Homemade Cashew Milk

I made homemade cashew milk (or any nut milk for that matter) for the first time this past weekend! It was so much easier than I thought, and the outcome was so worth the extra effort! I buy unsweetened cashew milk for convenience, but I definitely want to make my own more often now that I know how easy it is.

There is a huge difference in store-bought nut milk VS. homemade. The store bought kind is much more watered down, and homemade is much richer and creamier. Also, homemade nut milk contains SO much more nutrition such as healthy fats, vitamins & minerals, protein & fiber. So you’re getting more nutrition and feeling more satisfied. Another benefit to making your own is that you are controlling the ingredients that go into the milk. There are no gums or thickeners needed to compensate for all the water, its creamy on its own! I used Ellie's Best (@elliesbest) nut milk bags and it made this process so simple! It’s also kinda fun, I literally felt like I was milking a cow when I was straining the cashew milk..not that i’ve don’t that before but wharves. Let's get to it!

SUPPLIES

1c raw cashews (soaked overnight)

3c filtered water* (and more for soaking)

Optional Flavorings: sea salt, vanilla bean or extract, cinnamon

One Ellie's Best nut milk bag (or cheese cloth)

Large glass jar for milk

Blender (I used my NutriBullet)

You can check out Ellie's Best or buy your own by clicking HERE!
Use my code: STEF10 at checkout to receive a discount off your bags :)

METHOD

1.  First, you must soak your cashews for at least 4 hours or overnight (I soaked them overnight) in a glass container filled with filtered water so their all covered.

2.  Once soaked, drain and rinse the cashews and place in blender with 3c of cold filtered water. *You can add more filtered water if you want more milk and this will also thin out the consistency to be more watery like store-bought. I prefer rich and creamy so I used 3c!

3.  Blend away for several minutes until smooth and theres no large chunks visible.

4.  Take your nut milk bag or cheese cloth, and put it in a large bowl or measuring cup and fold the edges over. Pour your milk into the bag/cloth and let it strain while you hold the bag and gently squeeze to encourage faster straining. Once you have squeezed it dry, put the leftover cream/pulp to the side (use this for other recipes!)

5.  At this point you can add flavor if you’d like, if not, your milk is ready to drink! I added a few pinches of Himalayan pink salt, cinnamon, and 1 fresh vanilla bean pod (Love seeing the little vanilla bean flecks!!)

6.  Then Blend it for a few seconds again to incorporate (or whisk).

7.  Store in air tight jug or container for 4-5 days! 

BONUS TIP --> Don't know what to do with the leftover pulp? There are tons of easy snacks and recipes to use it in online! For the protein bliss balls I made up above, I simply mixed all of the below ingredients together until it formed a pliable dough, rolled it into balls, and stored them in my fridge for a quick snack or dessert!

I mixed: Leftover cashew pulp ^ + Nutzo peanut butter + cinnamon + cashew milk + cacao nibs + almond flour + Vanilla Vital Proteins collagen peptides + sea salt

Banana Dark Chocolate Chip Muffins {Vegan}

Banana Dark Chocolate Chip Muffins

{Vegan}

These are the BEST banana muffins I have ever made, and possibly the last recipe I'll ever need! I totally winged the recipe and they turned out amazing. These are vegan and made with low-gycemic coconut sugar and high-protein quinoa flour. Lately I love baking with quinoa flour because it makes my baked goods come out doughier and lighter than when I use wheat flour. It tastes great, too! These muffins have the perfect amount of sweetness to satisfy any sweet-tooth. Studded with dark chocolate chips, and amazing warm OR cold, you will plow through these perfect little gems in no time. 

PRO TIP: Cut one open fresh from the oven and smear with PB then shove in mouth ;)

INGREDIENTS

3 mashed ripe bananas (the riper the better)

1 cup unsweetened almond milk 

1/4 cup coconut sugar (can sub with any sugar as well as maple syrup or honey)

1.5 cups quinoa flour**

1 tbsp coconut oil (melted)

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp baking powder

*I left out nutmeg this time, but I think it would be a great addition!

If you'd like to add for that authentic banana bread taste, I suggest adding 1/4tsp.

**UPDATE: My second batch, I used gluten-free brown rice flour in place of the quinoa flour,
and it turned out great! The consistency will be a little fluffier and less fudgey, but just as delicious. 

