Spiced Hazelnut Milk & A Winner

/

Since changing our diet a few months ago I am often asked what I miss most, and I would have to say coffee. Iced coffee. I was never in it for the caffine but rather the creamy, silky taste. On a hot summer day I would forgo the sweet tea for a big ol' cup of joe on the rocks. Ah, well clearly coffee is not on the menu these days but I have found a delicious and healthy alternative! Nut milk.

I've seen a lot of almond milk recipes floating around but I had a heaping sack full of raw hazelnuts so I though I would give these modest little nuts a try. 

With a unique blend of spices this drink resembles chai, and its slighty sweet aftertaste deems this drink more dessert like, perfect along side a muffin or piece of dark chocolate. 

Most store bought nut milks have added preservatives and sugars so making your own is the best way to achieve a healthy coffee/milk substitute. Also, this recipe is extremely diverse. You can use almonds, macadamia nuts or even cashews plus a variety of different spices and sweeteners to suite your taste.  

So put aside those acidic espressos and overly sweetened mochas, frappuccinos, and lattes.....this drink is sure to satisfy even the most avid coffee drinkers. Plus it's a perfect beverage to welcome the fall.

This past week we met up with my family and headed down to Florida to enjoy the hot, humid weather, freshly caught seafood, and precious time with my neice Charlotte and new nephew Michael, whom I failed to take pictures of....BAD Auntie Coco!!

I couldn't resist sharing a few snapshots :)

As for the giveaway, I put each and every one of your names in a bowl and drew *Holly from Katherine Holly Photography! Congratuations! Thank you to everyone who shared their summer blessings. I enjoyed reading them all and thank the Lord for his faithfulness in ALL of our lives!

Holly send me an email at roostblog (at) me (dot com) so we can get started on your custom blog banner!!! 

And for those of you who did not win head over to LARK and let's work together!

Spiced Hazelnut Milk

  • 2 cups soaked raw hazelnuts (soaked overnight)
  • 4 cups filtered water
  • 4-5 dates soaked in warm water for about 5 minutes and pitted
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp cardamon

 Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until nuts are are pulverized. Let mixture sit for about 10 minutes. Pour mixture through a nut milk bag or several layers of cheesecloth and squeeze all the liquid into a blowl. Reserve pulp for Coco Bars (recipe below). 

Transfer the hazelnut milk to a glass jar and store in fridge for up to two days. ENJOY!

 Coco Bars

(these taste similar to Lara Bars so my husband gave them the name above)

  • left over hazelnut pulp (about 1 cup)
  • 1 c raw pecans
  • 1 c walnuts
  • 1/2 c coconut
  • 4 soaked dates, pitted
  • 1 Tsp cinnamon
  • 1 ripe banana, mashed

Place all ingredients in a food processor until everything is incorporated. Form 8-9 bars or patties (don't make them too thick) and place on your mesh screens in your dehyrator. Dehydrate at 105F for 1-2 hours. Store in the fridge for up to a week. 

ENJOY!