Smoothies are a great way to pack in extra fruit and veggies to your diet! We’re excited to share 2 of our favorites that we call the Green Machine and Berry Blast.

Get a head start on those New Year’s resolutions with these delicious blend-and-go healthy breakfast smoothies.

How much fruit is too much? Read more as we share a short video from Dr. Michael Greger. We also share the surprising facts about cinnamon and turmeric…

For 2 delicious smoothies, all you need is a high speed blender, 2 large glasses or Ball Mason Jars and…

• 16 ounces coconut water
• 4 cups (about 2 ounces) power greens
• 3 cups frozen fruit
• 1/2 – 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 – 1 tsp Ceylon cinnamon

You don’t necessarily need the newest or most powerful blender on the market. You just need a good blender for smoothies, one that can cut through frozen fruits and pulverize even the stringiest produce into a smooth liquid.

If we had to choose a favorite appliance, it would be our vitamix. It is worth the investment and we use it for so many things, from our morning smoothies to nut milks and from soups to sauces.

Coconut Water

Loaded with health benefits, coconut water is the perfect beverage for restoring hydration and replenishing electrolytes lost during exercise.

The Greens

Greens are one of the healthiest foods. About 2 cups of mixed power greens go into each smoothie. For convenience, we buy the pre-packaged greens that contain spinach, mizuna, chard, and kale.

We don’t even taste the greens. However, if you’ve never had a smoothie with greens, start by just adding a handful of baby spinach. You may hardly even taste the greens. As you add more and more greens, your taste buds will adapt and your body will love you.

The Fruit

It’s important to use whole fruits rather than just their juice. This is because, when juicing, the fiber and all the phytonutrients bound to it are lost.

For our Berry Blast, we chose blueberries, strawberries, cherries, and bananas.

berry blast mise en place

The Green Machine is loaded with pineapple, mango, strawberries, and banana.

Switch up your smoothies a bit, depending on what fruits are in season. Aim for 1-1/2 cups of fruit per smoothie. Frozen fruit is the best since it blends up thicker than fresh.

We always have bananas and pineapples on hand. When the bananas are ripe, they are peeled, cut and frozen in large ziplocks. The fresh pineapple is trimmed, cut into cubes, and stored in the freezer. We prefer to freeze our own pineapples since we don’t have much luck in getting tasty store bought frozen ones.

As far as the berries and other fruit, most of the year we buy blueberries, strawberries, cherries, and mango frozen.

Add-Ins

To the batch of smoothies, add 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder (or fresh turmeric) and 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of Ceylon cinnamon.

Sometimes we’ll also add chia or flax seeds, or top our smoothies with hemp seeds.

How Much Fruit is Too Much?

Some people have concerns about the sugar content of fruit, thus restricting their fruit intake. Dr. Michael Greger puts fruit to the test in this short video (just under 4 minutes), how much fruit is too much?

The Truth About Cinnamon and Turmeric

Cinnamon and turmeric are two of the healthiest spices on the planet! That’s a fact, but there are things to be aware of.

-Cassia (known as regular cinnamon) and Ceylon (known as true cinnamon) are the 2 types of cinnamon. Most cinnamon available on the market is Cassia. Cassia cinnamon contains high amounts of coumarin, which has been linked to conditions like liver damage and cancer.

Ceylon cinnamon only contains trace amounts of coumarin, so when possible purchase Ceylon. Cinnamon is loaded with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, lowers blood sugar levels, fights various infections, helps protect against cancer, and has beneficial effects on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

-Be sure to purchase high quality turmeric, as there can be a danger of lead contamination. Bangladesh is one of the leading turmeric-growing regions in the world. Some spice processors in Bangladesh use an industrial lead chromate pigment to infuse turmeric with a bright yellow color. Lead can also come from soil contamination.

Turmeric is used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat inflammation. Uses include cancer prevention and treatment as well as treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and infections.

A few years ago, Joel suffered from severe inflammation that almost forced him to quit work. Months after taking turmeric supplements and going on a plant-based diet, his inflammation was gone. Today, he’s in the best shape ever!

