Almond Milk
Nut and seed milks are a great dairy-free choice and making your own is economical and easy. Almonds make great tasting milk and are high in protein. Cashews make really creamy milk and for thicker cashew milk add a little less water when blending. If you add acai or maqui powder, you’ll have purple coloured milk for kids to enjoy.
Use this basic recipe to start with, then get creative and mix up your own nutty creations. Sometimes I add a little fruit like half a banana, a few berries, a couple of chopped dates, mango or pineapple to flavour the milk. Try adding some of the optional additions I’ve suggested for variety and a nutritional boost.
Basically, you’ll need one-part nuts to two-parts water to make nut milk. You can use any kind of nuts including almonds, cashews, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans and walnuts. You can also make seed milks from sunflower, pumpkin or sesame seeds if you are nut-sensitive.
TIP: When you strain the blended nut milk, if any pieces of nuts are left, reserve them to use in smoothies or salads. You can also use stevia, honey or maple syrup (to taste) to sweeten the nut milk if desired.
NOTE: Soaking nuts and seeds rehydrates, softens, activates life force and makes them easier to digest. Rinse and drain them well before blending. You do not need to soak nuts and seeds to make milk if you are pressed for time.
Soaking (Activating) Nuts + Seeds
Soaking and activating nuts or sprouting seeds creates a similar condition to germination and helps remove a protective natural toxin (phytic acid, which is designed to make the nut or seed pass straight through a digestive system to germinate).
Removing this protective layer during soaking usually makes nuts and seeds easier to digest and can also increase healthy enzymes and nutritional availability in the nut or seed.
Soak | Activate
Place your desired amount of nuts or seeds in a jar or small container and cover with filtered or spring water at an approx. 2 to 1 ratio (1 cup nuts to 2 cups water).
Place on a counter overnight. You can soak for less time, but at least 6 – 8 hours is ideal.
After soaking, drain and rinse the nuts or seeds in filtered or spring water and use immediately, or store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (approx. 150gm) whole raw almonds, cashews, or other nuts
- 2 cups (500 ml) filtered or spring water.
Optional Additions
(You can find all these items in your health food store or online.)
- 2 tbsp raw cacao powder (you may need to add natural sweetener to taste)
- 1 tsp acai or maqui powder (for purple milk)
- 1 tbsp honey, coconut sugar, coconut syrup, or natural sweetener of choice (to taste).
MAKES approx. 2½ cups (500ml)
PREP TIME 5 minutes (plus 2 hours to overnight if soaking nuts)
Method
1. Place all the ingredients in the blender and blend on high for 1 – 2 minutes. Check to see if the nuts have ground enough and blend again for 1 minute if needed.
2. Strain nut milk, reserve leftover nut pulp for other uses like adding to smoothies. You can strain the nut milk in a fine metal strainer or use a cloth straining bag or cheese cloth. Straining through cloth removes the most nut pulp and makes milk idea for using in coffee and tea. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Chef Kate
You may love Chef Kate’s cookbook, The Flavour of Joy. Containing stories to inspire, amuse and uplift as well as delicious, healthy recipes you’ll love.
Kate uses local organic and sustainable ingredients in her tasty and nutritious recipes, also including superfoods and medicinal herbs in her dishes to create healthy and nourishing food for the body, mind, and spirit.
Images by Holly Kent | @hollyvkent
