There was a time after I discovered I was lactose intolerant when I thought all of my dairy-loving dreams had been crushed right before my eyes (and later was secretly thankful when I learned more about conventional dairy). At the time there weren’t many milk alternatives—aside from flavored soy milk (yuck!)—until I discovered that insanely delicious milk could be made from nuts and seeds.
Flash forward a few years and countless varieties of plant-based milks line store shelves. It’s great to have options and convenience, but you’re getting a little more than you bargained for in that carton of almond milk: stabilizers, emulsifiers, thickeners and preservatives. There should only be two ingredients in nut milk—nuts and water—the rest has no business lurking in your carton and could potentially be harmful to your health.
Make it From Scratch!
I prefer my nut milk fresh, clean and pure (thank you very much). Luckily, it only takes a few minutes of active time to make your own milk at home.
There are countless tutorials out there, so I won’t bore you with the details except to say:
- Soak some nuts and/or seeds, (soaking makes for a smoother blend with less pulp, but also activates enzymes, improves nutrient bioavailability and neutralizes phytic acid. Read more about that here.)
- rinse them off,
- blend with 4 parts water,
- strain out the pulp.
That’s it. Um…well, I guess there’s not much to bore you with.
After you’ve mastered the illusive art of straining nuts blended with water, you can really go wild! Add any number of herbs, spices and flavorings to your heart’s content:
- Don’t have almonds? Use a different nut or seed, or combination.
- Allergic to nuts? Get some seeds soaking.
- Want thicker, creamier milk? Add less water.
- Have a favorite herbal infusion? Brew some and use it in place of the water.
You get the idea. Become a plant milk mad scientist and see where you end up. Your own signature milk blends await!
To give you some extra inspiration, I created a fun little infographic – The Nut Milk Formula. I’m sorta proud of this little baby, so I hope you enjoy it:
My Current Obsession
Classic chocolate milk is always nice. Simple as can be and made to order as sweet or chocolatey as you like. One blend that I’m really lovin’ is a super potent, anti-inflammatory, flavor packed turmeric chai blend. Delicious served over ice and downright comforting served steaming hot. A milk for all seasons!
The recipes make 2 cups each, but I like to make at least a quart at a time. You can use a wide variety of nuts and seeds - I used equal parts almonds, cashews and pumpkin seeds.
Ingredients
- ½ cup nuts/seeds soaked for 1-8 hours, rinsed and strained
- 2 cups water
- 2 cardamom pods, seeds removed
- 4 cloves
- 2 medjool dates
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ½ cup nuts/seeds soaked for 1-8 hours, rinsed and strained
- 2 cups water
- 2 medjool dates
- 1 tbsp cocoa butter (optional, but delicious)
- ¼ cup raw cacao powder
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Blend the nuts/seeds, water, cardamom seeds, cloves and dates in a blender for about 3 minutes. For Chocolate Milk add all ingredients and skip step 3.
- Strain though a nut sack, cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients or rinse the blender and give it all one more whorl in the blender.
- Serve immediately over ice or gently heated.
- Store for up to 4 days in the refrigerator or freeze for several months.
Notes
Recipe tip: freeze in ice cube trays to toss into smoothies, soups, sauces or melt in a pan for a quick and creamy hot drink anytime.
So get out that nut sack and start milkin’ it already! Or if you prefer, the less exciting nut milk bag, cheese cloth or fine mesh sieve.
I want to know: What’s your favorite blend? Share in the comments below.
I have ground cardamom and cloves, do you think it’d be best to add those at the end with the other spices?
Also, loving that infographic
Thanks Grace! Yes, powdered spices can be added at the end.
Love your info-graphic AND Recipes!
If making seed milk with hemp, do you still recommend soaking them 6-8 hours–they seem so soft already???
What nut/seed milk would you recommend for a starting an infant out on?
Thanks Dianne! Good news – for hemp milk you do not need to soak the seeds. Obviously breast milk would be the best for an infant. Hemp milk has a nice balance of fats and a good amino acid profile, but I would ask your naturopath or Dr. about suitable plant milks for your infant.