I’m a sucker for almonds. Especially raw almonds. So much so that I decided to experiment with an almond milk recipe using Wild Soil Almonds, a brand I found on Amazon when searching for low-cost raw almonds in bulk.
Before I get to the recipe, I must share with you how much I love Wild Soil Almonds. What caught my attention when I first found them online was their story.
Wild Soil Almonds are grown on a family farm in California using virgin soil that took the company 10 years to perfect – their proprietary farming technology allows the company to grow their almonds like their forefathers did pre 1920.
Their farm story, coupled with the fact that they do not use any chemicals to pasteurize their almonds (they use steam instead), got me hooked before I even tasted them! I knew I wanted to use these almonds in my almond milk recipe!
When my big bag of almonds arrived, I quickly opened the bag and put an almond in my mouth. The almond was soft and not crunchy like most almonds out there – a sign that these almonds are fresh!
It was at this moment I knew my almond milk was going to be a winner!
Keto Almond Milk
When starting a Ketogenic Diet, it’s really important to eliminate sugar from your diet. Regular cow’s milk contains a ton of sugar (natural sugar called lactose) and on top of this, cow’s milk is known to cause inflammation in the body.
Sugar and inflammation are two things that will keep you from losing weight.
Drinking cow’s milk is a big no-no on a keto diet because it’s filled with lactose sugar and can cause you to stay out of ketosis, which is the opposite effect you want to experience on a keto diet.
I’m not much of a milk drinker anymore, so having a plant-based and low carbohydrate alternative for my once-in-a-while need for milk was a no-brainer.
Plus, providing a healthier milk for my family is important, too. I was so excited to try out an almond milk recipe to help keep my family healthy!
Oh, and if you’re looking for the perfect buttery toast to enjoy with a glass of this low-carb homemade almond milk recipe, pair it with my Perfect 90 Second Keto Bread recipe and you’ll have yourself a yummy meal!
You can also use this recipe to make a low carb almond milk smoothie for your keto meals! The food pairing possibilities are endless!
Homemade Almond Milk – Step by Step Instructions
If you’ve never made homemade almond milk before, you’re missing out! Sure, you can purchase unsweetened almond milk at the store, but many brands are filled with yucky ingredients such as gums to thicken and preservatives that are harmful for your health.
If you’re wanting to experience a strict and clean ketogenic diet, this is an easy recipe to make, plus the benefits are worth it!
Let’s get started, shall we? Here’s a step-by-step instruction of how to make almond milk:
First, I think it’s really important to start with a good quality raw almond. This is an almond that hasn’t been roasted and isn’t flavored with salt or any type of oil – simply raw!
If you taste the almond first and it tastes good, then your milk will taste just as delicious. Find a bowl large enough to hold one cup of raw almonds and a bit of filtered water to cover the top.
You’ll likely have a few almonds float to the top – no worries. They’ll eventually get covered in water.
You’ll want to cover your bowl with plastic wrap and either place the almonds in the refrigerator or on your kitchen counter – you can leave these over night or for about eight hours.
After your almonds have soaked for at least 8 hours (longer is fine), you’ll notice your water will look a bit milky. No worries, this supposed to happen! You might also notice your almonds have grown in size after soaking in some of the water.
This milky water is NOT the almond milk, so stay with me for the remaining steps! 😉
I know, not very pretty, huh? Well, here’s where the fun happens!
Next, you’ll drain and rinse your almonds to prepare them for blending.
I used my small food processor that came with my Ninja Master Blender. The processor is smaller than your average food processor.
It was really the right size to allow the blades to chop the almonds into small enough pieces to yield a frothy milk.
Next, you’ll add two cups of filtered water to your almonds. You want to make sure you’re using filtered water because you want your almond milk to taste good.
If you’re using a small food processor like me, you may need to reserve about a 1/4 of water to ensure you don’t overflow your processor. If you can’t fit all of your water into your machine, you can add the remaining water to your milk.
