Woman in Real Life

How can I claim to have the recipe for the best chocolate almond milk when there are so many homemade almond milk recipes out there? Essentially this is the recipe that works for me. It results in creamy, smooth almond milk with a nice chocolatey richness. But this simple recipe can be easily modified - it will give you a good starting point to determine the best chocolate almond milk variation for you.

You might like your almond milk a little sweeter or with more vanilla (or with no vanilla), for example. The good news is, making your own almond milk at home is easy to do, so you can feel free to experiment regularly. Just buy almonds in bulk and on sale so you have a big batch ready to go. And, homemade almond milk is fresh, nourishing and delicious - you'll want to have some on-hand always to pair with warm cookies.

Now that it's mid-February, it's a good time to check in on our resolutions and goals for the new year. Have they been neglected, abandoned, put on hold? Perhaps they are still going strong? I'm not one for setting resolutions, but I did have some "gentle goals" for 2015. Mainly my focus has been on eating healthier - incorporating more fruits and veggies in my diet and ensuring I put an emphasis on extra nutrients and antioxidants.

I am thrilled that 2015 sees me once again acting as an ambassador for Almond Breeze. This tasty almond beverage has been helping me along with my new year's goals for happier, healthier living. Almond Breeze is a lactose free, gluten free and dairy free source of calcium. It can be easily incorporated in all of your favourite recipes for a healthier alternative to cow's milk that's perfect for those with dairy intolerances, vegans and anybody seeking a diet lower in fat.

Sweet or savoury, dropped or cut into triangles, life just wouldn't be the same without scones. Sometimes I wake up with a craving for scones - just open my eyes and think "scones." I guess that's the Scottish in me?

Fortunately, scones are super quick and easy to whip together. And, despite what you might think, scones don't need butter or milk to be supremely tasty. Take these Vegan Ginger Chocolate Chip Scones. They are completely free of dairy, but with all the warm delicious goodness a scone should have.

We all know by now that smoothies are a really effective way of getting nutritious foods and beverages condensed into one healthy little meal that's perfect for folks on the run. This makes smoothies an optimum breakfast or snack for kids, parents and grandparents alike.

I don't keep any regular, dairy-based milk in the house. And we eat soy foods (like tofu and tempeh) regularly, so I generally don't put soy beverages in our smoothies. My preferred "milk" for smoothies (and cereals and granola) is almond milk. So when I was asked to create a recipe using Blue Diamond Almond Breeze, it was a natural fit.

In search of better health and wellness, I continue with my gentle cleansing routine.

My breakfast is still mainly quick quinoa flakes or quick cooking steel cut oats with fresh blueberries, sliced banana, 1 tbsp ground flax and vanilla almond milk.

Because, as we know, one of life’s essential pleasures is food, I am still enjoying little treats along the way:














By the way, I did throw in a couple of rum and ginger ales on Sunday. Apparently that’s a gluten-free combo!