I have been using soy milk to avoid dairy, but I just found out that it, too, is often ultrapasteurized. What should I use if soy isn't any good either?
— Helen Kohler, via email
Try making your own nut milk. Place 1 cup blanched almonds in a large glass jar and cover with water; soak overnight. Drain and rinse well. In a food processor, blend almonds and slowly add 2 cups water until smooth, 2-4 minutes. To extract the liquid, strain through cheesecloth into a bowl. Discard solids (or save them for baking). Refrigerate milk in a clean glass jar. To find out more about pasteurization, go to deliciouslivingmag.com and type the pros and cons of pasteurization into the search box.
— Eds
Some of your recipes call for garbanzo bean miso. What is it and how can I make it?
— Cindy Shear, via email
This salty flavor enhancer uses garbanzo beans (chickpeas) instead of the usual soy to create a fermented bean paste. It's very difficult to concoct at home, however, so we recommend purchasing South River organic garbanzo bean miso, available in the refrigerated aisle of natural products stores or online at southrivermiso.com.
— Eds
In December, you mentioned plastic containers to avoid (“Bad News for BPA”). I use a Brita water filter. It does not have a number anywhere on the container — is it safe?
— Bill Johnson, via email
According to Brita, the company does not use BPA in any of its products.
— Eds
Find these recipes and topics by entering the keywords into the search box on our website.
with natural tips from deliciouslivingmag.com/greenliving/cleaning. And spruce up your yard with gardening know-how, available at deliciouslivingmag.com/gardening.
Email comments and suggestions to us at deliciousliving@newhope.com, or write to Letters, Delicious Living, 1401 Pearl St., Boulder, CO 80302. Please include your full name, address, and daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.