Chef Joel’s Tips

• To save time in the morning, pick a day to make smoothie kits. Measure 3 cups of your favorite fruit combinations and place into ziplock quart freezer bags (3 cups of fruit makes 2 smoothies). Prepare enough fruit kits for the week ahead and freeze. In the morning, all you’ll have to do is add liquid, greens, and add-ins to your blender. Then dump in the frozen fruit and blend for about 30 seconds.

smoothie kits

• If you add lemon or other acidic fruits or vegetables to your smoothie, the enamel on your teeth may soften temporarily. Be sure to rinse your mouth with water after drinking a sour smoothie.

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Superfood Smoothies

Author Your Allergy Chefs

Yield 2 Servings

Free of: gluten and top 8 allergens.

Delicious blend-and-go breakfast smoothies!

Ingredients

Berry Blast

16 ounces chilled coconut water

4 cups (about 2 ounces) power greens (see recipe notes)

1 cup frozen blueberries

3/4 cup frozen strawberries

3/4 cup frozen banana slices

1/2 cup frozen cherries

1/2 – 1 tsp turmeric powder (or about a 3/4-inch piece of peeled fresh turmeric)

1/2 – 1 tsp Ceylon cinnamon

Instructions

1. Pour coconut water into a high-speed blender.
2. Add power greens, frozen fruit, turmeric, and cinnamon.
3. Start blender on low speed and gradually increase to high speed, blending for about 30 seconds until smooth. If the smoothie is too thick, add 1/4 cup or so of distilled water and continue blending.

Notes

Most markets sell a mix of power greens especially for making smoothies. Mix up your favorite greens, from spinach to kale, or mizuna to chard.

Use 3 cups of your favorite fruits. Frozen fruit is best since it blends up thicker than fresh.

For the Green Machine, use 3 cups of a combination of pineapple, mango, strawberries, and banana.

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free of top 8 allergens

This homemade strawberry milk is full of fresh fruit and velvety smoothness. What a fun addition to any breakfast, brunch or afternoon treat, and a hit for kids of all ages.

It’s simple to make with only 4 ingredients, and no artificial colors, flavors, dyes…or dairy. Read more to see what’s in the top brands of strawberry milk on our grocery shelves. One thing’s for sure…zero strawberries.

We suggest buying organic when it comes to strawberries, since this red, juicy fruit has a soft, seedy skin, which allows for easier absorption of pesticides. Many of these pesticides penetrate the skin and cannot be rinsed off.

By the way, for the third year running, strawberries top the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Dirty Dozen list for produce containing the most pesticide residues. How much is that? Check it out, cause you won’t believe it!

According to the EWG, one strawberry sample contained an astounding 22 pesticide residues. Not only that, one-third of all conventional strawberry samples contained 10 or more pesticides.

If you haven’t already, check out our past post titled, Pesticides and the Dirty Dozen Uncovered. There’s some great insight on pesticides in relation to cancer, food allergies, and so much more.

Don’t miss the 2018 EWG’s Dirty Dozen list for this year’s produce containing the most pesticide residues. The EWG also publishes the Clean Fifteen, a list of the 15 cleanest fruits and veggies.

When it comes to produce, we’re okay with buying conventional, the fruits and vegetables that are on the Clean Fifteen.

You may be wondering why strawberry milk? With strawberries in season, I thought strawberry milk would be a great companion for peanut butter cookies. We’ll get an allergy-friendly and vegan recipe for cookies out soon!

Brainwashed Into Buying Junk Food

I knew I had to make a wholesome drink, when I saw the ingredients listed online for Borden’s Strawberry Milk, which contains ZERO strawberries.

Milk is the first ingredient, followed by High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar, Corn Starch, Carrageenan, Artificial Flavor, Salt, Red #40, Vitamin A Palmitate, and Vitamin D3.

Marketing sure does a great job at convincing the public that a product with so many crappy ingredients, can be good for you.

And don’t worry Borden, we’re not picking on you. It’s the same story with Nestlē. So, let’s make our strawberry milk from scratch.

