Almond Cashew Dates Milk

Arctic blast has been hammering north east with winter storms one after the other. The west coast surely cannot complain but they have been getting their share of chills and weirdest weather patterns this year. Staying indoors and warm is the key.These chilly months demand a strong immune system to fight cold and flu viruses. There is nothing more pleasing than sipping a hot beverage and watching the snowfall from your window. But it is important to avoid added sugars and overloading your body with caffeine. 
Today I want to share with you all a yummy and comforting milk beverage recipe made with the best healthy ingredients. This is my Mom's recipe which got passed on to her by my GrandMaa. As a kid, i hated milk in any form except this. Even today, I tend to avoid drinking milk except made following this recipe.

The ingredients are as simple as you see up in the tray - Almonds, Pitted Dates, Cashews, Black Pepper and Saffron. None of them need any introduction for health benefits. They are high in antioxidants to build a strong immune system.  Another great feature of this recipe is that the nuts are soaked. Soaking nuts helps our body to absorb the their maximum benefits...Read more here

So lets get going -

1/3 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup cashews
8-10 pitted dates
7-8 whole black peppercorns
1 tsp cardamom powder
3-4 strands of saffron (per cup)

• Soak the first four ingredients overnight.
• Next day, drain the water and throw all the soaked ingredients in a food processor to make a thick paste. Use few tablespoons of water to get an even consistency....like pesto.
• Mix in the cardamom powder.
• Store the mixture in fridge for upto 10-12 days easily. 

Whenever you want to make your beverage, heat one cup of milk with 1 heaped tablespoon of the mixture and also add few strands of saffron for the luxurious taste. If you like it sweeter, add some honey.