Homemade Almond Milk

If you haven’t made almond milk yourself yet, you’re missing out! Making it on your own tastes a million times better and fresher and *BONUS*: it’s also not loaded with chemicals, additives, and preservatives! Although, if you have an almond allergy, then it’s totally understandable 🙂

Almond milk is usually a lactose-intolerant, milk-loving person’s dream come true. It’s a great substitute to cow’s milk for anyone who can tolerate almonds, really.

I actually can’t remember the last time I drank cow’s milk. I never really liked it. When I was determined to get healthy about six years ago, I remember falling for the whole 0%, nonfat milk hype. It’ll do my body good? Ok fine. But I still wasn’t a fan. I’d have a small glass of 0% milk once in a while when a cereal or brownie craving came along.

I thought I was doing something good for my bones and my body, but after tons of research, boy was I wrong. What’s funny is that my dad used to tell me I was making the wrong choice by drinking that kind of milk, too. If only I had listened earlier! Story of my life.

Aside from the scrutiny cow’s milk has come under the past few years (including this major study that associated consuming a high intake of cow’s milk with an increased risk for bone fractures), nonfat, 0% milkfat, skim milk all contain sugar. In fact, *side note*, I avoid anything nonfat because of all the additives and sugar they have to add to those products to make them taste good.

Years later, almond milk makes its entrance into my life! I tried a couple different store-bought brands, but wasn’t really feelin’ the flavor.

I finally realized that it literally takes two ingredients to make almond milk: almonds and filtered water. YUP you read that right!

Now if you’re an almond milk drinker, take a look at the box of almond milk you bought at the store. Go ahead. I’ll wait 🙂

Did you see it?! There’s other unnecessary (not to mention GMO) ingredients in there! Even the organic ones, although without GMOs, contain additives that your body simply doesn’t need/can’t properly digest.

When the ingredients researcher in me noticed these facts, it was time for some DIY, homemade almond milk. And now I get to share that with all of you!

It’s so easy that you’re going to wonder why you hadn’t tried this sooner. Don’t you just love knowing and being in control of what’s going in to your body?!

I use raw, organic, unsalted almonds. Be sure to buy yours unsalted and unroasted as well!

First, you’ll want to soak 1 cup of almonds anywhere from 8 to 12 hours.

Add water and 1/4^th to ½ teaspoon of salt to a bowl. Submerge the almonds into the mixture. Cover with a plate. I usually set mine on the counter, away from direct sunlight. Overnight works too!

 

 

There are three reasons for this process:

1. You’re helping to get rid of the phytic acid that nuts naturally release.
2. You’re allowing the enzyme inhibitors nuts contain to become more digestible.
3. Softer almonds are easier on your blender/processor blades.

After soaking, strain the almonds and rinse thoroughly with filtered water.

Add your cup of almonds along with four cups of filtered water to a blender or processor.

I use my beloved Vitamix for this. Make sure the item you’re using is able to hold the ingredients, keeping in mind that the almonds will seem to liquefy, thereby taking up more room.

Blend it all up and watch the magic happen! Those almonds and water will suddenly start turning a beautiful, creamy white. This usually takes a couple minutes in my Vitamix, but be prepared to blend for a few minutes longer depending on your machine.

Pictured below is a half cup of almonds and 2 cups of water (because I’m going out of town and can’t drink a whole cup’s worth of almonds in 2 days hehe). Basically, you want a 1:4 ratio of almonds to water.

It should look something like this when you’re done:

As you can see, there’s little almond pieces that no amount of blending will take away, so this is when you bust out a mesh strainer, nut milk bag, or cheesecloth and pour the milk into it over a large bowl or jar.

Strain the mixture.

Shoutout to the hubby who handled the pouring and straining part while I took pictures hehe 🙂

Boom you’ve got some almond pulp in that strainer/nut milk bag/cheesecloth. Most people throw this out, but I save it to make desserts or add back into my “cereal.”

Now I like the taste as-is (unsweetened), but you are welcome to taste it after refrigerating (because warm milk, ick) and see if you want it a little sweeter. Here’s where you’re in control. You can use a vanilla bean, vanilla extract, soaked date, maple syrup, or honey to sweeten it up. If you decide you want to sweeten it, add the almond milk back into your blender with your sweetener of choice.

**Keep in mind, if you’re going to be using this almond milk in your cooking or baking as a milk substitute, make sure you save some as unsweetened.

 

 

**IF you happen to have a juicer, well then lucky you! It’ll take the pulp right out for ya! Follow the same soaking instructions, then add your rinsed almonds and filtered water to a bowl and scoop out a ladle-full and add to your juicer. Bam. Almond milk!

**Be sure to refrigerate your almond milk.

**Shake it before drinking as you’ll notice the water and “milk” start to separate.

**Consume your almond milk within about 5 days.

And there ya have it! Yummy almond milk that’s super easy to make!

Have you tried making almond milk or any other type of non-dairy milk? I’d love to hear from you! 🙂