Making Nut Milks

You can make some delicious milks by whirling soaked nuts with water in a blender.  You can make the mixture delicate and thin or thick and creamy.  Soak raw almonds or raw cashews to make almond or cashew milk.  Nut milks are healing and are a great alternative for folks who have allergies to other types of milk.  You can either strain the blended mixture (in a nut bag or with many layers of cheesecloth) or drink it as is.  If you choose to strain the mixture, you can save the almond meal to use as flour for baking or for making a facial mask.  Thanks to Marie for sharing her “chai-spiced” version with me and my Herbal Medicine class at AIMC.  Really delicious!

Basic recipe

1 cups raw nuts (can use a little more for a really creamy drink)

4 cups water

1 TBS Honey

1/4 cup medjool dates

Optional spices to make a ‘chai-spiced’ milk

1/4 tsp clove

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 TBS cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)

1 tsp ginger powder (or to taste)

1/4 tsp sea salt

Make the basic recipe first.  Soak 1 cup nuts, preferably over night, and try to change the water when possible so that the nuts are soaking in fresh water every 3-12 hours.  At the very least, you should soak the nuts several hours.  When soaking is complete, you have the option to either leave the skin on or to remove it which is easy to do in water when the soaking has been long enough and the nuts are soft.  Next, put soaked nuts in blender and cover with about an inch of water over the top.  Blend until the mixture is smooth (may need to add a little more water to thin it out).  Strain through layered cheesecloth or a nut milk bag.  Put liquid back in blender and add the rest of the ingredients and enough water to bring the mixture up to 4 cups of liquid.  You can blend with heated water for a warmer drink.

Why soak nuts?

Soaking makes nuts easier to digest, since this process neutralizes the part of the nut that is problematic (the enzyme inhibitor).  When you pour off the water, you remove the enzyme inhibitor.

Fruit and Nut Milk Shake:

When the almond milk is prepared, try whizzing up a peeled banana or other fresh fruits (raspberries, strawberries, etc) along with the nutmilk.  This is a great way to get a protein filled dessert that contains only natural sugars.  It’s the new smoothie!