I’m finally getting my recipe developing groove back after the debacle with my host provider a few weeks ago. Turns out when I got back from NY, I realized that they deleted a bunch of already written and posted content (gah!) and too many drafted recipes to count—which means months of measurements, photos, testing hours, and moolah lost. Even typing it makes my heart hurt, so let’s move on shall we?
Sooo, I have a simple habit I built years ago to help me prep for the week. I hope you’re already doing too, but if not, let’s give it a go now! It’s simple: soak nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes while you sleep. Most soakables need 8–12 hours to become their most nutrient-rich selves, and soaking while you sleep minimizes wait time.
After a big grocery store run, I scatter a bunch of bowls around the counters, fill them with the bulk goods I bought, and say “goodnight.”
Then, in the morning—hello, rooster—everything is ready to be rinsed, stored, dehydrated, or cooked. This is a HUGE step that makes meal prep easy all week, so try it.
If you need a refresher on why it’s best to soak certain ingredients, click here.
Soaked pepitas make the most beautiful, slightly green milk—especially delish with a little cardamom (which I would put in everything if I could get away with it). Try Cardamom Pepita Milk for granola, in tea, to make a creamy chia pudding, or just enjoy a glass of it on its own. You don’t need to spend a bunch of money on store-bought dairy-free milks with suspicious preservatives and thickeners. With a few simple goodies and a blender, you’re set.
This morning, I tied on an apron and rewrote some of those lost recipes and even created some new ones for YU, too. So, lots coming your way these next few weeks!
A bit about cardamom:
Cardamom is an incredibly fragrant seed that originates in tropical and subtropical Asia, with first references of its use coming from Ayurvedic literature in India¹.
Ok, let’s make this gorgeous milk.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup pepitas (aka pumpkin seeds), soaked (here’s how)
3 cups water (for a sweeter, more decadent version, use plain coconut water)
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
Pinch sea salt
1 tablespoon raw honey (optional)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Let’s get started.
1. Toss all ingredients into the blender…
… and blend until creamy.
2. If you want, you can use a cheesecloth to strain, but the pumpkin seeds pulverize nicely so I don’t strain. All that good fiber stays put! Chef’s choice though… 😉
3. Enjoy! Store in an airtight, glass container in the fridge for up to 7 days. Since there are no creepy preservatives or stabilizers, the milk will separate—this is a good sign that it’s natural. (www.onecrazyhouse.com) Just shake and pour.
Footnotes:
1. Weiss, E. A. (2002). Spice Crops. CABI. p. 300. ISBN 978-0851996059.