Make Your Own Vanilla Cashew-Almond Milk (Recipe)

Samantha Keene –  I know there are plenty of you out there who already make your own nut milk, but for those of you who have yet to make the transition – or for those looking to make their milk a little more exciting – then this post is for you.

Several months ago I started making my own nut milk at home, and it was the best decision I’ve made in a very long time! I had thought about doing it for ages, but it was always just one of those things that I avoided for no real reason; I assumed it would be too time consuming, too expensive, too… hard. How wrong I was.

If you have ten minutes, a handful of nuts, and some fabric – you can make nut milk.

milkOnce I realized this was going to become a permanent part of my life (immediately after tasting my first batch), I invested the $10 in a nut milk bag, but for my first time around I simply cut the leg off a pair of (clean) pantyhose that would have ended up in the trash, thanks to a lovely run down the thigh. You don’t need to invest any money into this if you don’t want to. Old pantyhose are also great for mason jar sprouting, FYI.

You’ll be amazed at how something that once seemed so daunting so quickly becomes a normal part of your routine. It will literally take 5 minutes of your time once or twice a week – I’ve spent more time than that choosing which almond milk to buy at the store! And doing this yourself ensures that you know exactly what’s going inside your body: no unnecessary chemicals, preservatives, thickeners; no added sugar.

There is something so unbelievably empowering about making something from scratch. The less cans, boxes, and packages you bring into your home, the better you will feel both physically and emotionally – I promise! I can’t tell you how proud and excited I feel every time I pull a jar of milk out of the fridge that was made with my own two hands. And I want to share that feeling with everyone.

As if that feeling weren’t enough to motivate you… it tastes incredible! I really love this combination of nuts, the cashews lend this milk such a creamy, luxurious taste, and the vanilla just sends things right over the edge. No sugar needed, though a couple of dates thrown in there would be insane.

The other amazing thing about making your own almond milk is that you no longer need to buy almond meal. Many people throw away the leftover almond pulp, but that’s literally throwing your money into the garage. Get the most bang for your buck by drying the pulp and using it in baked goods exactly as you would almond meal from the store. I’ve had great luck with this cashew-almond mixture – it makes my raw cookie dough balls taste extra good, and I’m sure it would work well in a variety of recipes!

Show your body some love and start making your own milk today!

If you have a favourite recipe for nut milk that you’d like to share, post in the comments below!

Recipe is from my blog, The Healthful Hoard.

Vanilla Cashew-Almond Milk (makes 4 cups)

Gluten free, vegan, sugar free, soy free

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup raw almonds
  • 1/2 cup raw cashews
  • 1/2 vanilla bean pod, beans scraped
  • 1/4 tsp of Himalayan sea salt
  • 4 cups filtered water

Directions

  1. Place your raw nuts in a container (or right in the blender to save yourself from washing more dishes), cover with water, and soak overnight.
  2. When you’re ready to use them, drain the water and give the nuts a quick rinse.
  3. Add them back to your blender, along with the 4 cups of water, vanilla, and salt, and blend on high for about a minute. The water will go from clear, to grainy, to white in this time.
  4. Strain into a glass container or mason jar using your nut milk bag or other fabric – you may have to do some squeezing!
  5. Store in the fridge for up to a week.

Notes

  1. Your milk will separate after sitting in the fridge for a while, so just remember to give it a good shake before serving. This does not mean it has gone bad – I made the mistake of throwing out some perfectly good milk before I learned this lesson!

Samantha Keene is an editor, food blogger, researcher, and wellness enthusiast. She is the author behind the gluten free and vegetarian blog, The Healthful Hoard, which features whole-foods based recipes designed to enliven and empower. Samantha believes in a simple mantra: “Eat better. Feel better. Repeat.” For more information or for healthy meal inspiration, visit: thehealthfulhoard.wordpress.com.

SF Source Collective Evolution  April 2015

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