Almond milk is smooth as cream. A great source of calcium, heart-healthy fats, and easily digestible protein, this milk is a fresh alternative to soy milk, rice milk, or cow’s milk and perfect as the base for a fortified smoothie, with cereal, and of course, with cookies! Other nuts can be used for variations such as cashews or hulled hemp seeds. Almonds have a lovely mild sweetness, which can be bumped up with a bit of maple syrup or agave, or spiced with cinnamon or vanilla. The pulp leftover can be used for a second batch, or dried and ground into flour for cookies and cakes.

Yields: about 1 quart

INGREDIENTS:

1-1/4 cups raw almonds, soaked 8 hours in filtered water, drained and rinsed
4 cups filtered water
sea salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional)
2 tablespoons agave nectar (optional)

for delicious variations add any or all:
pinch freshly ground cinnamon
teaspoon non-alcohol vanilla extract

PROCEDURE:

Soak nuts as directed. Drain and rinse.
Place in blender with filtered water. Blend at high speed until smooth.
Pour through a mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Set pulp aside. The pulp can be used to make a second batch using half the amount of all of the other ingredients or dried into almond flour.
Drink or use as is, or rinse out blender and return milk to blender. Add maple syrup and/or agave nectar and blend again until mixed.
Try adding cinnamon and/or vanilla and blending until smooth.

SERVICE

Serve chilled or at room temperature.

LEFTOVER STORAGE

Store in a tightly sealed jar in the fridge for 2-3 days.