Homemade almond milk has a fresh, light taste and a silky smooth consistency. It is not as stable as commercial versions- it only lasts for a few days and it doesn’t heat well for warm drinks like hot chocolate. That being said, its richer flavour makes it worth trying. Plus, there is an upside to its fragility- since it does not contain any of the stabilizers and preservatives that commercial versions do, it is a viable option for those with digestive issues and sensitive systems. Carrageenan is a thickener derived from seaweed that is in every commercial almond milk I have seen on market shelves. Its use has grown exponentially in recent years with the demand for non-dairy milk and milk products on the rise, but there is not a lot of information about its long term effects. Many people have reported discomfort upon consumption along with other issues like skin rashes that are associated with hindered digestion. Some research has shown that its inability to be properly broken down and utilized by the human digestive tract can lead to inflammation and play a part in ailments like leaky gut syndrome and colon ulcers. Whipping up a batch requires a lot more hassle than opening a carton, but when necessary, or for a treat now and then as time permits, the extra effort does not go to waste.
Almond milk is really easy to make and completely customizable to accommodate different palates. I used strawberries in this version but any berries could work and fewer or more dates changes the sweetness level. Extra water can be added to thin it out and even the almonds can be substituted for other nuts or seeds. Ideally, the nuts should be soaked for at least four hours. This extra step makes their nutrients more available and neutralizes their natural protective mechanisms like enzyme inhibitors. Once a nut is safely in the ground and rain saturates the soil enough it will start to change, no longer needing its protective shields (it doesn’t want to get eaten by animals) and sprout- soaking nuts in water mimics this process well enough to make them as nutritious as possible for us. Once the soaking is done, it just takes 5 minutes to blend all the ingredients together and strain the milk.
- 3 cups water
- 3 cups strawberries, sliced
- 1 cup almonds
- 3 Medjool dates
- Optional: 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- Soak the almonds in a bowl with around 2 cups of water for 4-24 hours.
- After soaking, pour the water out and rinse the almonds until the water runs clear. Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend on high until everything is completely broken down. Strain through a large piece of doubled over cheesecloth or a nut milk bag for silky smooth milk. Store the milk in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- You can save the pulp for granola, smoothies or baking and it will stay well in the freezer for a few weeks until ready to use it.
