How to Make Almond Milk
Greetings!
So I’ve been craving chia pudding for the past few days. I relied on raw chia pudding (made with homemade raw almond milk) for about 3 weeks when I was on a full body detox this past February. It’s so tasty and filing and satisfying, especially when you’re on a raw detox. I actually haven’t had it since, and it just doesn’t taste the same with store-bought almond milk.
So, I decided I’d make almond milk (just so I can make chia pudding), AND I decided I’d also make my FIRST video—something I’ve been compelled to do, and something I’ve been asked to do, but I’ve been resistant. That is a whole other conversation.
Between the video and the text to follow, I’ll be taking you through step by step, and fill you in on all the little tricks I’ve discovered. There are so many different ways to make almond milk…this is how I’ve adopted the recipe.
What you need:
2 cups raw almonds
4 ½ - 5 cups filtered water
2-4 dates (depending on how sweet you like it…I usually do 2-3)
a splash of pure vanilla extract
a nut bag (can be found at most grocery stores)
a high-speed, high-powered blender
Soak your nuts!
Making almond milk is a bit of a commitment because it requires you to decide you’re going to make it ahead of time, and soak your raw almonds for 8-12 hours beforehand. I’ve definitely defied this part of the recipe to try and prove that it’s not necessary to soak the almonds prior, and I quickly realized there is a purpose to the pre-planned soaking.
First off, soaking softens the almonds, which makes a much smoother, better-tasting milk. If you don’t soak them, your milk will be gritty, and making the milk will take a lot more time and effort.
Secondly, soaking nuts helps to release the enzymes which actually makes digestion a whole lot easier. Chewing, digesting and breaking down a handful of raw almonds (or any kind of nut) is a lot of work on our digestive systems. Soaking them first makes this process easier and more efficient.
**Note, if you soak your nuts, drain them and then wait to eat or use them (where they completely dry) they will start growing a fury mold. Eat them or use them while they are still wet. No one wants to throw away a whole pound or two of raw almonds.
As they soak, you will notice that they plump up and the skin starts to loosen. You can either make the milk with the skin or you can take the time to peel each almond out of their skin. This can take about 10-15 minutes to de-skin them. But, it’s easy. They literally just pop right out.
Feel free to make adjustments, like adding more or less water or dates. The more you make almond milk, you will get a feel for how sweet and how thick you like it. I personally like it thicker (2 cups almonds to 4 cups water). You can also do equal parts water and almonds to make a thick coffee creamer.
Get creative and don’t forget to have fun!
Hope you enjoy my first video!
Please share if you like this video and recipe!
