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Mad Millie Culturing Flask
We’ve been listening to feedback and know from experience how tricky it can be to maintain the temperature of your Mad Millie creations overnight. You spend time getting everything just right, add your culture and leave it in the warmest spot you can find. Only to come back the next morning to find…..nothing has happened. The Mad Millie Culturing Flask is finally here! We’ve been listening to feedback and know from experience how tricky it can be to maintain the temperature of your Mad Millie creations overnight. You spend time getting everything just right, add your culture and leave it in the warmest spot you can find. Only to come back the next morning to find…..nothing has happened. It can be the most frustrating thing with yoghurt, coconut yoghurt, kefir and skyr! Temperature is crucial to ensuring you give the cultures the right type of environment to grow and multiply. There are two different types of cultures used with Mad Millie food products, mesophilic and thermophilic. Mesophilic is a non-heat loving culture, this is the most common type of culture used for cheese making and can only be heated to 40oC (104oF), any higher and you will start deactivating it. The more optimum the temperature, the better the culturing process which is why for a lot of cheese making a water bath and ripening period is required. Thermophilic is a heat-loving culture and is used to make yoghurt, coconut yoghurt, kefir and skyr. It likes to be heated up to 55oC (130oF) and maintained at a warm temperature over a longer period so the cultures can do their job! This is where things get tricky as if you aren’t able to maintain the right temperature then the cultures won’t be working, and you’ll end up with a less flavoursome, runnier product. This is where the Culturing Flask steps in! Designed to perfectly fit the Mad Millie 1 L (1 US qt) jar this little flask of goodness will take out any issues with temperature. When designing this it needed to look appealing when sitting on the kitchen bench, be ridiculously easy to use and not require electricity as who wants to plug something in if they don’t have to? At the very start of your yoghurt making experience boil a nice full jug of water. Pour this into the Mad Millie Culturing Flask and seal. Go about your yoghurt/coconut yoghurt/ kefir/skyr making until you have sealed your jar and it’s ready to ripen. Pour the water out of your Culturing Flask which is now nicely pre-heated and pop the jar in. Seal and leave on the kitchen bench overnight. It’s as easy as that! If you need to culture longer than 12 hours, we recommend opening the flask up in the morning, removing the jar and refilling the flask with boiling water. Let it sit, sealed for a couple of minutes to ensure the inside is nice and warm again before pouring out the water and replacing the jar. This will ensure the most optimum temperature throughout the whole process. We hope you love it as much as we do, making yoghurt has never been so easy.
What is Skyr?
Our new Skyr Kit has launched and there have been some highly amusing attempts at pronunciation. From skier to skur (with a serious rolled r) and everything in between. This delicious, high protein and low-fat product is pronounced skeer and is the new favourite dairy treat on the block. Technically skyr is a soft cheese however it’s eaten more like a yoghurt and can be enjoyed both sweet and savoury, at breakfast, lunch or dinner! Made with the same or very similar cultures as yoghurt (which allows it to sit in the yoghurt aisle) it also has the addition of vegetarian rennet which helps to give the firmer texture. Our new Skyr Kit has launched and there have been some highly amusing attempts at pronunciation. From skier to skur (with a serious rolled r) and everything in between. This delicious, high protein and low-fat product is pronounced skeer and is the new favourite dairy treat on the block. Skyr in Iceland is old news as it originated there nearly 1,000 years ago and has been a daily staple since. As with traditional yoghurt it was discovered by accident when the milk was left outside and naturally fermented with cultures from the environment. The rest of the world is slowly cottoning on to the glory of skyr and why it just might be the best thing since Greek yoghurt. Technically skyr is a soft cheese however it’s eaten more like a yoghurt and can be enjoyed both sweet and savoury, at breakfast, lunch or dinner! Made with the same or very similar cultures as yoghurt (which allows it to sit in the yoghurt aisle) it also has the addition of vegetarian rennet which helps to give the firmer texture. The real bonus with skyr is it’s made from skim milk, which means it has little to no fat unlike Greek yoghurt which requires full fat milk as a starting point. Same high level of protein and calcium (arguably higher as the milk is more concentrated) but significantly less fat, why haven’t we been eating this the whole time you ask? In terms of taste and texture skyr is thicker than Greek yoghurt and has slightly less acidic tang. Traditionally if it was made well it would be so thick and creamy that it wouldn’t fall off an upside-down spoon! Without the acidic tang of Greek yoghurt, it can easily be made sweet or savoury depending on what you’re after. Traditionally in Iceland it was served cold, topped with sugar and cream – tasty right? If you’re not quite on the cream and sugar buzz but want a good protein hit for breakfast, try mixing half skyr and half porridge to create hræringur (literally means stirred) and top with fresh berries and a drizzle of honey. A few other alternative uses for our new favourite product - Mix with jam for a sweet, afternoon pick up - Add to smoothies to ensure you are getting enough nutrition for breakfast or morning tea. - Stir into mashed potatoes for a thicker texture - Spread on wholegrain toast and top with sliced banana, chopped nuts and a drizzle of honey. - Use instead of sour cream in any recipe, it’s better for you as it’s low fat but the same thick, creamy texture. Skyr in the supermarket has all the health benefits but watch out for flavoured options. As with yoghurt they tend to be packed full of sweeteners, flavours and stabilisers that we don’t really need. The best way to get the most out of your skyr is to make it yourself, then you know exactly what is going into it and if it needs some sweetener, fresh fruit, jam or honey are perfect options. Once you’ve made your first jar of skyr and have figured out the re-culture process (it’s super easy, instructions in the Mad Millie Skyr Kit) why not give the below a whirl? Just ensure you make it when you’re entertaining or have good self-control as it will be devoured before you even know what has happened! Icelandic Blueberry Skyr Cake Base 1 packet (400 g/14 oz) of biscuits (cinnamon or digestive biscuits are best) 100g (3.5 oz) butter Filling 400g (14 oz) Mad Millie Skyr 500mL (17 fl oz) whipping cream Blueberry Sauce/Topping 1/4 cup (55 g/2 oz) sugar 1 Tbsp cornstarch 1/2 cup (125 mL/4.2 fl oz) water 2 cups (500 mL) blueberries (fresh or frozen) 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1/2 tsp Vanilla essence/extract Method - Crush the biscuits until a fine crumble, melt the butter and combine together.- Put the base mixture into a round 24 cm cake tin and smooth down.- Whip the cream.- Gently mix the skyr and vanilla essence into the cream.- Pour this filling mixture onto the biscuit crust.- Refrigerate the base and filling for at least 2 hours before serving. Blueberry Sauce/Topping - Combine the sugar, cornstarch and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir to combine.- Add the blueberries and lemon juice, cook over a medium heat stirring consistently until the blueberries start to soften and let out juice and the mixture thickens.- Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Pour into another bowl and refrigerate until cool. Drizzle over the Skyr Cheesecake to serve once cool.
