Cultured Key Lime Cashew Yogurt

Cultured Key Lime Cashew Yogurt Recipe excerpt from: The Nutritionist’s Kitchen
by Carly Knowles

You’ll feel like a magician after making this probiotic-rich vegan yogurt!
For something so easy, the outcome is complex and incredibly healthy, especially for your gut. Probiotics have been shown to support a healthy digestive tract while also boosting the immune system, lowering blood pressure, helping to manage anxiety, and so much more!

If you can’t find key limes at your local grocery store or farmer’s market, you can easily substitute conventional (Persian) limes.

Makes four 8 ounce jars.

  • 2 cups raw cashews, soaked for at least 1 hour or overnight
  • 1½ cups unsweetened plain cashew milk or other plant based milk
  • 5 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons key lime or Persian lime zest (about 16 key limes or 3 Persian limes)
  • ½ cup fresh key lime or Persian lime juice (about 16 key limes or 3 Persian limes)
  • 3 tablespoons packed kale or spinach (fresh or frozen)
  • Probiotic capsules or powder (see note)

Drain and rinse the cashews. Place the cashews, milk, and maple syrup in a blender; blend on high until very smooth with no lumps, about 1 to 2 minutes if you’re using a
high-powered blender. If you want plain cashew yogurt, you can omit the lime and move on to the next step. Or you can substitute other fresh seasonal juice/flavors, if you prefer, such as orange or passion fruit.

Zest your limes and set the zest aside. Add the lime juice and kale or spinach (for a subtle green color) to your blender; blend on high until puréed and smooth. Pour into a large mixing bowl and add the lime zest, stirring with a rubber spatula until incorporated.

Finally, add the probiotics to the cashew blend and whisk in thoroughly. Divide the cashew yogurt evenly between four 8-ounce glass jars. Place small squares of cheesecloth or paper towel over the jars; screw on the metal jar rings or use rubber bands to secure the cheesecloth. Do not use the full lid at this point; you want some air flow into the jar.

Once all the jars are assembled, arrange them on a baking sheet and place
in the oven, with the heat off and the oven light on, near the oven light for residual low heat. Let the yogurt incubate in the oven for at least 8 hours or overnight. The longer you leave it, the tangier and thicker it becomes.

Remove the jars and the cheesecloth or paper towel, and seal the jars completely with airtight lids. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or more until chilled and ready to serve. Yogurt will keep in the refrigerator for about 7 days. Stir each yogurt before serving—natural separation may occur after one to two days.

NOTE: There are many types of probiotics, including different bacterial strains, doses or amounts of colony forming units (CFUs), and forms. Here, you’ll want to use a total of 20 to 30 billion CFUs of a lactobacillus blend in either capsule or powder form (read the label). If you use less than this, you won’t get that tangy yogurt flavor, and the texture will be slightly looser or thinner. More, and your yogurt will become really sour and may be unappealing.

Show 244, October 14, 2017: Tess Masters, The Blender Girl

Tess Masters with her Tastes Like Ice Creeam Kale SmoothieTess Masters is an actor, presenter, cook, lifestyle personality, and author of The Blender Girl, The Blender Girl Smoothies, The Perfect Blend, and creator of The Blender Girl Smoothies app with Random House. She shares her enthusiasm for healthy living at theblendergirl.com.

“In the third installment of The Blender Girl cookbook series (The Perfect Blend – 100 Blender Recipes to Energize and Revitalize), Tess serves up 100 smoothies, tonics, soups, salads, appetizers, snacks, main dishes, desserts, and condiments to help you lead a vibrant, healthy life, and have fun.”

“Anchored to a master list of nutrient-dense ingredients, each of the twelve chapters addresses specific health goals, such as gaining energy, optimizing protein intake, boosting immunity, losing weight, and reducing inflammation. Tess lists the foods that can help you stay in optimal health, and shares a few top-line takeaways for each of them-practical information on their health benefits, and how to prepare, blend, and cook them for amazing textures and tastes.

“There are three optional boosters listed for each recipe that enhance flavor and/or nutrition. I’ve chosen them to work separately or together, so you can supplement any base recipe with one, two, or all three. The food is functional and geared toward flexibility, so you can tailor the recipes to your own taste and requirements to find your perfect blend.”