Make sure you secure your lid on your processor or blender, and blend away. Depending on your machine, it might take as few as 30 seconds or up to two minutes to fully process your almonds.
Oh, and if you’re looking to drink your almond milk right away, make sure your filtered water is cold!
After processing, your mixture will be frothy and milky!
Next comes the straining! You definitely want to invest in a heavy duty nut bag if you can. I used Ellie’s Best Pro Quality Nut Milk Bag (it’s commercial grade and 12X12 in size).
It’s a bit more pricey than the others, but it’s heavy duty and reusable. It’s not always about best price!
Place your nut bag into a large bowl. Remove your blade and gently pour the almond milk mixture into the bag.
Next you’ll gently strain your nut milk mixture by gently squeezing the bag in a manner similar to kneading bread. If you use a heavy duty bag like I did, you won’t puncture the bag, so knead away!
You’ll strain the mixture until all the liquid is released from the almonds.
What results is a lovely off-white milky substance that smells like heaven! It’s a nutty scent that you’ll find yourself craving every day!
At this point you can drink your milk as-is, or you can enhance the flavor just a tad. I added a few drops of vanilla extract to help the flavor pop.
If you want your almond milk sweetened, consider adding a keto-approved sweetener. If you’re not on a keto diet, add a teaspoon of pure maple syrup.
You can also add cinnamon if you desire. The sky’s the limit as far as flavorings go.
If you used cold filtered water, enjoy a glass of almond milk right after you make the almond milk recipe. It’s great fresh or even after a few hours.
This almond milk recipe makes about two cups of milk. I like to store it in a jar with a lid inside the refrigerator for a few days. You may find that the fat separates from the milk, so make sure you shake it up before drinking if you store it for any length of time.
Oh and before I forget, you’ll have a small pile of lovely almond pulp that you can use for your favorite baking recipes like keto cookies, cakes, breads and more!
Store your almond pulp in a air tight sealable bag in the refrigerator for a few days or in the freezer for a longer period of time.
Almond Milk Nutrition Information
Like I mentioned earlier, almond milk is much more healthier than cow’s milk. It’s low-carb, has healthy fat and low in sugar. Below I include the almond milk nutrition information for your keto macro calculations. This is based on a 1/2 cup serving.
Almond Milk
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Raw Almonds
- Filtered Water for Soaking
- 2 Cups Filtered Water
- Vanilla Extract, to taste
- Sweetener (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl add raw almonds and filtered water until the almonds are completely covered. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to soak for at least 8 hours.
- Once the almonds are finished soaking, the water will be milky. Strain the almonds in a colander and lightly rinse.
- In a food processor or blender, add the almonds and 2 cups of filtered water and blend/process until the almonds are well grounded and water is milky and frothy.
- Using a nut bag, strain your almond milk into a large bowl and gently squeeze the remaining milk out of the almond pulp until all the liquid is drained.
- Finally, add a few drops of vanilla extract, or more to taste, and sweetener if you want your almond milk to have a hint of sweetness to it.
Notes
Yields 2 Cups (4 Servings of 1/2 cup each)
Recommended Products
-
Wild Soil Almonds - Distinct and Superior to Organic, Steam Pasteurized, Probiotic, Raw 3LB Bag -
Ninja 400-Watt Blender/Food Processor for Frozen Blending, Chopping and Food Prep with 48-Ounce Pitcher and 16-Ounce Chopper Bowl (QB900B), Silver -
Pro Quality Nut Milk Bag - Big 12"X12" Commercial Grade - Reusable Almond Milk Bag & All Purpose Food Strainer - Fine Mesh Nylon Cheesecloth & Cold Brew Coffee Filter - Free Recipes & Videos (1)
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1/2 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 162 Total Fat: 14g Trans Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 7mg Carbohydrates: 6g Fiber: 3g Sugar: 2g Protein: 6g
How will you choose to flavor your almond milk? I’d love to hear from you!
Perfect 90 Second Keto Bread
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