Protein-Boosted Almond Oat Nog
Enjoy hot or cold, with a good dose of nostalgia
Hello, everyone. I send you warm thoughts for a Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukkah. I love that we get to celebrate these holidays together this week!
Plus, I want to give you this updated Almond Oat Nog recipe. I’ve added lots of ingredient swaps so you can riff on it without going to the store. A really good mix-in, I discovered, is vanilla protein powder. It adds body and creaminess to an otherwise eggless nog while providing a welcome boost of protein.
Enjoy this bonus free recipe, open access for all subscribers. Feel free to share!
While I was working on this better-for-you egg nog recipe I was flooded with memories of making this with my mom.
She special ordered gallons of heavy cream and whole milk from a local dairy to be delivered Christmas week. We stocked up on extra eggs, too, to whisk into custard. My mom would bring the enormous crystal punch bowl down from the attic. I recall watching as an extravagant amount of white sugar was tipped into the bowl along with generous glugs of rum. There was a heavy-handed use of ground cinnamon and nutmeg, so much so that every sip coated the back of the throat. At the center of the bowl, she placed a brick of ice, gave it a stir with a ladle, and welcomed everyone—even us children—to imbibe.
I spent a lot of Christmases drinking that eggnog but I never loved it. I only drank it because I knew how much effort my mom put into it.
Now I am really enjoying this brain-healthier version. It’s rich and creamy without being cloyingly sweet. This makes it refreshing, like something I would drink after a winter hike.
Do you make egg nog for the holidays? I would love to know if you use a family recipe, or if you’ve come up with a healthier version that you like.
RECIPE: Protein-Boosted Almond Oat Nog
Using store-bought milk makes this recipe quick and easy. For a little more effort, homemade nut milk adds fresher flavor and extra creaminess. There is a step by step tutorial for making Basic Nut Milk on page 363 of my book, and here on my old website. I usually make homemade nut milk from cashews since I can skip the straining step.
Tips:
If you are avoiding oats because they are not blood sugar-friendly for you, try swapping in 1/4 cup flaxseed meal instead of 1/2 cup oats. Be sure to blend well until very frothy. And feel free to skip the sweetener or use a monk fruit simple syrup instead (see below).
I like the vanilla protein powder from MindBodyGreen, use discount code ANNIEFENN for 15% off)
Makes 1 quart
Ingredients:
1 quart almond, cashew, macadamia, or soy milk (unsweetened unflavored), store-bought or homemade
½ cup rolled oats, old-fashioned or quick
½ cup vanilla protein powder
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, honey, or monk fruit simple syrup (optional)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, plus more for serving
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Combine almond milk, oats, vanilla protein powder, maple syrup (if using), vanilla, almond extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, salt, and almond extract in a blender. Pulse for a few seconds to distribute the oats, and let sit for about 10 minutes so that they soften.
Blend on high until completely smooth and frothy, about 1 minute.
To serve warm, pour into a small pot and heat gently over low heat, being careful not to bring to a boil. To serve cold, chill in the refrigerator. Just before serving, sprinkle with more nutmeg.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Separation is normal; shake well before serving.
To make Monk Fruit Simple Syrup: Warm ½ cup water and ¼ cup monk fruit sweetener in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often until dissolved. Don’t let it come to a boil. (It won’t be as thick as simple syrup made from sugar.) Pour into a glass jar and let cool at room temperature.
Note: The monk fruit simple syrup will crystallize if you refrigerate it, but you can add it to the Almond Oat Nog and the refrigerate with good results.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah
I haven’t been very excited about cooking since my mom died two months ago. Christmas—always a big deal at my house growing up—comes with a lot of mixed feelings this year. Working on this egg nog recipe for you brought up a lot of nice memories. It’s been a good thing.
Enjoy the holidays! I’ll be back next week with a list of discount codes on health products so you can stock up for the new year. And Founding Members—be sure to check your inbox for a little gift I sent you a few days ago.
Love,
Annie
I make a sugarless “eggnog” by blending plain roasted caramelized sweet potato with hot milk, or plant milk and eggnog spices. A drier, fluffier variety of sweet potato like a Japanese or white or yellow fleshed one is more like a real eggnog, but an orange one will do.
Just made a batch! Everyone loved it…it’s on repeat for the holidays! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!! 🎄