Crunchy Nut Pulp Granola
The launch of the Mad Millie Nut Mylk Kit has inspired us to get creative with all things nut pulp. When you’re churning out a fresh batch of nut mylk each week suddenly nut pulp is stored in every little container, in all corners of the freezer. Before it’s taking up your whole freezer why not make some delicious granola straight away? Granola sets you up properly for a day of work, school or activities and is so adaptable to whatever you have on hand. We enjoy it most when paired with Mad Millie Coconut or Greek Yoghurt! The launch of the Mad Millie Nut Mylk Kit has inspired us to get creative with all things nut pulp. When you’re churning out a fresh batch of nut mylk each week suddenly nut pulp is stored in every little container, in all corners of the freezer. Before it’s taking up your whole freezer why not make some delicious granola straight away? Granola sets you up properly for a day of work, school or activities and is so adaptable to whatever you have on hand. We enjoy it most when paired with Mad Millie Coconut or Greek Yoghurt! Crunchy Nut Pulp Granola Makes 7 cups (1.75 L/1.8 US qt) Ingredients 3 ½ cups (315 g/11.1 oz) rolled oats 1 cup (250 mL/8.5 fl oz) leftover nut pulp (take this straight from your nut mylk bag after a batch of nut mylk, it’s the perfect amount!) 1 ½ cups (375 mL/12.7 fl oz) mixed seeds (use a mixture of sunflower, pumpkin or hemp seeds) 2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 cup (63 mL/2.1 fl oz) melted butter or coconut oil 3/4 cup (188 mL/6.4 fl oz) fresh fruit juice 1/4 cup (63 mL/2.1 fl oz) honey 3/4 cup (200 g/7 oz) dried fruit Method Preheat the oven to 150oC (302oF). Mix the oats, nut pulp, seeds and cinnamon together in a bowl. Melt the butter/coconut oil and add the honey and juice. Mix well and then add to the bowl. Spread the mixture out on an oven tray and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Chop the fruit into rough pieces and mix into the warm, baked granola. Leave the try out to cool and become crunchy. Once completely cooled store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Get creative with your ingredients, we started using apple juice but have since mixed it up with apple/orange, apple/guava, pineapple, the options are endless! The same goes for the dried fruit, if you’re not a dried fruit person you can just leave it out, but it imparts so much flavour. Try coconut chips, goji berries and figs or cranberries and apricots as a starting point.
Kombucha Second Ferment
For beginner kombucha brewers sometimes the fermentation process can seem a little daunting. There are always questions around the importance of each step and why certain things are done. One area that comes up often is the second ferment, what it’s for and if it’s really necessary. For beginner kombucha brewers sometimes the fermentation process can seem a little daunting. There are always questions around the importance of each step and why certain things are done. One area that comes up often is the second ferment, what it’s for and if it’s really necessary. Trust us, kombucha brewing is easy and once you have started your booch adventure you will quickly understand the ins and outs of each step. With Mad Millie kits our biggest aim is to make creating in the kitchen accessible to everyone. There aren’t any big secrets to fermenting kombucha; just a few key steps that with a bit of trial and error anyone can complete! Kombucha fermentation happens in two steps, the relatively self-explanatory first and second ferments. The first ferment is when you turn your sweetened, black tea into delicious, tangy kombucha. Once the Mad Millie scoby is added to your sweetened tea the cultures can start their work. During this step they are busily converting the food (sugar) you have given them into organic acids, carbon dioxide, a tiny trace of alcohol (up to 0.5% when using the Mad Millie recipe so still technically non-alcoholic) and B vitamins. The types of bacteria and yeast that are in your scoby require air to complete the fermentation; this is why we recommend keeping the top of your kombucha jar or vessel covered with a muslin cloth rather than sealed with a lid. This also means that any carbon dioxide that is produced escapes and your kombucha is flat after the first ferment. The second ferment is when you get to make it bubbly! The exact same process is followed however instead of the fermentation happening in a jar or vessel with air flow, it happens in a sealed bottle to trap all the carbon dioxide. This is also an opportunity to get creative and add any flavours or infusions that you might want to experiment with. Completing a second ferment is not necessary to get all the benefits of kombucha and enjoy its tangy taste. If you don’t have time or haven’t got any bottles yet, we recommend a shot of kombucha from day 25 of the first ferment in a glass of sparkling water. However, if you do want bubbles, read on… Second Ferment Process - Add 1.5 tsp of white sugar into your clean sterile 750mL glass bottle. - Pour your kombucha into the bottle through a muslin cloth lined funnel. - Seal the bottle tightly (a flip top cap is the easiest) and leave at room