Here we have the 4 simple ingredients in our strawberry milk. There are other options for sweeteners other than sugar, including pure maple syrup, stevia or dates. The amount of sweetening you add will depend on the sweetness of the strawberries and your own taste.

We made several batches of syrup. In the first batch, we cooked the strawberries. Then we macerated the strawberries, by sprinkling sugar on them, which draws out their juices so they become soft and sweet. We found that macerating and then pureeing the strawberries gave us the best results.

Alternative Milks

Hemp milk makes a great allergy-friendly strawberry milk. If almonds are not an issue, almond milk is also a great choice. The alternative milk is up to you.

Enjoy!

Tidbits

• Arguably, there are many natural-based pesticides that are allowed in organic farming. Most come from plants or bacteria and are processed minimally, if at all. Many organic farmers do not use pesticides, but some do.
• In conclusion, to really know what you’re getting, it’s best to know your source. Buy locally and visit the farmer’s market. Talk to the farmers and ask what their methods are.
• Use EWG’s Dirty Dozen to reduce your exposures as much as possible, but eating conventionally-grown produce is better than not eating fruits and vegetables at all.

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Strawberry Milk

Author Your Allergy Chefs

Yield 4 Servings

Free of: gluten and top 8 allergens.

This delicious homemade strawberry milk is full of fresh fruit and has only 4 ingredients, with no artificial colors, flavors, dyes…or dairy.

 

Ingredients

1 pound fresh strawberries, rinsed, trimmed and sliced

1/2 cup organic cane sugar (see recipe notes)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups alternative milk, cold

Instructions

1. Place strawberries in a medium bowl. Toss with sugar and let macerate at room temperature for at least one hour. Strawberries will release their juices. Add vanilla.
2. Transfer strawberries and their juices to a blender. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Using a fine sieve or mesh strainer, strain into a small bowl. You will have about 1-3/4 cups of syrup. Chill until ready to use. 
3. Vigorously stir or whisk 1/4 cup of puree, or more or less as desired, into 1 cup of cold milk.
4. Strawberry syrup can be made 5 days ahead, stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Notes

To replace cane sugar with pure maple syrup, omit the step for macerating the strawberries. Place sliced strawberries in a blender with 1/3 cup of maple syrup and vanilla. Blend until smooth; strain puree into a small bowl. Taste for sweetness and add additional maple syrup, if desired.

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You may know hibiscus tea as agua de jamaica. My weekly routine for years included several stops at a favorite Mexican restaurant in Portland to get my fix of this nourishing drink.

Hibiscus tea is enjoyed around the world and is one of the healthiest drinks imaginable. We found ourselves asking, what health benefits doesn’t it offer?

Refined sugars are often used to sweeten hibiscus tea. Eliminating those sugars and offering several healthier substitutions makes it even better!

With a contested origin between Africa and India, jamaica (hibiscus) flowers are now deeply rooted in many cuisines.

Although strongly associated with Mexico and Latin America, Agua de Jamaica is known around the world under a variety of names. Here are just a few:

• Australia calls it Rosella
• U.S. – Hibiscus Tea or Agua de Jamaica
• Caribbean – Sorrel or Red Sorrel
• Italy – Cascadé or Italian tea
• Thailand – Roselle or Karkady
• Panama – Saril
• Africa – Karkadé, Zobo or Bissap

Did you know, this wonder tea was also consumed by the Pharaohs in ancient Egypt?

The roselle plant is a species of hibiscus thought to be native to West Africa. Pictured below are dried calyces used to make the drink, though fresh flowers can also be used.

dried hibiscus flowers

Health Benefits of Hibiscus Tea

We are just amazed by the numerous health benefits!

