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February 8, 2013

The Unprocessed Kitchen: Beverages and a Strawberry Cow

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A strawberry cow was fun to sip through straws and the girls loved it. I pureed some strawberries, added some homemade coconut milk/honey-sweetened ice cream and added some sparkling water on top. Fizzy, fun and a lot less sugar than a soda.

Unhealthy beverages can undermine a great diet. If you’re eating vegetables, healthy fats, meats, and cultured dairy but add a couple of chemically processed drinks each day, you may wreak havoc on your health.

There are many better alternatives, and if you want something fun to drink, why not add some probiotics, vitamins or minerals to the mix? For the purpose of this post, I won’t be discussing dairy and other milk products. We’ll cover that topic in a few weeks.

Juice
Sadly, most juices on the market aren’t quite what they appear. Unless they say “unpasteurized,” they’ve probably been heated which can damage many of the nutrients in the fruit juice. Many don’t realize that it’s legal for the companies to add “flavor packets” to the juice to help heighten the flavors. These packets contain chemical ingredients such as ethyl butyrate and terpene compounds. Also, many labels deceive. For instance a bottle of Naked Orange Juice says on the front label that it’s “100% fruit and Veg Smoothie”. When you turn the bottle over the label says the juice contains ingredients like pyridoxine hydrochloride and cyanocobalamin. Those ingredients don’t sound like “100% fruit and vegetable” to me.

If you can’t juice some fruit or vegetables yourself, then it’s best to look for one that says “unpasteurized” on the label. This means it was juiced and poured into the bottle. These raw juices usually come with a warning label. I understand that there are laws, but these labels make the laugh. If I eat an orange off of the fruit stand, it’s considered “safe”, but if I take that same orange and squeeze the juice out all of a sudden we need a warning label? Do you see where I’m going with this?

 

Coffee and Coffee Creamers
The first thing many people start their day with is a cup of coffee and some chemically-processed coffee creamer. If you’re going to have some coffee, it’s a good idea to pick an organic coffee or try an herbal coffee so you don’t drink extra pesticides and chemicals with your cup of joe. Regarding coffee creamers, I have recipes for those! You can make them in minutes and you can easily control the amount of sweetness.

Check out these recipes:
Vanilla Coffee Creamer
Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer
Cinnamon Streudal Creamer
Chocolate Almond
Peppermint Mocha
Caramel Coffee Creamer
Honey Vanilla Creamer 
Dairy Free/Paleo Coffee Creamers

kombucha recipe

Kombucha
One of my very favorite beverages is kombucha. It’s a sweet, naturally effervescent fermented tea which is loaded with probiotics and other nutrients. I make a batch of it once a week. It might sound scary, but it’s very easy. Check out this post to read more about making your own kombucha.

Teas
Most ready-made teas contain preservatives, additives and extra sugars, so it’s best to make your own tea. There are dozens of great organic teas out there.

Here are a few of my favorites:
Chamomile Tea
Classic Earl Grey
Hibiscus High Tea
Green Iced Tea with Honey

Water
I mostly drink water each day and my nutritionist recommends drinking half of your weight in water each day. That’s quite a bit! Make sure the water you drink most often is free of chemicals such as bleach and flouride. Many of the chemicals added to our water systems are detrimental to our health so it’s important to make sure you drink clean water.

Soda
Whether it’s regular or diet, industrially produced sodas are full of sugars, and man-made ingredients. It’s very easy to make your own effervescent drinks. Just mix soda water with another liquid such as teas or fresh fruit juice. If you’re hooked on extra-sugary drinks, I recommend cutting back very slowly. Many years ago, before beginning my organic, unprocessed journey, I used to have a tablespoon of sugar in my coffee. (Yikes!) When I decided to cut back, I reduced the sugar in my coffee each week by half a teaspoon a week. When I got down to just having one teaspoon of sugar in my coffee, I then started using raw honey instead. It was a slow process, but this way I was able to change my taste as I went along. Now I can’t handle much sweetness in my food or drink.

