Make Your Own Almond Milk for Yummy Smoothies

Posted on : June 14th, 2018

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Have you discovered almond milk? I love it! It’s a dairy- free, soy-free choice that is great for vegans or anyone wanting to try something new. But, for me, the store bought varieties sometimes leave a lot to be desired. I’m on a low-carb diet and almonds are very low carb so that would seem  like a great choice for me. But some store-bought brands have added sugar! That won’t work on a strict low carb diet at all. I’m not overly strict but I’d rather add the amount of sweetness I want. And some almond milks are way too watery. I want a milk alternative to act like milk in my coffee or tea. And watch out for additives like carrageenan and a variety of gums that can cause stomach distress in some people.

Fortunately,  homemade almond milk is super easy to make, less expensive, and wonderful to drink fresh. It takes some planning ahead—you need to soak the almonds in water at least overnight. But it’s not hard to add that to your routine. I’ll get into the detail below and then give you a recipe for a delicious Pick-Me-Up smoothie that’s not completely low carb (there’s a banana and little honey or maple syrup added) but it’s really good! It was created by Tina Haupert, for the Almond Board of California.

Homemade Almond Milk

Ingredients

• 1 lb. 2 oz whole natural (skin on) almonds
• 1 1/2 quart water, plus more for soaking

Preparation

1. Place the almonds in a large container and pour in enough water to cover them. Put a lid or plastic wrap on the container and let the nuts soak for at least 8 hours. Up to 48 hours is fine.
2. Drain and rinse the almonds.
3. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl.
4. Put half of the almonds in a blender and add 3 c. fresh water. Blend well until the nuts are finely chopped. Pour them into the cheesecloth lined strainer. Repeat with the remaining almonds and another 3 c. fresh water.
5. Strain out the nut pulp and squeeze it through the cheesecloth to obtain as much almond milk as possible.
6. Keep the almond milk refrigerated in a covered container until ready to use. You can use the almond pulp if you like for other recipes.

Pick-Me-Up Smoothie

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