| How to Make Cashew Milk Posted: 12 Jul 2020 05:00 PM PDT Cashew milk is a great substitute for dairy or soy milk, and it's easy to make at home in the blender. Unlike other nut milks, you don't have to strain it, although you can if you want it to be extra smooth. To make cashew milk, soak raw cashews overnight, drain, then blend with water. Sweeten your homemade milk with honey or maple syrup, or flavor it with chocolate or strawberries! [Edit]Ingredients [Edit]Cashew Milk - 1 cup (125 g) raw cashews
- distilled water
- maple syrup or honey (optional)
- 3-6 pitted dates (optional)
- vanilla extract (optional)
- Pinch of sea salt
- 2 tablespoons (16 g) cacao powder (for chocolate milk)
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cinnamon (for cinnamon milk)
- 3 cups (600 g) fresh strawberries (for strawberry milk)
Makes about [Edit]Making Blended Cashew Milk - Choose fresh, raw cashews for the best milk. Cashews, like all nuts, can go rancid, and rancid nuts will also produce rancid milk. Find a cashew supplier with fresh nuts to use for your milk. You will also get the best taste if you use raw cashews that haven't been roasted or salted.[1]
- Store the cashews in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. They will stay fresh for about 4 months this way.[2]
- Soak 1 c (125 g) of cashews in water for at least 2 hours for extra creamy milk. To do this, put the nuts into a bowl or large glass jar. Then, cover them with filtered water and add a pinch of sea salt. Cover the container with a kitchen towel and leave the nuts to soak at room temperature for at least 2 hours. You can also leave them overnight or up to 48 hours. The longer the cashews soak, the creamier your milk will be.[3]
- If you forget to soak your cashews before you make the milk, you can also put them in hot water for 15 minutes to soften them up a bit.
- You can make cashew milk with unsoaked cashews, but the milk's texture will not be as creamy.
- Drain the cashews and discard the soak water. Place a sieve or a spaghetti strainer over the sink and pour the cashews and their soak water into it. Don't use the soak water to make the milk. Rinse the cashews thoroughly in the sieve under cool water.[4]
- Blend the cashews and some fresh water on high for 1-2 minutes. Add distilled water and 1 cup (125 g) raw cashews to a high-powered blender. Blend until the milk is smooth and creamy.[5]
- Strain the cashew milk through a cheesecloth to get a smoother texture. Cashew milk does not have to be strained, but if you want a smoother texture you can strain it. To do this, line a fine-mesh strainer with 2 layers of cheesecloth. Place it over a large bowl. Pour the nut milk through the strainer. Gather the ends of the cheesecloth and twist closed. Squeeze and press the bundle of nut pulp inside the cheesecloth to get as much of the nut milk out into the bowl as possible.[6]
- Unstrained cashew milk has a tendency to separate in the fridge and will need to be stirred before serving.
- Save the cashew pulp for other recipes. Freeze it in a sealable plastic bag or an ice tray and pop it into your next smoothie for a hint of nutty flavor. Add some to your oatmeal or to cookie or muffin dough. Try folding it into homemade granola before you bake it.[7]
- Store the cashew milk in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Cashew milk goes sour pretty easily, so it's best to make it in small batches and drink it within 2-3 days. If you used unsoaked cashews, your milk will keep in the refrigerator for about 5 days.[8]
- The cashew milk has gone bad if it turns yellow, smells sour, or becomes more slimy in texture.[9]
[Edit]Sweetening and Flavoring Homemade Cashew Milk - Make your cashew milk sweeter with vanilla extract and honey. Before you blend your cashews, add vanilla extract and honey to the blender. This will give some sweetness to the cashew milk without changing its original flavor too much.
- For a vegan option, use 3-6 pitted dates or maple syrup instead of honey.
- Make chocolate cashew milk for a cool, refreshing alternative to hot cocoa. If you want to satisfy your sweet tooth on a hot summer day, make your cashew milk chocolate-flavored. Add 2 tablespoons (16 g) cacao powder to the blender before you blend the milk.
- Mix up cashew milk that's perfect for cold weather by adding cinnamon. Add 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cinnamon to the blender with the cashews and water. The cinnamon will add a nice spicy flavor to the milk and is the perfect cold drink for the holidays.
- If you are craving a hot drink, add the cinnamon cashew milk to your latte for a warm and cozy kick of cinnamon spice.
