My environmentally conscious friends already know that the carbon footprint of the dairy industry has become an increasingly hot topic over the last decade. When examining a product’s environmental footprint, we must consider variables like greenhouse gas emissions, water use, chemical runoff, and soil degradation. No matter which plant-based milk you enjoy drinking (my favourite is cashew milk), you can cut out an entire chunk of the process that eats up resources and produces greenhouse gases by making your own plant milk at home.

When buying store-bought nut milks, you have to deal with all the crazy ingredients manufacturers like to add to increase shelf life. Though I love drinking a homemade almond milk, straining the pulp from the liquid is more trouble than it’s worth. Homemade cashew milk, however, is a completely different story. It is super easy to make, creamy, and absolutely delicious! Because the nuts blend entirely into the water, cashew milk retains all of the fiber and nutrients present in the nuts.

Ready to make your own? Try my three-ingredient recipe:

Print Recipe

Best Cashew Milk

A delicious and creamy plant-based alternative to dairy milk.

Prep Time4 hrs

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: Cashew Milk, Plant-Based Milk

Servings: 5 cups

Equipment

• Blender

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 4 cups water
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Preparation

• Soak the cashews in water for at least four hours (overnight is best) in the refrigerator.
• Drain the cashews and rinse thoroughly.

Blending

• Add cashews, water, and vanilla extract to the blender.
• Blend on a high setting until all the nuts are completely blended.
• Store the milk in a covered glass container in the refrigerator.

Notes

Cashew milk should keep for 3 to 4 days. 

As you can see, this recipe is super easy to follow. Cashew milk is packed with nutrients such as magnesium, potassium, and zinc. If you’re trying to move toward a zero waste lifestyle, this cashew milk offers a great solution for your milk needs — no plastic required. Just get your cashews from the bulk section of your grocery store and bring your own jar! Did I mention that there is absolutely no straining required?

Interested in the sustainability of different milk options? I highly recommend this BBC article!

I am constantly thinking about how to make my health better — by eating well, drinking lots of water, exercising …. the last one is probably the hardest one for me. Because I’m more prone to stick to an activity if I make it a (written) goal, I added #walk20in20 to my #20for2020 list (a huge thanks to Gretchen Rubin for starting this challenge).

Research makes it clear that exercise provides a great boost for our health. It helps fight heart diseases, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer, and other illnesses we are dealing with in the 21st century. Many of us, however, are stuck in a sedentary lifestyle. If that’s you, would you consider joining me for a daily walk? Even 20 minutes a day make a huge difference. You’ll find yourself much happier and energetic.

I know some of you will ask, “Are there really benefits to plain old walking?” Yes! Check out these articles written by people much knowledgeable than I am:

“Why Walking Is the Most Underrated Form of Exercise”
“5 Surprising Benefits of Walking”
“Why Walking Is Good For You”

Wanting even more information? I would highly recommend the book “The Joy of Movement: How exercise helps us find happiness, hope, connection, and courage” by Kelly McGonigal. Kelly doesn’t tell us why we should exercise but instead shows us how to fall in love with movement.

Ready to join me for a walk? Leave a comment or use the #walk20in20 on your social media.

Aloha, friends! Happy Saturday! Since I knew this week would be super busy, I made an effort to meal-prep all my meals. One of my favourite snacks is a chia pudding. Chia seeds are super healthy (though, at the moment, I can’t quite remember why — something about them acting like a scrub brush in your colon). In my opinion, the best way to enjoy them is in a form of a chia pudding. There are many different recipes floating around the internet, but today I’m sharing the most zingy, fruity, and delicious one — Lemon Raspberry Chia Pudding.

Many grocery stores carry chia seeds, but if you prefer shopping from the comfort of your home, Thrive Market is a great place for discounted health products. You can also purchase a bigger container of chia seeds from Amazon — this is a very affordable option.

Print Recipe

Lemon Raspberry Chia Pudding

Though this pudding is sweet, it has a very low glycemic index.

Prep Time5 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Gluten Free, Vegan

Keyword: Chia pudding

Servings: 1 jar

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons Chia seeds
• 1 lemon zest
• 2/3 cup almond milk (coconut milk tastes great as well)
• 1/4 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)

Instructions

• Combine your chia seeds, lemon zest, and almond milk in a small bowl. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to thicken up. When the pudding reached the desired consistency, scoop it into a mason jar and top with raspberries.

Notes

You can also mix the raspberries into the pudding before transferring it into your mason jar.

Those following my #20for2020 journey might have guessed that this checks off my “Try a new recipe” goal for the month. If you end up trying this recipe out, let me know in the comments or tag me on Instagram. I would love to see your creations! Looking for more recipes? Click here to see what else I’ve been making.

If you took the time to read my #20for2020, you already know that this year I am trying to reduce the amount of waste I dispose. While the bathroom might be the smallest room in your house, it can create a whole lot of waste. Before jumping into the list, I do want to take a second and discourage you from heading into the bathroom and tossing out everything that’s made out of plastic. Wouldn’t that be wasteful by default? Zero waste lifestyle won’t happen overnight. My advice is to use up what you have (all of it!), and purchase zero waste products as needed. Okay, now that I got that off my chest, I’m ready to show you my favourite zero waste or sustainable bathroom products.

Honey I Washed My Hair Shampoo Bar

While Lush has been popular in the UK for quite some time, it is just now gaining people’s favour in the States as well. This particular shampoo bar leaves your hair clean, shiny, and smelling amazing! The best part about this product? Absolutely no packaging! Lush also carries conditioner bars, but since my hair is short, I can get by without it — though I might try it one day.

Charcoal Bamboo Toothbrush

In the United States alone, it is estimated that over 1 billion plastic toothbrushes will end up in landfills every year. Sadly, all this plastic somehow makes its way into our oceans. Millions of animals die every year because they digest our non-biodegradable waste. Why would you wanna stick PVC in your mouth several times a day anyway? Want to make the switch? You can try these Charcoal Bamboo Toothbrushes! You won’t regret it.

Pachafetti Bar Soap

Made with sustainably produced palm oil, wild harvested unrefined Shea butter, and hydrating castor seed oil, this is an amazing gluten-free, cruelty-free, and vegan product without SLS, parabens, or sulphates. It keeps my skin perfectly hydrated, and the lovely lemongrass scent leaves a smile on my face every time I use it. I get this product from Whole Foods, but I did some research, and you can get it from the manufacturer’s website as well.

Dutchess Menstrual Cup

Thanks to Generation Good’s period campaign, I started paying attention to the materials store-bought menstrual products are made of. Sure, you can buy eco-friendly, organic tampons and pads, but there are numerous reasons you should switch to menstrual cups. For example, it is much better for your body — tampons absorb over 30% of your natural moisture, causing a pH imbalance. It is also better for the environment. One cup can last you a decade! Imagine not having to buy any menstrual products until 2030. According to the GoingZeroWaste blog, by switching to a menstrual cup, you’re diverting at the least 2,880 tampons and pads from the landfill.

Now, just like with tampons, there is a learning curve with menstrual cups. I remember watching about a dozen YouTube videos on how to insert/remove your menstrual cup, but I was still quite freaked out when I had to actually do it. Now, couple months later, I would never go back to tampons. I only have to change my cup twice a day, and there is never any smell or leaking. There are many different brands of menstrual cups on the market. It is best to do your research before you settle on one. I personally use the Dutchess Menstrual Cup.

Though my bathroom is not completely sustainable or zero-waste (it’s actually nowhere near it), I am very happy about the little steps I have taken so far. As I mentioned already, this lifestyle won’t happen overnight, but every step you take towards better environment counts!