How to Make Fresh and Natural Almond Milk
Homemade almond milk can provide for a healthy break from the mundane drink options out there in many survival stockpiles. Its smooth and creamy texture, along with a subtle, nutty flavor can be extracted in just a few minutes, and you can store it for up to a week in temperatures below 40 degrees. The trick is to make your own almond milk instead of purchasing cartons from the store. Most of them are over-processed and far from all-natural, and they generally contain more water than anything else. Consequently, you are paying for an over-priced health drink that’s not that healthy to begin with.
Follow the steps below, and see how easy it is to whip up a batch while enjoying the full benefits of the almonds at the same time.
Ingredients:
1 cup of raw, fresh almonds
4 cups of water
¼ tablespoon salt
Vanilla
Honey or dates
Getting Started
The first and most important step is to soak the almonds for at least 12 hours. This will neutralize compounds in the nuts that prevent the absorption of nutrients in the body after being consumed. Place the 4 cups of water, at room temperature, into a large bowl before adding the salt. Mix until blended, and then add the nuts. Let them soak at room temperature overnight or for at least 12 hours. You can also soak the nuts in simmering water and salt for between 1-2 hours. However, this method, albeit faster, will not produce the same nutritional boost as the long soak. If soaking overnight, cover the bowl with a cloth to keep insects or dust from getting inside.
The next step is to choose whether or not to dry the almonds before processing them. You will get a nuttier flavor out of the finished product by baking them, but you may actually end up with more nutrients by leaving them alone. Plus, processing them right after soaking doesn’t require as much time or energy, especially if you’re dealing with an off-the-grid situation.
In any case, if you bake them dry, make sure that you keep the oven set at its lowest temperature, and try to prop the door open slightly to keep temperatures as cool as possible. You don’t want to cook the almonds, rather evaporate the moisture. You can also use a dehydrator and accomplish the same thing, but it can take a long time to process whole almonds. Feel free to experiment and discover what methods work best for you.
Processing the Almonds
The next step is to give the almonds a nice rinse once again before placing them in your food processor. Grind the nuts up by pulsing until they are broken up into coarse pieces. Add 4 cups of water and start blending the mixture continually for a couple of minutes until a nice, consistent liquid is formed that contains fine particles of almonds.
Strain the mixture with a cheesecloth or dish towel, and give it a good squeeze as the liquid finishes dripping through the material. Extract as much liquid as possible before setting the solids aside. Place the liquid back into the blender and add the vanilla, dates, or other ingredients as desired. Blend everything for another minute or so before pouring it into a container with an airtight lid. Place in the refrigerator and enjoy for up to a week before discarding.
Drying the Remains
Take the remaining almond bits and place them on a baking sheet or in your food dehydrator, and process them until they are completely dry. Once dried, you can place the pieces into your food processor or coffee grinder, and grind them down to a powder. Or, you can store the pieces as-is and use for any recipe that calls for chopped almonds. You can even use them as a topping or eat them as a snack. Store in a zipper bag or vacuum-seal the almonds to extend its shelf life for a few months.
All in all, this is a great way to enjoy almonds without wasting any of them, and you can get two recipes for the price of one. Try this out for yourself today. See how almond milk can be a nice enhancement to your survival drink options, but there’s also nothing stopping you from enjoying this drink under normal circumstances as well.
