Almond Milk

Almond milk is an excellent dairy substitute to be used in shakes or meal replacements with the addition of protein powders, fruits and juices. Freshly made almond milk tastes better, has more nutrients and does not contain any suspicious ingredients other than water and almonds. In all cartons of almond milk, even those labeled as organic, besides a weak and watery mixture of almond milk you also get: cane sugar or some other form of sugar, sea salt (why add salt and sugar together), locust bean gum (a gelling agent), sunflower lecithin (fat), gellan gum (another gelling agent), or carageenan (another thickener allowed in organic foods in the US but banned in Europe), plus an added vitamin or two which are completely unnecessary. Organic isn't always the best but home made with pure and natural ingredients certainly is.

Ingredients for almond milk: 4 cups

1 cup almonds

4 dates

3 cups water

1. Soak almonds overnight in a large cup of water with the dates. 2. Blend almonds, dates and water in a blender for a minute. 3. Use a cheese cloth to separate the liquid from the solids then squeeze out as much of the milk as you can into a bowl. 4. Transfer your fresh almond milk into a glass bottle or jar and refrigerate. 5. Refrigerate the left over pulp as well (you can leave it in the cheese cloth) so that it dries out and then transfer into a small jar. This delicious and insanely nutritious blend of almond bits, skin and date pulp (all dry the next day) can be eaten with yoghurt as an almond granola, bread mix, mixed in with cake batter, any cookie mix or as a topping in your morning cereal. You can keep almond milk and meal in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days.  Make sure you shake the milk before drinking or blending into a satisfying and delicious smoothie.