Almond Milk

If you read the ingredients list on a container of almond milk at the store, in addition to almonds and water you’ll see:

• cane juice or other sweeteners
• carrageenan, guar gum, and other thickeners
• synthetic vitamins

All of these things are added so that the manufacturer can skimp on the almonds in order to keep costs low.  But almond milk is so simple to make, why not make it yourself without all the additives?  It will taste better and be far more nutritious.

Equipment

• A high-speed blender like the Vitamix or Blendtec.  You can do it with a regular blender, but you won’t extract as much of the good stuff from the almonds.  But it’ll still be better than what you buy in a box!
• Either a nutmilk bag, or a metal mesh strainer + some cheesecloth.

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw almonds, preferably organic
• 4-6 cups filtered water, plus more for soaking the almonds
• Optional additions: dates, cinnamon, vanilla, honey, stevia

Preparation

1. Soak almonds in filtered water, all day or overnight (~8 hours).  The almonds will expand as they soak, so add an inch or two of water above the level of the almonds.
2. Drain the almonds and rinse until water runs clear.
3. Put almonds into blender.  Add 4-6 cups of water (4 cups will be creamier; 6 cups will stretch your almonds farther if you’re on a budget).  Add any extras such as dates, honey, or stevia for sweetness; vanilla bean, cinnamon, or other spices for flavor.  Blend until completely liquified.
4. If you have a nutmilk bag:  Hold it over your pitcher and pour contents of blender into bag.  Once most of the liquid has flowed through, squeeze the bag thoroughly to get as much of the remaining fluid out as possible.  Otherwise, line your strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth.  Pour the contents of the blender through the strainer into pitcher or bowl.  Then you can pick up the cheesecloth and squeeze the remaining fluid out.
5. Refrigerate and enjoy within 3-4 days.