- Make extra creamy, thick strawberry cashew milk for a special treat. Use fresh strawberries in your cashew milk for a decadent sweet treat. Simply add 3 cups (600 g) fresh strawberries to the blender with the cashews and water.[10]
- Unstrained strawberry cashew milk will have more of a milkshake texture. If you want to keep the strawberry flavor but give it a more milk-like consistency, strain the milk with a cheesecloth after you've blended it.
- Make a thinner or thicker milk by adjusting the amount of water you use. For baking or making lattes, dilute the milk by adding an extra of water.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Jug
- Blender
- Sieve or spaghetti strainer
- Fine-mesh strainer (optional)
- Cheesecloth (optional)
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Make Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Posted: 12 Jul 2020 09:00 AM PDT Kraft Macaroni and Cheese is a quick and easy dish that takes only a matter of minutes to prepare! It is often enjoyed without adding any extra ingredients, as it is smooth, creamy, and delicious all on its own. If you like, you can upgrade this regular boxed dish to something a bit more special by adding ingredients such as bacon, ginger, cherry tomatoes, or chili beans. However you choose to prepare your Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, it is sure to always be a success. [Edit]Ingredients [Edit]Making Standard Kraft Macaroni and Cheese - of water
- 1 package of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese
- 1/4 cup (55 g) of margarine
- of milk
Makes 3 servings [Edit]Upgrading Kraft Macaroni and Cheese - 3 slices of American cheese
- 4 slices of bacon
- 1/2 tsp (5.7 g) of chipotle in adobo
- 1 tbsp (3.1 g) of fresh ginger, grated
- of sriracha hot sauce
- 1/4 cup (25 g) of green onions, chopped
- 1/4 cup (25 g) of panko
- 1/2 cup (74.5 g) of cherry tomatoes, halved
- of mozzarella balls
- 1 can of chili beans
- 1/4 cup (25 g) of cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup (115 g) of sour cream
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Cayenne pepper, to taste
- Curry powder, to taste
[Edit]Making Standard Kraft Macaroni and Cheese - Bring of water to a boil in a saucepan. Pour the water into the saucepan. Place the saucepan on the stovetop and adjust the temperature to high. Wait until the water begins to bubble rapidly.[1]
- Cook the macaroni for 7-8 minutes. Open the package with the dry macaroni in it. Carefully pour it into the boiling water, taking care not to splash the water. Stir the macaroni occasionally as it cooks. When the macaroni feels tender, this means that it is ready.[2]
- Pick up a piece of macaroni using a fork when 7 minutes is up to check that it feels tender. If not, continue boiling the macaroni for an extra 30 seconds and then check it again.[3]
- Use a wooden spoon to stir the macaroni.[4]
- Avoid overcooking the macaroni as it will turn mushy.
- Drain the water from the macaroni. Remove the saucepan from the heat once the macaroni is tender. Place a colander in the sink and gently tip the contents of the saucepan into it. The water will drain away, leaving the macaroni in the colander.[5]
- Don't rinse the macaroni with fresh water.
- Place the macaroni, margarine, milk, and cheese sauce mix into the saucepan. Transfer the macaroni from the colander back into the saucepan. Add 1/4 cup (55 g) of margarine, of milk, and the cheese sauce mix into the saucepan.[6]
- The cheese sauce mix is the second packet in the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese box.
- Stir the ingredients to combine them. Use a wooden spoon to mix together the macaroni, margarine, milk, and cheese sauce. Continue stirring until the cheese sauce, milk, and margarine has dissolved into a smooth and creamy sauce.[7][8]
- Serve the macaroni and cheese immediately or store it in the refrigerator. Divide the macaroni and cheese into individual serving bowls. If you don't want to eat it straight away, let it cool before placing it into an airtight container. Store the airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.[9]
[Edit]Upgrading Kraft Macaroni and Cheese - Replace some of the margarine with American cheese to make the dish creamier. Once you have cooked the macaroni and are adding the ingredients into the saucepan to make the cheese sauce, replace half of the margarine with 3 slices of American cheese. This means that you will add 1/8 cup (27.5 g) of margarine, 3 slices of American cheese, of milk, and the cheese sauce mix into the saucepan with the macaroni.
- The American cheese will melt as you stir it in.