temperature for 2 -3 days to carbonate. - Taste test, if it is not as bubbly as you want, leave it out for another day or two. - Refrigerate your kombucha and enjoy! You can get as creative as you want with the second ferment! An easy way to add flavour is to add some of your favourite juice into the sterilised bottle, then add your kombucha and seal. This will give both flavour and the sugar the kombucha needs to carbonate. If you add juice or fruit you don’t need to add the white sugar as you are already feeding the live cultures with your infusions. - Juice flavouring it’s best to start with up to 20% juice and 80% kombucha. - Fruit is a great way to bring in some different flavour profiles and you can use fresh, frozen or dried. Start with up to 30% fruit and 70% kombucha, keep in mind that dried fruit will often have a higher sugar level. - Add 2 teaspoons of chia seeds for added nutritional benefits and texture. - Add a slice of ginger root as well as the sugar to get that fiery ginger flavour. - Add flavour extracts e.g. vanilla, start with ¼ teaspoon of extract per 1 cup (250mL) of kombucha. It’s important to second ferment in brewing bottles as the production of gas leads to higher pressure. We recommend reusable glass bottles with flip top caps. Be careful when opening bottles after a second ferment, as they are under pressure they may fizz. Store your kombucha out of direct sunlight, between 24 – 30oC (75 – 86oF). If you are fermenting other food or beverages make sure there is a gap of at least 1 metre between the kombucha and these. This will ensure no cross contamination of the different bacteria and yeast. Good luck and any questions or feedback please let us know!
What is Kombucha?
With the launch of the Mad Millie Kombucha Kit we’re excited to see more and more people getting creative in the kitchen with their booch. For those that are still new to the kombucha world here is a brief overview of what you’ve got to look forward to. Kombucha has been bouncing up the popularity charts in all markets in recent years. From initial reactions of “kom-what??” to now being a standard on supermarket and café shelves, everyone is jumping on board. Not only are people becoming aware of its benefits and delicious flavours but also how easy it is to make at home! With the launch of the Mad Millie Kombucha Kit we’re excited to see more and more people getting creative in the kitchen with their booch. For those that are still new to the kombucha world here is a brief overview of what you’ve got to look forward to. What is kombucha? Kombucha is fermented tea. Initially when someone mentions that, most people’s nose crinkles. BUT do you like beer? Ginger beer? Wine? These are all fermented beverages. Fermentation uses live cultures to metabolise the product and produce by-products which can include organic acids, alcohol and carbon dioxide. For kombucha this means taking sweetened tea and turning it into a slightly sweet, acidic, refreshing beverage. Kombucha has been around since 220 B.C. with its origins in China. It then slowly spread to Japan, Russia, eastern Europe and eventually western Europe. With the help of social media and the internet it is now relatively well known worldwide. What the heck is a scoby? Scoby is an acronym for the slimy, jellyfish-like disc that is produced by the live culture. Scoby stands for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast, the slimy scoby is cellulose that is produced as a by-product of fermentation. It is symbiotic as it contains a whole raft of bacteria and yeast that happily live and work together to create kombucha from the sweetened tea. What’s all the fuss about these live cultures? While we cannot determine or define any particular benefits from kombucha, there is a lot of research going into the impact of fermented foods, live cultures and probiotics on gut health. Gut health is also being found to have a huge impact on overall health. Why should I make my own? Making your own kombucha is surprisingly easy, if you are after a daily top up of live cultures it is also the most cost-effective way of doing it. Lots of commercial kombucha products have various bits and pieces added to them to make a more efficient process during manufacturing. This can mean less actual live cultures or in some cases virtually no live culture. If you’re home brewing, then you know exactly what is going in there! What’s different about the Mad Millie Kombucha Kit? The Mad Millie Kombucha Kit contains a shelf stable scoby that is ready to go! Lots of alternative scobys will be dehydrated which means they take a while to be activated again. If you don’t want the hassle of your first few batches potentially not working – go with Mad Millie. Being shelf stable also means it doesn’t require refrigeration; through some very clever work our scoby is happy to sit at room temperature until it is fed by you. This means if you don’t get a chance to use it straight away it’s no problem! It can hang out in your pantry (out of direct sunlight) quite happily until you have some spare brew time. For more info on the Mad Millie Kombucha Kit check out our FAQs or get in touch directly.
Everybody's still talking about Gin!
