cut off and discard their root ends plus all the dark green leaves except for 2 inches closest to the white part.  Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, then rinse under cold running water, flipping through all the leaves to rid them of all sand.  Thinly slice.
2. Heat butter in large stockpot over medium heat.  Sauté the leeks until tender (about 10 minutes).  Do not let them get brown.  Add the stock, potatoes, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.  Partially cover the pot and cook about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
3. Puree about 2/3 of the soup in a food processor or blender and return it to the pot.  Stir in the milk and sour cream.  Reheat until hot, but do not boil.  Serve in bowls with parsley or chives sprinkled on top.

17th of March Party

Just a brief update regarding the party for next week.  There will be babysitting available in the nursery for those who need child care.  Please make sure you sign up for the pie contest if you are bringing something so we will know how many pies are coming.  Also, in case there has been any confusion, the attire for the event should be casual for some of the activities that we are doing prior to lunch.

Regarding the schedule of events, there will be some participation events followed by 3 mini classes and then we will be eating.

Please contact Sister Lafontaine with any questions.

Medicine Hat Stake Women's Conference Project

This letter explains in full the announcements made at church and in the bulletin:

Dear Sisters of the Medicine Hat Stake,

In the first meeting of the Relief Society, Sister Emma Smith said, “We are going to do something extraordinary.”  She was right.  The history of Relief Society is filled with examples of ordinary women who have accomplished extraordinary things as they have exercised faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. 

We know that within our Medicine Hat Stake there are also many examples of ordinary women who have or who are accomplishing extraordinary things and we would like to hear about them.  If you or someone you know has an experience of faith to share in regards to visiting teaching, missionary work, facing challenges, family, learning, service, genealogy or the temple, please write it down and submit it to your ward Relief Society President.  Please exclude or change the names to make the story anonymous. 

Example:

A few years ago I went to visit my 92 year old grandmother who was living in a senior’s home.  Although she knew I was coming, when I knocked on her door, there was no answer.  I began to panic and imagined her laying sick or unconscious in her apartment.  Just as I had decided to go ask for help from the manager, a figure appeared at the end of the long hallway.  Relieved, I quickly ran to greet my grandmother as she shuffled back to her room.  She apologized for being late, but explained that she had been doing her visiting teaching and had stayed a little longer than planned to comfort one of her sisters.  I was relieved that my grandmother was safe, but more importantly I was grateful for the example she set for me that day.  Even at 92 years of age, she was a dedicated and committed Latterday Saint woman who was striving to fulfill her covenant to follow Jesus Christ.  I am grateful for the memory and the legacy of this obedient woman.      

Sisters, we are living in perilous times.  We can gain great strength, hope and inspiration as we share our experiences of faith and courage with each other.  Please help us create booklets of faith for the women in our stake.                       

Submissions due by March 18, 2012

Sincerely, Medicine Hat Stake Relief Society Presidency

17th of March Party!

Our next activity will be on Saturday, March 17th at the Stake Centre, starting at 10am.  There will be prizes for participation and 3 classes on practical skills for the home.  This will be followed by a luncheon and dessert.

For those who wish, there is a pie making contest with special guest judges.  There is a prize for the winner of the pie contest and we all get to taste the "fruits" of our labors.  Any type of pie is fair game for the contest as long as it is home made.  There is a sign up sheet for the pies in the binders as we need an idea as to how many people are participating.  Everything will be wrapped up by 1pm.  Dress is casual and we are trying to arrange babysitting for the event as well.

Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes

For our next Relief Society activity, we will be discussing President Hinckley's book and putting together Family Home Evening packets with the 10 Virtues.  Please meet at 7pm February 15th, 2012, in the Relief Society Room at the Stake Centre.  For this activity you will need a small binder or duotang.  The remaining supplies will be provided.

Also, please mark on your calendars March 17th, 10am-1pm for the Relief Society Anniversary party.  Further details will be posted but it will be a fun morning followed by scrumptious food.