•  •  •  •  •  • •  •  •  •  •  •

METHOD

1. Preheat Oven to 350F.

2. Mash bananas in a large mixing bowl.

Add the coconut sugar, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and almond milk. Stir well to combine.

3. Next, add the quinoa flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder.

Stir very well till smooth and not clumpy (besides small banana chunks)

4. Add chocolate chips and combine well.

5. Grease or spray muffin pan with non-stick spray or oil (I used coconut oil spray!)

6. Scoop batter evenly into muffin pan. I used a little less than 1/4cup to fill my 12-count pan.

7. If desired, add a couple more chocolate chips to the tops (for visual appeal)

8. Bake on middle rack in oven for 15-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean,

and edges of muffins are slightly brown. NOTE: Since these are vegan, it is OK to under-bake

them if you like them more fudge-like! I baked mine for 20 minutes so they were fudge-like

right out of the oven but once cooled they always bind/dry up a little more. 

9. Store in a sealed container on counter or in the fridge, or freeze and then pop one in the

microwave to defrost as needed! TIP: I like to freeze them after a couple days for freshness.

If I know I'll want one at lunch or as a snack later in the day, I'll take one out of the freezer and

saran wrap. By lunch/snack time they are thawed! 

I am obsessed with these muffins! They are so decadent but healthy.

If you give them a try please tag me on Instagram @StefLiaFit or comment below, I would love to hear what you think! :)

Stef's Raw Vegan Caramel Slice

Raw Vegan Caramel Slice

I am so excited to share this recipe with you guys :) There are many raw caramel slice recipes out there but I did a little experimenting with the ingredients I had on hand to come up with these gems. I had tons of dates I had to use up, as well as a banana that was getting way too ripe for my liking, so I improvised and I am very happy with the results.

Often times, raw vegan desserts require a lot of raw nuts and sometimes expensive or hard-to-find ingredients. Not these babies! I bet most of you have these ingredients on hand now, or maybe only need to pick up one or two (inexpensive) items!

This is the perfect clean treat for my never-ending sweet tooth, that can be ate straight from the freezer (they don't harden!) and pack some nutritious healthy fats + fiber, too! These are chewy, perfectly sweet, decadent dessert that you can feel good about eating. The dates and banana provide natural sweetness, and the only added sweetener in the entire recipe is 2T pure maple syrup in the chocolate shell. Yes please! The peanut butter adds a decadent flavor to this caramel, and the chia seeds pack a fun texture and healthy omega's too. The chocolate shell is crispy, melts in your mouth, and reminds me so much of the "magic chocolate shell" I used to put on my ice cream as a kid.

My family was surprised by how good these tasted for being vegan, they make the perfect healthy treat to bring to a party! Tag me on Instagram, @stefliafit if you make these and love them as much as I do! :)

INGREDIENTS:

Base Layer:
1c oats (quick or rolled)
10 pitted dates*
Dash sea salt
1/2t vanilla extract
1/2t cinnamon
1/4c water

Caramel Layer:
16 pitted dates*
1 ripe banana
2T natural peanut butter or almond butter
2T chia seeds
2T water
Dash sea salt

Chocolate Shell:
1/4c coconut oil
2T cacao powder
2T maple syrup
Dash sea salt
1/4t vanilla extract

Equipment:
Food processor
8" x 6" dish or pan (I used a glass pyrex tupperware dish)
Parchment paper

*I used small pitted dates found at my grocery store. The dates used were not considered medjool, which are much larger. If using medjool, I would estimate using 7 dates in the base layer and 12 dates in the caramel layer. Don't be afraid to use less or more depending on the consistency!

METHOD:

1. Line your dish with parchment paper so your slices slip out easily. No need to grease! Cut off excess edges where necessary.

2. Start with the base layer. Add the oats to a food processor and blend until a fine flour consistency. It is ok if its a little chunky.

3. Add pitted dates, sea salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and water. Blend & pulse until ingredients are combined. (You may need to scrape down the sides and stir every so often since the dates are very sticky). Add a splash of water as needed if mixture is too dry or difficult to blend (be patient!)

4. Once the batter resembles cookie dough, is blended evenly, and can be molded with your hands, press biscuit dough into the bottom of your parchment lined dish with your hands. Make sure you press firmly to compact the dough and make sure it is spread as even as possible and to all edges and corners. Use a spatula or large spoon to flatten and smooth out biscuit layer if needed.