Over the last 10 years the resurgence of gin has been huge and boutique distillers continue to pop up everywhere. With our Mad Millie Gin Kit being inspired by this growth, we thought it would be interesting to understand where this trend has come from. Beverage trends come and go as people discover the next new and wonderful tipple to wash away the work week. Over the last 10 years the resurgence of gin has been huge and boutique distillers continue to pop up everywhere. With our Mad Millie Gin Kit being inspired by this growth, we thought it would be interesting to understand where this trend has come from. Gin is typically thought of as a very English drink however its initial origins lie in the Netherlands and the production of Jenever. Once it was transported to the UK it morphed into the traditional juniper infused spirit we know and love. Thinking back to older generations, gin was splashed into the glass and loaded up with ice, tonic, a squeeze of lemon and maybe a slice of cucumber (if you were really fancy). It was my grandmothers staple evening beverage, the blue bottle of Bombay Sapphire adorning the mantelpiece. So why did gin drop off everybody’s radar? Because it was exactly that, a staple for my grandmother. It wasn’t seen as fun, trendy or innovative. You wouldn’t say no to a classic G&T but if there were other options it would fall by the wayside. From the 1950’s gin consumption declined and the new kid on the block, vodka, took its place. To further curb innovation, across the US, UK and Australia, legislation stated that if you planned to produce less than 300 litres of alcohol at a time then you were technically producing moonshine, which was illegal. Potential small-scale producers were put off at having to start with such large-scale distilling equipment and so gin continued to stagnate. That is until Sipsmith came along. They could see the potential in gin and after a historic two year legal battle the legislation was changed in 2009 and distilleries were given the legal right to produce and sell gin in small amounts. This was a new beginning for gin, boutique distilleries began to pop up introducing unique infusions and flavour combinations. Since the law change in 2009 the number of gin distilleries in London has increased from one to 24, in just 10 years. Distillers are becoming more experimental with their infusions and pushing the limits in terms of flavour combinations. The process of distilling gin is relatively simple compared to an aged whisky which gives flexibility to the distillers. With experimentation consumers are also discovering that a well infused gin doesn’t need its flavour hidden by traditional tonic, suddenly the cocktail options are endless! Why not take inspiration from some of the incredible gin innovation that is going on out there? The Mad Millie Handcrafted Gin Kit lends itself perfectly to getting a little creative. If you’re unsure on a flavour combination, we recommend infusing a small amount of vodka first to test the flavours. Try 200mL (6.8 fl oz) at a time and then you can easily up-scale the successful innovations to show off to family and friends.
Why do we have Easter eggs?
Whilst munching away on chocolate, in preparation for more chocolate, it got us thinking about the origins of the humble Easter egg. How does this fit into the religious significance of Easter? There are a few different theories out there as to how the celebration of Easter and Easter eggs became so entwined. Easter is only a few weeks away, but the shelves have been full of Easter eggs for weeks, tempting us to reach out and add them to the shopping basket at the last minute. They’re deceptive little things, they look so small that you think ‘I’ll just buy a bag and it will last us a week’, that bag has never made it through more than two nights. Unwrapping those little ovals of chocolate goodness is too easy, they’re so small that surely a large handful is only the equivalent of a chocolate bar? Whilst munching away on chocolate, in preparation for more chocolate, it got me thinking about the origins of the humble Easter egg. How does this fit into the religious significance of Easter? There are a few different theories out there as to how the celebration of Easter and Easter eggs became so entwined. Traditionally eggs have been a symbol of fertility and rebirth. Eggs were used to celebrate the Anglo-Saxon festival for the goddess Eastre and the coming of spring. The eggs were eaten and possibly buried to symbolise the resurrection of nature after winter and encourage fertility. It is thought that Christian missionaries may have encouraged the link between the holy days of Easter and this pagan festival to try and encourage conversion to Christianity. The second belief is that the egg symbolises the empty tomb of Jesus, hence why they were predominantly hollow. In early Orthodox churches, Easter eggs were handed out by the priests at the end of the Holy Saturday congregation. The hard shell represented the sealed tomb and when the egg was cracked, it represented Jesus’ resurrection. This also marked the first time Christians could eat eggs after Lent, a fasting period of 40 days where abstinence from meat and eggs is observed. Nowadays the importance of the humble Easter egg has changed and developed. My childhood memories are being given $5 and let loose in a store. The hardest decision was do I go for the 1kg egg which was the size of my head, but the chocolate tasted like soap. Or do I choose quality over quantity and get a couple of Belgian eggs. These childhood memories are entertaining but also always predominantly family focused, my brother was right there beside me, debating the decision with me. My sister would get whatever I got, she was my little shadow. At Mad Millie, however you choose to celebrate Easter, with or without eggs, we hope you are spending the time off with friends and family. We think it’s so important to take every opportunity to step back and appreciate what we have and who we have around us. Quality time is always better than quantity (I learnt that lesson, but it took a couple of years in the Easter egg department). Why not spend one afternoon getting creative in the kitchen together and making some Chocolate Sourdough Hot Cross Buns? Or let the inner child loose and make an Easter egg hunt? However you choose to spend your time, Happy Easter from the Mad Millie team!