Tess’ recipe for Tastes-Like-Ice-Cream Green Smoothie from The Blender Girl and the Blender Girl Smoothies App is represented on the Melissa’s buffet this morning. It’s properly decadent…

Tess has tested virtually every blender out there that works in a home kitchen. She shares some wisdom on selecting the right blender.

 

Show 167, April 9, 2016: Darrell Corti, Corti Brothers, Sacramento & Chair of the L.A. International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition Continues…

Darrell CortiFor “Best of Show – Domestic” at the L.A. International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition there is an award-winner in Delicate, Medium and Robust category oils. Best of Show – Robust is Pacific Sun, Riverview Ranch Tuscan Blend, Yolo County, California.

Chef Andrew tasted this EVOO. He compares notes and flavor profiles with Corti who was tasting the premium oil on-air. It’s a grassy, bright, fruity, peppery olive oil.

Suggested Food Pairings: “Delicious with poultry, lamb, beans, soups, or any dish you want to add a little pepperiness to.” Darrell (a serious and accomplished home cook) advises it does wonders for kale.

From TheDailyMeal.com:
One sign of how cool this Italian-American Sacramento grocer is is the fact that he’ll think the whole idea of being considered cool is just plain silly. Running the family business in the California capital is a full-time job, and he doesn’t have spare moments for a lot of folderol. Of course, Corti is a grocer like Itzhak Perlman plays some fiddle. Corti is simply one of the most deeply knowledgeable food and drink experts in America, able to expound with equal authority on Chinese tea, Spanish vinegar, Central Asian wine, Italian pasta, and about 30,000 other gastronomic topics.

The Corti Brothers online store, where you can buy their Italian specialties even if you don’t live in Sacramento, remains charmingly low-tech and straightforward, giving away very little about the vast treasures and culinary knowledge amassed by this family. At the store itself, you can shop for everything from toilet paper and skim milk to artisanal soy sauce and sherries so rare you can’t even find them in Spain — or just stand in line for one of the California capital’s best deli sandwiches.

Corti, a member of The Daily Meal Council, knows everybody worth knowing in his chosen field, and everybody knows him. They call him “The Professor.” If you’ve never heard of him, well, that sort of makes him even cooler, you know?

Show 115, March 21, 2015: Produce Guru Robert Schueller, Melissa’s / World Variety Produce

Robert Schueller of Melissa's World Variety ProduceSpring is here so the time is right to get an authoritative overview of the highlights in Spring produce. Our favorite produce savant, Robert Schueller, of Melissa’s World Variety Produce is with us to share what’s really fresh from the fields.

We’ll be talking about Kale, Kumquats, Rhubarb and Ojai Pixie Tangerines with a few practical cooking tips added for good measure.

The Tuscan Kale (Black, Dino and Laci) is a favorite of chefs in addition to common, flowering and Kale Sprouts.

Robert shares his Grandmother’s recipe for breaking down Rhubard on the stove top and easily creating a delightful Rhubarb spread. It’s even quick and easy…

The recipe for the incredible Strawberry-Rhubarb Muffins topped with Pixie Tangerine Butter Cream and a Pixie Tangerine segment is on the Melissa’s website.

Show 102, December 20, 2014: Cathy Thomas, Food Writer, Orange County Register

Cathy ThomasCathy Thomas is the award-winning Food Writer for The Orange County Register. Cathy shares with us her favorite dishes of 2014 and looks ahead to some intriguing food trends for 2015. Is cauliflower perhaps the new kale for discriminating chefs? Where do baby turnips fit into the picture?

Cathy was also one of the five esteemed judges at Lucca and Provenance Restaurants’ First Annual Holiday Cookie Contest. The winner was awarded a cool $1,000 prize by Chef/Owner Cathy Pavlos! The winning recipe is now posted on Cathy’s Thomas’ Website.

March 1: Brandon Boudet, Dean James Max, Mar Yvette, Donato Poto, Carlton McCoy, Robert Schueller, Cochon 555

Podcasts

Segment One: Host Jet Tila and Producer Andy Harris
Segment Two: Chef Brandon Boudet, Dominick’s and Little Dom’s, Los Angeles.
Segment Three: Executive Chef James Dean Max, James Republic, Long Beach
Segment Four: Mar Yvette, Lifestyle reporter, Fox 11 News & “Good Day L.A.”
Segment Five: Donato Poto, Partner, Connie & Ted’s, West Hollywood, and Providence, Hollywood
Segment Six: Master Sommelier Carlton McCoy, Wine Director, Little Nell, Aspen, CO
Segment Seven: Jet Tila reporting on Cochon 555 Los Angeles

Chef Jet and Producer Andy preview the show.

