This vegan sweetened condensed milk recipe will have your rethinking life as you know it. It’s that good!

I don’t have a sweet tooth, but when it comes to sweetened condensed milk, I can’t stop. Won’t stop. I remember eating it by the spoonful as a kid and then, occasionally, begging my mom to simmer a closed can of it in a pot of water to magically transform the heavenly white cream into a golden caramel dulce de leche. Sweetened condensed milk can simply do me no wrong. It’s perfect.

But, nutritionally speaking? Not so much.

As an adult, I can no longer get away with chugging sweetened condensed milk like it’s water. So, I had to compromise or, rather, to adapt. This vegan, soy-free, nut-free, white sugar-free version of sweetened condensed milk isn’t a step down from the traditional recipe –- it’s on par with your sweet tooth and creamy condensed milk needs, only it’s based in coconut flakes (vegan), sweetened with stevia (low-glycemic), and textured with coconut oil (vegan and a “healthy” fat). The result is pretty incredible and only takes a few minutes to achieve. Try it out yourself!

What is Sweetened Condensed Milk?

Traditional sweetened condensed milk is cow’s milk that has had 60% of its water removed. Sugar is added to comprise about 40% of the final product and also to deem any further sterilization unnecessary, since sugar inhibits the growth of microorganisms. Governmental regulations require that vitamin A is added to sweetened condensed milk.

These days, “sweetened condensed milk” is synonymous with “condensed milk” and the terms are used interchangeably, although condensed milk suggests that sugar has not been added to the mix. To avoid confusion, unsweetened condensed milk is referred to as simply “evaporated milk”.

In one cup of regular store-bought sweetened condensed milk, there are 982 calories, 27 grams of fat, 17 grams of saturated fat, 104 milligrams of cholesterol, 390 milligrams of potassium, 166 grams of carbohydrates, 16% of the RDA of vitamin A, 86% of the RDA of calcium, 21% of the RDA of vitamin B12, and 19% of the RDA of magnesium.

Despite being high in certain vitamins and minerals, store-bought sweetened condensed milk is extraordinarily steep in calories, saturated fat, and sugar, so any nutritional benefits are lost in their void.

What You’ll Need

In my quest to remedy the nutritional profile of sweetened condensed milk, I focused on taking processed white sugar out of the equation as well as avoiding animal-based products. The below recipe is undoubtedly full of coconut fat, but at least it’s a healthier, plant-based alternative to cow’s milk fat that our bodies recognize and thus can digest more easily.

To make this recipe, be sure to purchase organic coconut flakes, cold-pressed coconut oil, and a high-quality stevia (either powder or liquid). Because there are so few ingredients, each one must be the best version of itself.

My favorite stevia brand is NuNaturals. A lot of people complain about the “bitter” aftertaste of stevia, but I have found that NuNaturals manages to avoid this particular feature.

How to Use This Sweetened Condensed Milk Recipe

If you’re like me, dip into this vegan sweetened condensed milk head first with a spoon. Alternatively, I suggest integrating it into your dessert recipes as a substitute for regular sweetened condensed milk or as a go-to glaze to further sweeten whatever cake, cupcake, pie, or baked good you whip up. This recipe is also great in coffee as a sweet vegan creamer.

Vegan Sweetened Condensed Milk

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 1 cup shredded coconut flakes
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/8 teaspoon powdered stevia
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• Pinch of sea salt

Directions

In a food processor or blender, add the coconut flakes. Pulse them until they are ground as fine as possible. Add in 3/4 cup of water and blend the mixture for about one minute. Once well mixed, add in another 3/4 cup water and the stevia, vanilla, and salt. Blend for one minute, or until smooth and creamy.

Use immediately or store the sweetened condensed milk in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

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The post DIY Vegan Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk (Nut and Soy-Free!) appeared first on EcoSalon.

Nut milks are convenient to make for the home cook and just a matter of a few ingredients and a moment’s foresight to start soaking those nuts. Skip dairy milk and go nuts with homemade nut milk!

Vegan milks are increasing in popularity — rice, almond and soy milks grace grocery store shelves and come in a variety of flavors and variations. But even though store-bought versions are animal-friendly, they often contain preservatives, sweeteners, and other additives that deem the product over-processed and not the healthiest.

Sure, you could buy a grocery store version of nut milk, but why not maintain its full integrity, beyond being vegan, by making it yourself. That way, you have complete control over what goes into the mix and can make more exciting nut variations of milk, while adjusting the consistency, sweetness and flavors according to your tastes. All you have to remember is to soak the nuts the night before, and the rest is easy.

Soaking nuts is not entirely necessary, but for your health’s sake, it’s worth doing. Nuts contain “enzyme inhibitors”, which stall the nut from sprouting in birds’ fragile tummies after consumption. For humans, however, enzyme inhibitors make nuts harder to digest. Soaking nuts in water for a period of time helps to leach the enzyme inhibitors from the nuts, giving them more life force energy and doing your body a big favor. Aside from remembering to soak the nuts, creating nut milk is surprisingly easy and incredibly rewarding.

The following recipe can be altered according to your tastes. Use whatever nut or seed you like, keeping in mind the different soaking time requirements.

Soaking Time (room temperature):

Soak nuts in enough water to cover them by several inches as they will swell up.

Almonds: 12-18 hours

Brazil Nuts: 12-18 hours

Cashews: 4-6 hours

Hazelnuts: 12-18 hours

Macadamia nuts: 12-18 hours

Pine Nuts: 4-6 hours

Pistachios: 4-6 hours

Walnuts: 12-18 hours

Chia Seeds: 1 hour

Flax Seeds: 2-3 hours

Pumpkin Seeds: 6-8 hours

Sunflower Seeds: 6-8 hours

Basic Nut Milk Recipe

Makes 3-4 cups

Ingredients

1 cup nuts
2.5-3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
2 teaspoons agave, maple syrup, or honey (optional)

Directions

Soak nuts (or seeds) for designated time. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Add to a blender with water. Blend for one minute, or until smooth. Use a cheese cloth or fine sieve to drain and separate the nut milk from the pulp. Add vanilla or sweetener of choice. Use in smoothies, vegan versions of cream dishes, or as is. Enjoy!

Photo Credit: amazingalmonds, waferboard

The post Go Nuts With This Homemade Nut Milk Recipe appeared first on EcoSalon.