Fermented Foods and their benefits
Fermented foods have absolutely burst onto the healthy food scene over the last couple of years. There are now as many options of kefir as there are yoghurt, sauerkraut and kimchi are becoming commonplace and the word kombucha rolls off the tongue without question. A few studies have helped illuminate that we know very little about the impact of our gut microbiome (fancy word for the range of bacteria in us) on our overall health. But what we do know is that there appear to be many benefits from a diet high in pre and probiotics. Fermented foods have absolutely burst onto the healthy food scene over the last couple of years. There are now as many options of kefir as there are yoghurt, sauerkraut and kimchi are becoming commonplace and the word kombucha rolls off the tongue without question. A few studies have helped illuminate that we know very little about the impact of our gut microbiome (fancy word for the range of bacteria in us) on our overall health. But what we do know is that there appear to be many benefits from a diet high in pre and probiotics. The process of fermentation has been around for centuries and was first developed to preserve food before refrigerators came along. We are slowly beginning to understand that our ancestors were on to something and that fermented foods help feed and support the one trillion bacteria that live in our digestive system. These bacteria are essential to digestion and absorption of nutrients, as well as impacting our immune system. The process of fermentation is anaerobic which means that there is no oxygen involved. The bacteria and yeast that are either naturally present or added will convert the sugars in the raw materials into other compounds. The most common end product of the fermentation in food is alcohol (beer and wine) or lactic acid, depending on the type of bacteria and yeast used. Lactic acid bacteria give food or beverages the sour, tangy flavour that we associate with yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi. This breakdown of sugars can also make the foods easier to digest. For milk-based products (yoghurt, kefir or cheese) when the lactose is broken down digestion can become significantly more pleasant for those with intolerances. Our gut has a significant impact on our immune system, surprising I know! The mucosa (gut lining) is a natural immunity barrier which helps ensure a strong immune system. When more probiotic rich foods are eaten, the good bacteria are supported and flourish. When more pre-biotics are added to your diet the good bacteria have the perfect nutrition to get the upper hand. If things are out of balance, the disease-causing microbes can grow and may cause inflammation. While the results from studies around probiotics and immune system are still in their early stages if you keep your gut healthy, it will reciprocate and keep you healthy! Maintaining the right balance of the good and bad bacteria in our gut is essential. This is where food choices come in and the beginning of understanding the benefits of fermented foods. A diet high in refined sugars will favour the bad bacteria in your gut, allowing them to flourish and effectively out-weigh the good. Fermented foods that are rich in probiotic bacteria help to restore this balance by adding good bacteria to your gut which supports a healthy gut microbiome. As expected, we would suggest that the best way to get your fermented food intake is by making it yourself! Fermented foods require minimal hands on time as it’s about mixing in the cultures and leaving them to do their job. Let the magic happen and before you know it your sauerkraut, kombucha or yoghurt or coconut yoghurt will be teeming with healthy probiotics. With vegetable fermentation make sure you are using as fresh, local and organic produce as you can get your hands on. You can ferment a huge range of vegetables with better results coming from cabbage, radishes, carrots, beetroot, turnip and apples. Have a play to see how much tangy fermentation flavour you like by tasting every day after a week of ferment time. If you are choosing to buy fermented food for their probiotic benefits and not just their delicious taste, make sure you get them from the chilled section! Anything that isn’t in the fridge as a finished product is likely heat treated which kills off all the good bacteria. Additionally, the bad news is that all the bacteria from the fermentation of beer and wine is filtered out of the finished product. While they may be delicious, they don’t contain the added gut health benefits. Make you sure include plenty of prebiotics too as this helps feed and grow the good bacteria, these can be onions, garlic, leek, asparagus, bananas and wheat flour. Look after your gut and it will look after you!
Meat or no meat?
Reduction in meat consumption is a topic that 20 years ago was not commonly discussed. Climate change was something scientists talked about in terms that seemed like gibberish and a long way in the future. Vegans were considered eccentric hippies who were taking things too seriously. Vegetarians were often asked ‘is it because the animals are too cute, or you don’t like the taste?’ How times have changed! Reduction in meat consumption is a topic that 20 years ago was not commonly discussed. Climate change was something scientists talked about in terms that seemed like gibberish and a long way in the future. Vegans were considered eccentric hippies who were taking things too seriously. Vegetarians were often asked ‘is it because the animals are too cute, or you don’t like the taste?’ How times have changed! Nowadays the terms vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian are becoming so common that they’re positively trendy, in a good way. For those that are a little slower on the band wagon (as we have discovered they are in some parts of Europe) let us outline the differences for you, sourced from the very reputable Urban Dictionary. Vegan People who refrain from eating any animal products. This includes avoiding milk, eggs and cheese. Vegetarian Someone who doesn’t eat meat. Some people claim to be ‘modified vegetarians’ and will eat fish as it’s a more sustainable source of meat. Flexitarian A silly word to categorise people whose eating habits don't already fit into a category but desperately want to belong to a label. I consider myself a flexitarian, even if it is a silly word, it’s my way of making an effort to help with sustainability. I love a good steak, but my consumption has dropped from 3-4 times a week to once a fortnight. The links between meat consumption and climate change are undeniable and it’s an area where we can all feel like we are affecting change. The consequences and very real impact of climate change has become relevant to everybody. It’s no longer a matter of when will climate change happen but what can we be doing right now to slow it down. It can seem like a big overwhelming issue, but every little bit helps, even if it seems like a miniuscule difference. If every person makes a miniuscule difference that suddenly becomes a monumental difference. A recent report published in the British medical journal The Lancet has worked through solutions that would both slow climate change and feed the growing global population. With an estimated 10 billion people worldwide by 2050, the problem of how everyone is going to be fed needs to be considered. The recommendation is a majority plant-based diet with a small, occasional intake of meat, dairy and sugar. This conclusion was found after considering greenhouse gases, water and crop use, nitrogen or phosphorous from fertilisers and the biodiversity impact if regions are converted into farmland to feed the growing population. If the recommended changes are followed, then greenhouse gases could be reduced and there would be enough land available to feed all 10 billion of us! So go on, jump on at least the flexitarian band wagon to try and do your bit. You could substitute a meat meal for a delicious Tofu Green Curry or Vegan Halloumi Roast Vege Salad. Next time you go to make a cheese board, use your Mad Millie Vegan Cheese kit to whip up some Vegan Ricotta. All the little substitutions really will make a difference!