- Alternatively, you can add all of the required margarine and 3 slices of American cheese if you want the dish to be extra cheesy However, the dish will become more greasy.
- Mix in bacon and chipotle for a spicy and smoky dish. Fry 4 slices of bacon while the macaroni is cooking. Slice the bacon into small pieces once it is cooked. Stir in the bacon pieces and 1/2 tsp (5.7 g) of chipotle in adobo once the macaroni and cheese is ready.[10]
- Add sriracha, ginger, green onions, and panko for a more decadent dish. Add a zing of flavor to amp up a regular boxed macaroni and cheese dish. When the dish is complete, stir in 1 tbsp (3.1 g) of freshly grated ginger and of sriracha hot sauce. Then sprinkle 1/4 cup (25 g) of green onions and 1/4 cup (25 g) of panko over the top of the dish.[11]
- Panko are Japanese breadcrumbs.
- Adjust the amount of ginger and sriracha hot sauce to taste.
- Use cherry tomatoes and basil to make a Margarita-themed dish. Cook the macaroni and cheese first. Then stir in 1/2 cup (74.5 g) of halved cherry tomatoes and 1/4 cup (6.25 g) of fresh, chopped basil. This will also make the dish more colorful![12] of mozzarella balls.}}
- Add chili beans and cheddar cheese to make a hearty meal. Heat up 1 can of chili beans while the macaroni and cheese is cooking. When it's ready, pour the chili beans over the dish and sprinkle 1/4 cup (25 g) of shredded cheddar cheese on top.[13]
- Add 1/2 cup (115 g) of sour cream just before serving if you prefer.
- Add your favorite powdered seasonings to jazz it up. Keep it simple by preparing the macaroni and cheese as normal and mixing through salt and freshly ground black pepper once it is ready. Alternatively, try adding a pinch of cayenne pepper or a dash of curry powder to add a spicy hit to this favorite dish.[14]
- You can freeze Kraft macaroni and cheese in an airtight container or a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Although it will keep indefinitely, its quality will start to degrade after 2 months.[15]
- Always freeze the cheese sauce with the macaroni, otherwise it will go mushy when it is thawed.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Fork
- Colander
- Serving bowls
- Airtight container
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Stretch Your Lower Back with a Pull Up Bar Posted: 12 Jul 2020 01:00 AM PDT The muscles in your lower back can be tough to target with ordinary stretches. Luckily, one common yet invaluable piece of fitness equipment can take the difficulty out of your stretching routine—a pull up bar. Simply hanging from a bar or similar surface for a few seconds at a time does a fantastic job of decompressing the spine, improving circulation and mobility in surrounding tissues, and providing much-needed relief to tight, achy muscles. [Edit]Performing a Basic Hanging Decompression - Find a pull up bar. This should be no problem if you have a gym membership. If not, canvass your local parks, playgrounds, and outdoor recreation areas. You'll often find pull up bars and other exercise equipment at these places.[1]
- Another option is to invest in a portable doorway pull up bar. These are designed to be mounted in any standard-sized door frame, which makes them extremely versatile. You can pick one up for as little as $30-40 at most sporting goods stores.[2]
- If you don't have any luck tracking down a proper pull up bar, look for another surface to hang on. It could be a sturdy pipe, a slender tree branch, the top post of a swingset or soccer goal, or even a low ledge with lots of open space underneath.[3]
- Reach straight overhead and grab the bar with both hands. Keep your arms shoulder-width apart or just slightly wider. To ensure a stronger connection with the bar, hook your fingers over the top of the bar rather than trying to cup it with your palms. Take a moment to confirm that your grip is nice and secure before you continue.[4]
- You can either complete your grip by tucking your thumbs under like you're making a fist or leave them out to the sides of your index fingers. Go with whichever position feels more natural for you.
- It may be a good idea to pull on a pair of gloves to protect your hands if the bar or surface you're using is rough, rusted, or full of splinters.[5]
- Lower your weight gradually until you're in a full hang. Start by moving your center of gravity downwards to put some tension into your arms, which should be completely straight. Then, when you're ready, continue sinking little by little until all or most of your bodyweight is supported by your arms.[6]
- If you need to, you can let your toes or feet rest on the ground for some added assistance.[7]
- Don't drop into the hang too suddenly. Doing so could give you an unpleasant jolt or even put you at risk of injuring one or both shoulders.