Hibiscus tea:

• Manages Blood Pressure
• Lowers Cholesterol
• Protects the Liver and helps in treating liver diseases.
• Has Anti-cancer Properties: Has anti-tumor and antioxidant properties. A study conducted by the Department and Institute of Biochemistry at the Chung Shan Medical and Dental College, in Taichung, Taiwan suggests that hibiscus slows down the growth of cancerous cells by inducing apoptosis, commonly known as programmed cell death.
• Relieves Menstrual Pain and helps in restoring hormonal balance.
• Acts as an Antidepressant Agent: Calms the nervous system, and may reduce anxiety and depression by creating a relaxed sensation in the mind and body.
• Improves Digestion
• Helps Lower Inflammation
• Helps strengthen the Immune System
• Satiates Thirst: It is also used as a sports drink and has the ability to cool down the body quickly.
• Promotes Weight Loss: Speeds up metabolism and helps in healthy, gradual weight loss.
• Rich in Vitamin C, Minerals and Antioxidants 
• Summer & Winter Drink, great iced or hot.

Other Effects of Hibiscus Tea to be Mindful of…

Since the health benefits of hibiscus tea include lowering blood pressure, it is not recommended for people who already have hypotension, or low blood pressure. It may cause faintness, dizziness and other health problems if consumed by anyone with low blood pressure.

Hibiscus tea is also not recommended for pregnant women because of its effects of stimulating menstruation or blood flow in the pelvic region.

Time for Punch

What an easy tea to make, or call it a punch. And look, there are not a lot of ingredients.

mise en place

Water is brought to a boil and poured over dried hibiscus flowers and other fun stuff. We use a cinnamon stick and orange peel. Fresh ginger is another great healthy addition. Covered and allowed to steep for 20 minutes, it’s then strained into a pitcher. A sweetener and a little fresh orange juice are added, or if you prefer, you can add fresh lime juice.

That’s all there is to it. We like to keep a large mason jar of hibiscus tea in the fridge. A glass jar is preferable, because plastic containers seem to give the tea an off taste as well as the tea tends to stain the plastic.

Cheers to a delicious and healthy drink!

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Hibiscus Tea

Author Your Allergy Chefs

Yield 10 Cups

Free of: gluten and top 8 allergens.

This tea is enjoyed around the world and is one of the healthiest drinks imaginable. The question should almost be, what health benefit doesn’t it offer?

 

Ingredients

10 cups water

1/2 cup coconut sugar (see recipe notes)

1 cinnamon stick

1 cup dried hibiscus flowers (flor de jamaica), rinsed

2 (2-inch) strips of fresh orange peel

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

Lime wedges, optional

Strawberry halves, optional

Instructions

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Turn off heat and remove pot from stovetop.
2. Immediately add sugar, cinnamon stick, hibiscus flowers and orange peel. Stir to dissolve sugar. Cover and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain into a pitcher and discard the cinnamon stick, hibiscus flowers and orange peel.
3. Add the orange juice. Let cool and place in refrigerator and chill until cold. Serve with lime wedges and fresh strawberries. Enjoy!

Notes

You can use a variety of sweeteners.

Coconut sugar causes much less of a blood sugar spike than regular white sugar because it has a lower glycemic index. It’s also healthy for the gut.

Raw honey is quite different from supermarket honey, which is often blended from a lot of different sources. Store bought has a higher glycemic index and does not have the raw, healing properties of honey from nature. It’s best to buy local, raw and organic. If using honey in this recipe, replace the 1 cup coconut sugar with 3/4 cup honey.

Stevia is processed from an herb, with zero calories and a glycemic index number (its effect on blood sugar) of 0. There have been almost 400 scientific studies done on Stevia actually healing the body in many ways. To use Stevia, omit the coconut sugar. Add Stevia to taste when serving or with the addition of the orange juice. There are both liquid and powder forms. Follow manufacturer’s recommendation for replacing sugar with Stevia. 

Piloncillo is an unrefined Mexican sugar usually molded into cones or sticks and traditionally used to sweeten agua de jamaica.

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free from gluten and top 8 allergens

One of Joel’s favorite memories while growing up in Wisconsin during the winter was playing in the snow for hours and then coming home to his mom making hot chocolate from scratch.

There’s no better way to warm up on a cold winter’s day or to enjoy a moment of mindfulness than by sipping a mug of hot chocolate.

Here’s a tribute to where it all began. Cheers!

