Homemade Almond Milk

Store bought almond milk may not be as healthful as you think it is. For a while, I didn’t pay much attention to the nutrition facts of store bought almond milk. It’s almond milk, it has to be contain few and safe ingredients right? Maybe don’t think so fast.

Not all almond milk is created equal (or any nut milks for that matter). Some store bought nut milks are great and few ingredients, but some contain not so ideal ingredients. To break down the not so ideal ingredients I’ve seen in some store bought almond milk —

• Carrageenan: comes from red algae, is indigestible by the human stomach

• Gums: used as a thickener, can alter your gut’s microbome (aka not agree with your stomach)

• Added sugar: nut milk is sweet enough without adding sugar

Knowing this information and how unnecessary some of the ingredients in the nut milk I was drinking, I decided to start making my own almond milk. It is delicious — so creamy and nutty, and incredibly simple to make.

Here’s the kitchen items you’ll need:

• High-power blender

• Nut milk bag

Homemade Almond Milk

Prep time: 4 hours

Cook time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 cups organic raw almonds (soaked at least 4 hrs, preferably overnight)
• 4 cups distilled water
• 1 date (optional)
• 2 T cacao (optional)
• Pinch of Himalayan pink salt (optional)

Instructions:

1. Add 1 1/2 cups of soaked organic raw almonds and 2 cups distilled water to a blender. I like to cut the batches in half to make it easier on the blender/fit well in the nut milk bag.
2. Blend on high speed until nuts are blended fully.
3. Strain the mix in the nut milk bag.
4. If you want to add any of the optional ingredients, add the nut milk back to the blender with the optional ingredients of choice.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 with remaining half of almonds and water.

Tip — Milk will remain fresh 4-5 days. Can substitute with cashews or oats for various types of nut/oat milk.