- Hang in a relaxed position for 10-30 seconds. This should be enough time to elongate your spine and allow your individual vertebrae to decompress without totally exhausting you. While you're hanging, focus on releasing any tightness you might be holding in your core. It may take a few seconds to really loosen up, but once you do, you'll begin to feel relief immediately.[8]
- Face forward and square your hips to make sure your spine stays in alignment. Your back should form a perfectly straight line throughout the stretch.
- If you don't have a good way to time yourself, just count off 5-10 slow, deep breaths while concentrating on softening your midsection.
- As your strength improves, you can start increasing your hang time for a more thorough stretch.
- Repeat the exercise 4-6 times with a one-minute break in between each round. An extended rest period will give your arm muscles a chance to recover prior to the next interval. After a few rounds, you should be able to feel a significant improvement in both your upper and lower back.[9]
- Feel free to perform this exercise 2-3 times throughout the day, or as often as you feel like you need to.
- There's evidence to suggest that spinal decompression may help to alleviate mild-to-moderate lower back pain and enhance overall mobility.[10]
[Edit]Adding a Twist for a Deeper Stretch - Find a bar low enough to let you keep your toes on the ground while you hang. You'll need to hold the twist a little longer than you did the normal hang in order to make it as effective as possible. For this reason, it's important to make sure that the bar you're using allows you to remain in contact with the floor so you can use your legs to bear a portion of your weight.[11]
- If you're at the gym, slide an aerobic step or a set of risers or yoga blocks under your feet to elevate yourself.
- Not only will it be much harder for you to maintain the twist in a full hang, but your arms will also be much more likely to fatigue faster, forcing you to drop before you get the full benefit of the stretch.
- Relax your body beneath your shoulders to initiate the hang. When you're ready, straighten your arms and bend at the hips and knees until your arms are supporting 60-70% of your weight. You should feel firmly rooted but still be able to move your feet easily.[12]
- Remember to keep your upper arm, shoulder, and back muscles engaged to avoid stressing your shoulder joints.[13]
- Cross one leg in front of the other and rotate your trunk as far as you can. Swivel your lower body so that one of your legs is in front of you and the other is behind you. Set your legs down about apart and stay poised on the balls of your feet or your tip-toes to minimize your contact with the ground.[14]
- If you're especially flexible, aim to get your legs 45-degree angle with your torso to intensify the stretch.
- Adjusting your lower body could make you feel slightly unsteady, so be careful not to lose your grip on the bar.
- Hold the twist for up to 2 minutes. If it's your first time doing a hanging twist, start with 5-10 seconds and work your way up from there. Your lower back is full of large muscles that play an important role in stabilizing your body, like the lats, internal obliques, gluteus medius, and spinal erectors, so the longer you hold the stretch, the more you'll get out of it.[15]
- Don't forget to keep up a natural breathing pattern the entire time you're locked into the stretch.[16]
- If your arms start to tire out before you reach your targeted time, simply shift more of your weight to your legs.
- Switch your stance and complete the stretch on the opposite side. Once you're done stretching your first side, swivel your hips over the other way, plant your feet, and reset your timer. Try to hold the stretch for the same length of time on your second side. Afterwards, your back should feel rejuvenated and ready to go![17]
- You can repeat this stretch up to 2-3 times per side, if you like. You may not feel the need to, however, if you opted to hold it for longer than about half a minute on each side.
- This can also make an excellent mobility drill to add to your warm up routine.[18]
- Try to get in the habit of decompressing your spine at least once every couple of days whenever you have some extra time. Your body will thank you for it!
- Regular safe stretching can do wonders for the health of your spine (and therefore your all-around health), especially if you have poor posture or do a lot of sitting throughout the day.
- Online resources like Calisthenics Parks can point you towards outdoor recreation areas that offer pull up bars near you.[19]
[Edit]Warnings - If you have a history of back or shoulder problems, consult your doctor before you attempt either of the stretches described here. They could just end up making your discomfort worse.
- Be careful not to let your body rotate while performing an unsupported hanging decompression, as this could potentially place your vertebrae in a compromised position.
- Note that doorway pull up bars are typically only rated to support between and .
- Avoid hanging on anything that looks unstable or easily breakable. If you're not certain that it can hold you, you're probably better off finding a safer alternative.
[Edit]References |
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