Homemade Almond Milk

Where I live in Costa Rica almond milk is 7 dollar for a quarter gallon. YES 7 DOLLARS. Where I am from in Florida, almond milk is half the price for twice as much. I used it daily in my smoothies coffee and any time I tried making vegan treats (which was often).

I bought this 7 dollar almond milk for a while, but it was not sustainable for my wallet. But I an addict! I need my fix of dairy free milks made from strange things like seeds and nuts. I FINALLY had the idea that I could likely make my own supply for the fraction of the price and this is where this DIY almond milk recipe came from. It came from desperation people, pure desperation.

Finished Product

WHAT YOU NEED

-1 cup almonds

-2 cups water

-Blender

-Cheese Cloth

-Mason Jar or Pitcher to hold almond milk

-Pot or Bowl

-Hand towel to cover bowl

-Bowl (for scooping almond pulp into)

METHOD

Step 1- Measure 1 cup almond and pot them into a bowl or pot. Cover the almonds with water so there is about an inch of water above the almonds.

Step 2- Cover bowl or pot with hand towel. Put the almonds with the water in the fridge. Leave the almonds in the refrigerator for two days.

Step 3- After two days soaking in the fridge the almonds will have expanded and be slightly squishy.

Step 4- Rinse the almonds!

Step 5- Put almonds and two cups fresh water in the blender and blend for a minute or until almonds are completely crushed.

Step 6- Put cheese cloth over the mason jar with a rubber band or hair tie. Make sure there is a about a one inch pocket created by the cheese cloth in the mouth of the mason jar.

Step 7- Strain almond milk through cheese cloth into mason jar. DO not pour all the milk in at once though. The almond milk will strain very slowly.

Step 8- To help the straining process use a spoon to push down on the almond meal. When the almond meal has no more water in it scoop out of the cheese cloth and put into a separate bowl.

Step 9- Repeat this process until there is no more almond milk left in the blender. You should have a mound of almond meal.

Step 10- Take the rubber band off the mouth of the mason jar and insert almond meal in the cheese cloth. Squeeze the almond meal with your hands to make sure you get all the liquid out. You will be surprised how much liquid will come out!

Step 11- Enjoy your fresh almond milk :)

An example of the pocket that should be made with the cheese cloth in the mouth of the Mason Jar.