Monday, May 11, 2009

Homemade Almond Milk

homemade milk!

It's so easy to make fresh almond milk that you'd have to be crazy not to do it! Making your own milk feels like having a cow in your backyard.
The good thing about making your own milk is that you use no packaging. Just buy almonds in bulk. A cup of almonds is also lighter to carry than a pack of milk (which makes a difference when you bike n' shop like me).

Proportions
1 measure of raw almonds
4 measures of water
(some recipes call for a date, but I like it just plain)

Equipment
Food processor
Fine mesh sieve
A big bowl
A container for the milk

How to proceed?
Sprouting
I make milk with raw sprouted almonds, which are more nutritious, healthier and easier to digest than unsprouted almonds. You might have difficulties finding truly raw almonds, since the Almond Board of California now requires growers to sell their production pasteurized (and most almonds in this country come from California), but my coop carries (imported*) unpasteurized raw almonds.

Fill a jar with almonds and water and soak for at least 12 hours. (Keep the jar in a place that won't be hit by the sun or get too hot). I usually soak the day before I want to make the milk.

Crushing
Pour water and almonds in a food processor. (Soaked almonds are much softer and easier on your blades than unsoaked ones). Blend.

crushing the almonds

Draining
Drain through a sieve.

no udders required

Voilà! You now have delicious, nutritious almond milk.

Bonus: the almond pulp!
You can use it in cookies or breads recipes, or simply eat it with your morning porrigde, in a yogurt, etc.
I make fake bacon with it, by mixing it to (a little bit of) oil, wheat tamari and smoked salt, laying it flat on a baking tray, and roasting it in the oven (for an amont of time that I forget). I used it on salads and it is astonishingly tasty.

breakfast: almond pulp, cashew yogurt, blueberries on a quinoa + fruit porridge


*I know it's not very locavore of me, but it feels healthier and more natural. And pasteurization uses energy too, I guess...


An article on nuts. And another one.

1 comment:

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