5. Place biscuit layer in freezer while we make the caramel.

6. In the same food processor, blend all caramel layer ingredients until fully combined, scraping down the sides as needed. If your mixture seems dry or won't blend, add splashes of water as necessary.

7. Remove biscuit layer from the freezer and pour the caramel layer on top. Smooth out the caramel evenly as you did the biscuit layer, so that it reached all edges and appears flat.

8. Place the dish (now with the biscuit + caramel layers) in the freezer for at least 2 hours (patience!) Can be left in as long as needed, but 2 hours is the minimum.

9. Lick food processor clean ;)

10. When your ready for your chocolate layer, melt the coconut oil in a small bowl and add remaining chocolate shell ingredients. Add more or less cacao powder or maple syrup depending how rich or sweet you prefer (don't be afraid to test taste!)

11. Remove dish from the freezer and pour your chocolate on top of caramel layer. Chocolate should coat the top evenly and appear smooth (this is the importance of making the layers flat/even early on!) Use a spoon or tilt the dish to ensure the chocolate coats all edges and is spread evenly.

12. Place dish back in freezer for at least 1 hour or longer. Chocolate shell will harden.

13. When ready to cut, gently lift parchment paper out of dish and place on a cutting board.

14. Run a large, sharp knife under very hot water and gently but firmly cut slices in desired shape (I prefer squares!) The chocolate may crack a little but the hot knife prevents most of this. Cut into however many pieces you like, however I got a perfect 12 squares from the size dish I used.

15. Store your slices in the freezer until ready to eat or serve! The caramel and biscuit layers never fully harden which is simply due to their ingredients. Therefore these will be chewy and delicious straight from the freezer! I have not tried storing in the fridge but you can if you want them softer. I would not suggest leaving them at room temperature for too long because the coconut oil in the chocolate shell melts easily so it must stay cold in order to stay firm!

16. ENJOY :)

My Grocery Haul & Weekly Meals!

Hey everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend :) I love Sunday's because I get to sleep in, get in a good workout, have a "fancier" breakfast (like delicious pancakes today), sip my coffee slowly, and grocery shop!

I love grocery shopping :) Healthy food makes me excited and I love cooking healthy meals that taste amazing and make me feel good. I wanted to share one of my grocery hauls with you guys to give an idea of what I buy each week and some of my meals. Although our biggest grocery haul is on Sunday, I typically stop 1-2x extra per week for a few more things we either run out of, or a last minute friday night dinner we want to make! The main two stores I currently shop at are Trader Joe's and Wegmans Supermarket. I will buy organic in 75% of my produce and 99% of the time in my poultry/meat/dairy. As long as my stores carry organic in the items I have on my list, then I will get it. If they do not have organic, I will typically still buy the regular produce that I need and I just make sure to wash it thoroughly.

I do not always meal prep, but I do make a list before I head out shopping which helps a TON. I make the list in my phone and erase items as I go. I honestly could not imagine shopping for the week without a list written down! I spend a little time each Sunday brainstorming what dinners/meals I will be eating each week, and then buy according to the meals. My boyfriend and I typically eat leftovers 1-2x per week and then go out to eat 0-1x per week so I factor that in. Lucky for me, he is not fussy at all and loves whatever I cook, so he eats what I am eating for dinner or some nights we do our own thing with whatever is on hand.

At the end of this post, I also talk about my take on "diet labels" and "cheat meals" and why I do not do them!


BREAKFAST
Every day I alternate between breakfasts. Breakfast is my favorite meal and it is sometimes my biggest meal of the day. I am always starving first thing in the morning, especially if I fit in a early workout. I eat based off what I am in the mood for, if I did a hard workout first, and however hungry I am. These are some of my breakfast staples that I alternate.

•   Oatmeal and/or Oatbran (fruit, non-dairy milk, nut butter, plant protein powder)
•   Smoothie (plant protein powder, non-dairy milk, fruit)
     AND sprouted grain toast (ezekiel grain + coconut oil & nut butter)
•   Hearty Smoothie (plant protein, fruit, non-dairy milk, nut butter, spinach, chia seeds, etc)
•   Pancakes (vegan buckwheat or coconut flour/protein + fruit, maple syrup & nut butter)

I include nut buter in 90% of my breakfasts because without this satisfying healthy fat I find I get hungry SO fast. Plus it's delicious! I love sweet breakfasts and have never been a big fan of savory in the morning. I find it keeps my cravings for sweets at bay, plus I have a slight egg intolerance so I have to stay away from those! :(

LUNCH
Lunches for me vary day to day and week to week. I like to switch it up so I don't get bored and go by whatever I am craving or feeling for that week. I often will use leftovers during the week for my lunch or as part of my lunch. Salads are a common one for me, but I make them filling and delicious, nothing plain here! Here are some common lunches for me.

