Growing up I really hated drinking milk. Milk that was plain, milk that had chocolate in it, etc. I hated milk in my cereal, I always preferred eating the cereal plain, straight out of the bag, straight crunchy. But I was forced to drink it every morning before school, since milk has calcium, and milk is good for strong bones. I later discovered soy milk and almond milk as alternatives, and my life dramatically became better. Hah! So I went through a period of time where I made smoothies with and drank plenty of soy milk and almond milk. I bought them from Trader Joe’s, but always felt that the almond milk there was a little lifeless. Not very creamy or full body. So I set my sights on homemaking almond milk to see if there was a difference. And there is! Homemade almond milk is creamy and delicious, and when its homemade, you can add whatever flavors to enhance it. Almonds kind of got expensive, so I don’t make it very often, but if you want to drink the difference, give it a try!

Ingredients (~4-5 cups)

• 1 cup raw almonds, soaked in water
• 3 1/2 cups filtered water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Nut bag/cheesecloth

1. Place almonds in a small bowl and cover with water. Soak them for at least 2 hours, but its apparently better to soak it overnight.
2. Drain the soaked almonds. Place almonds in Vitamix blender. Add the filtered water.
3. Blend on highest speed for at least a minute, when it looks beautifully creamy and frothy.
4.  Place the nut bag/cheesecloth over a large bowl, pour the Vitamix contents in it. Squeeze out the milk. The leftover mulch can be used for DIY crackers, or mixed into bread doughs.
5. Pour the squeezed milk back into the Vitamix. Then add the cinnamon, vanilla, and blend real quick to combine.
6. Then pour in glass storage containers, and it will last up to 3-5 days. However, you are likely going to finish it in a day or two because its so yummy!