Almond milk is delicious on its own, rich, creamy and slightly nutty in flavour. Once you've made the base recipe, its super versatile and you can mix things by adding your choice of sweetener into the mix or keep it simple so you can use it in both savoury and sweet recipes.
It's pretty easy to find nondairy milks at the supermarket these days, but those can be made from as little as 2 percent nuts and filled with strange thickeners, emulsifiers, and preservatives. Homemade milks, on the other hand, have a pure flavour and rich, creamy texture and are made with just a few wholesome ingredients.
Almond Milk is one of my favourite pantry staples. When I gave up cow milk, I needed an alternative and almond milk was my go-to. Its loaded with nutrients, is alkaline and mild in flavour. I use it in baking, to make soups, sauces, to splash over cereal and in my morning coffee. It’s a fabulous addition to smoothies and shakes, and it's a flavour panacea for anything in need of a bit of richness and roundness. This lovely drink is the perfect canvas to let your palette run wild.
The fact that its versatile and nutritionally dense makes it appealing to many people and not just those who are dairy free!
Like virtually every other food or drink, almond milk is both less expensive and healthier when you make it yourself. While there are decent store bought brands available now, with homemade almond milk, you can control the quality and integrity of the finished product - the freshness of the nuts, the amount of sweetness, and the texture. Furthermore, fresh raw almond milk contains live enzymes with no additives or preservatives.
Almond milk is a low glycemic, low in calorie and sodium, and doesn’t cause problems with hormone levels like soy. It's high in healthy fats, cholesterol free and rich in Vitamins A, B, D & E. While almond milk doesn't have as much calcium as cow’s milk, it does offer 30 percent of the recommended daily amount and since its lactose free, its also easy on the digestive system.
Its surprisingly easy to make at home. Its easy as soaking almonds overnight and blending them with water the next day, straining and then drinking. Blending and straining takes a few minutes, but that’s about all the work you’ll have to do! Unprocessed, wholesome and inexpensive #almondmilk in 10 minutes top.
For the best results, choose fresh raw almonds, and soak them (8 to 12 hours) to neutralize enzyme inhibitors, activate their full nutrient potential, and soften them so they're easy to blend. I choose to take the extra step of peeling my almonds after soaking to remove the enzyme inhibitors that are contained in the outer skin but that step is optional.
For a smooth, creamier milk that is great for all types of recipes, strain the milk using a nut bag. Use the leftover almond pulp to make energy balls or as almond flour to use in gluten free recipes!
Almond Milk Recipe
author: Idil Farah
yield: 4 cups
Ingredients
1 cup raw organic almonds
4 cups pure filtered water plus more for soaking
tiny pinch of sea salt
sweetener of choice including 2 dates, 2 TBSP maple syrup, or a few drops of stevia (optional)
Directions:
If desired, soak almonds for at least 12 hours in pure water with 1/2 tsp sea salt. This is an important step as it breaks down the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors and cultures beneficial enzymes in the almonds. The longer the almonds soak, the creamier the finished milk will be.
Drain the soaking water and rinse the almonds well. Do not keep this water to re-use as it contains phytic acid and is best to discard it. Remove the skin
In a blender or Vitamix combine almonds and pure water along with sweeteners, or any other optional ingredients.
Blend 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Mixture will expand some, so make sure your blender is not full before starting it.
Strain mixture into a large bowl through a sprout bag, but bag, or thin kitchen towel.
Pour into glass jar or pitcher and store in refrigerator for up to four days.
I have been wanting to try nut milk and this reci is simple and straight forward. Love your blog by the way 💕
I recently stopped drinking dairy and I have been buying my almond milk. This recipe is so simple and it Sounds delicious, I can’t wait to give it a try ❤️.