•   Massaged kale/romaine/spinach salad + veggies + 1/2 avocado
     + crock pot chicken/grilled chicken/ground turkey/salmon + nuts/seeds
•   Turkey bean chili (recipe can be found here!)
•   Turkey lentil vegetable soup (recipe on my instagram!)
•   Zoodles + ground turkey & homemade sauce with veggies

DINNER
I love to make A LOT of whatever I am making so that there are leftovers. Here are just a few of the dinner staples I make weekly or bi-weekly.

•   Grilled italian marinated chicken breasts/thighs + roasted veggies
•   Turkey/chicken burgers + roasted veggies + salad
•   Salmon salads (tons of veggies + avocado + sometimes feta)
•   Tacos (ground turkey or crock pot chicken + avocado, veggies, ezekiel sprouted corn tortillas
     OR a taco salad minus the tortillas)
•   Salmon + roasted veggies
•   Zoodles + ground turkey & homemade sauce with veggies
•   Turkey bean chili (recipe can be found here!)
•   Turkey lentil vegetable soup (recipe on my instagram!)
•   Chicken & vegetable stir fry with quinoa or rice
•   Whole wheat or Quinoa crust homemade pizza + salad

SNACKS/DESSERT
I eat breakfast early between 7-8am, lunch around noon, and dinner post-workout around 6-8. Therefore I need snacks between lunch and dinner to give me every if I workout after work, and to sustain me until dinner time (it is not good to go that long without eating!) If I am hungry, I eat. It is that simple. Never restrict yourself from food no-matter what your goals are! If you are hungry then your body is telling you it needs food. Even for those trying to lose weight, you should never starve yourself when you are clearly hungry. Of course sometimes after dinner I may not necessarily be starving but I may have a sweet tooth so I will have a clean snack or dessert as well!

•   Raw veggies + hummus
•   Clean protein bar (brands: Square, Raw Rev, KIND, Rx Bar, LARA are some favorites)
•   Fruit (apples, pineapple, clementines, etc.)
•   Rice cake + nut butter
•   Dark chocolate (72% or 80% or 88%...darker the better + more satisfying!)
•   Healthy & clean baked good (clean banana chia muffins/bread, vegan brownies, vegan choc chip blondies, etc. these recipes can be found on my instagram!)
•   Banana ice cream (frozen bananas in the food processor + PB or cacao powder)
•   Plain greek yogurt + nut butter & dark choc chips
•   Nuts (love cashews, pistachios & almonds!)
•   Stovetop popcorn (made with coconut oil...fiber packed & a great volume food!)


This week's Sunday grocery haul:
The haul below does not include the food bought for all of my boyfriends meals. I chose to show only what I also consume along with him. Although we eat the same dinners, his lunch/breakfeat meals vary).

Produce:
Zuchinni
Avocados
Tomatoes
Onion
Frozen mango
Frozen blueberries
Frozen strawberries
Butternut squash
Bananas
Cucumbers
Apples
Romaine
(already had - spring mix, kale, carrots, celery, lemons, limes, clementines, potatoes, pineapple & brustle sprouts at home)

Meat/Fish/Poultry:
Chicken breasts
Ground turkey
Salmon fillets
Canned tuna

Other:
Raw almond butter
Rice cakes
Fage greek yogurt
Unsweetened vanilla almond milk
Coconut oil cooking spray
Chick peas
Ginger kombucha
(already had - oatmeal/bran, nuts, peanut butter, ezekiel sprouted bread, vegan protein, cashew milk, oils & vinegars, hummus, etc meal components at home!)

As I said earlier, I try to buy most of my produce organic as long as it is in stock, and 99% of the time I buy organic meats. I have learned more over the past year how important organic is especially with meats due to the hormones and harmful substances inside the meat that cannot be washed off like so with produce. To me, it is worth the extra $ since your best investment is your health! Eat good = good health = longer life & less disease.

