Adventures With The Sage

Collect needed supplies:
White Granulated Sugar
Molasses (I’m using Grandma’s Unsulphured Original Molasses)
Mixing Bowl
Mixer (Hand style or Stand style)
Measuring Cups
Measuring Spoons
Cooking Spray or Oil
Container for finished brown sugar

Recipe:
1 cup White Granulated Sugar
1 – 2 tablespoons Molasses

Measure sugar into the mixing bowl. Before measuring the molasses, lightly coat the measuring spoon with the cooking spray or oil. Now measure the molasses and then pour over the sugar in the mixing bowl. Mix well until you can’t see any more clumps of molasses. Now you shouldn’t be able to tell the difference between the brown sugar you just made and brown sugar purchased at the grocery store.

Molasses Notes:

You can use any molasses you desire. The Grandma’s Unsulphured Original Molasses will create a golden or light brown sugar, while a more robust variety up to blackstrap will create a dark brown sugar.

Submit your photos and text for the guest written Embedded Melt & Pour Soap Challenge! Submissions will be accepted through October 18th at blog@thesage.com. The submissions will be released October 19th through October 23rd. Each guest writer will receive a $25 gift certificate.

Collect needed items:
4 batches of fresh Soy Milk
Large cooking pot
Measuring Cup
Stirring Spoon
Measuring Spoons
Water
Nigari (Natural Magnesium Chloride)
Tofu Mold
Weights
Cheesecloth
Stove

Pour all four batches of the fresh Soy Milk into the large cooking pot and place the pot on the stove. Turn on the heat to medium high and heat the Soy Milk until it begins to simmer.

While the Soy Milk is heating, measure 1 cup of hot water and add 2 teaspoons of Nigari to the hot water and stir until dissolved. After the Soy Milk has reached a simmering point, remove from the heat. Slowly stir 3/4 of the Nigari and water mixture into the Soy Milk and then stop stirring. Wait for 2-3 minutes. Gently stir the forming curds and add the last of the Nigari and water mixture to any milky areas left in the pot.

After the Soy Milk has separated into curds and whey, an amber colored liquid, transfer to the tofu mold lined with cheese cloth. Cover the top of the curds with the cheesecloth and place the lid onto the tofu. Place a weight on top of the lid and allow to sit for approximately 20 minutes.

After allowing the tofu to sit for 20 minutes, empty into a tub of cold water and allow to sit for another hour. Now the tofu can be stored in the refrigerator as long as the soaking water is changed daily.

You can eat the tofu as soon as you separate the curds from the whey.

Notes:
I apologize for the missing photos of me adding the Nigari, but I didn’t realize that the camera was fogged up from all the steam rising from the Soy Milk.

I used 2 teaspoons of Nigari since 1 teaspoon was not sufficient to make the Soy Milk clump. You can start with 1 teaspoon of Nigari in 1/2 cup of hot water and see if that works for you.

Enjoy!

This machine is fantastic and definitely worth the money put into it. If you are a little reluctant about purchasing this, we calculated that it could cost no more than $2.00 for a gallon of Soy Milk! Such a savings that the machine will pay for itself many times over! This cost is including a premium vanilla extract. If you are making Soy Milk for soap, then our cost was calculated at 36 cents for a gallon of fresh Soy Milk. You read that right, 36 cents a gallon. Don’t you wish you could power your car for 36 cents a gallon?!

Collect needed items:
Dried Soybeans
Water for soaking and for making Soy Milk
Container for soaking the soybeans
SoyaPower Plus Soy Milk Maker, including items that come with a small translucent pitcher, a mesh strainer, and a measuring cup.

Measure one scoop (a scoop is included in the box) of dried soybeans and then soak the dried soybeans in water for 8 to 12 hours. Once the soybeans have been soaked, drain the extra water and set the soybeans aside. Fill the SoyaPower Plus Soy Milk Maker with the required amount of water between the two lines on the inside of the pitcher. Add the soybeans and close the Soy Milk Maker, making sure you have locked the latches. Press the button that states “Soy Beans” and allow to run until finished processing, approximately 15 minutes. After the SoyaPower Plus Soy Milk Maker is finished, it will start beeping. Unplug the machine and remove the machine head from the pitcher. Place the mesh strainer over the translucent pitcher and pour the Soy Milk into the pitcher and allow the mesh strainer to sit for several minutes while the remaining Soy Milk drips out of the soybean pulp, also known as okara. I feed the okara to our chickens, but you can also use the okara for other foods like bread, burgers, cookies and more.

Now we have fresh Soy Milk! You can use this Soy Milk for making soap or tofu, or if you want to drink it, I have a fantastic recipe for a Vanilla Soy Milk that I love to drink or pour over cereal!

Making Vanilla Soy Milk:
One batch of fresh Soy Milk (about 5 cups)
Sugar
Vanilla Extract
Salt (I use Real Salt)
Measuring Spoons

Add 3 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the fresh Soy Milk. Stir until all ingredients are blended together. You can drink the Soy Milk warm, or you can chill it in the refrigerator. Yummy!

Before buying the SoyaPower Plus Soy Milk Maker we went to the web and did a lot of research. We also talked with our Soy Milk making friends. We found the SoyaPower Plus Soy Milk Maker to be the best model to buy. It is the best value (currently on sale AND free shipping) and the easiest to use. While we did find similar models (machines that can make rice, nut and other bean milks) we just couldn’t find a machine that offered more. We figure that a machine that does so much, comes so highly recommended by current users, doesn’t have a filter basket to clean, is the best value for the dollar AND has free shipping should be our recommendation to you. As you can see, Vanilla Soy Milk is my favorite. If you get a SoyaPower Plus Soy Milk Maker, let us know how you like your Soy Milk. I’ll post recipes here. Don’t forget to send us photos of your Soy Soap!

Tomorrow, I’ll show you how to make a face mask with the okara!

Enjoy!