Make your own dairy-free plant milk
There's something satisfying about making something on your own from scratch. Making plant milk is actually pretty simple and you can alter the flavor and mix/match combinations however you like! Making things fresh typically taste better than store-bought as well. It's also fun to do with kids or grandkids to show them that not everything is bought from the store.
All you need to get started:
- 1 cup raw almonds, macadamia nuts, oats, hemp seeds, coconut, cashews (or a custom combo)
- Cheese cloth
- Filtered Water for soaking & blending
- Food Processor
**Optional: 1-2 dates and/or pure vanilla extract if you would like it flavored.
Soaking the Nuts:
You'll get a creamier milk if you soak the nuts in filtered water ahead of time. Refer to the chart below. Water some plants with the water or discard once soaked. Note: Oats, hem seed, and flax seed do not need soaked ahead of time.
| Nut | Soak Time |
| Almond | 8-12 hours |
| Cashew | 2 hours |
| Hazelnut | 8 hours |
| Macadamia | 8 hours |
Time to blend:
You'll find various ratios of nuts to water. My favorite is 1 cup nuts to 3 cups filtered water for a creamier milk. You can add as much as 5 cups water, depending on your preference.
Blend the soaked nuts, water and (optional) 1-2 pitted dates and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Place your cheesecloth over a bowl and pour the mixture, separating the pulp from the milk. You may need to twist and squeeze the cheese cloth with clean hands to extract the most milk.
Tip: Freeze some of the milk in ice cube trays so you can use it for iced coffee!
Use the pulp!
Don't throw the pulp away. You can use it in granolas, energy bites, or even this vegan cheese spread:
- 1/2 a cup of nut pulp
- Juice of one medium lemon
- 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons of fresh herbs, like chives, basil, or dill. Spread over some gluten-free crackers or use it as a dip for vegetables.