Homemade Eggnog

It's that time of year again! We loooove eggnog in this house! Since the last holiday season however, we've become clean eaters. We grabbed a carton of the store bought stuff a few weeks ago and it just didn't seem the same, plus we knew that it was chocked full of refined sugar and chemicals.

It turns out that eggnog can actually be a healthy drink, full of vitamins and nutrients, if its made at home with whole foods! It's a beverage that is even recommended by Weston A Price.

Definitely the healthiest version is made with raw milk and raw cream, but not everyone has access to it (e.g. it's illegal to sell in Nevada). Pasture-raised eggs are an absolute must though, no matter what version you make, because you will be consuming the yolks raw. Check with your local farmer for fresh, pasture raised eggs (EatWild.com is a great resource for finding local farmers.) They can also be found at places like Whole Foods and Marlene's, but probably won't be quite as fresh as from the farm.

Comparing a normal cage free brown egg yolk to the pasture raised egg yolks. See the color difference? Pastured yolks are orange and firm, while normal cage free are yellow and break easily.

This article, in the "How to cook your eggs or not" section, explains why it's safe to eat pastured eggs raw. This blog post also explains the benefits of eating raw pastured eggs and why its safe.

So on to the recipe!

What you need:

1 1/4 cups whole milk (non-homogenized and not ultra-pasteurized preferred)
1 3/4 cups half & half (not ultra-pasteurized preferred)
1 cup heavy whipping cream (not ultra-pasteurized preferred)
4 pastured egg yolks (The only place I could find them this time of year was at Whole Foods)
3 Tbsp organic maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Start by separating your egg yolks from egg whites. (Make sure to keep your whites for a great macaroon recipe coming soon on the blog!)

Measure everything into a small mixing bowl or blender. Blend for about a minute, until the yolk are well incorporated and everything is frothy.

I then poured mine into a quart sized mason jar. You can pour yourself a glass right away or you can stick it in the fridge and let the flavors develop some more. The spices usually rise to the top, so make sure to give it a good shake or stir before pouring a glass.

The recipe is definitely adjustable! The ratio of milk to creams can be played with to suit your taste, as well as the spices and sweetness. This recipe makes just a about a quart and can be easily cut in half or doubled to make more.