Vegan Nog: Classic and Peppermint

Good morning!

Thanks for all your comments on yesterday’s post. I feel like a got a huge virtual bear hug and it made me all warm and fuzzy inside. Then I got a real hug when Eric came home from work last night!

I’ve been battling a tension headache since yesterday afternoon and I still could not fall asleep last night until 3am. I’m hoping this hit by a truck feeling passes soon because I have a lot of life to catch up on and a long to-do list waiting for me.

I’m going to be rocking the Green Monsters hard core this weekend to make sure I don’t get sick and of course, I will be resting. I haven’t had the energy to workout in a few days now and I think I will be taking today off from exercise until my body feels like its old self again. There is no sense in running myself into the ground when I am not feeling myself.

Exercise will always be waiting for me when my body feels back to normal!

I used to feel guilty for taking some time away from exercise, but I have realized over the past couple years that sometimes in life, we really just need a BREAK, especially during the holiday season.

I am a firm believer that our bodies tell us what we need to know and I think listening to them when they are not 100% is always a good thing.

Today, I am sharing my all-time favourite holiday drink…Egg Nog, Only there are no eggs or cream in it so it is technically Egg and Dairy free Nog. It contains some kick-butt ingredients like avocado, banana, and coconut milk that blend together to create a creamy and rich indulgent drink. This Vegan Nog is highly addictive and fairly sweet, so less is more in this case. Or if you are feeling down in the dumps, more is more.

It’s your call.

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Vegan Nog

Thick, rich, indulgent, and creamy, a little bit goes a long way in this vegan nog recipe. It is a cross between the best tasting smoothie I’ve ever tried and the egg nog I used to drink as a child. I’ll take it!

Adapted from PPK.

Yield: 6 cups

Ingredients:

• 1/2 large avocado, pitted and frozen
• 1 large banana, peeled and frozen
• 1 can of full-fat coconut milk (400ml), chilled in fridge
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1/4 of a fresh lemon)
• 1.5 cups almond milk
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1-3 tsp ground nutmeg (to taste, add gradually)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8th tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Cinnamon stick, for garnish
• 1/4 cup-1/2 cup Bourbon (optional), to taste

Directions: Pit and freeze the 1/2 of an avocado and peel and freeze the large banana prior to making this recipe. Add the liquid ingredients into a blender and blend for about 10 seconds to mix. Now add in your frozen and dry ingredients and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust spices and liquids if necessary. You can adapt it to how you’d like it! Makes 6 cups. Serve with a cinnamon stick (optional). Serve immediately.

Note: This will not keep long, so please make it just prior to serving and serve immediately, very cold.

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This is very easy to make in the blender and it tastes incredible! Of course it doesn’t taste exactly like classic egg nog, but it comes close enough that I don’t miss the old stuff at all.

Don’t worry you can’t taste the avocado either!

Spiking it can be fun too…

The bourbon is totally optional, but it tastes delicious either way!

Peppermint Nog

For the Peppermint Nog version, use the recipe above and simply add 1-2 tsp of pure peppermint extract and do not use the vanilla extract. You could also try using fresh mint leaves for a minty green kick and beautiful mint colour.

Garnish with a candy cane stick and crushed candy cane on top.

I enjoyed both of them, but I think I prefer the Classic Vegan Nog over the peppermint version.

It would also be fun to try making chocolate nog, by adding some cocoa powder and maybe even carob powder! I’m sure that the recipe could be adapted many ways. I wonder what a Gingerbread Nog would taste like?

I’m supposed to be checking some things off my to-do list right now, but all I really feel like is a hot bubble bath complete with Epsom salts, candles, vegan nog, and a book! I think I have my answer.

Have a great Saturday!