For more meal ideas scroll through my instagram, @stefliafit as all of the meals + recipes mentioned above are on there! Hope this helped some of you trying to meal prep or plan groceries for the week, as well as give some ideas to those who want to switch things up :)

_____________________

My take on "diet labels" & "cheat meals".
I strive for a healthy balanced lifestyle and I believe moderation is key in this. I do not cut out any food groups, I simply listen to my body and what it wants. I listen to what foods make me feel good and what ones make me feel bad. I choose to nourish my body with clean, whole foods instead of processed foods. Also, what works for one person may not work for another person. ( For example, one person may thrive off oatmeal in the morning, while it may make another person feel sick. Kale may be a superfood for one person, but cause stomach discomfort for another person. ) One person's healthy is not necessarily your healthy. Learn what works for YOU and own it! There is not one cookie-cutter way to be healthy. You do not need to be vegan, gluten-free, paleo, ect. in order to be "healthy". You actually do not have to have a label at all! Just live your best balanced, healthy lifestyle and you will do great. :)

Okay, I honestly dislike the term "cheat meal" and I do not do them. This is because my goal is to live balanced and with everything in moderation. I understand that planned cheats may work for some people, which is great, but not for me! I personally believe you can reach all of your goals and be a very healthy individual without planning cheat meals and without restricting yourself completely. When I do have cravings, which admittedly isn't very often, I will honor them. Simple as that! The truth is the more often you eat clean/healthy and stick to whole foods that nourish you, the less often you crave the other stuff. Plus, I have learned many ways to honor those cravings when they do strike, in a healthy way. There are healthy substitutes for literally anything your heart desires! Examples: (banana ice-cream, healthy or vegan blondies/muffins/brownies, dark chocolate, whole wheat homemade pizza, whole grain pasta, healthy nachos, homemade fries, ect.) I prefer to satisfy my cravings this way (half of the time) because it leaves me feeling better! Don't get me wrong, I absolutely still indulge in processed foods and "not-so-healthy" meals every once in a while, especially when special occasions & holidays come around! Sometimes in life these meals/treats are more often, while sometimes they are weeks apart. I just always keep moderation in mind and to not go over-board to the point where I feel sick. BALANCE is key. Restriction is no way to live your life. Find the balance that works for you & never let food hold you back from enjoying people/experiences/memories because life is short!

What I Ate Wednesday (WIAW) #1

Happy Wednesday guys! I hope everyone is having a great first half of their week. I am super excited about this post because it is my first ever WIAW post! For those of you who don't know what it is, it is a post concept developed by the wonderful Peas And Crayons blog in which you simply post what you ate in any given day (not necessarily that Wednesday). I have always loved reading other blogs WIAW posts, so I am excited to finally do some of my own :) Here we go!

Breakfast
at about 7:30am

{ Smoothie made with 1/2 scoop Vega All-in-one chocolate shake + 1/2c Unsweetened almond milk + Frozen banana + Frozen berries & cinnamon & 1/2 an Ezekiel english muffin with organic PB + Coconut oil }


Lunch
at about 12:30pm

Yikes! The busy day caught up with me & I ate before snapping a pic :(
{ Sautéed kale + swiss chard (in coconut oil) + Grilled italian chicken + Avocado + Leftover broccoli }


Snack
mid-afternoon

{ Apple cinnamon oatmeal Detour Smart Bar + 1c Organic carrot juice }

SIDE NOTE
I have started drinking 1c organic pure carrot juice the past week after doing some research on the AMAZING benefits thanks to the idea from my friend Jess... Expect a blog post on this soon!)
+ First time trying these bars, pretty tasty! Only 4g sugar and 10g Protein is what I like to see in a bar.


Dinner
post-workout

{ Salad of mixed spring greens + Cucumbers + Tomatoes + Leftover garlic roasted cauliflower + Goat cheese + Leftover balsamic salmon + italian good seasons dressing }

Dessert
post-dinner

{ A few chunks of 85% + 72% dark chocolate --> Trader Joe's & Green and Black's }

SIDE NOTE
Sometimes I like a little something sweet after dinner or a while later, and nothing quiets my sweet tooth like super dark chocolate! Quality over quantity as rich cacao is filled with antioxidants, fiber, and very little sugar. I used to only have a taste for 72% but I worked my way up to 85% & 90% and it actually tastes amazing to me now!


_____________________________________________________



Well there you have it! My first WIAW post in the books. I promise to work on remembering to take more pictures of my food in the future ;)

YOUR TURN
What was the best thing you've ate this week?
Have you ever tried carrot juice?