Approximately 65 percent of the human population has a reduced ability to digest lactose after infancy.[1]
As I was growing up I had no idea that I was lactose intolerant. I just thought I disliked milk. My mother would try to get me to drink it, but I felt sick if I drank milk. As an adult, I loved pumpkin lattes and eggnog lattes, but my stomach would make gurgling sounds after I enjoyed it. Given the statistic, I doubt that I’m alone. But are we to give up our nogs and specialty drinks? No, we just need to be a little creative. So I created the “Nut Nog”. Really you can make your pumpkin spiced or nog spiced beverages with any milk alternative: almond milk, rice milk, oat milk, or coconut milk, you just add the spices and mix it up. The recipe below shows how to make your own nut milk, but you can use packaged nut milks also.
Nut Nog:
Ingredients:
1 cup soaked Natural Zing Almonds, soak 8 hours or overnight
1/4 cup Natural Zing Macadamia Nuts
2 1/2 cup filtered water
6 medium Natural Zing Dates (soaked if firm and use the soak water for some of the water)
1/2 tsp Organic Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Organic Ground Clove
1 tsp Organic Vanilla Extract or ½ Natural Zing Vanilla Bean
1/2 tsp Natural Zing Cinnamon
Pinch of Celtic Sea Salt
Preparation:
1.) Blend the nuts and water and strain the pulp out using a nut-milk bag or sieve.
2.) Add the fruit and spices to the nut milk and mix.
3.) Chill.
Serves 8
This does not take long to make, only about 10 minutes. However, if you want to save time create the spice mixture (nutmeg, clove, vanilla bean powder, and cinnamon) and put a ¼ tsp in your packaged almond milk or other milk alternative and mix in a blender, frothier, whisk, or spoon. If you are lucky enough to have an espresso / latte machine at home add the spice mixture in the nut milk then froth to make your own nut nogs latte.
Wishing you abundant health,
Helen Rose