Whey and Nut Pulp Recipes
With New Years resolutions fresh in the mind, a suggestion for this year is to try and reduce as much waste as possible. This can be approached in many ways but for us at Mad Millie using nut pulp and whey are two easy wins. Both are by-products of using our kits in the kitchen but don’t even think about pouring them down the sink or binning them! With a little bit of planning ahead these can be repurposed in some delicious recipes, so nothing goes to waste. With New Years resolutions fresh in the mind, a suggestion for this year is to try and reduce as much waste as possible. This can be approached in many ways but for us at Mad Millie using nut pulp and whey are two easy wins. Both are by-products of using our kits in the kitchen but don’t even think about pouring them down the sink or binning them! With a little bit of planning ahead these can be repurposed in some delicious recipes, so nothing goes to waste. Whey is the watery liquid that is left over after the curds have coagulated to make cheese. The whey contains most of the lactose out of the milk and about 20% of the protein. The whey protein is a rich source of essential amino acids which are the building blocks for muscles and other human tissues. They’re easily digested and absorbed by the body which is why they are often used in sports nutrition, infant/ageing nutrition and weight loss. Depending on the type of cheese you are making, there are two different types of whey produced and each can be used in different ways. Acid whey (below pH 5.1) is the by-product of making cheese using citric acid such as ricotta and mozzarella. Sweet whey has no acid added during the cheese making process. Whey can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of months or frozen for even longer shelf life. Ways to use your Whey - Soak grains in acid whey before making beans, bread or bircher muesli. - Make pizza dough with acid whey for a tang. - Add sweet or acid whey to smoothies instead of milk, water or juice to provide more vitamins, minerals and proteins. - Use sweet whey as a starter culture for fermenting vegetables in our Mad Millie Fermenting Crock. - Use as a cooking liquid for potatoes, rice or pasta with sweet or acid whey. - Water your plants with sweet whey. - Use acid whey to replace lemon juice in a salad dressing. - Make whey cheese (whey Ricotta recipe below) Nut pulp is similarly useful in the kitchen and is something that is far too precious to just throw out, nuts can be expensive! Once you have made your delicious fresh nut milk, collect the nut pulp out of the Mad Millie Draining Bag and use the below to help get you started with inspiration. Nut pulp can be stored frozen to maintain the shelf life and different types of nut pulp can easily be mixed together. Ways to use your Nut Pulp - Nut Flour - if you have a dehydrator then nut flour can be made easily. Alternatively spread it on a lined baking tray, set your oven at the lowest heat and dry until it is all crumbly and delicious. - Nut Pulp Crackers can be easily whipped up by adding 3 Tbsp olive oil, ¼ tsp sea salt and 2 tsp dried herbs to 1 cup of nut pulp. Roll the mixture out and bake in the oven at 180°C (356°F) until they’re crispy. - Baking and nut pulp go hand in hand, do some googling and you will find a huge range of nut pulp recipes out there. With the nut pulp being high in fibre the baking becomes that much less guilty! Click here to sign up to our "Time to Reflect" e-book, for a Raw Chocolate Brownie recipe, using left over nut pulp. - Throw a couple of cups of nut pulp into your favourite homemade muesli to get all the goodness in the morning. - Raw Nut Pulp Hummus, a delicious and easy recipe by Homespun Capers can be found here. While the nutritional benefits of nut pulp aren’t as great as whey, the pulp still contains fibre which is great for helping with digestion. Additionally, in a world where we desperately need to be more aware of what is happening to food waste and what we can do to reduce it, this can be your action to help contribute! Mad Millie Whey Ricotta Makes approx. 600 g (21 oz) Whey ricotta is a soft, fresh curd cheese which is used very frequently in Italian cooking. Ricotta literally means recooked. The high temperatures used to make this cheese, separate the remaining proteins in the whey to make ricotta cheese. The yield is however quite low, and milk is therefore added to help increase it. Whey used for ricotta needs to be fresh whey and best less than 1 hour old. Ingredients 5 L (1.3 US Gal) of fresh sweet whey 2 cups (500 mL/16.9 fl oz) full fat, homogenised milk 1/2 tsp – 1 tsp salt 2 Tbsp white vinegar Method - Thoroughly sterilise equipment with steriliser (see bottle instructions for use). If not included, use baby bottle steriliser or boiling water. - Heat whey to 60°C (140°F). Stir frequently. - Add full fat, homogenised milk. - Add 1/2 tsp – 1 tsp of salt if you like a salty ricotta. - Continue to heat the milky whey to 90°C (194°F). Continue to stir. - At 90°C (194°F) stir while slowly adding the vinegar. At the first sign of small specks appearing in the whey, stop adding vinegar. - Leave to stand on a low heat for 5 - 10 minutes to let the ricotta firm up. Then, gently scoop off the layer of curd that has risen to the surface (this is ricotta) into a ricotta mould (the ricotta mould may need to be lined with cheese cloth). - Eat straight away or store in the fridge and use within 1 week.
Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipe Inspiration
To try and help with the Christmas meal preparation, we have created some delicious festive vegetarian meals! The menu is vegetarian but could easily be made vegan too by subbing in vegan halloumi and feta. With Christmas just around the corner, everyone is busily tying up loose ends at work, getting some last minute shopping done and thinking ahead as to what Christmas dinner will look like! To try and help with the meal preparation, below is the delectable feast we enjoyed at our Mad Millie Christmas dinner. The menu was vegetarian but could easily be made vegan by subbing in vegan halloumi and feta. A delicious loaf of fresh sourdough bread also goes down a treat to accompany the main! All courses serve 6 people Entrée - Vegetable Halloumi Stack Ingredients 1 Tbsp olive oil4 capsicums, sliced into 12 big pieces6 portobello mushrooms600 g (21 oz) halloumi (dairy or vegan), sliced into 12 pieces6 Tbsp basil pesto Method - Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. - Cook the capsicum and portobello mushrooms in the pan, time will vary depending on how big your mushrooms are and how many you can fit in at once. - Remove from the pan once cooked and set to the side. - Cook halloumi until softened on the inside and crispy on the outside. - Stack the capsicum, portobello mushroom and halloumi, we recommend capsicum, portobello mushroom, halloumi, capsicum and topped with halloumi. If the stack struggles to stay upright, a small wooden toothpick or skewer can help. - Add dollops of Basil Pesto or smear it around the edge of the plate for presentation and serve. Main - Stuffed Roasted Butternut Squash Ingredients 1 Tbsp olive oil1 butternut squash, medium2 carrots, peeled and chopped2 celery stalks, chopped1 onion, chopped2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped1/2 cup (93 g/3.3 oz) wild rice1/2 cup (90 g/3.2 oz) white rice2 cups (500 mL/19 fl oz) vegetable stock1/2 cup (61 g/2.1 oz) walnuts, chopped1/2 cup (85 g/2.8 oz) dried cranberries1/4 teaspoon dried thyme1/4 teaspoon dried sageSalt and pepper to season Method - Preheat oven to 180oC/356oF. - Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds, put both halves on a baking tray with the cut side up. - Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until the squash is cooked and tender enough that you can scoop out some of the flesh. The timing may vary a bit depending on the size of your squash, use a fork to test. - While the squash is baking the stuffing can be prepared. In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium/high heat. When hot add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and cook until the vegetables soften and begin to brown. Add the rice (both wild and white) and vegetable broth to the pan, give it a stir, then cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the rice has cooked and fully absorbed the broth. Try not to lift the lid to check until at least 15 minutes has passed, rice is best left alone! - During this time your squash should be ready, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool enough that you can easily handle it. Using a knife mark a 1-2 cm border from the skin to give you some guidance. Scoop out the soft flesh within the border and set aside. - Once your rice mixture is cooked and broth fully absorbed add in the walnuts, dried cranberries, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper. Don’t forget to taste as you add the salt and pepper to ensure it’s seasoned to your taste. Finally add in the scooped out and chopped squash flesh. Stir well to combine. - Time to get stuffing! Stuff in as much of the rice concoction as you can fit into your scooped-out butternut squash, pile it high. - Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until hot all the way through. Season the top with cracked pepper. The slices are tender and will easily fall apart, to help hold them together use a wide spatula, and carefully transfer them to the plate. Serve hot with your favourite chutney or sauce. Main - Beetroot Sauerkraut Salad Ingredients 2 medium beetroot1 cup (142 g/5 oz) green cabbage sauerkraut (made from the Mad Millie Fermenting Crock) 1 handful fresh flat leaf parsley, diced1/2 cup (61 g/2.1 oz) walnuts, chopped200 g (7 oz) fresh goat’s feta (dairy or vegan) 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil1 tbsp apple cider vinegarSalt and pepper400 g (14 oz) rocket/rucola Method - Preheat oven to 180oC/356oF. - Peel and roast the beetroot for 20 minutes, allow to cool and cut into small pieces. - In a bowl combine rocket, beetroot, sauerkraut, parsley and walnuts. Mix to combine. - Scatter broken up pieces of goat’s feta over the salad. In a small bowl combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar and salt and pepper. Give it a mix and drizzle over the salad. - Set aside for 10 minutes, to allow the flavours to combine, then serve. Dessert - Vegan Meringue Christmas Wreath Ingredients 3/4 cup (188 mL/6.4 fl oz) aquafaba (this is the liquid found in cans of chickpeas, depending on where you are the cans will have varying amounts of liquid so multiple cans may be required).3/4 cup (165 g/5.8 oz) caster sugar1 tsp apple cider vinegar1 tsp vanilla extractVegan chocolate mousse, to serve (recipe below)Fresh strawberries and raspberries, to serveFreeze-dried berries, to serve Method - Preheat the oven 150oC/302oC. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. - Drain the chickpeas into a mixing bowl and add apple cider vinegar. Use an electric whisk to whip the aquafaba until stiff peaks form, about 5-8 minutes. - Add 1 tablespoon caster sugar at a time to the meringue until glossy, and sugar has dissolved.Then add vanilla extract and beat until fully combined. - Scoop the meringue into a piping bag, if you don’t have a piping bag just use a small ziplockor sandwich bag. Once you have put the meringue into it, cut off one of the corners and voila! Pipe 2 cm rounds onto the lined tray, mounding as high as possible and leaving a 2 cm space between each meringue to allow for spreading. - Place in the oven and immediately drop to the temperature to 100°C/212oC. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, then turn off the oven and leave the meringues to cool and dry in the oven. - To make the wreath, pipe the moouse in a wreath shape on a serving platter and then decorate with meringues berries and mint leaves. Vegan Velvet Chocolate Mousse for the Meringue Christmas Wreath Ingredients 1 cup (250 mL/8.5 fl oz) aquafaba (chickpea liquid) 4 bars (110 g/3.9 oz) Mad Millie Dark Raw Cacao Chocolate, or commercial dark chocolate.40 g (1.4 oz) coconut sugar Method - Make a coconut syrup by putting the coconut sugar into a bowl and adding 35mL (1.2 fl oz) of boiling water, stir until all the sugar has dissolved. - In a stainless-steel bowl, melt the Mad Millie dark raw cacao chocolate bars (or follow the Mad Millie Dark Raw Cacao Chocolate recipe and stop before transferring to the mould). - Add the coconut syrup to the melted chocolate and mix. Leave aside. - Add the aquafaba into a food processor or blender and mix until it becomes fluffy (approximately 1-5 minutes). - Add the other ingredients into the food processor and mix until the mixture is uniform. - Refrigerate overnight until set. Best to consume within one week.
