Almond Milk: Make It From Scratch

ACTIVE PREP TIME: 10 MIN TO MAKE MILK
PASSIVE PREP TIME: 8 HRS TO SOAK NUTS (OVERNIGHT)

Why Eating Healthy Food Is Important

Every person wants to have enough energy, not get sick too often and maintain optimal functioning of the body. Unfortunately, most food in the typical Western diet – packaged foods, high-calorie, high-sugar, low-fat foods, drains the body of energy and builds toward disease. On the other hand, nutrient-dense, life-sustaining whole foods boost energy, optimize bodily function and heal the body, thus building toward health. In my own experience, I lost 20 pounds, my sinus issues became manageable, the seasonal allergies became a minor nuisance and my energy began to return.

One small example of what changed is that I stopped drinking cow’s milk about 6 years ago, gave up the heavily processed Blue Diamond and Silk almond milks and began making my own almond milk.

The Nutritional Benefits Of Homemade Almond Milk

Homemade almond milk is a refreshing drink to start the day. It doesn’t raise blood sugar. It is far less inflammatory than dairy. It contains the following vitamins and minerals:

• High amounts of calcium, iron and magnesium, potassium, a bevy of B-vitamins and Vitamin C

• Vitamin D, which helps in reducing and maintaining blood pressure

• Vitamin E, an antioxidant that maintains skin health, fights free radical damage and slows the aging process

Almonds also help lower cholesterol naturally while increasing levels of “good” HDL cholesterol. And, if you add fresh turmeric root to it – this is called Golden Milk – it can play a major role in decreasing inflammation.

The Five Steps To Making Homemade Almond Milk

But a nutritional lesson on the benefits of drinking fresh almond milk is not convincing enough to just write about. It is best explained by actually doing it.

There are five steps to making this delicious beverage at home.

• First, soak 1 cup of the nuts. Preferably use raw and unpasteurized almonds. I purchase mine from the Sunday morning Farmer’s Market on Larchmont Blvd in Los Angeles. The purpose of soaking them is to remove the phytic acid, an anti-nutrient that binds to certain minerals and slows their absorption by the body.

• Second, Discard the soaking water and rinse the almonds at least twice, making sure to shake well each time.

• Third, add 4 cups of water and blend on the highest setting for 60 seconds. A high-speed blender such as a Vitamix or a Blendtec work best.

• Fourth, strain the milk and set aside the pulp. Although the pulp is very nutritious and hearty, it does not play well in breakfast cereals, smoothies or coffee.

• Finally, add 2 Medjool dates, 1/8 tsp salt and a teaspoon each of vanilla extract and cinnamon to the filtered liquid. Spin it up again for about 20 seconds. [If you are making this for Passover, you can swap out the vanilla extract (as it’s prohibitively expensive) and add some extra cinnamon. You can also grind your own cinnamon, which is incredibly pungent.]

The Recipe

1 cup raw, unpasteurized organic almonds

4 cups filtered water

1 tsp organic vanilla extract

1 heaping tsp Ceylon cinnamon

2 Medjool dates

1/8 tsp sea salt

Cooking From Scratch: An Act Of Subversion

I want to close with a quote that really speaks to me about the process of making your own food. Author Michael Pollan, in his book “In Defense Of Food”, writes that “to reclaim this much control over one’s food, to take it back from industry and science, is no small thing; indeed, in our time, cooking from scratch and growing any of your own food qualify as subversive acts.”

Take back your food from the industry! Make it from scratch. Your body and your mind will thank you.