Vegan Chocolate or Vanilla Oat Bran Milk

Oat Bran Milk

Add 1 cup of water to 1/4 Cup Oat Bran Cereal. 
(Substitutions include:  Oats, Steel cut Oats, Bran, Barley, Wheatgerm etc.)

Heat for 2 minutes in the microwave or on stove top until oats have softened.
Pour the Oat / Water mixture into 2 Cups water. 
Add in flavors: 
1 tsp. Stevia Powder
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
And 1 Tbs. of Cocoa powder for Chocolate Milk.
Pinch of Sea Salt.

Blend or Food Process for 2 minutes on high.
Pour the mixture through a strainer into a glass container.
Refrigerate up to 5 days. 
Use in smoothies, cooking, baking or heat a cup for a morning drink.
The oat bran left in the strainer can be frozen and used in cookies, cakes

or breakfast bars for added nutrition.

Oat Bran leftovers strained out of liquid can be frozen and used
in future cookies, pie crusts, etc.

Great substitute for Soy, Nut or Coconut Milk and at about .20 per 8oz. glass?  Great savings as well.

Leave out the sweetener and you've got a milk for cooking savory sides with added nutrition.

Other Diary Alternative posting:

Coconut

Flax Seed Milk

Soy Milk and Flour

All great alternatives to Cow's Milk and much less expensive overall.

Plus you can keep the dry ingredients for months, years and always have a source on hand

to mix up some milk without spoiling or additives.

VEGA Plant Protein mixes + Dairy Free Milks make a great meal substitute

Using Dairy Free Milks with smoothies can greatly increase the vitamin intake and still be delicious!

If you'd like more information on Dairy Free Cooking you can click here:

http://cannedtime.blogspot.com/p/why-go-dairy-free.html

Enjoy!

Weekend Beverage Sampling

I have a few days to spend by myself indulging in selfish interests and I'm starting the time

with 3 new beverages to try out.

I love being married, but sometimes it's nice to just have your own space and relax without trying to please anyone but yourself......

The Ginger Ale is like no Ginger Drink
I've ever tried, strong but refreshing

Old English Dandelion & Burdock

 I'll miss him by tomorrow............ but for now its my time.


Natural Ingredient Maine Root Beer

So I bought 3 drinks today to try out:  A Dandelion Burdock that I read about last year when I was on my Burdock Root craze, a natural Ginger Ale that I'll have with dinner, and a natural Root Beer made in Maine.

Just a light dinner enjoying some veggies and crackers with the Whole Grain Spicy Honey Mustard that I made last week and also trying out some Kumquat Jam and the good people at iHerb included in my last order to sample.

I was happy to try out the Kumquat Jam to compare it to my own version I canned last month.
Kumquat Pomegranate Marmalade.

The Kumquat Jam from iHerb is less chunky than mine, more sweet but goes really well with the bland whole grain crackers I spread it on.  I'm so used to eating 'Sugar Free', when I do have a sweet product it is sometimes overwhelming in it's sweetness but this jam was just right.  (I like mine
best but this one is really good as well)

Thanks iHerb!

I'm teaming the jam and Ginger Ale up with some Whole Grain Spicy Brown Honey Mustard

that I canned last week as well.  This mustard gets better every time I use it now.  It is quite strong and really kicks your sinus like Horseradish.  But it's a good burn.  The honey calms it some on your tongue so it's not overwhelming to whatever you're dipping in it.   Great stuff and soooo easy to make!  Love it.............   As for this new Ginger Ale, it's teamed up well with the crackers, jam and spicy mustard.  I like the mild fizz and then the bang of the strong Ginger.  Only thing I would do differently is get it a bit colder next time but that may just be a reaction to mixing it with the Spicy Mustard......Lots of spice in my simple dinner tonight.

Guess I'm trying to compensate for the 'spice of my life' being away tonight...............

Back to the kitchen soon now to work on a Mother's Day special Cheesecake Cup Cake. 

They are firming up now in the freezer before they get lot's of Dairy Free Dark Chocolate icing spread on each one.

That's for tomorrow's news though.  Going to take it easy tonight.

Hope you do as well!