Fat Tuesday and the craziness of Mardi Gras are next week We’ll tell you where you can get an authentic taste of New Orleans locally. You’ll meet the very hospitable Donato Poto, the co-owner of both Connie & Ted’s in West Hollywood and one of the finest, high-end seafood restaurants in the West, Providence. The Oscars are upon us. Mar Yvette, the Lifestyle Reporter for Fox 11 News, talks to us about what’s on the menu for the 2014 Oscars Governor’s Ball at Hollywood & Highland. This is Wolfgang Puck’s (and his teams) 20th year creating the dazzling menu for the Oscars! Also where the stars dine…

Eat LBC – Long Beach Restaurant Week kicks off on March 30th. Executive Chef Dean James Max of James Republic in Long Beach is with us to preview his menu. When it comes to elegant, destination resorts they don’t come more highly acclaimed than Little Nell in Aspen, Colorado. Carlton McCoy (an accredited Master Sommelier) is their 29-year old Wine Director. We’ll hear his inspiring story. Organic fruits and vegetables are top of the mind. Our resident Professor of Produce, Robert Schueller from Melissa’s, is back with an informative update on organics. Chef Jet was a Judge at last Sunday’s Cochon 555 – An Epic Heritage Pork Event at The Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica. Jet takes us behind-the-scenes at this eagerly anticipated and highly competitive event that tours the country.

All of this and lots more incredible deliciousness on Saturday’s show!

Brandon Boudet of Dominick’s, Little Dom’s and Tom Bergin’sChef Brandon Boudet is the co-owner and head chef for Dominick’s and Little Dom’s. He’s a proud native of New Orleans.

Each year Dominick’s and Little Dom’s celebrate Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday in true Bourbon Street Style. On their menu are special cocktails, bites and of course, Jambalaya and red beans and rice. Chef Brandon explains the mysteries of the King Cake.

Coming up in May are two Saturdays of crawfish boils.

James Republic combines modern sensibilities with old-world principles to afford a genuine gathering place for the neighborhood and a distinctive dining destination in the heart of Long Beach. Weekend brunch on the patio is a popular attraction for the locals.

James Republic is one of over 50 restaurants participating in EAT LBC – Long Beach Restaurant Week running from March 30 to April 5th.

The style of food at James Republic is what they call “modern California coastal” dining. The goal is to highlight the season’s vibrant, locally sourced bounty from both the land and sea.

Dean James MaxThe Chef and Partner is Dean James Max whose base is in Florida. His flagship is 3030 Ocean restaurant in Ft. Lauderdale. He has been nominated for James Beard Awards, has authored two cookbooks, and has the honor of cooking at The Beard Foundation in Manhattan regularly.

He now has restaurants in Columbus, Ohio; Grand Cayman; Cleveland; and Trumbull, CT.

In Los Angeles Chef Max is remembered as the owner/chef of Woodside in Brentwood in the late 90s. It was highly regarded and well-reviewed.

Mar YvetteMar Yvette is the Lifestyle Reporter for Fox 11 News right here in Los Angeles.

We’re talking about cuisine worthy of Oscar! For the 20th year Wolfgang Puck and his highly talented team of chefs and associates will prepare the exquisite menu for the 2014 Oscars Governor’s Ball held in the Ray Dolby Ballroom on the top level of the Hollywood & Highland Center. We’ll preview the menu!

Think 1,250 Stone Crab claws for the 1,500 invited guests.

Mar also highlights some of the hidden restaurants in Los Angeles where the celebrities go to simply enjoy the great food and not be noticed! Mar points out that the celebs love the restaurants in luxury hotels. Think Culina Modern Italian at The Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills.

Donato PotoDonato Poto is the ever-gracious, “Mr. Hospitality,” when it comes to seasoned restaurant General Managers on the volatile Los Angeles dining scene. He speaks three languages including Italian, French, and English.

In the mid 80s he was the GM of Piero Selvaggio’s Primi in West Los Angeles. At lunch this was the unofficial commissary for the senior executives, producers, writers, and actors & actresses at the nearby Twentieth Century Fox Studios. If you were anybody this is where you lunched. Talk about pressure…

Today Donato is a partner in both Connie & Ted’s in West Hollywood and Providence in Hollywood.