Last week I thought I’d make something fun for the kids. A strawberry cow was fun to sip through straws and the girls loved it. I pureed some strawberries, added some homemade coconut milk/honey-sweetened ice cream and added some sparkling water on top. Fizzy, fun and a lot less sugar than a soda.

Here are some great posts that Vani over at Food Babe has written about beverages:
The Secret Behind Gatorade and How to Replenish Electrolytes Naturally
Is Your Protein Shake Safe?
Coca-Cola’s Low Calorie Beverages

What’s your favorite beverage? Any fun recipes? Please share!

Serves: Makes 1 quart

Coconut Milk Vanilla Ice Cream

You can omit the vanilla bean if needed.

Adapted from The Perfect Scoop (If you're looking for a great ice cream book - this is a great one!)

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Ingredients

  • 3 cups coconut milk
  • 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
  • 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Place coconut milk, honey and vanilla bean in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes. Remove vanilla bean. Place coconut mixture back on the stove over medium heat. Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl. Carefully ladle some of the warm coconut mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly (be careful, you don't want scrambled egg yolks). While whisking, slowly pour egg yolk mixture into coconut milk mixture. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until mixture becomes thick and will coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator, at least 3 hours. Freeze according to ice cream maker instructions.
7.8.1.2
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https://deliciouslyorganic.net/the-unprocessed-kitchen-beverages-and-a-strawberry-cow/
Copyright 2016 Deliciously Organic

 

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Filed Under: Beverages, Dairy and Grain-Free Recipes, Dairy-Free Recipes, Gaps Diet, Gluten Free Recipes, Grain Free Recipes, Kids and School Lunches, Nut-free, Paleo Recipes, Uncategorized | 20 Comments

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20 Comments

  1. Kelly

    February 8, 2013 at 10:08 am

    Great recipes and suggestions for drinks. One question on the ice cream recipe, when do you add in the other 2 cups of coconut milk?
    to Kelly" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Kelly'>Reply to this comment
    • Deliciously Organic

      February 8, 2013 at 10:52 am

      Thanks for pointing that out. I corrected it. You add all of the coconut milk to the pan at one time.
      to Deliciously Organic" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic'>Reply to this comment
  2. Tammy

    February 9, 2013 at 6:57 pm

    That strawberry cow sounds so delicious! I'm going to have to come back and look on your blog some more for recipes! I remember years ago (1996) when a child's death was associated from drinking unpasteurized Odwalla juice, and others became ill (from looking online just now the count was over 60). That would be why the warning is on the label. I haven't heard of any troubles with unpasteurized juice since then!
    to Tammy" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Tammy'>Reply to this comment
  3. Erika

    February 11, 2013 at 8:51 am

    I've got to try Kombucha - I think it would be a good substitute for sweet tea. I've nearly given up all "coke" (soda), as we say in the South, but oh how I love my sweet tea!
    to Erika" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Erika'>Reply to this comment
  4. Kelly @ The Nourishing Home

    February 11, 2013 at 11:26 am

    WOW! The strawberry cow looks delightful! Thanks for sharing! I'm longing for summertime weather - this will be a real treat to enjoy on a sunny day! YUM! Blessings, Kelly :) P.S. Your photography is always so breath-taking! Love it!
    to Kelly @ The Nourishing Home" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Kelly @ The Nourishing Home'>Reply to this comment
  5. Alison @ Ingredients, Inc.