The Beginning

It all started in Mexico around 1900 BCE, when the Olmecs domesticated cacao and a new beverage was born. The Mayans and Aztecs adapted the brew and typically made it with chiles, served lukewarm and frothy.

Though their version is much different from the hot chocolate we know today, some of the basic ingredients are the same. Today’s typical Mexican chocolate is made with roasted and ground cacao nibs, sugar and cinnamon. Chiles and nuts are sometimes added to this rather granular drink.

The Chocolate

Two of our favorite chocolates are Taza and Ibarra.

Taza has a variety of Mexican style chocolate discs that are certified Gluten Free and USDA Organic. Their website states they are also dairy free, soy free, vegan and have several varieties that do not contain nuts.

If you like your chocolate sweet, give Ibarra a try. Ibarra does contain soy lecithin and their packaging states the product contains soy and is manufactured in equipment that process milk. According to Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), studies show that most people with soy allergy can safely eat soy lecithin. However, if you are allergic to soy, it’s best to check with your doctor to make sure it’s safe for you.

If you have trouble finding a chocolate free from the top 8 allergens, Enjoy Life’s Semi Sweet Mini Chips make a good cup of hot cocoa. Any semi sweet or bitter high quality chocolate that meets your dietary needs will also work in this recipe.

The Froth

We know from history that frothiness has been a part of hot chocolate from the beginning. A molinillo is traditionally a hand carved wooden whisk. This ancient tool is held between the palms of the hands and quickly rotated by rubbing the palms together. The rings at the bottom spin around, helping to whip the beverage into a frothy foam.

Of course, you don’t need to run out and buy a molinillo if you don’t already have one. A wire whisk will do the trick.

The Marshmallow Meringue

With a nice froth to show off, it might seem like a shame to cover it. But, we’re talking double goodness. Marshmallows and froth equal delicious hot chocolate.

Making this marshmallow fluff is like making French meringue (also called common meringue), minus the egg whites. The standard ratio of ingredients for French meringue is equal parts fine granulated sugar to egg whites. Egg whites can only hold a limited amount of sugar before sacrificing volume, so equal parts are safe amounts.

To make an allergy-friendly meringue, we’re whipping equal parts of aquafaba (liquid from a can of garbanzo beans) and fine granulated sugar. The procedure is the same for that of French meringue, with the exception of the mixing time being longer with the aquafaba.

Using a hand held mixer on low speed, whip the aquafaba and cream of tartar. After a minute or so, increase the speed to medium and whip for 3 minutes. We suggest using a hand held mixer because the amount being mixed is too small for a stand mixer.

Gradually add the sugar a tablespoon at a time while the mixer is running. Continue to beat on high speed for 8 minutes until stiff peaks form. When you lift the beaters the meringue should look glossy and hold a stiff peak.

With all the meringue I’ve made in my pastry career, I love meringue made with aquafaba. Not just because it’s allergy-friendly, but also because it’s much more forgiving. It’s so much easier to over mix  a meringue made with egg whites, not to mention just a trace of fat on the bowl or a bit of yolks will prevent the egg white meringue from whipping up.

On March 6, 2015, Goose Wohlt posted on Facebook, “What F.A.T. Vegans Eat.” His post with 4 pictures reads, “dead simple delicious two ingredient whole food meringues…one can chickpea brine mixed w half cup sugar. Perfect-O”.

We are so thankful for Goose Wohlt and the inspiration that led him to come up with what he named “aquafaba”, the latin words for water and bean.

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Mexican Hot Chocolate with Marshmallow Meringue

Author Your Allergy Chefs

Yield 4 Servings

Free of: gluten and top 8 allergens.

There’s no better way to warm up on a cold winter’s day or to enjoy a moment of mindfulness than by sipping a mug of this delicious Mexican Hot Chocolate.

