I place Almonds in the high achiever category… not only do they boast good levels of folate, Niacin, as well as vitamin A, E and vitamin D, almonds also make a great milk alternative to those who are lactose intolerant or people like me who simply choose to follow a paleo way where dairy is off limits.

What makes the humble little nut and its milk even better, is the fact that making it yourself is seriously simple, gratifying and more healthy than buying the carton version (which can contain sugar) because you can control the exactly what goes into it.

Lets also not forget, you can increase your ‘healthy’ smug factor by using raw almonds (not processed) and soak them over night to encourage easier digestion while also activating their nutritional content (go you!)

Homemade Almond Milk

Simple to make, homemade almond milk is a great alternative to cow’s milk. Use only raw, unpasteurized almonds for optimum nutrition.

Ingredients

300 grams raw, unpasteurized almonds

6 cups (1.4 liters) cold, filtered water

Vanilla or few drops of Stevia (optional for sweetening)

Directions

1)   Place almonds in a large container (with lid on tight) and cover with the water. Refrigerate for 18-24 hours.

2)   Pour almonds and water into a high-speed blender and process for 90 seconds on high. Start slow and build up the speed so you don’t splash it everywhere. Use or refrigerate up to a few days.

Some recipes strain the almond milk through a nut milk bag to make it more silky smooth, but this step isn’t essential.

Note – For sweetened or flavored almond milk, use a little vanilla or almond extract and a little agave or brown rice syrup.

image from ‘A Food Centric Life’