Almond Milk
Here is a great alternative to cow, soy and rice milk , which is tasty and really easy to make yourself. You can drink it straight, add to smoothies, and it's excellent on cereal!
If you are not into almonds you can also use cashews, pecans, pine nuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, or any other nut or seed you can think of.
If you are not into almonds you can also use cashews, pecans, pine nuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, or any other nut or seed you can think of.
Materials:
1 cup skinless(blanched)* almonds (or nut/seed of your choice) - whole, or ground
3 cups water -filtered (plus water to soak)
blender
sieve or cheesecloth
bowl
pitcher with lid (to store milk when done)
spatula
measuring cup
*If you can only find almonds with the skin still on, your milk will have little bits of almond skin floating around. If this bothers you, you can blanch them.
Blanching
-pour boiling water over almonds, to cover them
-after ~1min drain, rinse under cold water and drain.
-pat dry, and slip the skin off.
3 cups water -filtered (plus water to soak)
blender
sieve or cheesecloth
bowl
pitcher with lid (to store milk when done)
spatula
measuring cup
*If you can only find almonds with the skin still on, your milk will have little bits of almond skin floating around. If this bothers you, you can blanch them.
Blanching
-pour boiling water over almonds, to cover them
-after ~1min drain, rinse under cold water and drain.
-pat dry, and slip the skin off.
Soaking Over Night
-Place 1cup of almonds into a bowl, add water(use filtered water if you would like) so that it covers almonds.
-Soak in fridge overnight if you can or for a minimum of 4 hours.
-Soak in fridge overnight if you can or for a minimum of 4 hours.
Blend
-The following day drain water from the bowl of almonds.
-Place almonds in blender, add 3 cups of water (again you can use filtered water here) and blend until smooth*, this can take 1 to 2 minutes or so, depending on your blender.
*It is ready when it is more or less homogeneous and the almond particles are quite fine.
-Place almonds in blender, add 3 cups of water (again you can use filtered water here) and blend until smooth*, this can take 1 to 2 minutes or so, depending on your blender.
*It is ready when it is more or less homogeneous and the almond particles are quite fine.
Strain and Serve
- Pour from blender into a sieve/cheesecloth over a container to collect the milk.
- If you are using a sieve, take a spatula and squeeze the pulp to get as much liquid out as you can. (If you are using a cheesecloth give it a good squeeze too). Don't throw out the pulp you can use for baking, etc.
- After it has been strained you can drink it as is or it can be flavoured or sweetened (see next step).
- Store in closed container in fridge. It will keep up to a week in fridge.
- If you are using a sieve, take a spatula and squeeze the pulp to get as much liquid out as you can. (If you are using a cheesecloth give it a good squeeze too). Don't throw out the pulp you can use for baking, etc.
- After it has been strained you can drink it as is or it can be flavoured or sweetened (see next step).
- Store in closed container in fridge. It will keep up to a week in fridge.
Options
Put the milk back into the blender (rinse the blender first) and add.....
To sweeten you can add any of the following and blend again until smooth.
-1 tablespoon sugar, honey, or maple syrup (adjust to taste)
or
-1 banana or 2 tablespoons pitted dates
For flavour you can add vanilla extract, or cocoa(or chocolate milk powder), or fruit puree, add to
taste. Blend again until smooth.
Store in closed container in fridge. It will keep up to a week in fridge.
A thicker milk
-you can make this a thicker drink, by reducing the amount of water you add when blending, try 2 cups instead of 3.
You can try roasting your nuts and seeds, this brings out their flavour.
-Before you soak your nuts/seeds(Step 2):
-Place in oven at 350F for ~5 minutes. Keep an eye on them, burnt nuts are not so good.
-Allow to cool and proceed to Step 2.
Enjoy!
To sweeten you can add any of the following and blend again until smooth.
-1 tablespoon sugar, honey, or maple syrup (adjust to taste)
or
-1 banana or 2 tablespoons pitted dates
For flavour you can add vanilla extract, or cocoa(or chocolate milk powder), or fruit puree, add to
taste. Blend again until smooth.
Store in closed container in fridge. It will keep up to a week in fridge.
A thicker milk
-you can make this a thicker drink, by reducing the amount of water you add when blending, try 2 cups instead of 3.
You can try roasting your nuts and seeds, this brings out their flavour.
-Before you soak your nuts/seeds(Step 2):
-Place in oven at 350F for ~5 minutes. Keep an eye on them, burnt nuts are not so good.
-Allow to cool and proceed to Step 2.
Enjoy!