14 Healthful Foods for February - No. 2 ALMOND MILK

Almond milk is so incredibly easy to make and so yummy. 

I don't tolerate cows milk and have never really taken to shop bought almond milk, so making my
own has been brilliant. I make just as much as I need for the odd cuppa, over muesli, or a smoothie. Plus, almond milk doesn't need to be refrigerated (although I usually do), so I can carry a wee bottle with me for when I go out for coffee.

It's packed with vitamin E, B vits and has less calories and fat than cows' milk. Less protein than cows milk but a source none the less. Cows milk does outweigh almond milk in terms of its calcium content, so if you can tolerate lactose or aren't vegan then animal milks are a good calcium source for you. Homemade almond milk doesn't contain the stabilisers and emulsifiers that shop bought does, some of which can be irritant to anyone sensitive the gluten.

Here's how I make it:
Soak almonds overnight in water (I have 50g soaking here) - this breaks down the phytic acid and neutralises the enzymes so the nutrients are better absorbed.
Pop them in a blender (or nutribullet if you have one) with 5ml of water to every 1g of nuts). Blend.
Use a fine sieve to separate the milk from the pulp.
Voila - milk.
(I mainly keep the pulp and have it with fruit later in the day or I stick it in smoothies or make ice cream with it).

The hardest part is just remembering to soak the nuts (and buying a fine sieve for the first time if you don't already have one). When you've done it once you'll realise how easy it is. I soak the almonds at night and then it takes less than a minute in the morning to make my milk....