Ayo A Tasty Almond Yogurt

Yogurts are always good for you. Add almond milk to the mix and it gets even better.AYO Almond milk yogurt is just that, good for you along with being delicious and even refreshing.

AYO is one of the oldest yogurt companies, starting in 1913 by the Billings family. They grew almonds in the San Joaquin Valley and also own Billings Ranch and Pacific Almond. The last produces a variety of different nut milks and even soups including bone broth. Being a big fan of anything almond, I decided to give the yogurts a try.
             

The four flavors are vanilla, peach , blueberry, and strawberry. They're not as thick as traditional yogurts, being made with almond milk. 

The texture's a bit like the Indian yogurt drink lassi, very liquid-y. All

the flavors , are colored the same , thanks to the addition of red cabbage extract

The vanilla is delicate in flavor while the fruit ones have small bits of peaches, strawberries or whole blueberries. They are perfect because they're not overpowering in taste. I think AYO yogurt would be good frozen as an ice cream. It seems to lend itself to it.They are low in calories too, another reason to love them. The blueberry and strawberry are only 150 while the peach and vanilla are 160 calories.

AYO almond milk yogurt is the perfect and refreshing summer snack. It's good for you and good for the planet. Try a  cooling cup today to beat the heat.

Holi Cooking

It's the middle of Holi, the fun Indian festival where Hindus celebrate the  coming of Spring. It is also a festival of delicious tasty savory and sweet dishes. You too, can celebrate, with easy dishes that will definitely make you smile.

Indian food has many benefits especially now. There are recipes chock full of turmeric - which is used as an anti- inflammatory remedy along with cumin  an immunity booster which helps in destroying powerful germs. It is also a tasty cuisine, full of fire at times and spice. Holi has some of the best and most flavorful dishes. Remember if you can't buy some of the ingredients at your local grocery , then definitely visit an Indian grocery. Try making the crunchy and fiery dal kachori, fried puffs of dough wrapped around a mix of dal, or ground lentils, chilis and garam masala. This last can be found in your grocery's spice section and can be used for other dishes such as grilled chicken or  sprinkled on veggies. The balls are then fried in vegetable oil. I guess you could use an air fryer in this for less oil and more crunch. An easy no cook one is papadi chaat, popular in northern India. The dish starts out with the Indian bread papi, small Indian breads that can be bought at any Indian grocery story and even Wal-mart. They're similar to pita bread and layered with cooked potatoes and chickpeas. Curd is layered on top of this, You can make curd  at home or sub in plain Greek yogurt, Top with green mint mixed with coriander along with cumin and chili powder.

Sweet treats and drinks are also a big part of Holi. You can try rice pudding or kheer that has the added flavor of ground almonds and cardamon.  Add stevia instead of sugar if you want it a bit healthier and top with cinnamon . Another sugary treat are the filled pastries called gujiya. They're filled with dried fruit and khoya  - a kind of cooked milk.  You can also give them an American twist by stuffing them with dark and white chocolate or apples and cinnamon. Some Indian families fill them with anjeer or figs along with coconut and pineapple. The dough is a simple one made with water and flour along with ghee , clarified melted butter. These can be washed down with thandai, a sweet,creamy drink made with  boiled milk mixed with sugar. A ground to a powder mix of white peppercorns, fennel seeds, melon seeds and cardamon pods is blended in for flavor and fire. Rose petals are added for more sweetness. The boiled mix is put into the fridge for two to three hours before serving.  You can also have a sip of the traditional lassi. It's kind of like a milkshake, made with milk, honey and yogurt. Sugar, honey and some kind of fruit such as mango or strawberry is swirled in along with ice for a cool treat.

Celebrate Holi with home cooked and home made Indian food and drinks. It's time to enjoy the happiness of this colorful holiday with friends and family. Do so with a wide array of spicy and sweet treats .

The Fun Side Of Fermentation

Probiotics is the new buzzword in home cooking these days. Home chefs are discovering that fermenting has a variety of pluses for the body as well as giving a unique flavors to food and drink. Now fermenting is simple to do , thanks to a brand new cookbook that shows how easy it is.

Kombucha, Kefir And Beyond (Far Winds Press 2018) is a fun and informative book written by Alex Lewin and Raquel Guajardo..  Mr/Lewin is  graduate of the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts and The Institute For Integrative Nutrition, He teaches fermentation classes and workshops while Ms. Guajardo, also a graduate of second school runs a cooking school in Monterey , Mexico, with a specialization in fermentation.She started her own brand of kombucha and fermented vegetables which can be found in stores in several Mexican cities. The book begins with a full description of fermentation and why we need it. The authors delve into the history of it , and how it came about  - from our earliest days  as "drunken monkeys." They also provide the history of fermentation and its' many benefits and how it can improve your life and your health. A huge plus of the book is the guide to the tools needed for fermentation. They go into great detail about what bottles  and jars are needed for storage (luckily cider and beer bottles and their caps can be repurposed for this).There is a special page explaining kombucha supplies along with detailed pages regarding safety and sanitation.They also tell what kind of soap to buy - namely low residue , unscented dish soap.There are also pages  devoted to fermentations most basic ingredients  water and sugar.

