Homemade Almond Milk April 23 2019, 0 Comments

If you've ever picked up a carton of nut milk at the grocery store and thought, "what are all these strange sounding ingredients?" you're not alone. Non-dairy milks make great alternatives for people who are vegan, or lactose intolerant or have trouble digesting dairy, but store-bought versions contain unnecessary sugar, lecithins, gums, and who knows what else, and if you do find a dairy-free milk without these things, you'll most likely pay a hefty price for it. The good news is that making your own nut milk is not only cheaper and healthier; it's really easy too!

Here's how I did it:

Materials

  • Blender (any old blender will do)
  • Cheesecloth, sieve, thin dish towel, or nut bag (if you're feeling fancy)
  • Wide mouth mason jars 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw almonds
  • 4-5 cups water (depending on whether you want it thinner or thicker)
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons honey (optional - maple syrup and agave work too!)

Directions

  1. Measure out 1 cup almonds, cover with cold water, and let sit for at least 8 hours to soften. For a quicker option, pour very hot water over the almonds and let soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour. 

  2. After the almonds have soaked, place them in the blender, add the optional vanilla extract and honey, and blend on high power until almonds are fully incorporated and milk is white in color. 

  3. Place your strainer of choice over a wide mouth container or bowl (if using a cheesecloth, secure with rubber band or hair tie) and slowly pour the almond milk over it, allowing the milk to strain through the cloth. Take your time for this part. Depending on the size of the container, this step might need to be done in batches. 

  4. Once all of the almond milk is poured out of the blender, squeeze the pulp-filled cloth to release any additional milk. Put the mason jar lids on the jars and store in the fridge to enjoy for a few days! Or use the almond milk to make some chia pudding. 

  5. Don't just throw out the leftover pulp; instead, make homemade almond flour! Preheat your oven to it's lowest setting, spread the almond pulp out as thin as possible on a baking tray. Place the tray in the oven and let the pulp dehydrate for 4-8 hours. Once dehydrated, place the dried out pulp into a food processor and blend until it becomes a fine flour. Use it right away, or store in the freezer for a longer shelf life.