The New Urban Homesteaders

Let’s Get Nuts Now…

Canada imports 100% of our marketable almond; mostly from California.

Why almond milk; or any other kind of nut milk. First and foremost dairy free makes them perfect for the vegan diet or anyone with lactose issues. Nut milks are up to 50% lower in calories to their dairy counterparts. Almond milk also provides 50% of your daily recommended Vitamin E.

I highly recommend the use of a nut milk bag. They come in various sizes and can be unbleached cotton, hemp or vinyl mesh. Vinyl ones get a quick rinse and go top shelf in the dishwasher. Cotton and hemp ones are hand washed and hung to dry.

Almond Milk

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Equipment

  • Blender
  • Milk Bag

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Almonds
  • 4 cups water filtered
  • 1 cup water filtered for soaking

Instructions
 

  • Place almonds in a container that has a lid; cover with water and place in to refrigerator overninght.
  • Place almonds with soaking water in the blender; add 4 cups of water and blend on high until completely blended.
  • Place the milk bag in a large bowl and empty the blender contents into the bag.
  • You will have to twist the top and squeeze as much of the milk out of the pulp as you can.
  • Empty the milk into a container to be stored in the refrigerator.
  • Reserve the almond pulp.

Notes

Just a few notes:
If you are really in a pinch you can still make the milk without soaking the nuts first. Although the yield may suffer the quality will still be good.
Although you can use a cheese cloth set up; milk bags make life a lot easier 😉
Do not throw out the nut pulp. 

When you are finished extracting all the ‘milk’ from the bag you will be left with roughly 1 cup of almond pulp. Falling under the heading of ‘Waste not Want not’ I’m offering up a recipe for Bliss Balls. I’m sure that there are many, many recipes for this nutritional leftover. However, this one is quick and easy.

Bliss Balls

Using the almond pulp from our DIY almond milk 😉
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Equipment

  • Vitamix or Food Processor

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup almond nut pulp leftover from DIY almond milk
  • 1 cup chopped nuts of choice use favourite or whatever you have on hand
  • 1/2 cup pitted dates chopped
  • 3 Tbs hemp seeds
  • 3 Tbs almond butter
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup fine coconut for rolling balls in

Instructions
 

  • Chop nuts and place in blender
  • Chop dates and place in blender
  • Add the remainder of the ingredients to the blender and process to desired consistency
  • Hand roll into balls and roll in coconut
  • Store in the refrigerator or freezer
  • Enjoy

Notes

This is a very forgiving recipe. Add or subtract at will. Any nut or nut butter will work. Or try the addition of cocoa powder (either in the mix or to roll the balls in). 

I know that there are recipes for turning the almond pulp into crackers; I personally have not found a successful recipe to date. I find them very dry. That said; if anyone out there has a really good recipe please send it my way 😉