Wednesday, June 5, 2019

Vegan Almond Milk Yogurt



When I decided to adopt a whole foods plant based diet I was very excited about making all my foods from scratch. Incorporating fermented foods into my diet was no exception. Store bought yogurts usually have preservatived to keep items fresh, so when I saw a video about vegan home made yogurt I researched so many recipes and watched so many versions that I had a hard time choosing which one to try.
I knew an instant pot would be life changing after finding so many other recipes that I was dying to try, so when I saw it had a yogurt option I purchased one immediately! I look forward to posting many more recipes, yogurt being the first:)  

Inspired by Thomas
Ingredients:


Almond Milk
  • 1 cup (140g) raw almonds
  • 3 cups (750ml) filtered water


Yogurts
  • 2 and 1/2 cup homemade almond milk
  • 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
  • Probiotics (60 bill)
  • 2 tsp maple syrup for the probiotics to feed on 
  • Optional: seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean (or 1/4 tsp vanilla extract)
  • For my second batch I added a small amount of agar agar as a thickener, this is a vegan option instead of gelatin



Instructions


Almond Milk
  1. Soak the almonds for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Drain and add to a blender with the 3 cups of water. Blend on high-speed for 30-40 seconds, until smooth.
  2. Place a nut milk bag over a large glass bowl. Pour the almond milk into the bag and twist to close. Using your hands, squeeze to extract as much almond milk as possible. You should end up with about 2 and 1/2 cup of almond milk.


Yogurts
  1. Combine the almond milk (2 and 1/2 cups), xanthan gum in a medium saucepan. If you want to make a sweetened yogurt, also add the maple syrup and vanilla seeds. Heat over medium heat until it reaches 185°F (85°C), whisking constantly to make sure all the gum is fully dissolved and don’t stay at the bottom. Remove from heat at soon as it reaches 185°F, or just before it boils. Transfer to a large glass bowl and let sit for about 20 minutes, or until the temperature reaches below 110°F (43°c). This is important, if the milk is too hot it will kill the cultures. Using a thermometer is strongly recommended.
  2. Once the milk is at the right temperature, stir in the probiotics or yogurt starter. Give it a good whisk to break any “lumps”, and make it fully smooth again. Pour into glass jars and close the lid, or use plastic wrap to cover if you aren't using an instant pot that has a yogurt potion.
  3. Place the jars in a baking dish filled with warm water, they should be half immersed. If you have a yogurt maker, skip this step and just put the jars into your machine.
  4. Place the baking dish with the jars in a 105°F preheated oven for 6-10 hours depending on how sour you like your yogurts. Personally, if you prefer them with a milder flavor so I let them culture for only 6 hours.
  5. Transfer the yogurts to the refrigerator and let cool for at least 8 hours.
  6. Enjoy for breakfast or dessert, sweetened with some maple syrup and topped with granola, fresh fruits, jam or nut butter. Always give the yogurts a good stir before eating!
  7. The yogurts will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.




     Save the almond pult to make something else with it.

     For a thicker consistancy I drained the whey at the bottom
    And for a less thick option I left the whey in one jar and stired it up. They were both amazing! Fresh, with the perfect amount of tang. I enjoyed them with some frozen blueberries and granola.

Monday, June 3, 2019

Potastic 6Qt 10-in-1

Potastic 6Qt 10-in-1 Programmable Electric Pressure, LCD Display,Instant Cooking with Stainless Steel Pot, Multi, Slow, Rice, Yogurt Maker, Egg Cooker, Saute, Steamer, Warmer
Potastic 6Qt 10-in-1 Programmable Electric Pressure, LCD Display,Instant Cooking with Stainless Steel Pot, Multi, Slow, Rice, Yogurt Maker, Egg Cooker, Saute, Steamer, Warmer




Browsing healthy plant-based meals, I kept coming across amazing instant pot recipies and new an instant pot would be life changing:) So, after hours of comparing different brands I came to find the Potasitc 6 quart that came at an incredible price! The reviews were great and it had all the features I was looking for. It arrived today and my first recipe is a vegan almond milk yogurt. I'll share the results in tomorrow's blog.


         Price: $69.99 Free Shipping for Prime Members
  • [10-1 multi function and easy to read LCD display] Potastic replaces 10 common kitchen Appliances including pressure cooker, slow cooker, saute, rice cooker, Steamer, yogurt maker, food Warmer, cake maker, sterilizer and egg cooker in one electric device, All comes with instant cooking features, that cooks meals in less than half the time.
  • [16 smart cooking programs with dual pressure setting] poultry, meat/stew, Bean/Chili, Soup/broth, rice, multi-grain, porridge, slow cook, sauté/simmer, steam, egg, keep Warm, cake, yogurt and sterilize, pressure cook (manual cooking). cook your favorite dishes just the touch of one button.
  • [Every thing you need in one box] A recipe book, Extra silicon sealing ring(you actually got two total), stainless steel steam rack, stainless steel inner cooking pot measuring cup, rice paddle, Soup Ladle and oven mitts are included in the box. The included stainless-steel Steamer basket enables you to make two dishes at once!
  • [Comes with recipes and instructions] Comes with a recipe book, cooking time tables and cheat sheets! In addition, Potastic appliances website and mobile app for iOS and Android has new pressure cooker recipes & Content uploaded every week as well! Our product is also designed to use with most pressure cooker recipes in the market.
  • [Etl certified for safety] ETL certified with 10 proven safety mechanisms gives you peace of mind. Highly energy efficient, This kitchen cooker Emits no steam when cooking. Comes with a 1-year manufacturer's - register your appliance on the Potastic website.
Potastic Pressure Cooker