A Mixed Bag

Life lately can certainly be categorized as a mixed bag of nuts:

• I've got a friend that I just reconnected with moving out of state. So very happy that she is able to move where her heart is calling her, so bummed that this time together is over.

• Jobs have slipped through, but upon closer examination, I think it's better in the long run.

• The dang florescent light in the kitchen is out again, but it's prompted me to make a serious lighting decision for the kitchen and a trip to Ikea is scheduled.

• It's almost summer (the heat is breathing down my neck already), but then again..... it's almost summer. Kids home, slow days, swimming and of course popsicles.

I know life is not always roses and sunshine and happiness. That the conflict makes us really see the happy, and to appreciate the positives when they are right in front of you.

And I'm going to take the positive in my happy accident that is now my new mixed nut coffee creamer.






I was looking for  something new and different for my morning routine and I was reading a few different recipes for Paleo "hot cereal". Most of them start with some form of nut soaked over night, then a blitz in the food processor with coconut milk or equivalent. Then heat it up with some fruit and voila - oatmeal a la Paleo.

This did not go over well at all in my house. I tinkered and toiled and made changes, but nothing I would do could get my kids to call this a cereal and put it in their mouth.

I was left with a little over a cup of some presoaked mixed nuts and I was just tired of the waste that was becoming my morning routine. Determined to use them I decided that a quick nut milk would suffice and that even if it was horrible, coffee would cover all ills.

What I had created out of that pile of mixed nuts was nothing short of an amazing dairy free cream for my coffee.

I used a little less water than my usual nut milk ratio, but this particular blend of mixed nuts produced a creamy, sweet and very rich milk. Oh happy day.

Mixed Nut Coffee Creamer

1/3 cup raw almonds

1/3 cup raw cashews

1/4 cup walnuts

filtered water

pinch of salt

teaspoon honey (optional)

In a bowl add all of the nuts and cover with filtered water. Let sit in the fridge over night. In the morning drain and rinse the nuts. Add 1 cup filtered water to a blender. Add the nuts, salt and honey if you are using. I've made this without the honey and found that the walnuts give it enough sweetness, but some my find it more to their liking with honey.

Blend the mixture on high for at least 2 minutes. It will look nice and creamy. Strain the mixture over a fine mesh strainer with cheese cloth or a dish towel over the top. You will have to use some muscle and squeeze all of the liquid out of your pulp. Store in the fridge in a covered container for 3 days.

I'm certain you could use this as more than just a cream for your coffee. I was just so happy to have something dairy free deemed worthy enough.

I am well aware that my list of life's mixed bag is trivial, and for that I feel so extremely blessed. This time last year I was preparing myself for the beginning of my moms road with breast cancer. A year later she is not just cancer free, but was spared the trials of chemo. It's a long story, and not without it's miracles.

For this I'm so thankful.

For life with a simplistic list of ups and downs I am truly humbled.  I wish you this same grace and hope many happy kitchen accidents are in your future.

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