This past spring, I got really creative in the kitchen. Inspired by Brendan Brazier's book "Thrive," I started making lots of food from scratch - replacing gels with date-and-coconut-oil energy bites, swapping regular Gatorade with a super refreshing ginger "Gatorade" created from coconut water and lemons, and of course, that pre- and post-run pudding (best when eaten on the side of the road). But out of everything I blended and pureed, homemade almond milk was one of the more tasty morsels formulated.
Best, it's shockingly easy. It may sound complicated, but trust me - it's not. I'm a little embarrassed because friends (hi, Gabi!) have encouraged me to try this for years, but I dismissed it because it involved a cheesecloth, which sounded hopelessly exotic. (heads up: you can order a cheesecloth on Amazon for $3.99 without ever having to leave the safety of your home. I'm all about Amazon Prime when the temperature is 100+ degrees outside.)
It took a slight push from another friend this past spring (thanks, John!) and then a tutorial on You Tube that finally convinced me almond milk was within the realm of my cooking ability. Unbelievably, it essentially no skill whatsoever. From start to finish, it takes less than 20 minutes. Really. I can even make a batch during the "Red Zone" - the time of day every mother fears: the before-school crunch when you are serving breakfast, making lunches, packing book bags, and passing out briefcases. But like most vegan cooking, this too employs the "dump and blend" technique. It's almost fool-proof.
It costs virtually pennies to make and there are no added ingredients you cannot pronounce. What the heck is 'carrageenan' anyways? If I can't say it, I don't want to eat it (with the exception of 'quinoa.' Let's say it all together: KEEN-wah.)
Interested? Give it a whirl.
You will need:
- one cup of almonds
- 6 cups of water
- vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 4 dates, pitted
- a blender (high-speed not necessary)
- that cheesecloth thing and possibly a rubber band
- several containers (I recommend glass Ball jars)
First, soak your almonds overnight in a large bowl. This is really the hardest part - waiting for those little devils to soak. Oh, forethought. Make sure they are completely covered. You may want to cover the bowl with a cloth to ensure your cats do not use it as an extra water dish. (Uh, not like I'm speaking from experience or anything...)
Best, it's shockingly easy. It may sound complicated, but trust me - it's not. I'm a little embarrassed because friends (hi, Gabi!) have encouraged me to try this for years, but I dismissed it because it involved a cheesecloth, which sounded hopelessly exotic. (heads up: you can order a cheesecloth on Amazon for $3.99 without ever having to leave the safety of your home. I'm all about Amazon Prime when the temperature is 100+ degrees outside.)
It took a slight push from another friend this past spring (thanks, John!) and then a tutorial on You Tube that finally convinced me almond milk was within the realm of my cooking ability. Unbelievably, it essentially no skill whatsoever. From start to finish, it takes less than 20 minutes. Really. I can even make a batch during the "Red Zone" - the time of day every mother fears: the before-school crunch when you are serving breakfast, making lunches, packing book bags, and passing out briefcases. But like most vegan cooking, this too employs the "dump and blend" technique. It's almost fool-proof.
It costs virtually pennies to make and there are no added ingredients you cannot pronounce. What the heck is 'carrageenan' anyways? If I can't say it, I don't want to eat it (with the exception of 'quinoa.' Let's say it all together: KEEN-wah.)
Interested? Give it a whirl.
You will need:
- one cup of almonds
- 6 cups of water
- vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 4 dates, pitted
- a blender (high-speed not necessary)
- that cheesecloth thing and possibly a rubber band
- several containers (I recommend glass Ball jars)
First, soak your almonds overnight in a large bowl. This is really the hardest part - waiting for those little devils to soak. Oh, forethought. Make sure they are completely covered. You may want to cover the bowl with a cloth to ensure your cats do not use it as an extra water dish. (Uh, not like I'm speaking from experience or anything...)
In the morning, drain and rinse almonds well. Snack on some; soaked almonds are delish! They are also more gentle on the body to digest.
Place rinsed almonds in the blender with six cups of water. For flavoring/natural sweetness, I recommend pitted dates and vanilla paste, but the sky is really the limit. Other options are listed below.
Blend on high for at least three minutes. You'll still be able to see almond pieces in the mixture, but it should be white and frothy and very milk-like when it's ready.
Pour the mixture directly into the cheesecloth over a container. If you don't have an extra pair of hands, I usually clip the cheesecloth onto the container so it doesn't fall in. Rubber bands are helpful too.
Slowly pour the mixture in and let it strain.
Pour the mixture directly into the cheesecloth over a container. If you don't have an extra pair of hands, I usually clip the cheesecloth onto the container so it doesn't fall in. Rubber bands are helpful too.
Slowly pour the mixture in and let it strain.
Viola! In a few minutes, the almond meal will separate from the almond milk, and you are good to go. Best, don't throw away all of that almond meal goodness; there are lots of ways to use it. Simply dry it on a cookie sheet and then store it in an airtight container. You can use it in some really tasty recipes, such as Almond Meal Cookies with Coconut and Chocolate or Low-Carb Pancakes (not vegan, sadly, but they look good.) Just Google "uses for almond meal" and you'll be golden.
I like to store the homemade almond milk in air-tight glass jars. I store pretty much everything in glass jars these days, and it makes me feel a lot better about all of that plastic/BPA warnings. Plus, it makes my fridge look pretty and somewhat organized. Well, at least to me. Brian is constantly wondering what strange concoctions are lingering by his Gatorade. But to me, it's beautiful.
Consider these other flavor options too:
-- 2 Tbsp raw cacao plus honey or Stevia for "chocolate" milk
-- a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg and a tiny dash of cloves for a autumn-inspired flavor
-- brew a strong batch of rooibos tea (three tea bags per one cup of water) and use the cooled brew as part of your six cups. Add sweetener (dates, honey, stevia, or even a splash of maple syrup)
Worried about the calories? Remember, you are not eating the whole almond, just the milk you've managed to extract. In order to figure out the calories, take the entire cup of almonds minus the weight of the almond meal leftover (take 80% of that number since about 20% is water), then divide it by the number of cups of milk you made. Not a fan of math? I'll do it for you: if you follow the above recipe, it comes out to about 50 calories per cup, 5 grams of fat and 1 gram of fiber. I like to use a tablespoon or two in coffee/tea in the morning or in my post-run smoothie. Feel free to pour it over granola, cereal, drink it straight or whatever your heart desires. Enjoy!
-- 2 Tbsp raw cacao plus honey or Stevia for "chocolate" milk
-- a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg and a tiny dash of cloves for a autumn-inspired flavor
-- brew a strong batch of rooibos tea (three tea bags per one cup of water) and use the cooled brew as part of your six cups. Add sweetener (dates, honey, stevia, or even a splash of maple syrup)
Worried about the calories? Remember, you are not eating the whole almond, just the milk you've managed to extract. In order to figure out the calories, take the entire cup of almonds minus the weight of the almond meal leftover (take 80% of that number since about 20% is water), then divide it by the number of cups of milk you made. Not a fan of math? I'll do it for you: if you follow the above recipe, it comes out to about 50 calories per cup, 5 grams of fat and 1 gram of fiber. I like to use a tablespoon or two in coffee/tea in the morning or in my post-run smoothie. Feel free to pour it over granola, cereal, drink it straight or whatever your heart desires. Enjoy!
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