Christmas Liquor and Liqueur Recipes
The festive season is the perfect time to treat yourself with a special homemade tipple. Homemade vodka infusions are a great way to be creative, whether you prefer aromatic or fruity, sweet or fresh, think outside the box of all your favourite flavours. Being based in Europe for the festive season is a very different experience to New Zealand or Australia. Despite loving the Southern Hemisphere Christmas, the festive season really makes sense when it’s cold and wintery outside. The mulled wine, long lunches and dinners indoors, out of the cold; feasting until you feel slightly ill. It’s much easier to indulge in that extra piece of dessert when you aren’t going to spend the next week in a bikini at the beach. One thing I am loving is the plethora of traditional Dutch Christmas goodies that are turning up in the supermarkets and shops. Most of the labels I’m still unable to read but it’s much more entertaining playing lucky dip and finding out what it is with the first bite. There have only been great successes so far, but it is lucky I like marzipan! Another great find is Jenever, the Dutch version of gin and where gin originated from. A subtly different flavour that I prefer mixed with a good splash of tonic and some fresh mint. The juniper flavoured liquor has been around since the 1500s and the distilling technique perfected along the way. Jenever is only able to be produced in the Netherlands and Belgium to preserve the authenticity of it. Trying this delightful drink helped inspire our next round of homemade gift ideas that are seriously easy to make. If you have purchased a Mad Millie Handcrafted Gin Kit this is the perfect starting point as you will already have the Botanical Blend to make your own delicious London Style homemade gin. But don’t feel limited by specific herbs or flavours, there are so many options when it comes to infusions! Whether you prefer aromatic or fruity, sweet or fresh, think outside the box of all your favourite flavours. Below we have given you a few of our top picks to get you started. If you prefer things a bit sweeter, more of a liqueur than a liquor then consider making it a two-step infusion process. Make a simple sugar syrup up and after the initial infusion add some of your sugar syrup to taste, then infuse for a further week to allow the flavours to settle (instructions below). I love the little bottles as a gift; not only are they very cute but it means you can get gift a few different options to show off all that you have created. Alternatively go for bigger bottles and create a flavour specific to the lucky recipient. Ingredients 1 x bottle of average quality vodka – volume depends on your infusion bottle/s size. Don’t buy a super cheap one as it will impact the flavour of your infusion. Mid-range is good to get a clean base for your flavours. Depending on the size of your bottle, the amount of ingredients will change. We were using 250 mL (8.4 fl oz) bottles so increase or decrease accordingly. Option 1 – Dried apricots, cranberries, cardamom and star anise 5 x dried apricots 1.5 Tbsp dried cranberries 1 tsp cardamom 2 x star anise Option 2 – Dried fruit and spices With this one we encourage you to get creative. What’s your favourite dessert that you can take inspiration from, or do you love mulled wine? Think of some different flavour combo’s or have a look at your local tea shop for inspiration. We used a mixture we found at the local market – dried blueberries, florals and citrus rind. Option 3 – your favourite dried tea (Butterfly Pea Flower) Tea is so packed with flavour that it can be really fun to use for infusions. Tea leaves is our recommendation and your local tea shop is bound to have a ton. Herbal teas are the way to start and then move onto experimenting with some more floral teas like Green or Earl Grey. We used the dried Butterfly Pea Flower tea mix in ours, it’s so pretty we couldn’t go past it! Option 4 – Lemon, ginger and mint Half a lemon, sliced 6 x mint leaves 2 cm (0.8 in) of ginger roughly chopped (this can vary dependent on your love for ginger) Method Put your infusion ingredients into a clean bottle or jar (warm water and detergent are fine to clean them as we’re using alcohol) and gently pour in the vodka. Seal and set in a relatively temperature regulated and dark spot, we recommend the back of the pantry or cupboard. Leave for one week. Test the flavour after one week by pouring a small amount into a shot glass; swirl, sniff and sip. Want it stronger? Leave it another week, after a week follow Step 3. Want it sweeter? Add some simple sugar syrup (If using 250 mL (8.4 fl oz) bottles, add 1 Tsp) Just right? Pour through a strainer to remove the infusion ingredients and then put the liquid back into the bottle. Leave this another week to allow the flavours to settle. Sugar Syrup Add 1 cup (250 mL/8.4 fl oz) of water and 1 cup of white sugar (or brown if you prefer a more caramelised flavour!) into a saucepan. Heat the ingredients on a medium heat until dissolved, stir regularly. Once the liquid is completely clear remove from the heat and allow to cool. This will make around 1.5 cups (375 mL/12.6 fl oz) of sugar syrup. Store in the fridge for up to 4 weeks in an airtight container