Vanilla & Strawberry Almond Milks

I go through a lot of almond milk every week, and a way I save money is by buying raw almonds in bulk and making it myself. In 2007, the USDA passed a law that allowed pasteurized, steamed, irradiated, or chemically treated almonds to still be labeled as "raw" in order to stop salmonella contamination. For example, the "raw almonds" you find in Trader Joe's have actually been steam pasteurized before packaging. So, if you are concerned about what kind of raw almonds you are buying, try to stick to organic or Italian labeled raw almonds (found in bulk at Whole Foods).

When I began to make my first batches of almond milk, I used lots of cheesecloth to strain it, and I ended up making a huge mess all over my kitchen. I decided to make my own mesh nut milk bag instead. If you're not very smooth with using cheesecloth, too, there are many websites that can help you purchase your own nut milk/sprouting bag.

Vanilla Almond “Milk”

1 c almonds, raw & soaked in water for at least 8 hours and rinsed

4 c water

1 T agave, or sweetener of your choice - dates, honey, stevia

1 T  vanilla

¼ tsp sea salt

Optional: cinnamon, nutmeg

Blend the almonds with the water at high speed for at least one minute. Strain with a mesh bag or cheesecloth into a large container. Gently squeeze out any remaining milk from the almond pulp. Rinse out blender and lid, and gently blend remaining ingredients with the strained almond milk. Store in a container/jar with a lid, and it will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.  

Sometimes, homemade almond milk will separate in it's container, so it will need to be shaken before used. You can add 1 T soy/sunflower lecithin if a thicker and more consistent milk is wanted.  Also, the almond pulp can be frozen or dehydrated to make almond flour for other recipes!

vanilla almond milk with cinnamon

Strawberry Almond "Milk"

1 c almonds, preferably raw & soaked in water for at least 8 hours and rinsed

4 c water

1½ c strawberries

¼ tsp sea salt

Blend the almonds with the water at high speed for at least one minute. Strain with a mesh bag or cheesecloth into a large container. Gently squeeze out any remaining milk from the almond pulp. Rinse out blender and lid, and blend the strawberries and salt with the strained almond milk. Strain again to remove strawberry seeds. Store in a container/jar with a lid, and it will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

I love adding this milk to my overnight oats!