    February 11, 2013 at 2:11 pm

    absolulety love this
    to Alison @ Ingredients, Inc." aria-label='Reply to this comment to Alison @ Ingredients, Inc.'>Reply to this comment
  6. cynthia maurer

    February 11, 2013 at 3:35 pm

    Without question, water is my favorite beverage.
    to cynthia maurer" aria-label='Reply to this comment to cynthia maurer'>Reply to this comment
  7. Krysta

    February 11, 2013 at 3:37 pm

    Just so you know cyanocobalamin which you listed as a toxic chemical in some juices is just the generic name for vitamin b12.
    to Krysta" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Krysta'>Reply to this comment
    • Deliciously Organic

      February 11, 2013 at 5:08 pm

      Yes. It's also known as b12, but "Cyanocobalamin is commercially prepared by bacterial fermentation. Fermentation by a variety of microorganisms gives a mixture of methyl-, hydroxo-, and adenosylcobalamin. These compounds are converted to cyanocobalamin by addition of potassium cyanide in the presence of sodium nitrite and heat." - Wikipedia. So it's basically a man-made form of b12. B12 is a great nutrient, but it's probably better to eat or drink it in it's natural form.
      to Deliciously Organic" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic'>Reply to this comment
  8. Beverly

    February 11, 2013 at 3:46 pm

    Do you have an alternative to coconut milk? We have peanut & all tree nut allergies in our home.
    to Beverly" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Beverly'>Reply to this comment
    • Deliciously Organic

      February 11, 2013 at 5:09 pm

      Heavy cream would be a great substitute.
      to Deliciously Organic" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic'>Reply to this comment
  9. Congetta

    February 11, 2013 at 9:12 pm

    Hi Carrie, I am asking here as I couldn't find the answer under the coffee creamer recipes. I am sorry if you have answered this before. Why do I need to heat all the ingredients together to make the creamers. Can't I just blend them? Thank you.
    to Congetta" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Congetta'>Reply to this comment
    • Deliciously Organic

      February 12, 2013 at 8:36 am

      Heating helps all of the ingredients incorporate evenly and also helps the flavors bloom.
      to Deliciously Organic" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic'>Reply to this comment
  10. Linnea

    February 28, 2013 at 9:55 am

    Love that you have this strawberry cow recipe!! One of my first days of living in Washington state I ordered a pink cow at Baskin Robbins. Well, they looked at me like I had 2 heads. I quickly learned that Washington doesn't have red cream soda! Ha! So years later, now that we are eating way differently, I can make a childhood favorite for my family.
    to Linnea" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Linnea'>Reply to this comment
  11. Sharon

    May 19, 2013 at 10:06 am

    Do you use the canned coconut milk? Could coconut milk purchased in the dairy section be substituted?
    to Sharon" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Sharon'>Reply to this comment
    • Deliciously Organic

      May 19, 2013 at 12:10 pm

      Yes, I used canned coconut milk. The coconut milk sold in the dairy section, usually contains several preservatives, sugars and additives, and it's much more thin than the canned coconut milk. If you use the coconut milk beverage, I'm not sure how the recipe will turn out.
      to Deliciously Organic" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic'>Reply to this comment
  12. jennifer

    June 17, 2013 at 11:04 am

    Your nutritionist recommends drinking half your weight in water each day? I would have to drink 50+ pounds of water every day!
    to jennifer" aria-label='Reply to this comment to jennifer'>Reply to this comment
    • Sharon

      December 3, 2015 at 7:30 pm

      I too was wondering how to drink 12 gallons of water each day
      to Sharon" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Sharon'>Reply to this comment
      • Toni Rinehart

        January 22, 2016 at 8:30 am

        Maybe this will clarify things for you: https://deliciouslyorganic.net/how-much-water-should-you-drink-each-day/
        to Toni Rinehart" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Toni Rinehart'>Reply to this comment

Trackbacks

  1. Homemade Samoas (Grain Free, Gluten Free, Paleo) says:
    March 7, 2013 at 12:04 pm
    [...] series. Over the last two months, we’ve discussed cookware, bakeware, soups, salads, meats, beverages, baby formula, fermented foods, breads, sugars, the GAPS diet, reading the labels, and how to [...]
    to Homemade Samoas (Grain Free, Gluten Free, Paleo)" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Homemade Samoas (Grain Free, Gluten Free, Paleo)'>Reply to this comment

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Hi, I’m Carrie Vitt, FNTP
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Through unprocessed, organic food and detox I’ve reversed Hashimoto’s disease, chronic migraines, IBS and eczema.

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