Homemade almond milk. It was luscious love at first sip.

Whether the issue is lactose intolerance, allergies, veganism, or just trying to cut back, many of us are looking for alternative solutions to replace or supplement dairy products.

One of my clients practices a vegan diet, and as an omnivore cook, I felt a responsibility to approach veganism as a cuisine and not just another diet. For me, this effort was necessary in order to prepare meals that were varied, interesting and most importantly, delicious as possible for him. I ultimately ended up tasting many of the soy, rice and nut products available today on most grocery shelves. In large part thin, insipid and funky tasting, most went right down the sink after a taste or two. Curious as to how I could create a finer version in my own kitchen, I turned to several raw cuisine books for direction and inspiration, and in no time flat, I was providing my client with a fresh quart of my stellar version of raw almond milk every week.

The differences in taste and texture between the tetra-pak’d shelf goods and homemade were startling. I was delighted to find the homemade almond milk as thick and rich as a decadent treat, while at the same time tasting light, delicate and ever so slightly of peaches and cherries (try blending either or both fruits when ripe and in season with chilled almond milk, some scraped seeds from a vanilla bean pod, a squeeze of agave nectar or honey, and a pinch of sea salt – heaven).

I realize that the title of the post is Creamy Nut Milks, and here I’ve only been talking about almonds. I also concoct other smooth elixirs from raw cashews, Brazil nuts, hazel nuts, and even cantaloupe melon seeds. Naturally sweet and full-bodied, these milks are fantastic stand-ins to dairy in blended smoothies, cereals (try poured over the Overnight Sensation in lieu of the folded in heavy cream), enriching soups, or just about any culinary application where you might consider using soy, rice or other packaged nut milks.

The weekly routine of making almond milk for my client now includes whirring up an extra batch just for myself. Requiring just a short list of ingredients and a few minutes of time, anyone can take that first dreamy, creamy sip and fall in love the same way I did.

Basic Recipe for Nut Milk
Makes 1 quart

*3/4 cup soaked and drained raw almonds, or your nut of choice. I give my almonds a 6-12 hour pre-soak in the fridge covered in filtered water.
3 cups of filtered water
1 tsp. agave nectar
1/2 tsp. natural vanilla extract
1 heaping tbs. non-gmo lecithin granules
Pinch of sea salt

Place all ingredients in a blender. With the top snuggly in place, blend on medium-high until ingredients are smoothly incorporated.

Strain the milk through a paint strainer bag (my preference and easiest to find right at my local hardware store) into a large bowl. You can also use nut milk bags (available online), or use several layers of fine cheesecloth (not my first choice). Squeeze the milk from the bag into the bowl- this part really feels like you are actually milking…something! What is left in the bag will be a quantity of ground almond pulp. You can add this nutritious pulp to soups, dips, dry/dehydrate to turn it into almond meal or flour, or toss it on your compost heap.

Fresh nut milk keeps refrigerated best 4-5 days. Give it a good shake or stir if any separation occurs.

* This step is not necessary for a successful outcome, however the process of soaking increases the digestibility of almonds, and jump starts the sprouting of the nut – gives real life to this recipe.