Homemade Almond Milk + a Peanut Butter Cookie Bonus

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Cooking Light and Real Simple, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia 

Homemade Almond Milk + a Peanut Butter Cookie Bonus!

I’ve got a blogger butt, 

and I cannot lie. 

You other bloggers might deny, 

but when you sit in your space with a computer in your face, 

You might get CHUBBY. 

Just ask your hubby. 

He’s looking at you subtly. 

Even those yoga pants you’re wearing?

They’re tight and now you’re swearing. 

Oh baby, stay away from that cake

It’s a giant mistake. 

My homegirls tried to warn me, 

but those cookies you pinned make me so hungry. 

Oooooh…..

Okay, okay I’ll stop.

If you made it through my entire Sir Mix A Lot remix then you deserve for me to stop right this instant.

No one wants to really discuss it, but I’m going to throw it out there.

The Blogger Butt.

It’s legit, y’all.

According to Urban Dictionary it can be defined as: “Weight gain in the gluteal region which is directly related to spending large amounts of time of blogging”.

I quit my full time job in corporate insurance 3 years ago. Of those 3 years, I’ve been blogging for 2 1/2.

Want to know how much weight I’ve gained since I published my first post?

I’m going to share it with you because we’re friends here, and heck, you’ve seen my photos- it’s not like you haven’t noticed even if you haven’t said anything.

22 pounds.

Twenty freaking two pounds.

I’d like to say I don’t know how it happened and that I didn’t see it coming, but let’s be honest for a moment.

I won a cookie bake-off contest with a Pecan Praline King Cake recipe.

And I most likely downed those cookies with my beloved Coca-Cola.

My eating habits stink and I’ve finally realized that poor eating habits, an irregular exercise routine, combined with the dreaded getting older is a sure fire way to land yourself on the Biggest Loser.

I’m assuming that since I’ve acknowledged to the world that my clothes no longer fit and that I’m up 2 sizes (oh heavens, that is hard to blurt out) that I have a plan on how I propose to take it off I’m going to share?

Sort of.

I’ve tried the crash diets and I just fall off the wagon on the 3rd day so that’s not an option.

I’m going to go with the tried and true theory of : more exercise (or exercise period) plus better food choices.

Slow and steady.

I gave up Coke for Lent and I’m hoping that by some miracle that’ll do the trick, but if not, I’m expanding my horizons.

I started by scooping up the April issues of Cooking Light and Real Simple magazines at Target over the weekend. They are having a promotion where if you buy the two magazines together, you get an instant $5 gift card (while supplies last).

They had me at gift card. Do you know what $5 at Target gets you?

Another magazine since you basically bought one and got one free.

Or, a trip to the dollar section to get gold foil accented pencils, note cards and matching bakers twine. FOR FREE!

I digress.

Back to this weight loss thing.

In the Real Simple magazine I came across instructions to make your own Almond Milk.

Now, I’m no health nut but I know that regular milk is high in calories whereas almonds are high in the fats that your body prefers.

It seemed logical to me that I would experiment with making Almond Milk and use it as an alternative for say, coffee creamer and perhaps even for baking.

You need only three ingredients.

Almonds. Pinch of Salt. Honey or Maple Syrup.

You simply run 1 cup of raw almonds through the food processor with a pinch of salt until finely ground.  Add 2 cups of boiling water to the food processor and pulse for 1 minute. Let sit for 10 minutes. Now strain the mixture several times to separate the almond meal. I used cheesecloth (make sure it’s dampened) and pressed against the mixture to release all the liquid. I’m super picky and strained mine a couple of times just to make sure my milk was pulp free. Add 1 to 3 teaspoons honey or maple syrup to taste.

Refrigerate until cold. Serve chilled or refrigerate, covered, for up to 4 days.

NOTE: Don’t be alarmed if your almond milk separates as it’s chilling (I did!). Simply run it through the blender for a quick pulse and it’ll be frothy and combined again.

I got antsy with my homemade almond milk and decided to make some peanut butter cookies to go with it as well.

Do you see where weight loss is going to be a problem for me?!?!

Luckily, I had an event and those babies got wrapped up and out my door they went.

Disaster averted.

Here’s the quick and easy how to for the Almond Milk Peanut Butter Cookies.

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Almond Milk Peanut Butter Cookies

Adapted from the Oh She Glows Peanut Butter Cookie recipe.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Dessert

Servings: 24

Author: Aimee

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• Turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a non-stick mat. In a medium mixing bowl mix the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, almond milk, and vanilla. Stir until combined. Add to flour mixture and mix well. Allow the dough to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Dough will be crazy sticky. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto baking mat. You'll need to wet a fork and press down onto the cookie crosswise. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cookies are plump and slightly golden. Allow to cool on baking rack.

So, let’s recap.

1. I’ve publicly declared I have blogger butt.

2. Now that I’ve declared it on the internet, I’m going to do something about said blogger butt.

3. Real Simple & Cooking Light magazines purchased together get you an instant $5 gift card.

4. Real Simple has really simple tips & tricks (ie Almond Milk), hence the name Real Simple.

5. Should you make some Almond Milk, you might want to dip my Almond Milk Peanut Butter Cookies into that milk. Try it. You won’t regret it.

6. Homemade Almond Milk is quite fabulous. Rich. Nutty. Gonna use it in a smoothie later. Stand by.

7.. Cooking Light has an article on Deviled Eggs: A Dozen Ways. I’m just sayin…

6. I’m going to start a movement, #bloggerbuttbegone- who’s with me?

7. This might be the longest post in the history of posts and for that I apologize.

Got any weight loss tips and tricks to share? I’d love to hear your story!