Fast Easy Almond Milk - Classic

Want to learn how to make creamy, amazing, totally delicious-tasting almond milk is a flash? Good! Today I share my easy method and even a super easy TWO-ingredient recipe with a secret ingredient. (Intrigued?)

For these recipes.. You DO need a high speed blender like a Vitamix. And some sort of fine mesh strainer OR a nut bag. But that is it! Seriously, go from raw almonds in a bag to creamy-tastic almond milk in under 45 minutes. Annnnd GO!...

Chocolate almond milk:


Flavors (classic vanilla, cacao, sweet spirulina green, cinna coconut)










The basics... Full recipe below.




The best part about homemade almond milk: you can chug the bottle and not feel guilty that it is all gone. Because you can easily make more!

OK, so I love love love love love love homemade nut milks. Not only do they taste amazing, but they are perfect for adding to smoothies, drinking straight from the chilled glass bottle, pouring over top hot and cold cereal, using in baking and other recipes and you can even add your homemade nut milk to hot beverages like tea and lattes. I just had a black tea latte and NO the milk did not curdle! Yay.

What is the difference between my method and other methods? Well one thing really: THE SOAKING TIME.

Normally, raw nut milk recipes ask you to soak the raw nuts in salted water anywhere from 4-8 hours to overnight. And yes this is a great way to get soft, easily blendable nuts. But I have found that my method below really does work! So having fresh almond milk in a flash is totally possible...

The trick is to use very hot water to soak the almonds. This softens them quickly.

Secret Recipe: Coconut Almond Milk. The other day I tried something new and crazy. Instead of using water to make my almond milk, I used chilled natural coconut water! I was kinda shocked when it tasted amazing. The best part, it was pre-sweetened from the sweet coconut water flavor and bonus - it contained added nutrients from the coconut water like potassium, magnesium, manganese and more. So you can try either classic water-almond or crazy new coconut-almond. Both use the same method. And both can be flavored however you'd like.



Nut Milk Bag: If you have one. Use it. They do make things a bit faster. But this method below is super if you do not have special tools like a nut milk bag, but do have a strainer.

Fast Easy Almond Milk - Classic
vegan, makes 4-5+ cups of almond milk (depending on how creamy you want it)

Step One: Grab your ingredients and tools.

Ingredients:
3-5 cups of fresh (preferably chilled) water (coconut version below!)
1 cup raw almonds

also:
salt (pink salt is my fave)
variety of flavors..
raw cacao powder or cocoa powder
vanilla bean or vanilla extract
raw dates or maple syrup or agave syrup
spirulina
cayenne
more!..

Tools: High speed blender + mesh strainer or nut milk bag + 2 bowls + bottles to store nut milk + spoon for pressing pulp

Step Two: Soak.
Add your 1 cup of almonds to a bowl and fill with about 3+ cups of HOT HOT HOT water. Enough to cover nuts generously. You could use boiling or simmering water, but I just use the hottest possible setting on my tap. Add in a dash of salt and swirl water. Let this sit for at least 20-30 minutes. I think one hour is a bit better, but I have even tested a 15-minute soak that does work. Basically, the longer you soak, the less pulp you will end up with in the end.

Step Three: Drain and rinse.
Drain the soaking water and rinse your soaked almonds with cool water. A few of the almond skins may pop off and that is a good sign that they have softened a bit.

Step Four: Blend.
Add the soaked almonds and 3 1/2 cups of fresh water to your Vitamix. Blend on low for a good three minutes. Finish blend by carefully blending (lid on) on medium or high for a minute or so to really thrash those almond bits and churn the milk.

Step Five: Strain.
Place your fine mesh strainer or nut milk bag over a large mixing bowl. Slowly pour the blended mixture and using the back of a spoon to press the liquid through, moving around the almond pulp so that the liquid can drain through. This process takes a good 2-4 minutes. Once you are left with wetish dry almond pulp in your strainer, scoop the pulp BACK in the blender. Add in 1/2 - 2 cups chilled water to the blender with the pulp.

Step Six: Re-Blend. The Pulp.
Blend the pulp with the additional water on low-medium for a few minutes. This milk may be a bit thinner, but once you combine it with the first round milk it will all even out. *not re-blending pulp is optional, but I find it helps squeeze all that goodness out of the almond bits leftover from first straining.*

Step Seven: Strain Again.
Finally, strain this mixture the same way you did with the first round of milk. NOW, you should be left with just about 1/4-1/2 cup of almond pulp - very dry in texture. If your pulp still seems wet and milky, keep repeating the blend and strain steps until it dries out. Do not be afraid of adding more water. It will still be nice and creamy.

Step Eight. Flavor.
You are now free to rinse your blender and pour the smooth, creamy, strained almond milk back into the blender container. Add your seasonings and flavorings! Here are a few ideas:

Chocolate -> Add 1-3 Tbsp cacao powder + 1-3 Tbsp maple or agave syrup (or 2-3 pitted Medjool dates) + dash cinnamon and or cayenne + 1/8 tsp pink salt
Sweet Spirulina -> 1 Tbsp spirulina powder (I use Spirulina Pacofica!) + sweeten to taste with dates or maple/agave syrup + 1/8 tsp pink salt
Strawberry -> Add 1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries! (this will slightly thicken your milk with fiber)
Classic Vanilla Bean -> scrape 1 vanilla bean (add seeds from pod) + sweeten to taste + 1/8 tsp salt

And if you want to try my Coconut Cinnamon flavor do this:
Instead of adding water when blending your soaked almonds, add chilled coconut water! This blends up sweet, creamy, coconut-infused almond milk. I add cinnamon too.

