Sounds like the setup to a joke but its not. Who knew? Almond milk is a fairly recent discovery of mine and it has found its way into my cooking arsenal lately in all manner of ways. Every now and then I would buy a box of the stuff when I was feeling all ‘granola and flax seed oil’ while frequenting the health food markets but due to the fact that the boxed almond milk is sweetened and processed (and its container will be in a landfill for at least a century) it never took hold in my regular repertoire. I wasn’t looking to drink it straight (if you will excuse the expression) and the sweetening put the kabosh on must usage situations I could think of. That has now changed now that I see how easy it is to make on my own terms. In addition to it being a decent cereal milk substitution it has been ending up in my soups, smoothies and even sorbets around here. (Be sure to check out my nothingspecial broccoli soup recipe below to get an idea of how you can use almond milk in your basic everyday cooking. In a strange way, I think I liked this soup better than had I used real dairy. The veggie taste really comes through the almond milk in a way it wouldn’t have with dairy. I think a roasted squash soup would really benefit from this treatment. This morning I used the last of this batch to mix in with oatmeal while it was cooking on the stove. It gave it a real creamy texture and I’m sure it benefited from what ever vitamins and non saturated fats are in it.
I’ve been buying the raw almonds from the bulk bins at the Sprouts Market just down the street.
How Do You Milk an Almond
Almond Milk
This is what you will need:
- 1 cup raw almonds
- water to soak & 3 cups water to blend
- cheesecloth
This is how you make it:
- Cover almonds in a bowl with water and soak overnight.
- Drain almonds and rinse thoroughly.
- Place almonds in a strong blender with 3 cups water. Blend until smooth.
- Strain the mixture through cheesecloth into a jar that can be covered and refrigerate.
- Keeps several days in the refrigerator.
- Milk will separate but a quick shake brings it all back.
- May be sweetened to taste or add a shake of cinnamon or nutmeg to flavor for straight drinking.
- Or blend a date or two in with the almonds before straining if you intend to drink it.
Almond Milk Broccoli Soup
This is what you will need:
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 2 T olive oil
- 4 cups broccoli cut into small pieces, including stalks
- 1 cup vegetable stock (or water)
- 1/2 tablespoon oregano
- 1/2 thyme
- 1 cup almond milk
- salt and pepper to taste
This is how you make it:
- Put oil in saucepan and saute the onion and garlic for 2 minutes then add the broccoli and herbs and a pinch of salt.
- Add stock and water to barely cover.
- Cook for 15 minutes.
- Add almond milk and warm.
- Off heat, cool, and blend with immersion blender.
- Adjust seasonings to taste.
I will have to try this! I buy unsweetened Almond & Coconut milks but have yet to make my own. Did you heat the water at all before soaking the almonds?
Hi Kate! Just soak with regular water. This one is pretty foolproof.
Great idea adding the date for sweetness!