Simple Savings

(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)

By Lisa Messinger
Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate

Almond milk is a standout in the "milk" category that you might be missing out on if you think it's just another replacement for animal or legume milks. Its sales are soaring for good reason: It's economical (store brands are often a good choice) and, at 40 calories per cup, it's only about half the calories of nonfat milk or soymilk. What surprises many, however, upon first sampling unsweetened almond milk is how thick, creamy, rich and sweet it tastes. For those reasons, simply pouring it on cereal may not be a good choice; it's overpowering. What the milk serves better as is a guilt-free treat. Its flavor and function rivals cream in coffee. It shines in hot chocolate, smoothies and other items.

Dishes like these prove innovative food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just 10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare. The combinations are delicious evidence that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become better cooks, since there are no right or wrong amounts. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong mixtures, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."

International Coffee Comforter
To a cup of very hot coffee, stir in almond milk, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground cumin and ground coriander. Make sure it's cool enough to drink before sampling.

Surprisingly Simple Hot Chocolate
Boil water and in a large mug, pour the water over two-and-a-half tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (filled with antioxidants and a good blood sugar regulator) and one-and-three-quarters teaspoons of a natural sugar-free sweetener like stevia. Stir to combine and then stir in almond milk as a better-flavor-than replacement for whipped cream. Good as is, or add a dash of freshly ground nutmeg or allspice. Make sure it's cool enough to drink before sampling.

Scintillating Smoothie
Blend almond milk, low-fat (and preferably low-carb) fruit yogurt, a natural sugar-free sweetener like stevia, few chunks banana, few chunks unpeeled apple, fresh lemon juice and ice until smooth, but still somewhat thick.

Outstanding Oatmeal
Prepare quick (but not instant) rolled oats according to package directions, but include almond milk as the option instead of regular milk. When oatmeal is cooked, stir and add natural sugar-free sweetener like stevia, unsweetened cocoa powder, trail mix including dried fruit and nuts and minced banana. Combine well. Reheat on either stove or in microwave oven until hot.

QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: Ice cream parlors sometimes blend together flavors and toppings for gourmet results. You can do the same at home and keep it even more healthful at the same time. Here are a few examples. Prepare each in a blender cup. Add sugar-free, low-fat frozen vanilla yogurt and sugar-free, low-fat frozen coffee or mocha yogurt, unsweetened cocoa powder, instant decaffeinated coffee granules and a slight boost of a natural sugar-free sweetener like stevia, and blend just until fully combined, but still very thick and creamy. To sugar-free, low-fat strawberry frozen yogurt, add sliced fresh strawberries and raspberries, sliced almonds, almond extract and the sugar-free sweetener boost and blend as suggested above.

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.