The other night I was woken up with a horrible cramp in my right leg. I rarely get cramp so it’s a painful shock when I do. I decided I needed magnesium, which is necessary to prevent tight muscles, and while we normally use almonds or tiger nuts for homemade milk (see Nut & Seed Milks & Smoothie Recipes), yesterday morning it was cashew nuts I turned to for their magnesium content (see Magnesium: Are You Getting Enough?).
I like cashew milk, the blended cashew pulp is so fine, smooth and creamy, if you press too hard it all starts to come through the straining bag; in fact, many people prefer not to strain it at all.
Homemade cashew milk is much better nutritionally than commercial nut milk: many manufacturers add thickeners, gum, sugar and so on, and the levels of protein and other nutrients are a fair way behind those in homemade milk.
Cashew nut milk is lactose- and cholesterol- free, contains calming and relaxing magnesium, iron, calcium and several other vitamins and minerals as well as healthy fats. It also contains tryptophan an amino acid that enables the production of serotonin, which is mood-enhancing.
We make our plant milks in a Froothie Optimum blender (pictured above). It is fast, easy to use, can handle ice cubes and is super-easy to clean. The Retro Fast Blend* (featured in the photo below with its partner the Retro Cold-Press Juicer* ) also makes nut milk, but is smaller so we use the Optimum for larger quantities.
Here’s our version:
Vegan, Organic, Gluten-free.
1 Cup Cashews (we use broken pieces, they are cheaper), soaked overnight and soaking water discarded
3 Cups Water
1 Medjool Date (optional)
1/4 Tsp Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Pink Himalayan Salt
(The date and salt help preserve the milk so it keeps for 3-4 days in an airtight jar or bottle in the fridge).
Add them all to a high-speed blender and blend on high for about 60 seconds.
Strain through a nut milk bag or a piece of muslin into a large jug or use as it is.
Store in an glass jar or bottle in the fridge. We use these funky easy-grip bottles from Grip and Go
For breakfast, the cashew milk was used to make a gorgeous Frozen Mango Chia Pudding – see next post for recipe!
See also Magnesium-Rich Hippy Hippy Shake
* You may like to read Retro Super Blend – Review, Which Juicer? – Where to Begin?, and Juicemaster Retro Super Fast Juicer: Review for information on blenders and juicers we have tried and currently use.
Copyright: Chris McGowan
Well, it’s mid June and still we are wearing long socks and woolly cardis while cowering inside from gale force winds and rain, but worry not, we Brits are a hardy bunch and we know how to keep our peckers up! Here’s an easy wholesome dinner that will not only warm your cockles but is satisfyingly healthy too.
We had a pomegranate and some spinach in our organic veg box that needed using, as well as some homegrown mung bean sprouts,* and this is what I came up with.
As often happens, this came about as my alternative to a meal my husband was having which had potatoes and tomato sauce in (his favourite items to cook with). I avoid nightshade foods* because they are reputed to increase inflammation in people who have auto-immune conditions like psoriasis or arthritis.
Add the remainder of the ingredients (except the pine kernels) to the sauce, replace the lid and cook until just done but not mushy.
This is the salad I had for dinner the evening before I began a 3 week juice programme in what turned out to be a relatively mild January. Given that I’ve scheduled this post for March, it is probably snowing outside, but hopefully the sun has begun to appear and remember …
We don’t like to throw away our almond milk pulp and didn’t really want another batch of bliss balls, despite the impending visit of the little grandchildren at the weekend (there were other treats awaiting them), so we made burgers as there were none left in the freezer. (You can substitute the almond pulp, see below)
Using small handfuls, gently press and shape into rounds in the palm of your hands and then flatten on a board.
There is less fruit in this smoothie than normal, but don’t let that put you off. It still has a sweet flavour and smooth, creamy consistency. It is also chock full of nutrients: magnesium, potassium, protein (did you know Romaine lettuce is a good source of protein?), B vitamins, zinc, vitamin E, lots of other vitamins and minerals as well as healthy fats.
This dinner came about when I had recently finished a 3 week juice plan and wanted something simple but with a little flavour – not too much, as my digestion wouldn’t be able to cope so soon.
The idea was to have rice with mildly chilli-flavoured stir-fried veggies topped with the crumbled burger and lightly chilli-seasoned cashew cheese sauce. 
Cherries are considered another of Mother Nature’s superfoods, reputedly containing a wondrous variety of nutrients which are both anti-inflammatory, anti-againg, pain-relieving and help prevent certain cancers.
pearsnotparsnipsdotcom 
You must be logged in to post a comment.