How to Make Almond Milk

Some days I just have to put down the homework and do the things I really want to do. Today that meant making the bed first thing in the morning, running around Greenlake, and returning home to make a fantastic kale, pineapple, lemon, and green apple juice. Other days this might mean eating cheese crackers, texting with my best friend for three hours straight, and staring at my freshly painted fingernails. It really can vary.

I've been practicing some pretty radical self care for the last year. More and more, the running/juicing/organizing Alli dominates over the cheese cracker/glitter polish crazed Alli.

But I still chronically text with my best lady.

I started making my own almond milk about a month ago. It took some enlightenment and encouragement from my dear friend Kirsten, but I finally got this one down. I'll never go back to buying this stuff!

Homemade almond milk is a delight. It goes well with black teas, hot coffee, and morning oatmeal. I still occasionally buy cow's milk for recipes where almond milk just sounds a little off. But I'm aiming to eventually get to a place where I can rely solely on the organic, filtered, crazy delicious homemade stuff.

Told ya I was into radical self care.

Start with raw, organic almonds.

Soak the almonds in just enough filtered water to cover them.

Leave them overnight. In the morning, they will look like this. Milky. Gross.

Drain the almonds.

Blender them up! Drizzle maple syrup and sea salt in with the filtered water.

While the blender blends, get your filter system ready. I use a mesh strainer fitted with a mighty square of cheesecloth. I've thought about investing in a nut bag (NUT BAG!) but I've found that this works just as well.

Pour!

Squeeze!  You're left with an awesome little bundle of mulched almonds, perfect for adding to oatmeal, muffins, or whatever your heart desires.

Store the milk in a lidded glass container in the refrigerator. I use a clean coffee press and it works well!

Almond Milk
Adapted from Get It Ripe by Jae Steele

1/2 cup raw organic almonds (imperative that they are raw)
3-4 cups filtered water, plus more for overnight soak
Pinch of sea salt
Splash of maple syrup

1. Covered almonds with filtered water and soak overnight.
2. In the morning, drain the almonds.
3. Put almonds, the 3-4 cups of filtered water, salt, and maple syrup in a blender.
4. Blend on high for two minutes.
5. Prepare to drain by place a sieve lined with cheesecloth over a glass container. Pour the contents of the blender through the sieve situation.
6. Cover the almond milk. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Give it a gentle shake before serving.