29 February, 2016

Homemade Almond Milk Using A Good Blender- Meatless Monday and FF#108

Comments : 10 Posted in : Meatless Mondays, sprouting on February 29, 2016 by : apsara Tags: healthy nut milk, Indian mixie for almond milk, no vitamix nut milk, nut milk bag, peeled almonds, plain almond milk, vegan beverage

There could be many reasons why one might want to try making almond milk or other nut milks at home:

1. Chronic eczema (skin issues) or seasonal allergies that need to be cleared up in the family. Cow’s milk is known to trigger/ aggravate those.

2. After eliminating gluten from diet, one may feel that it has not improved gastro-intestinal symptoms significantly. The peptide (protein fragments) of gluten and milk protein are very similar, hence the human gut or immune system can confuse one for the other. Avoiding milk for a few days may provide relief. If the symptoms return after milk is re-introduced, then there is a definite link.

3. One may have read latest, insightful books such as “Got Milked?“ or just articles like ” 12 Frightening Facts About Milk” from trusted sources (NutritionStudies.org) and decided to try alternatives.

4. You may have just learned about how cow’s milk is processed commercially and want to avoid it. Even organic milk is highly processed and homogenized. (I do not have any knowledge about raw milk to talk about it.)

5. Those embracing a vegan lifestyle avoid it for ethical reasons.

Almonds are a powerhouse of nutrients- protein, good fats, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, copper among other things. They offer cardiovascular support, and even promote weight loss. Read more here. Even if you do not want to make milk from almonds, just consuming a few soaked and peeled almonds every day can significantly improve one’s health!

How much to consume per day? I just use it like regular milk. Since the ratio used is 1 cup almonds for 3- 3 1/2 cups water, the consistency is that of whole milk. Dilute, if necessary. Remember that it is not homogenized, meaning it separates out over time, so stirring before using it is important. Add cocoa powder and sweetener to make chocolate flavored milk to make it interesting for kids.

It is a well known fact that a powerful blender such as Vitamix is the best for making smooth mixtures and nut milks. But, do not despair if you do not have one. I don’t have a Vitamix either! Just a powerful blender like the Indian brands of mixers (“mixie”) work well enough to produce rich, creamy almond milk. All you need is a re-usable nut milk bag for as low as $7. Here is where I get my nut milk bag online.

In the absence of a nut milk bag, we can make our own by stitching a bag made of muslin cloth. The shape of a bag makes it really convenient to squeeze out the milk.

So, here’s how to make it:

Soaking raw almonds overnight – 12 hours makes them soft and removes some anti-nutrients. After discarding the water, just adding boiling water to the soaked nuts makes the skin easily peel off. Now the peeled almonds are ready to be milked. If you want to do the grinding of the peeled nuts the next day, that can be done too. I have stored peeled almonds in the fridge for up to 2 days without damage.  I also save the almond pulp in a plastic container in the freezer and use it as almond flour in baked goods or other dishes. 

Check these ideas to use left-over almond pulp:

Pineapple Kesari

Beetroot and Carrot Halwa

Thattai or Baked crackers 

 

Use the following step-wise pictures for reference:

 

Want to make it naturally sweeter? Blend with some chopped Medjool dates. Or add a dash of vanilla. The options for flavoring are plenty.

This is another post for Fiesta Fridays. Sorry, my blogger friends of this  week’s fiesta friday #108, I’m late with this entry, posting it on a Monday. Hopefully, we can still use this beverage as a post-meal drink? What do you think, my dear co-hosts, Suzanne and Zeba?

Also tagging it as  Meatless Monday post!

 

 

 

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