DIY Hemp Milk!!

hemp milk is expensive. like, $4-5 for one quart.

and recently, the whole foods we normally shop at stopped carrying any sort of hemp milk (blasphemy!!). we kept requesting it. that became awkward. meanwhile, K had mentioned that it’s possible to make hemp milk in a vitamix.

that it was cheaper, even.

so we gave it a try. and folks, its easy, delicious, AND inexpensive.

here’s our recipe:

3.5 cups water
1/2 cup raw hemp seeds (find a store with a bulk section, its really cheap. otherwise you are paying for packaging)
1 tbs honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8-1/4 tsp salt 

add it to the vitamix and blend it for about 30 seconds. pour into a jar of some kind, refrigerate, and shake before using. ENJOY!!!

the beauty of making your own is that you can adjust it for your needs. if you like sweeter hemp milk (the recipe is pretty neutral) for cereal but would like something more neutral for cooking its easy to do. also, if you want creamier hemp milk, add less water, if you refer less creamy, dilute it.

kale and chorizo soup

there i was, bored, hungry, and K was in class. what’s a non-cooking individual like myself to do?! well, i got creative and for once it turned out well. K loved it. it was the first time i have ever heard her exclaim “that’s fucking delicious!” after taking a bite of soup. oh snap, i must have done something right!

ingredients

• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 1 large potato, sliced any way you prefer
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• handful of shredded red kale leaves (about 1 cup)
• 1.5 tbs chopped parsley
• sliced mushrooms (i used the last couple in the fridge, but i don’t think the amount matters so use as many as you like)
• oregano
• salt
• dash of cayenne pepper
• olive oil
• 1 tbs better than boullion (chicken flavor)
• dry/cured spanish chorizo cut into small pieces (i used a roughly 3 inch piece)
• 4 cups of water

directions

1. heat a large non-stick pot with olive oil over medium-low heat
2. add in the onion, mushroom, and celery and sautee until the onion becomes transparent and the other veggies soften
3. toss in the garlic
4. sprinkle oregano and salt generously
5. add the potatoes and chorizo and allow to warm up for about 5 minutes stirring frequently. the chorizo will begin to release its oils. don’t allow it to heat too much because the cured chorizo will get crunchy. think bacon bits…not what you want in soup!
6. take a 2 cup measuring cup and fill with hot water
7. add one tbs of better than boullion to the water in the measuring cup and stir until it dissolves then pour into pot
8. add 2 more cups of water to pot and stir ingredients together
9. add most of parsley
10. bring to a simmer and then cover (i left the lid at an angle so it was mostly covered)
11. allow soup to simmer until potatoes have softened
12. add kale and simmer until leaves have softened
13. serve, top each bowl with fresh parsley

serves 4-6

Enjoy!

an ode to hail merry

these are fucking delicious. that’s right, i have to use bad language to describe how unbelieveably tasty they are. they are that good.

i LOVE them, and not just because they are free of everything bad. they aren’t just “good for being gluten free/vegan/etc” they are actually DELICIOUS simply because they are.

the last time K and i went to whole foods, she pointed at the hail merrys and said “more?” i said “always!” a man walking down the aisle witnessed the interaction and chuckled to himself, probably because he too knows how chocolately and rich and amazing these bad boys are.

plus, they come in other flavors. and the other desserts by this company such as the lemon or chocolate torte are equally as delicious. you should get some.

GF CF mac n cheese

one of the things i have missed most about being gluten and dairy free is tasty mac n cheese. i tried a couple of recipes but none were quite right, so my lovely kitchen-savvy partner whipped up this recipe in the kitchen one night. we love it! maybe you will too

-preheat the over to 350
-boil a pot of water and add 2 1/4 c. dry gluten free pasta (we used bionature elbows)
-cook pasta until it is half done then drain and set aside

while the pasta is cooking, add to another pot:
-2 tsp. butter substitute
-2 tsp. sweet rice flour
-1 c. unsweetened hemp milk
and make a roux–stir until lumps are out and the mixture thickens over medium-low heat
-add a pinch each of onion and garlic powder–a little goes a long way
-add 1/2 c. or more of cheese substitute )we use daiya mozzarella and cheddar)
-allow cheese to melt and mix into roux
-salt and pepper to taste

-pour pasta into the roux and stir until noodles are coated
it should seem a little too saucy–this is what you want because the noodles are going to need moisture to continue cooking
-pour the noodles and sauce into a small greased baking pan
-sprinkle more cheese and some gluten free bread crumbs on top
-cook for about 20 mins until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly

serves about 4

and if you are daring, the next morning you can fry an egg and throw it on top of the leftovers for breakfast like i do.

Enjoy!!!