I am lactose intolerant, so I'm always trying different kinds of milk that won't be so hard on me. From Lactaid to soy milk and everything in between but one of my faves is almond milk. What do I do when I run out of my beloved almond milk, and it's late at night, or I am too tired to run to the store? I make my own; it is relatively simple to make. Ladies and gentlemen, let's get ready to make almond milk !!!
Almond Milk
This is a delicious alternative for dairy based milks. Some interesting facts about almond milk are it lacks casein and is safer for people like myself who have a lactose intolerance or milk allergy, it also contains less saturated fat than cows milk. I love to use my almond milk as a base for my fruit smoothies the result is a thick and creamy smoothie with a slight nutty flavor. There are many different recipes for almond milk but its all about personal taste, experiment and find one that is best for you. Here are some I enjoy.
Almond Milk:
1 cup of raw organic almonds (soaked overnight in the refrigerator in filtered or purified water) when ready for use drain and rinse almonds really good.
3 to 4 cups purified water (depends on how thick or thin you want it I prefer it thin.)
Blend in a blender until smooth and you don't hear clicking when blending. Careful not to let the blender heat up since it can harm the healthy enzymes of your milk. Pour your almond mixture into a strainer such as a cheesecloth or nut milk bag over a bowl and begin to gently press your bag until all the liquid is expressed. You will have almond pulp left in your strainer. You can save it and reuse it for recipes. To store place in a freezer safe container, seal and freeze until ready for use. Now back to the milk. You can place it in a glass container and store in your refrigerator for 3 to 5 days shake before use as some separation may occur...don't worry its totally normal. I like to add a couple things to mine.
I use the above recipe but add vanilla. you can add a vanilla bean just scrape the seeds into the blender and a pinch of sea salt when blending the milk. Vanilla extract works fine too. If you like it sweet you can add a bit of agave nectar or a soaked date or two. Make sure to remove the pit from your date and blend the date prior to the almond mixture, set aside.once your almonds are in the blender add the blended date pulp. I use Medjool dates because they are plump and sweet. Its all to taste in my kitchen so play with it. For chocolate milk add some raw cacao powder and for strawberry milk add strawberries when blending.
Don't have time to soak nuts overnight? No problem. I have a quick almond milk that is just as tasty but is less work.
Quick Almond Milk:
1 tablespoon of raw almond butter
(I personally use Mara Natha all natural raw almond butter creamy, as pictured above)
2 cups purified water more or less depends if you like it thin or thick just add a little at a time till you reach your preference
Blend in blender until smooth. Strain through cheesecloth or nut bag...don't have one handy? A stocking works too! (Take a new stocking cut off a foot piece long enough to use to strain then soak in hot water and dry before use) Now the fun part holds your filter of choice over a container and gently press the liquid out. Store leftover pulp. Put your milk into a glass container I use mason jars, or I reuse glass Large glass mason jars for larger quantities. Enjoy your milk as is like it cold? Use cold filtered water from the fridge when making for instant use. Always refrigerate your milks. If you have any questions or suggestions, please post.
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