If you have purchased almond milk lately, you know it can get a little pricey. It is usually around $4.00 a carton.
So, I decided to make my own. I found a recipe in Clean Eating Magazine and kind of mixed it up a bit to make it my own. I couldn't find the recipe online, but it is in their March 2014 issue.
Here is what you need:
1 cup of blanched almonds (I used blanched almond slivers, it's what they had at Sprouts)
1/2 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut
That's it. Really.
Put your almonds and coconut in a bowl and cover with water. Leave overnight to soak. It softens them up and makes them easier to blend.
Put the nuts in your blender and add 3 cups of water. Blend until smooth.
Strain liquid into a pitcher. Put the pulp into a towel as you go along. When you have it all, squish it back into the clean blender and then add to the pitcher. The recipe in Clean Eating said to use a "nut bag". I don't have one, but if I keep making homemade almond milk, I may get one. With the nut bag, you just pour the whole mixture into the bag and then it strains it and you can squeeze the pulp from there. It looks pretty cool.
There you have it. Almond milk.
You can add some vanilla if you like. Or cinnamon. Or whatever you want. If you like it creamier, add less water. If you like it thinner, add more water. You can try it with oatmeal or cashews, or even make straight coconut milk.
Refrigerate and it should last 4 - 5 days. You may need to give it a little shake shake before using because it might separate a little bit.
My total cost for this was about $3.50. Yes, it's almost the same as buying almond milk at the store, but it is fresh, has no preservatives and I get the satisfaction of making it myself.
