Almond Milk

(This recipe appeared in the June,2011 edition of A Healthy You.)

Did you know that you can make your own? The original recipe, which called for 4 cups of ice, was obtained from New Earth Wellness. I found that, depending on the kitchen equipment you have, the amount of water and crushed ice will vary. I’ve modified the recipe to decrease the amount of ice initially used. You can add water and crushed ice as you blend the ingredients, as desired:

You will need:

1/3 cups pitted dates
2/3 cups of almonds
1 1/2 cups of water
1 cup crushed iceAdditional ice and water, as required, to obtain desired consistency.

Directions:

Place the almonds and pitted dates in a heavy duty blender or food processor and cover with water. Let the almonds and dates soak overnight. In the morning, process (or blend) the mixture until it’s smooth (it will be very thick). Add the water and ice slowly to the mixture and continue blending well. Continue to dilute with water and ice until the desired consistency is reached. Refrigerate well and use within 24-48 hours.

If you want a very smooth almond milk, without any of the almond residue, you can strain it accordingly. I”ve made this recipe with a regular smoothie blender, a magic bullet, a Nutribullet, and a Vitamix. The Vitamix was amazing. If you can afford one, I would highly recommend it. Due to financial considerations, I opted to buy a Nutribullet. It works amazingly well and does a very good job on this recipe. In fact, I love my Nutribullet!

Enjoy your home-made almond milk in smoothies, cereal, or as a thirst-quenching drink.