Busy Weekend & Homemade Almond Milk

Sheesh, this has been one caraaazy month!  It seems like every weekend we are running all over or traveling somewhere - it makes my two short days off go way too quickly!  This weekend I tried to make the most of my time by making my own almond milk - I tried two different methods and found a winner:
Attempt 1: (not the winner - but good if you don't feel like/forget to soak your almonds)

• Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small sauce pan
• Add 1 cup of almonds and boil for about 3 minutes 

• Drain almonds - allow to cool for a few minutes 
• Peel skin off of almonds
• Place almonds & 2 cups of water in bender - blend on high for a few minutes  
• You may need to shake it around a few times or stir with a wooden spoon... unless you have a fancy schmancy blender
• Add another 1-2 cups of water, depending on how thick you like your almond milk 
• Blend again
• Strain through either a cheesecloth or an awesome nut milk bag!
• Refrigerate & enjoy!

Attempt 2: WINNER!! 

• Soak 1 cup of almonds in about 2 cups of water - make sure almonds are covered 
• In the morning peel almonds (time consuming, but worth it AND if you do it half asleep at 6 am like I did you won't even notice how annoying it is!)

Just give it a little squeeze!

• Place almonds, 2 cups of water, a tiny dash of salt and about 1/2 tsp agave nectar in blender

• Blend for a few minutes - again shaking and stirring as needed 
• Once it is all white and frothy add 1-2 cups of water - again depending on how thick you want it 
• Blend 

• Strain

Check out that nut milk bag!

Attempt 1 was not as sweet and flavorful and a little more watery (probably more my fault than the recipes) Also - I read that soaking almonds removes toxic enzyme inhibitors that make it difficult for us to digest them (source) so soaking makes them easier for us to digest and reap those almondy benefits.

I was so excited when I tasted Attempt 2 - it was delicious!! It didn't taste like the almond milk I buy, but it was SO good!  I'm pretty excited that I can have almond milk without the tricalcium phosphate, xanthan gum, ergocalciferol and dl-alpha tocopherol acetate - WOAH I can't believe I hadn't read those ingredients sooner...

BONUS - if you're feeling really crazy (or hungover...) make yourself some chocolate almond milk!

Chocolate Almond Milk

2 cups almond milk

2 tsp maple syrup
4 drops vanilla extract
2 tsp cocoa powder

Throw ingredients in the blender (or whisk for a few minutes) and ENJOY! 

Peas & Love!
-L