...And guess what, you can totally do this same method with almost any nut you'd like. Try walnut, cashew or even pistachio! (These nuts quick soak best)

Good luck and tweet me your finished homemade almond milk pics!!! @lunchboxbunch

PS. If you are like, wait, *8* steps??? SO not easy! Watch my VINE video and see that I showed this recipe in *six* seconds :) Follow me on Vine too!

Pulp pressing, to squeeze out all the "milk"

BANANA ICE CREAM SUNDAE with CHOCOLATE SAUCE

I hope I made your mouth wet with these photos. Wink wink. Best part of this recipe is that it's incomparably healthier than the average breakfast. It's basically just bananas and a bunch of super foods like coconut oil, almonds, cacao powder, and mulberries. You can add whatever else you like (ideas: goji berries, coconut flakes, maca powder, fresh fruit, dates, etc.) I ate this for dinner. 

It's a beautiful world we get to party in. 

That's right. GIFs are happening right now. I saw them on this blog awhile ago and immediately realized how genius it was for food photography. A huge component of the appeal of food is texture! You can show it perfectly with moving images. Plus, they're really fun to photograph and put together. Besides, I know you like 'em.

I stayed home from school today because I think my mono might be coming back (I know - coming BACK... this isn't the first time I've suffered this throat torture) and figured I'd better rest to keep it maintained. Banana ice cream is the perfect soother because it's cold and creamy. Ahh. It helped me get through my last Mononucleosis bout.

Mononucleosis kind of sounds like a super power... Or is that just me who thinks that. I cannot explain my own cognitions. Moving on.

banana ice cream sundae with chocolate sauce

Ice cream:

3 frozen bananas 

Chocolate sauce:

1 tablespoon melted coconut oil

1 tablespoon cacao powder

1 teaspoon agave syrup or preferred sweetener

Toppings:

Almond butter

Mulberries

Anything else your heart desires

To make the ice cream: put the bananas in a high speed blender and blend until they become a creamy, fluffy, white soft serve ice cream. Nom. Scoop into a bowl.

To make the chocolate sauce: whisk the ingredients together. Drizzle over your ice cream along with the rest of your toppings. Time to spoon. 

jewel fruit tart with caramel almond filling

This simple recipe is sure to please those skeptical that delicious desserts can also be healthy. Although there is nothing like a fresh-picked bowl of berries in the summer, I love the way frozen berries glisten with frost; I think they look like gems or jewels. Jewels packed with anti-oxidants! The beeest kind. 

I made this tart for a friend's housewarming party this evening, which I am looking forward to attending. The new house is right by the beach and the weather is gorgeous today so I anticipate a beach walk tonight, after we all enjoy the berry goodness positively overflowing in the walnut raisin crust of this recipe. 

I was going to keep it extremely minimal and just make the crust then fill it with fruit and be done (to be honest, extremely minimal would be just bringing fruit... but too bad) but I decided to make an almond caramel filling that I put the berries on top of. You can leave it simple or add the sweet filling - up to you, as always!

fruit tart with caramel almond filling: 

Crust:

2 cups walnuts

2 cups raisins

Filling (optional but recommended):

1/4 cup almond butter

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

1/4 cup maple syrup or 1/2 cup date paste
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Water, if needed

Topping: 
3 cups frozen berries (or however much you want)
1/2 cup goji berries

To make the crust: pulse the walnuts in your food processor until they become a rough flour. Add the raisins and process until it stick together, forming a rough dough. Press into a tart tin. Put in the fridge and let it set for about 2 hours (this is preferable but not absolutely necessary). 

To make the filling: blend all the ingredients until smooth. Spread gently into the bottom of your tart crust and then let it harden in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. Now top the tart off with all the berries, slice and serve! 

apple sandwiches with date caramel + almond butter

These are really fun to make, and super healthy. Oh and as you can tell from the photos - so easy they hardly need instructions. Slice up some apples and layer them with caramel and almond butter. Yum! Make these with kids and you will make some new little friends. 

They actually taste like candy or something... it's almost too good to be true. But then - isn't zucchini pasta almost too good to be true? Yes. Yet it exists. Thanks, Mother Nature and innovative kitchen equipment. So eat as many of these as you want and feel great afterwards about yourself and your awesome healthy, humane, eco-friendly choices.

apple sandwiches with date caramel + almond butter : serves 2 to 4

4 apples
Almond butter or other nut butter

Caramel:
1/2 cup dates
2 tablespoons liquid coconut oil (or use water... won't be as creamy though)
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional) 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Make the caramel: blend all ingredients until smooth. 

Assemble: Slice the apples thinly from bottom to top and then core each piece. Now layer each slice with alternating caramel and nut butter. Enjoy!

cinnamon chia pudding with banana, dates & almond butter

This was what I had for breakfast this morning after finishing my short juice fast last night (I had raw zucchini noodles with kale pesto) because chia is a great cleaning food. Its soluble fire gels up when stirred with water and when you eat it, it literally goes through your digestive system soaking up toxins and junk you don't want in there. Think of it as a sponge. But then that's not very appetizing... hmm. A yummy sponge? No, never mind.

Anyways - it's delicious and SUPER nutritious. It is one of the most nutrient-dense seeds on the planet as a matter o' fact. Just look it up on the world wide interweb and see for yourself! Make it anytime of the day for a filling snack or meal.

cheery chia bowl: serves one

2 tablespoons chia seeds mixed with 1/4 cup water

1 sliced banana

Small handful each of pumpkin seeds, goji berries and hemp seeds

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon maple syrup/raw honey/other sweetener

3 pitted, sliced dates

1 tablespoon almond butter (optional)

The chia seeds and water should make a gel-like substance after sitting for a few minutes. Add in the all the other ingredients - and whatever else you like - and enjoy!