The recipes are exciting to try. Mr. Lewin and Ms. Guajardo start off with easy recipes that novice fermenters can test out. There's the Indian  lassi that can be made savory , sweet or just plain. There's the salty fermented lemonade that can also be made with lime for a refreshing and all natural sports drink. Home fermenters will love a recipe for the cute sounding ginger bug that is responsible for ginger ale and ginger beer.Raw ginger provides an excellent substrate for the growth of lactic aid bacteria. Yogurt lovers will enjoy the recipes for kefir and yogurt.The chapters become more advanced with kombucha and its' honey based cousin, jun.A really interesting chapter is vegetable drinks. There's a beet kvass made from the brine of fermented beets. Best of all it can easily be made in a Mason jar. There is also a radish  brine , a fascinating mix of cabbages , radishes and such spices as cinnamon , and peppercorns with a dash of oak leaves.For those who love soda, there are recipes for the all natural ones that have the same amount of fizz and flavor without the health risks. Some are reflective of Ms. Guajardo indigenous Mexican roots. There is hibiscus soda made with just dried hibiscus flowers, sugar and filtered water and a homemade grape soda.  There is also a chapter dedicated to pre-Spanish recipes such as pulche , a precursor of beer and the pineapple based drink tepache.Home brewers will get a kick and a buzz out of the beer wine and even hooch recipes along with ones for fermented cocktails!

Kombucha , Kefir And Beyond  is a fascinating trip into the world of fermentation. It's also an easy guide into creating tasty and nutritious drinks that are a plus to any diet. Buy the book, try the recipes and get ready for the benefits of probiotics.

Diwali Feasting

Today is Diwali, the  Hindu festival of lights, starts today. It's a time of celebrating but also feasting on delicious savory and sweet dishes They are easy to make , not just for this holiday but for  an every day treat as well. Usher in  the harvest with them or just have them star in a dinner.

Diwali is praying to the goddess Laksmhi, the goddess of prosperity and fertility. Families dress up in their best clothes, visit each other and exchange gifts.it's a five day affair with families honoring each other on the different days. Food  plays an important part and various  New York Times Food writers gives us some excellent savory and sweet ones. Try David Tanis' Chana Dal Sundal,  Southern India  street fare that reminds one of popcorn.It is the perfect party food, especially if there are a lot of kids in attendance . It's simply cooking cold water soaked chickpeas in abundant lightly salted water and then afterwards placing them on a cookie sheet to dry. They're then tossed with curry leaves cooked with curry leaves, red chiles and mustard seeds. A pinch of asafetida gives it a mild leek taste. An eggplant curry would be a great main dish . Again, most of the ingredients from the Chana Dal Sundal are used along with tamarind paste and unsweetened coconut. The eggplants are sliced and  slashed . Spices are then pressed into them and cooked over a high heat for six minutes.  A heartier dish is lamb curry , from David Tanis. It is rich with coriander, turmeric and cumin. The Indian clarified butter, ghee is used to cook the meat and sliced onions. A raita or sauce made from Greek yogurt, cumin and mustard seeds is also made to pour over the lamb.

Diwali is really a holiday of sweets, with sugary treats given to children.Kids will adore the chocolate burfi  - a kind of fudge given on holidays,birthdays and special occasions.  Like fudge it's super easy to make, using ghee, cocoa powder, and both condensed milk and powdered milk. A few drops of rose water  along with sugar gives the treet its' rich sweetness.The treat is made in layers, from the buttery ghee bottom to the chocolate top. Adults may choose shrikhand or sweet strained yogurt recipe from famed Indian food writer, Teja Rao.. This  is made by straining Greek yogurt for twenty-four hours in the  fridge and then gently adding in pistachios, confectioners sugar, saffron,  and cardamon. Once everything is thoroughly mixed , place into serving dishes and decorate with more pistachio and saffron threads.. A European take , again from Dave Tanis, is the coconut cardamom panna cotta. The spice's pods are added as well as unsweetened coconut milk. It's decorated with candied grated ginger along with peaches, nectarines, blackberries or raspberries. Sip some of Melissa Clark' mango rose waters Lassi, a refreshing mix of  mango, yogurt, milk and rose water. This can also be frozen intoa frozen yogurt for dessert.

Diwali is a time of lights and celebrating. It's also a time of feasting. Make savory and sweet treats to enjoy with family and friends.