Detox Diet - Homemade Almond Milk

When I first went on this detox diet over a week ago, one of my biggest worries was having to give up dairy. I love my dairy. Milk. Cheese. Yogurt. Ice cream. Bring it on!



Clearly, there was no need to worry on my part.

The great thing about this detox diet is that it has forced me to try out some new foods, like quinoa and almond milk.

Almond milk...I now heart.

And while I can easily go the the health food store and pick up a carton of almond milk, it's actually really easy to make at home, and so incredibly delicious (and addictive!).



Almond milk requires only a handful of ingredients, and a bit of time, muscle and love. Buying a cloth coffee filter is a worthy investment, and they sell pretty cheaply, but you can also make do with a fine strainer lined with a double layer of paper towels. A little messier, and your milk won't be as smooth, but I used this method as well on my first try and it works just as well.



I liked using dried dates as a sweetener, as it doesn't have an overpowering taste while subtly sweetening the milk. Feel free to use honey, agave or stevia if you wish.



What you get in the end is a silky cup of liquid that looks like milk, but contains no dairy with a unique depth of flavour. Pour it over your cereal, cook oatmeal with it, use it in baking, and just drink it.

You can also start playing with different nuts. I also tried this with walnuts, which is also quite nice.




Almond Milk
From Raw Energy
Yields about 32 oz

1 1/2 cups raw or blanched almonds
4 cups purified water
4 medjool dates, pitted, or to taste (if using honey, stevia or agave, use 1 tablespoon, or to taste)

Soak the almonds in a medium bowl covered by at least 1 inch of purified water for at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse.

Place the almonds in a blender along with the water and dates. Blend on high for 2 full minutes.

Strain the milk through a nut milk bag or cloth coffee filter (or a fine-mesh sieve lined with a double layer of paper towel) into a bowl. Using two hands, wring out the bag to extract as much of the liquid as possible. Be patient!

Transfer the nut milk to a 32-oz liquid storage container. Store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Shake vigorously before using, as the store milk tends to separate.

The milk also freezes quite nicely for future use!