We aren’t big milk drinkers. We’d prefer to drink whole, RAW cow or goats milk, but it’s expensive and difficult to come by. About once a month we buy a half gallon of organic VAT pasteurized (lower temperature process than most) organic milk from the grocer, otherwise we go without.
I really like milk in my coffee, tea, cereal, and baked goods. None of those are essentials, but it’s nice to have them on hand. I’ve purchased almond milk from the grocer a few times because its cheaper (especially with coupons) than our cows milk. I’ve also made coconut “milk” a few times for baked goods. This week I tried my hand at making my own almond milk from raw organic almonds.
I’m pleased to report that making almond milk at home is easy, frugal, and even tastier than almond milk from the store! Here’s the method:
- Soak 1 cup of almonds overnight in water to reduce phytic acid. Salt may help reduce phytic acid – but its not necessary.
- In the morning (or after 8 or so hours), drain and rinse almond then combine them in a blender with 4 cups filtered water.
- Blend on high until it looks like the almonds are pretty pulverized – the longer the better.
- Strain the almond milk from the pulp over a bowl through a cheese cloth, mesh strainer, tea towel, etc. Make sure to squeeze all that you can out of the cloth.
- Serve and enjoy! It should last in your refrigerator for a week or so.
(Little man approves! Let’s pretend those are homemade cheerios, k?)
Tips: You can save the pulp to use in baked goods or smoothies. Or dehydrate it an process it into almond flour! I plan to pt mine in the food processor with some flax meal and honey to make a crust for a butternut squash pie (a modified version of this pie).
You can also sweeten the milk (for drinking) by placing the strained milk back in the blender with a bit of honey and a few dates.
Check out this recipe for Almond-Coconut Milk – I’m trying it next time!
What have you been making yourself in lately? Link to your posts with recipes/ideas for making things at home instead of buying them at the store. Read details here if this is your first time participating.
I love the almond milk idea and the step-by-step instructions. I'd really like to give this a try! Also, I linked up my recipe for homemade vegetarian meatballs.
Anjanette, you are the best! I never thought about doing my own milk, but now you got me thinking. We've been buying the unsweetEned almond milk from the store and the baby loves it! So maybe I should try to make our own, it would be cheaper!
Thanks for the info!
Champagne Baby
I would love to make almond milk and would happily do it often, but frugal??
How do you make it frugally? Almonds here are very expensive. Do you have a lower-cost source for almonds?
Thanks for the step by step. I'm featuring your post in my weekly Bites Around the Blogosphere.
Michelle, almonds are pretty expensive as far as nuts go. We buy ours in bulk from a co-op and they are still $5/lb.
When you compare that price to cows milk, it really is pretty frugal.
A cup of almonds is about 5oz which would cost me about $1.55 and yields 4 cups of almond "milk."
I buy my organic VAT pasteurized whole milk for $3.99 per 1/2 gallon. The equivalent (8 cups) in this almond milk would cost $3.10.
If you drink pasteurized, homogenized, store brand milk, almond milk isn't going to be frugal. But if you are used to paying more for milk, this is a great option. :)