Home-Made Rice Milk

I LOVE making this myself, my toddler guzzles a couple of gallons per week easily & I cook & I bake with it plenty since my hubby has a dairy allergy.  It saves me money & I feel I get a better quality product by making it myself.

Home-Made Rice Milk

1 Cup uncooked long grain brown rice, rinsed well
1 Tablespoon chia seeds
8 Cups water (plus some more during the blending process)
1 teaspoon salt

*place 8 Cups water & rice & chia seeds in slow cooker & cook on low for 10-12 hours (I leave it overnight)
*add salt & stir
*blend in batches in blender--using equal portion rice mixture to equal portion water in blender batches (I do 3 cups rice mixture to 2 cups water in each batch & I do 3 batches, but it depends on the size of your blender jar)
*strain (I recently started making almond milk & learned about nut milk straining bags & I started using this to strain my rice milk as well now & I LOVE the result, very creamy & no sediment at all--I personally use a paint strainer bag from Lowe's, much more economical)
*I adjust if needed to make sure I have a total of 15 cups combined rice mixture & water in the end before stirring & placing in mason jars

Note 1: I store mine in mason jars, this recipe fills 4 quart mason jars (makes 1 gallon)

Note 2: If you don't have a slow cooker you could also simmer the rice on the stovetop for 3 hours.  I did try this recipe both ways & it was much easier to me to use the slow cooker, so I will definitely continue doing it that way.

Note 3: Although I prefer the taste of the almond milk, I do have to admit that rice milk is the more economical option if that's important to you.

Parsley Lemonade

At my house when sickness is going around we make parsley lemonade.  I learned this from my hubby, who learned it from his mother.  So essentially the credit goes to my mother in law.  Parlsey is high in vitamin C & is a natural antibiotic as well.  My mother in law makes it weaker than I do & she uses sugar.  I prefer it stronger, I feel like it will work better/faster that way.  And in my own research on all things health related I have learned that sugar actually lowers the immune system.  Because of this I refuse to make mine with sugar.  Honey also has some antibacterial properties of it's own, making it great to use when you're sick.  So here is my personal version of my mother in law's parsley lemonade.  Feel free to make changes as you wish as well.

Parsley Lemonade

1 bunch parsley, well washed
2 Cups lemon &/or lime juice, freshly squeezed is preferred
10 Tablespoons raw honey
10 Tablespoons honey
5 Cups water

*place parsley in blender
*add honey
*add juice & enough water to blend well
*in a large container place the rest of the water & then strain the contents of the blender into this container
*mix well & refrigerate

Note: in the past I would sometimes "cheat" & buy bottles of lemonade from Trader Joes', I would use 1 bunch of parsley to 2 bottles of lemonade.  However, the bottles of lemonade are sweetened with sugar & they are also pasteurized & of course not "fresh" juice.