Amelia Freer's dairy-free recipes
Nutritional therapist to the stars Amelia Freer shares some of her favourite recipes to help you on the way to a dairy-free lifestyle.
Crunchy nut seed granola
I’m really not a fan of cereal, but for those of you that like to start your day with a little bit of crunch, this is for you. Full of healthy fats and rich in nutrients, this will help to keep you full as well as providing an energy boost. Suitable for any time of the day.
Ingredients
200g dates 100g figs50g dried mulberries, raisins or prunes 100g chia seeds 200g almonds 100g cashews 100g macadamia nuts Optional: 50g desiccated coconut1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon sea salt
Method
Soak the dried fruit overnight in 200ml water. Then blend with their soaking water, and add the chia seeds.
Soak the nuts in salted water overnight, then discard the water and pulse the nuts in a food processor.
Combine the chopped nuts and dried- fruit mixture with your hands, and add the desiccated coconut,vanilla extract and salt.
Spread the mixture out onto one or two oven trays and cook overnight, or until it is dry, at 80°C/60°Cfan/gas 1⁄2 with the oven door slightly open.
When cool, break the granola up into chunks and store in an airtight container. Serve with nut milk or coconut yoghurt and fresh berries.
A few alternative flavours to try adding into the mix:
◆ Banana and passion fruit ◆ Fig and raspberry ◆ Pear and grape
Nut milk
''Milk” can be made from any grain, nut or seed. You can change the nut option to rice, quinoa, hemp, pumpkin, almond.
Ingredients
2 cups of hazelnuts2 cups of filtered water2 tsp of juice from a fresh orange (or your choice of sweetener as above)Nut Milk BagYou may like to sweeten with a couple of dates or cinnamon when you blend the milk
Method
Soak hazelnuts in water, cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, drain the nuts and put into a blender
Add fresh filtered water, roughly 2 cups & blend
I use a vitamix, which really blends nuts down into a fine liquid; other blenders may take longer or not be so powerful
Strain the liquid through milk bag (or a sieve orjelly cloth) and voila, milk!
*Lasts in the fridge for 3 days. Store in a glass jar with an airtight lid.
Super green soup with cashew cream
This simple soup really is a celebration of all things green. Courgettes, kale and leeks also work well, along with any other greens from the fridge that need using up. The cashew cream is a lovely trick for your taste buds.
Ingredients
Olive oil1 onion, chopped1 head of broccoli, cut into florets3 handfuls of fresh or frozen peas 700ml vegetable or chicken stock1 small bag of baby spinach (approx. 250g) 1 green chilli, chopped, to sprinkle on top
For the cashew cream: 150g raw cashews 300ml hot water1 clove of garlic Zest of 1 lemonA small handful of fresh parsley, chopped, to serve
Method
A few hours before making this soup, prepare the cashew cream. Put the cashews into a bowl, pour over the hot water and leave to soak for at least 2 hours. Once the cashews are tender, drain and put into a food processor, along with 300ml fresh water, the garlic and lemon zest, and blitz until completely smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan, and sweat the onion until translucent. Add the broccoli and peas to the pan, cook for 5 minutes, then add the stock – the vegetables should be just covered (you may need to add a little extra water). Bring to the boil, then simmer until the broccoli is tender, roughly 4 minutes. Don’t overcook the vegetables or they will turn a dull green.
Using a stick blender, start blending the soup, adding a handful of spinach at a time – the spinach will cook as it’s mixed into the soup. Blend until the soup is smooth and thick, then stir through half the cashew cream.
Serve in bowls with a swirl of cashew cream on top and fresh parsley and chilli, if using, scattered over