Live Healthy Abroad: make your own nut butter and milk.

Who am I?

Throughout my life I have traveled with family, volunteered abroad, studied abroad, worked abroad and lived abroad for varying amounts of time. Throughout my various adventures abroad I have struggled to maintain physical and emotional well being while away from home. At times I have felt so emotionally and physically depleted that I no longer wished to travel. Rather than letting my struggle to maintain health abroad stop me from living the life I desire, I have decided to dedicate more time and energy to finding strategies to alleviate the struggle.

In this blog I will share my experience finding strategies to create and/or maintain health while abroad. Not every tip will work for everyone or in every context. Always bear in mind that I am writing from the perspective of a vegan living in Santo Domingo. However, it is my hope that anyone who reads this will be able to take away bits and pieces to implement in their own unique context. If you find one piece of advice in my blog that increases your quality of life while abroad, then I have accomplished my mission!

This blog is a journal of my efforts to learn more and, as such, I welcome and encourage comments and suggestions and for you to share your own experiences.

In health,

Katie

Monday, October 10, 2011

make your own nut butter and milk.

One thing we have found since moving to Santo Domingo is that good nut butter is few and far between. In fact, we've only seen peanut butter and it doesn't look so tasty! Solution? Make your own! Note, a Cuisinart or high-power blender is essential.

Nuts are also expensive here so we've resorted to buying nuts in bulk back in the U.S. and bringing them back here. Then, with a Cuisinart, it's easy! Put the nuts in and blend! Add salt to taste and that's it! Jeremy has made delicious peanut and cashew butters and we're excited to try almond butter and various other combinations!

You can also easily make your own milks (rice, almond, soy, or whatever else you want). All you do is put the main ingredient in a blender with water. Use a 1:4 ratio of main ingredient to water. Let it soak overnight and then blend in the morning. Strain the milk getting all of the pulp out and then add vanilla or other flavors to your taste!

It doesn't matter where you are - if you have a Cuisinart and/or blender and you are able to bring or buy nuts - you are able to make nut butters and milks to your heart's desire!