There is a lot of controversy over dairy or non-dairy milk. To be honest- I think they both serve a great purpose. I for one can’t tolerate dairy milk that well, but that does not mean everyone should avoid it. I am however against pasteurized, antibiotic rich dairy milk. If you want to drink dairy milk, get the good stuff- the raw, less pasteurized version. Almond milk is a great alternative if you are worried about allergies or have concerns about dairy sourcing.
If you want to drink nut milk, that’s great, just make it yourself because most store bought “almond milk contains hardly any almonds, mostly water, added sugars, and a smattering of vitamins for good measure” (Source). And it doesn’t take long to make it yourself. It’s definitely cheaper and it will have less additives (like none).
Nut milk is a low glycemic alternative to rice milk, and doesn’t cause problems with hormone levels like soy milk does. It can be used in place of regular milk in recipes and baking. It is easy to make and has a light taste.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw nuts, I like raw almonds but cashews are great too
- 4 cups purified water
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or 2 dates
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
You will need a blender, strainer and a cheese cloth.
Directions
- Soak nuts in water with a little bit of sea salt for about 6 hours (overnight is ok too). This is an important step because the soaking breaks down the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors making them easier for digestion. (side note: soaking nuts should be done before eating them as well. Soak nuts in salt water for 12 hours, rinse them, and dry)
- After the nuts have soaked, using a strainer, drain off water and rinse well under running water
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender
- Blend on high for 2-3 minutes
- Place cheesecloth on strainer and pour the nut milk through
- Squeeze the cheese cloth to get the remaining milk
- Pour into a glass jar or pitcher and store in fridge for up to one week.
Note: The leftover pulp from the cheesecloth can be added to oatmeal or muffins or anything you can think of to benefit by adding lots of real good fiber!
