Making Your Own Nut and Seed Milks

Empower yourself with this formula and make your own nut- or seed-based milks!
Aside from saving you money, it will also reduce your exposure to BPA-lined packages and potentially inflammatory additives.

A few popular nuts and seeds (almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts and sesame seeds) need straining to achieve a smooth texture. This is easy to do. Straining with a nut-milk bag (sold at health-food stores) is best, although cheesecloth or a fine-mesh sieve will work too. Softer nuts and seeds (cashews, coconut, Hemp Hearts and sunflower seeds) do not need to be strained, provided they are well soaked and you own a high-powered blender. Avoid making milk with walnuts, as they go rancid quickly and can taste bitter.

Ingredients:
1 cup raw nuts or seeds of choice
2 cups filtered water, for soaking the nuts or seeds
4 cups filtered water, for the milk
pinch pink rock or gray sea salt

Optional sweetener and flavorings:
1–2 Tbsp raw liquid honey or coconut nectar (see Tip)
or 2–3 medjool dates, pitted
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract or raw cacao
powder

Optional detox boosters:
1 Tbsp ground chia seeds (to thicken the milk, if desired)
½ tsp ground cinnamon

Buttermilk option:
1 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar or organic lemon juice

Directions:
1. Soak the nuts or seeds in 2 cups water for 2 to 4 hours. Drain and rinse.

2. In a blender, place 4 cups water, the salt and the rinsed nuts or seeds, and blend on high speed until liquefied. 

3. Strain the milk if necessary, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible.

4. If using any of the optional ingredients, return the milk to the blender, and blend them in well.

5. Transfer to Mason jars for storage. Makes 4 cups. Will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Shake well before using.

Be sure to hold down the lid of the blender while blending, as the pressure can build up inside. If you have a less powerful machine, avoid burning out the motor with this heavy mixture by blending it in short stretches.

To make a nut- or seed-based “cream,” simply use half the amount of water—2 cups instead of 4 cups—and keep the rest of the recipe the same. You can find coconut nectar or syrup (which comes from the coconut tree blossom) at health-food stores.

This recipe can be found in my 3rd book, Hot Detox on page 124.

Grab your copy here!