Why I Switched to Homemade Almond Milk
How to make homemade almond milk
My Almond Milk Journey
It can be really overwhelming to eat clean all of the time. Not going to lie, I got frustrated initially listening to all of the chatter online on social media, blogs, research studies, and the like with people talking about all of the additives and preservatives in many of the foods we buy at the store. It felt like there was nothing left to eat and drink and I didn’t want to be a slave to my kitchen making food 24/7!
To help me manage a healthier lifestyle without feeling too overwhelmed, I decided to first focus on looking at the foods and drinks that I consumed most often. And what was at the top of the list? Almond milk. I put almond milk in coffee, smoothies, oatmeal, and chia pudding pretty much every single day.
I know I have a lactose intolerance, so I had been drinking almond milk for a few years. While I paid attention to buying milks with the least amount of preservatives and additives and sugars, I knew there was a healthier option but was daunted by the task of making it on my own until I tried it for the first time.
Why You Should Switch to Homemade Almond Milk
I’m not going to tell you that making your almond milk is going to be cheaper or more convenient than buying almond milk from the store. However, here are some reasons why homemade almond milk is better:
Homemade almond milk just tastes better. Fresh is best and you can learn how to naturally flavor your milk the way you like with things like organic vanilla, dates, and cinnamon
Many store bought brands just aren’t very nutritious. They’re watered down a ton to make them less caloric and less expensive to make
Some brands in stores contain additives like carrageenan, vegetable oils, and “natural flavors,” which can be disruptive to our digestive track. We don’t know exactly what we’re consuming when companies just list “natural flavors”
The sweetened versions of store bought brands contain a lot of sugar
Homemade almond milk is much more nutrient-dense and will help you stay feeling good!
Homemade Almond Milk Recipe
Ready to try it on your own? Here’s a simply recipe to get your started:
Soak 1 cup of whole, raw almonds in water for at least 8 hours. Make sure you’re using plain almonds (not roasted, salted, etc.). Buy organic almonds when possible.
Rinse and drain the almonds.
Place the almonds in a blender and add 4 cups of cold, filtered water. If you’d like to flavor the milk, add in a date, vanilla bean, vanilla extract, or cinnamon to taste.
Blend the almonds and water on high for 60 seconds.
Strain the mixture through a nut milk bag (you can save the almond meal if you’d like for baking or smoothies).
Pour the almond milk in a glass container and store in the fridge for up to a week.
Try it out and let me know how it goes!
My Health Journey
Clean eating has been a huge part of my health journey and has contributed to my long term success in staying leaner and stronger. If you’d like to learn more about my health journey and what has worked well for me, please read more about my health journey here.
Make sure to follow me on Instagram to see what I’m up to each day!
xoxo,
Ashley
