After discovering that two of my daughters have a dairy intolerance, I began searching out other options. Due to soy not liking me very much, soy milk was out. Oat, rice, legume and quinoa milks were all so-so but nothing really cut it.
It was tough finding a good substitute that wasn’t too overpowering in flavour, that didn’t separate and/or curdle when heated, and didn’t cost a shipload!
I was in the process of leaning towards a more grain, sugar and dairy free style of eating when turning to nut milks. When I discovered almond milk especially, I felt amazing.
The health benefits far outweighed traditional processed dairy for me (vitamin f – stabilizes metabolism, nourishes kidneys, skin and hair; calcium, phosphorus and magnesium – together create a large and loving hug for our nervous systems; and a wonderfully pure source of low-carbohydrate protein).
The quality and consistency of packaged almond milk still varied between brands. The price per litre for the one I preferred the most was steep. Given the girls and I LOVE our breakfast chai each morning, I decided to get busy and make my own.
So here is my much more pocket-and-eco-friendly version.
This recipe is for quite a large batch. If you don’t have a processor/blender with a 2L capacity, feel free to split this recipe in half. We like ours quite creamy, but you can also keep adding water once made and strained until you find the right consistency.
Instead of buying at $7.95 per litre, our very luxurious almond milk costs just $3.10 per litre – and even better there is NO packaging to worry about. Even the leftover ‘pulp’ gets used in baking, or making the most AMAZING choc almond fudge (I’ll post that recipe soon!)
Ingredients:
- 250g almonds (soaked overnight and peeled, or blanched in hot water then peeled)
- 800ml – 1L boiled water, cooled a little
- 1 x airtight glass bottle or jar
- 1 x nutmilk bag or muslin + sieve colander for straining
- Optional Sweetener: 2 x medjool dates or 1 x spoonful of organic raw honey or brown rice syrup (to taste)
Method:
- Place boiled hot water into your glass container and leave for 10 minutes to sterilize. Empty. Set aside.
Pop almonds, water and your choice of sweetener into a processor or blender and blitz for at least 1 minute until smooth. - Grab strainer and muslin or nutmilk bag and strain into glass container (I do this twice to increase the smoothness).
- Wait until cooled and refrigerate up to 3 days. Or pour into muffin tin and freeze portions ready to make smoothies, almond milk ice cream or for baking.
(Remember not to throw out the pulp, this can be frozen too!)
Enjoy!
xo
Photo by Sandi Benedicta on Unsplash
