A decade ago, making almond milk was just one of those weird "hippie things" that mom used to do. When I'd go over to her house for a visit, more often than not, there would be almonds soaking in a bowl on her window sill and I'd think she'd gone nuts... Flash forward several years, and now I'm the nutty one. Making almond milk is a very regular task in our house. Just like doing laundry or vacuuming - it's got to be done and part of our weekly routine. If you're thinking right now, "Why would I make this when I can just buy it?!" Well, sorry to break it to you, but not all almond milk is created equal. There are several reasons why homemade almond milk is far superior. First of all, store bought almond milk is full of questionable additives like carrageen and Vitamin A palminate (read more about the additives in store-bought almond milk in this article written by the Healthy Home Economist). On top of that, homemade almond milk costs less to make, has superior taste, and as a bonus, it's better for the environment because you're not left with a cardboard container to dispose of when you're done! We often make plain almond milk using just almonds and water, which is great if you're using it as a substitute for dairy milk in savoury dishes, but when you're using it for your morning granola or breakfast cereal, I'd highly recommend amp-ing up the flavour with fresh date for sweetness and a dash of vanilla and salt for taste!

How to Make Naturally Sweetened Almond Milk

You'll Need

Equipment Blender (I LOVE my Vitamix) Cheese Cloth or Nut Milk Bag Glass Jar, like a large Mason jar or milk jug, for storing Ingredients 1 cup Raw Almonds, preferably organic (buy organic raw almonds here) 4 cups Water, filtered 1-2 Dates, fresh and preferably organic (buy fresh organic dates here) 1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract (buy here) 1/8 tsp Salt (pink himalyan salt is my go-to)

Method

Put almonds in a small bowl and cover with water to soak overnight. The next day, drain, transfer to blender and add water. Blend for 4 minutes, or 1 minute in a high-powered blender like a Vitamix. Drape the cheese cloth or nut milk bag over a large bowl or measuring cup and pour in the milk to strain out the pulp. Squeeze the liquid from the pulp and pour into a glass jar with a lid for storage. The milk will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. Note* Keep the pulp for making THESE muffins! You can also freeze the pulp until you have enough to dehydrate and make flour.