So what is a milk-machine anyway?

Now that I have recovered from the nasty flu/cold bug I reported on last week, I can talk a little about this milk machine I mentioned recently. So, what exactly is a milk-machine? No, before you say it, it is not a cow. Instead it is a kitchen gadget that makes milk from nuts, rice, beans, seeds ... pretty much anything. It is a rather strange gadget I must admit. It combines the water heating function of a kettle, with a high powered blender and squeezes the pulp through a filter. It works a little like this. You put in the nuts, seeds or rice (after they have soaked), push a button and 20 mins later you have tasty milk. Well more or less.

I must admit that it took me quite a while to find a nice recipe. However, I now have many, but here are the step by step instructions to make milk the way I do at the moment.

1. Soak half a beaker (about 20g) of almonds and half a beaker (same volume) of long or short grain brown rice over night.

2. Put these in the machine and wait for it to do its job.

3. Add 1/2 tsp honey and the seeds from a vanilla pod sliced.

4. Wait for it to cool.

5. Give it a good shake and you're done.

This can be used (without the flavourings if you prefer) in soups and hot drinks, in baking etc. It is also the perfect substitute for milk in cereal.

Give it a try!

Living Dairy Free

I've been dairy-free for about a year now. This has meant removing milk, cheese, cream, and butter from my diet. Considering the number of (favourite) foods that rely on dairy products (pizza, soups, pastas, risottos, hot drinks, cakes, chocolate ...) for many people it is quite a challenge to stay dairy-free. However, there are options that you can take. The first is just to bite the bullet and avoid all of these foods. Another option is to try products containing no lactose (milk sugar) such as goat and sheep milk and cheese or even special lactose-free dairy milk. A third option is to search for dairy substitutes such as milk made from soya, rice, nuts or oats. This is my preferred option - these milks can taste great (depending on which brand you choose) and they can be used for any purpose that dairy milk can. However, there is a downside to some of these milks. Check the packet for the list of nasty ingredients that are included. This is not true of all dairy-substitute milks, but it is true of a great many of them. They are also quite expensive (the good ones at least). Cue my new toy and ultimate solution. The milk machine (see picture below).



This wonderful device allows me to make my own milk very cheaply, where I have full control of how the milk tastes and what goes in it. It has taken me a few goes to find recipes that are tasty, but the wait was worthwhile. In the next few weeks I will share these experiences.