Almond Milk Basics and Beyond

Join me for a live hands-on workshop in my kitchen Tuesday 10/8 4pm-6pm.

I love to make fresh almond milk. A couple times a week I make a fresh batch, and I usually have a jar ready in my fridge. It only takes 5 minutes, and by doing this I save money, cut down on packaging waste and avoid the extra additives, preservatives and fillers found in most processed plant milks.

Next week, I’m opening my home kitchen in Burlingame to lead a small group workshop where I will show you how to make your own almond milk. We’ll use that milk to make delicious and nutritious smoothies, chia pudding and cheesecake similar to our most popular items from Que SeRaw SeRaw.

To offer this class, I’m partnering with a unique platform - The Moonlight Collective. Two women based in San Carlos came up with this “experience platform” to offer intimate experiences that gatherings authentic connections. They allow local experts to share their knowledge with participants interested in building skills or trying something new. In addition to a wide variety of cooking classes, offerings include yoga, sound baths, whiskey and coffee tastings and art classes.

In this session, I will host up to 8 participants, and there are still spots available. Find all the details here. You will need to get The Moonlight Collective app to sign up. I hope to see you, and will happily repeat this workshop if there is enough interest. I’m working on plans for future sessions including hearty fall / winter dishes and healthy holiday treats. Please send me a message if there is something specific you’d like to learn and also what days and times work best for you for group classes.

Reflections from Bali

I recently returned from a two week vacation in Bali, Indonesia. It was my first time in Southeast Asia, and it was quite an experience! I travelled with my husband and another couple who are close friends and fellow travel partners.

The trip began with a 16-hour flight from SFO to Singapore. I believe it was the longest single flight I’ve ever taken. Some things that helped: having several episodes of shows downloaded to my Netflix account, remembering my reusable water bottle and filling it up pre-boarding, wearing super comfortable clothes with an extra layer in case the A/C is chilly, and bringing essential toiletries in a small travel pouch to use during the flight (toothbrush, lip balm, hand cream). While I usually order the vegan meals ahead of time, they tend be highly processed and not very satisfying. In the future, I plan to be better prepared with plenty of my own nutritious and hydrating snacks such as fresh fruit, nuts, chia pudding and energy bars.

Once we arrived in Bali, we joined a small tour group and started in the coastal town of Changuu. On our first evening, I got severely ill with “Bali belly,” likely from contaminated water. While I didn’t drink the tap water, I wasn’t paying close attention and brushed my teeth with it. I doubt I will ever forget that lesson! I realized that I take for granted access to clean and safe water and food which is truly a luxury in so many parts of the world.

The unsafe drinking water creates another issue. The go-to alternative is ubiquitous single serving plastic bottles. Drivers hand them to tourists for every ride, and they’re often available and replenished daily in hotel rooms. Bali has a severe trash problem with many smaller villages still burning their trash. In some more eco-conscious hotels, water is available from larger water coolers from giant, reusable bottles, but those are also problematic as they need to be transported to and from distribution centers. When we travelled to one of the smaller islands off the coast, I saw several large boats loaded with hundreds of the giant jugs of water being shipped over.

I really enjoyed getting to know some Balinese people and learning about their culture. In general, people seem to live a more simple lifestyle centered around family and worship. Cooperation and sharing of resources is common and evident in the ancient processes used to grow rice and distribute water to irrigate crops.

At times, I found it challenging to eat as a vegan in Bali. Because we were part of a tour, we had many group meals at large, touristy restaurants. The tour operators did their best to provide veggie choices. This resulted in multiple meals of fried spring rolls and veggie fried rice. The larger mountain town of Ubud seemed to have more vegan-friendly choices. One spot we tried for lunch was Milk and Madu which had several plant-based options. I loved all the fresh, tropical fruit. Some of my favorites are mangosteen, passion fruit, and dragon fruit.

When the tour ended, we added on four days at a beautiful, remote eco resort in West Bali National Park. It was a peaceful place doing great work to protect and restore the land and local culture. The had delicious food and and a special vegan / vegetarian menu with numerous creative choices.

We spent a day in Singapore on our way home. It’s quite a contrast with Bali. Singapore is a clean, modern city with skyscrapers and incredible architecture and a mix of many cultures and religions. They enjoy huge variety of cuisines. My favorite treat was the Red Ruby Shake from a 100% vegan food truck Co-Nut-Ink. I enjoyed this not-too-sweet, refreshing treat on a very hot afternoon while walking around the Gardens by the Bay. It’s made with coconut ice cream, coconut water and water chestnut and came with shredded fresh coconut on top. I’m not sure how they make water chestnut bright red, but at that moment cold and vegan were all that mattered.

Recipes Coming Soon

Now that I’m back from vacation, I’m eager to get some more recipes ready to share. Stay tuned in for Veggie Lasagna - a variation on a classic raw vegan recipe orginally created by Elaina Love and Chocolate Mousse Torte - a decadent dessert that’s surprisingly easy to make.