NUT “MILK”

Homemade plant-based “milks” are so delicious. I have a high speed blender so it is so easy to make my own. With homemade I don’t have to worry about added ingredients that I don’t want. You can use whatever nut you prefer and adjust the amount of water based on how thick you want it. If you want it sweet add whatever sweetener you prefer…I use dates. If you like flavored milk, you can add vanilla extract, banana, chocolate, cinnamon, etc. I previously used a kitchen towel to strain the milk but now use an inexpensive “nut bag” which is much easier to use and I am able to extract more liquid. There are even expensive machines you can buy to make plant-based “milks” but I don’t own one.

It is not natural to be drinking breast milk past the age of weaning. Breast milk of any species is loaded with hormones and nutrients that are meant to cause rapid growth of a newborn. Drinking cow's milk or eating milk products is associated with various medical problems including growth of cancers. Did you know that the famous Dr. Benjamin Spock, in the last edition of his book "Baby and Child Care," recommended a vegan diet for children over the age of 2? At the bottom of this page I have included a slide from a talk I gave listing some of the problems with cow's milk.

Here is a nice blog article on “Food Revolution Network” about plant milks: Ditching Dairy? The Lowdown on Non-Dairy Milk — Plus a Look at 10 Popular Plant Milks

Here is what I do but do your own search as there are lots of recipes available online. Besides nut milks you can make banana milk, seed milks, rice milk, and others.

Almond milk:

1 cup raw almonds, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed

3 pitted Medjool dates

1-2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

4- 4 1/4 cup filtered water

I remove the skins after soaking to make it easier when straining (you just squeeze the almond and the skin pops off) but this is optional. Place all the ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth, about a minute or so. I pour 1/2 into the nut bag and squeeze out the “milk” into a medium bowl that has a spout. I then invert the bag to remove the pulp (I save it for making dog treats) and rinse it. I then repeat to strain the other 1/2 of the mixture. I then pour the “milk” into a glass mason jar and refrigerate. It will settle so just shake it before use.

As an alternative you can use raw almond butter to make the milk by combining about 2 cups of filtered water and 2 1/2 Tablespoons almond butter in a food processor or blender. 

Cashew milk: I usually make this when I need unsweetened “milk” when baking/cooking because it is super quick and easy. The cashews do not need to be soaked and after blended it does not need to be strained. How much I make depends on what a recipe calls for. I often use 1/4 cup cashews with 1 cup filtered water.

Oat milk: I don’t make much plain oat milk since it’s a bit too “slimy” for me due to the soluble fiber. I will use it when cooking/baking because is quick and easy but I don’t like it in my morning coffee. I will at times add some oats to my batch of almond milk. When I do that, I blend the almond milk first and leave it in the blender. I then add 1/4 cup rolled oats and 1 cup filtered water and blend briefly (30 seconds) in the high speed blender. Some sites say to soak the oats first but I have not found that very helpful. I use my nut bag to strain when making plain oat milk but some say a clean T-shirt or thin kitchen towel works better to more fully remove the pulp.

Here is a comparison of using a high speed blender vs a machine called “Almond Cow” for making plant-based milks: ALMOND COW VS. BLENDER: WHAT’S BEST FOR NUT MILK?