Easy Homemade Almond Milk

Find balance in your life by using a plant-powered dairy alternative, like almond milk. Making your own nut and seed milk is fairly easy. All you need is a blender and a strainer! I bought an inexpensive "nut bag" from a health food store, but they are easily found online as well. You can also use cheesecloth. Homemade milk keeps in the refrigerator for about two days.

Ingredients

1 cup raw almonds, preferably organic

2 cups water (plus more for soaking)

2 Medjool dates

pinch of kosher salt

directions

1. Place the raw almonds in a bowl and cover with water. Keep at room temperature on the counter overnight or up to 2 days. The almonds will plump up as they soak in water. The longer you soak, the creamier the milk.

2. Drain and rinse the almonds. Discard the soaking water. 

3. Then put the plumped almonds into your blender or food processor with 2 Medjool dates, a little pinch of salt, and 2 cups fresh water.

4. Blend continuously for about two minutes.

5. Strain the mixture through your nut milk bag. Don't be afraid to get your hands messy!

6. Refrigerate nut milk after preparing. Use within 2 days (though it doesn't last that long at our house -- my kids love it!)

7. Save your almond meal (the leftover solids in your nut milk bag) for another use -- healthy pancakes or muffins or in your oatmeal. If you want to save it, dry it in the oven at low temp for a few hours and keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.