Ingredients

Marshmallow Meringue

1/4 cup aquafaba (see recipe notes)

1/8 tsp cream of tartar

1/4 cup fine granulated sugar

Hot Chocolate

8 ounces Mexican chocolate (see recipe notes)

4 cups allergy-friendly milk (see recipe notes)

2 tbsp light brown sugar

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional

2 (2-inch) cinnamon sticks or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. To make the meringue, using a hand held mixer on low speed, mix aquafaba and cream of tartar for one minute. Increase to medium speed and mix for 3 minutes.
2. While mixing, gradually add sugar a tablespoon at a time. When all the sugar is incorporated, increase to high speed and mix for 8 minutes until stiff peaks form. When you lift the beaters, the meringue should look glossy and hold a stiff peak. This will make approximately 1-1/2 cups of marshmallow meringue. Store in refrigerator while making hot chocolate. Use as soon as possible within a couple of hours.
3. To make the hot chocolate, finely chop or grate chocolate. Set aside.
4. In a medium saucepan, heat milk, sugar and cayenne (if using) over medium heat until milk just comes to a gentle simmer. Add the cinnamon sticks. Turn off heat and steep for 10-15 minutes. (If using ground cinnamon, add with the milk, sugar and cayenne, bringing to a gentle simmer. Turn off heat and proceed to step 6.)
5. Remove cinnamon sticks. Place saucepan over medium heat and bring back to a simmer.
6. Remove saucepan from heat and add chocolate. Mix well and continuously to prevent chocolate from sticking to bottom of pan.
7. Using a molinillo or a standard wire whisk, whip until airy and frothy, about 2 minutes.
8. To serve, fill mugs with hot chocolate. Top with marshmallow meringue and serve immediately. You can torch meringue, but it’s not necessary.

Notes

• Aquafaba is the liquid from canned garbanzo beans. Drain a 15-ounce can of garbanzo beans with “no salt added”, reserving the liquid (aquafaba) for use in this recipe. One can yields slightly more than 1/2 cup aquafaba.
• You can substitute 1 cup Enjoy Life Semi Sweet Mini Chips for Mexican chocolate.
• Tablets by different manufacturers vary in weight. Tazo tablets are 1.35 ounces or 2.7 ounces. Ibarra tablets weigh 3.17 ounces.
• Hot chocolate made with milk has a creamier mouth feel, while one made with water is traditional and maximizes the pure flavor of the chocolate. We prefer using milk and suggest if you are not using Mexican chocolate that you do use an alternative milk.
• Unsweetened hemp milk or “lite” coconut milk both make great hot chocolate. If soy or almond is not an issue, they are also popular alternative milks for hot chocolate.

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free from gluten and the top 8 food allergens

Christmas Eve is National Eggnog Day. What a perfect time to celebrate this popular drink enjoyed between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.

It’s one of those traditions we enjoy as adults because we remember it so vividly as children. Besides, the holidays would not be the same without it.

Eggnog’s innovative culinary delights charm the holiday season, from bread pudding and French toast, to cookies and cake.

At Whole Foods Market in Portland, Oregon we made an eggnog Bundt cake with rum icing that was so popular we could barely keep up with production.

We formulated our holiday nog to include coconut milk and replaced all but one ingredient in traditional eggnog to make this treat free of the top 8 allergens. Yes, we replaced all but the nutmeg and came up with this delicious holiday nog.

Replacement for the Eggs

We made several batches, testing out various alternative milks and thickening agents. The biggest challenge is replacing the eggs, yet keeping the “custardy” texture and flavor alive.

By adding just a small amount of xanthan gum to the first batch, the nog had a traditional eggnog-like consistency immediately after blending.

For the second batch, we went with chia seeds and found this to froth up better than the batch with xanthan gum but not as thick. However, as it chilled overnight in the refrigerator, it thickened to a nice consistency.

Which one did we like better? We loved ’em both. However, we’d probably choose the chia for the health benefits chia brings.

Taking Holiday Nog to Another Level

Thinking about what to have for brunch today, we looked in the freezer and found some Follow Your Heart gluten-free brioche. How about French toast using our holiday nog as the soaking liquid? We diced and cooked down some fresh strawberries with a little coconut sugar, which made a yummy compote for our Holiday Nog French Toast. We took a picture for you.