Connie & Ted’s was just selected as a Semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation Award for Best New Restaurant. His business partner, Chef Michael Cimarusti was also recognized as a semifinalist for The James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: West for Providence.

Donato’s other partner in Connie and Ted’s, Craig Nickoloff, founded the hugely successful Claim Jumper Restaurants.

The Little Nell is an acclaimed five star, five diamond luxury property in Aspen, Colorado. It’s Aspen’s only ski-in/ski out luxury hotel. The destination restaurant there is element 47 restaurant.

Carlton McCoyCarlton McCoy, a Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) graduate, is the greatly admired Wine Director there. He is also a certified Master Sommelier, an incredibly elite group. He’s just 29.

Carlton will share with us his inspiring story of growing up in a rough area of Washington, D.C. (known as the “murder capital”) and finding his way (through hard-work) to the privileged affluence of Aspen.

“Growing up, there wasn’t wine on the table at my house, like in many black households,” Carlton said.” But wine is for everyone. Every time I approach a table or talk about wine, it isn’t coming from a place of snobbery or elitism. It’s about figuring out what people like, finding the right wine to appeal to our guests and ultimately having it enhance their experience at the table with friends and family.”

Organic fruits and vegetables are getting a lot of attention these days. With the fresh concern about GMOs in food, certified organic fruits and vegetables are, by definition, free of GMOs.

Robert Schueller of Melissa's World Variety ProduceOur resident Professor of Produce, Robert Schueller of Melissa’s World Variety Produce, is back with us to discuss what’s new in organics.

Melissa’s is the largest variety supplier of fresh organic produce in the USA.

All the varieties of organic Kale are the hot item in produce right now. Organic Pixie Tangerines (easy to peel and sweet) are leading the charge in fresh citrus.

The COCHON U.S. Tour events serve as a link to preserving heritage breed pigs by promoting breed diversity in communities nationwide. The coast-to-coast tour connects ranchers raising heritage breeds with top chefs known for whole animal utilization.

Jet Tila at Cochon 555The Los Angeles stop of the Cochon 555 tour was Sunday, Feb. 23rd at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica. Five Chefs worked with five heritage pigs in an intense competition. Chef Ray Garcia of Fig Restaurant was the defending champion.

Our own Chef Jet Tila was a judge. He also cooked the heritage pig for the After Party (Cochon Late Night Asian Speakeasy.) The heritage pig was a Kune Kune (they like to feed on grass) from Rainbow Ranch Farm.

Jet will report on this year’s “Epic Heritage Pork Event.”

Podcasts

Segment One: Host Jet Tila and Producer Andy Harris
Segment Two: Chef Brandon Boudet, Dominick’s and Little Dom’s, Los Angeles.
Segment Three: Executive Chef James Dean Max, James Republic, Long Beach
Segment Four: Mar Yvette, Lifestyle reporter, Fox 11 News & “Good Day L.A.”
Segment Five: Donato Poto, Partner, Connie & Ted’s, West Hollywood, and Providence, Hollywood
Segment Six: Master Sommelier Carlton McCoy, Wine Director, Little Nell, Aspen, CO
Segment Seven: Jet Tila reporting on Cochon 555 Los Angeles

Show 12, January 5, 2013: Cathy Thomas, long-time, award-winning Food Journalist for The Orange County Register and best-selling author (Continued…)

Wing Lam of Wahoo's Fish Tacos with Cathy ThomasCathy picks up with a little tip of the toque to well-known Orange County personality, Wing Lam, co-founder of Wahoo’s Fish Taco. In The Register’s January 2nd Food Section

Cathy’s article was on Wing Lam sharing his famous recipe for the signature fish taco. There is also a short companion video with Wing showing the cooking process. You’ll find the video on her website.

Melissa's World Variety ProduceCathy then continued her comments on Melissa’s 50 Best Plants On The Planet with her notes on Chrysanthemum Leaf. The recipe for Thai-Style Carrot Soup with Chrysanthemum Leaves is posted on our Website in the “Recipe” File.

Kale, a current darling of chefs, was next on the menu. Kale salad seems to have popularized the current trend. The book includes a wonderful recipe for Kale Salad with Dates and Almonds.

Cathy concluded the conversation explaining the recipe for Kale and Cannellini Beans with Crumbled Sausage enjoyed by her daughter.

This is a handy book for reference that’s a must for any home cook.