Homemade Almond Milk

Almond milk is byfar my favorite milk alternative. Soy, rice, and coconut milk are all too sweet for me. Almond milk goes down similar to regular milk -- that's to say that I can chug almond milk the same way I did skim cow's milk. However, some store-bought almond milk brands (like Silk) tend to be really separated or watery, and are therefore really hard to drink straight-up. I do like the brand Almond Breeze a lot, but sometimes it's fun to make your own! This almond milk is smooth, and consistent:

Homemade Almond Milk

9 oz. raw, unpasteurized almonds
6 c. cold, filtered water
(optional -- vanilla extract, almond extract, agave nectar, stevia -- for flavoring and sweetening)

1. Place almonds in a large container or bowl, and cover with the cold water. Cover tightly, and let sit in refrigerator for 18-24 hours.

2. Place almonds and water into a blender, and process for 90 seconds on high, starting slow, and speeding up, so as not to splash the mixture. It is best to do this in one run (not little by little), so that the milk is consistent, and no bit is more watery or more almond-y than another, while I suppose it wouldn't matter once you mixed all the milk together. Anyways, if you prefer to separate the water and almonds into two separate containers during step 1, so as to get consistent milk throughout, go ahead.

3. Optional: Strain the milk. If you prefer to not have little leftover bits of almond skins and grit at the bottom of your milk, then you should strain the milk with a very fine mesh strainer (like a yogurt strainer) before storing and/or drinking. This is a very long, messy, tedious process, but worth it in the end. Pour the gritty milk through a yogurt strainer into a separate bowl. You will have to stop pouring to squish the milk through the strainer with a spoon, and to discard the almond grit in the strainer. 

4. Once you have your final milk product (pulpy, or pulp-free), add any sweeteners or flavors you like, or non at all, then transfer to a jug or bottle for easy storing and pouring. Refrigerate for up to a week.