LCBO Food & Drink Summer 2017

TREND SPOTT ING

NUTS TO YOU

With a power blender on your counter, nuts can be transformed into a variety of products for breakfast, baking and beyond.

FLOUR Popular in gluten-free baking and German pastries, almond flour is dead simple to make. Run raw whole almonds on high speed for about 10 seconds, using the tamper to move any stubborn nuts. Hazelnuts and cashews also make delicious flours.  BUTTER A power blender can turn peanuts into smooth peanut butter in minutes. Just place the nuts in the bowl and gradually increase the speed until you reach high, while using the tamper to push them down. Once the machine goes from a high-pitch sound to a low one, it’s ready. Use any nuts you like, but roast them first for maximum flavour. MILK If you’re vegan or lactose intolerant, a blender can create smooth, creamy nut milks. Beyond almonds, experiment with cashews and pistachios. Soak whole raw nuts in cold water for 12 hours. Drain, and for every 1 cup (250 mL) nuts, blend with 4 cups (1 L) hot water until smooth. Strain through cheesecloth, add a pinch of salt, and sweeten to taste with honey or agave syrup.

Building a Better Smoothie There’s a lot more to smoothies than throwing ingredients into the blender. Here’s how to get the most out of your next meal in a glass.

➤ Start with enough liquid to get the motor running, be it milk, non-dairy milks or juice. ➤ In addition to yogurt, protein (and creaminess) can be boosted with cottage cheese, nut butters or silken tofu. ➤ Not only is frozen fruit convenient, it will thicken the smoothie without the need for ice.

➤ Leafy greens are loaded with nutrients, but use robust ones like kale sparingly: they can dominate. Sweeten to taste with liquid sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar. ➤ Be wary of the kitchen sink approach or you’ll be feeding a smoothie to the kitchen drain. ➤

Blender Hacks The blender has a few uses outside the kitchen. Here are two unique applications for this versatile machine. LIQUID COMPOST To make instant compost, blend veggie scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells and enough water to move things along. Then pour this garbage smoothie over your garden. It’s like a healthy snack for the soil. HYPER-DECANTING To instantly aerate a young, tannic wine, run it on low in the blender for 30 seconds. Let the foam settle then funnel it back into the bottle or transfer to a decanter. Devised by modernist cooking guru Nathan Myhrvold, hyper-decanting comes in handy for those unexpectedly tough wines.

TIP For quick cleanup, fill a dirty blender halfway with warm water and a drop of dish soap. Run for 30 seconds, dump, and rinse.

32  FOOD & DRI NK SUMMER 2017