It was the quickest brunch ever. We put two cups of holiday nog in a shallow dish and soaked each side of the bread for about ten seconds. Soaking time will depend on the bread you use. Cooking time on our electric griddle took longer than our standard French toast recipe. In any case, it was a winner and a great way to use the holiday nog!

So easy to make, all the ingredients are put in a blender and processed until smooth.

Spirits Unlimited

We prefer ours plain. On the other hand, when alcohol is added, it’s a milk punch. Coquito, a Puerto Rican Christmas drink that shares many of the same ingredients, uses coconut milk and white rum.

Eggnog has been enjoyed by many in history, including Edgar Allan Poe, George Washington and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Take a look at what they enjoyed in their nog.

Edgar Allen Poe was an American writer best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery. His extracurricular activity of choice while attending the University of Virginia in the 1820’s was drinking eggnog and apple toddies, according to paperandsalt.org. The Poe family eggnog recipe was supposedly passed down from generation to generation, from 1790 until today. The recipe was published in the cookbook, A Second Helping of Murder and also by The New York Times. Poe’s nog calls for a mix of brandy and Jamaican rum, counting on the abundant amounts of liquor to “cook” the eggs.

Even America’s first President, George Washington had a fondness for eggnog with a kick during the holidays. The source of his original recipe is the Old Farmer’s Almanac, and includes a pint each of brandy, rye whiskey, Jamaican rum, sherry and finally, we can’t forget the eggs, sugar, milk and cream.

In addition to all his military and political accomplishments, America’s 34th President, Dwight D. Eisenhower loved his bourbon, especially in eggnog. His nog calls for 1 dozen egg yolks, 1 pound granulated sugar, 1 quart bourbon, 1 quart coffee creamer and 1 quart whipping cream. In Eisenhower’s original recipe, it states that the process just for mixing the yolks and sugar would take 30 minutes…with a good mixer. Wow! We would love to check out that mixer.

Enjoy your holiday nog with or without spirits.

We wish you, your families and friends a very Merry Christmas!

Cheers!

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Holiday Nog

Author Your Allergy Chefs

Yield 8 Servings

Free of: gluten and top 8 allergens.

The holidays would be incomplete without eggnog. Enjoy a variation of the traditional eggnog recipe. Holiday Nog is a beverage that everyone can enjoy. 

Ingredients

1 (13.5 ounce) can full-fat coconut milk

2 cups alternative milk of choice

3 tbsp pure maple syrup OR 4-6 Medjool dates, pitted and soaked (see recipe notes)

1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp freshly zested nutmeg, using a microplane zester (see recipe notes)

Pinch fine sea salt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 large banana

1/4 tsp xanthan gum OR chia egg (see recipe notes)

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a high speed blender. Start blender on low speed and gradually increase to high. Blend until smooth, approximately 60 seconds.
2. Transfer to a clean container. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 
3. Serve as is or add rum, brandy, bourbon or whiskey, for a spirited holiday version.
4. Top it off with a pinch of freshly ground nutmeg.

Notes

• To soak the dates, place in a small bowl and fill with very hot water. The soak time is in the 5 to 30 minute range, depending on the softness of the dates. An older date that is no longer soft will need a longer soak time.
• If you can get whole fresh nutmeg, the end result will be well worth it.
• We made two batches, one with xanthan gum and the other with chia seeds. We used white organic chia seeds that we ground. To use chia in place of xanthan gum, in a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon chia seeds or 2 teaspoons ground chia seeds with 3 tablespoons boiling water. Stir well and allow the mixture to set for about 5 minutes before adding to blender with other ingredients.
• Nutrition facts are based on full-fat coconut milk. If you replace full-fat coconut milk with light coconut milk, calories per serving are reduced to 196. Total fat shrinks from 58% to 21%. 

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1/2 cup

Amount Per Serving
Calories 432
% Daily Value
Total Fat 37.5 g		58%
	Saturated Fat 29.6 g	148%
	Unsaturated Fat 1.8 g
Sodium 137.5 mg		6%
Total Carbohydrates 21.4 g		7%
	Dietary Fiber 1.7 g	7%
	Sugars 14.8 g
Protein 1 g		2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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