Fawn: Making almond milk for my son

[PMoon]

My five year old can't do dairy. I am ever on the endless quest of milk substitutes. I'm also trying to cut his sugar consumption to as close to zero as possible without driving both of us crazy. (I realize this is not a realistic life goal, but I am currently trying to make improvements in his mood/behavior/attention span that seem to be affected by sugar.)

All the milk subs that you can buy are either loaded with sugar or sweetened with artificial sweeteners.

I made some almond milk today and it doesn't taste that great by itself. I added some vanilla to it and he still doesn't like it. But it has this taste that you can just TELL if you put a spoon of sugar in there it would be delicious. LOL

I believe stevia is the desirable option as far as natural, low carb sweeteners go? I have tried it and don't like it at all. As expensive as it is, I hate to buy a bottle to try him on, considering he is probably not going to like it. These are some other options (I do plan on trying the stevia when I can find a good deal on it.):

*I have read a few recipes that say put some dried dates in it. (What about raisins? Prunes? other dried fruit?)

*What about fresh berries? I haven't tried it, but I have some blackberries and strawberries growing outside. Seems like they would make it more tart than sweet, but I bet blueberries would dress it up nice.

*My first thought is honey. It is supposed to be low in the glycemic index, if that is of any significance.

I would just like your opinion (Fawn, or anyone else!) on which of the options might produce a better tasting milk as well as helping us avoid sugar crashes and work on our behavior goals.

Thanks.

P. Moon

[Chrystee]

I buy it at the store, I believe they use cane sugar for sweetener.

[PMoon]

I have found that 1/2 teaspoon of honey adds 3 grams of sugars and is enough to sweeten one cup of the milk. With a couple of drops of vanilla, my little decided this was delicious. LOL He likes it even better with some cocoa powder added, but it takes at least a teaspoon of honey to make it sweet enough for chocolate.

You should have seen me trying to taste test it without actually drinking any. LOL

P. Moon

[fawn]

I like dates p. moon. I think they add vitamins, minerals and enzymes.
Cashew milk is really nice too!

[Kamalam]

We make almond milk every two days... LOVE it, can't get enough of it! How I make it is to soak the almonds overnight in the refrigerator. In the morning, rinse and put in the vitamix. Add water, the inside of a vanilla bean (ordered online), and add some honey. Then I save it all in a rinsed out kefir bottle.

My quantity is 2 cups of almonds to 6 cups of water... I'm starting to consider thinning it out a little more though. It's delish the way it is but I'm wondering if it's too high in fat??

At first my little boy (three years old) didn't care for it - he'd been used to soy - but now he's fine. Just wish he'd eat more veggies. Won't even go for a green smoothie! Oh well... Eventually I'm going to try and eliminate the vanilla just to save $, and slowly cut back on the honey, though I probably only use a few teaspoons in six cups as it is.

[jacksmixedtape]

Originally Posted by PMoon

I have found that 1/2 teaspoon of honey adds 3 grams of sugars and is enough to sweeten one cup of the milk. With a couple of drops of vanilla, my little decided this was delicious. LOL He likes it even better with some cocoa powder added, but it takes at least a teaspoon of honey to make it sweet enough for chocolate.

You should have seen me trying to taste test it without actually drinking any. LOL

P. Moon

Sounds lovely, P. Moon! Another option for great taste is vanilla powder sold at Whole Foods. It's produced by Nielsen Massey. It's so much yummier than extract. It really makes FAGE yogurt come alive! A bit of vanilla powder and honey/NuNaturals stevia in fresh almond milk sounds amazing right about now. I'll have to bust out the Magic Bullet and make some. Thanks for the inspiration!

Question, what do you use to strain your almond milk?

[Kamalam]

Nut bags... the only way to fly! I bought mine online but I've read you can use a strainer... I just don't see how you can extract all the milk that way though - I know I really squeeze my bag to get every last drop.

[PMoon]

Originally Posted by jacksmixedtape

Sounds lovely, P. Moon! Another option for great taste is vanilla powder sold at Whole Foods. It's produced by Nielsen Massey. It's so much yummier than extract. It really makes FAGE yogurt come alive! A bit of vanilla powder and honey/NuNaturals stevia in fresh almond milk sounds amazing right about now. I'll have to bust out the Magic Bullet and make some. Thanks for the inspiration!

Question, what do you use to strain your almond milk?

I use a cloth napkin. I bought about 30 of them from the thrift store for a few dollars, back when I gave up buying paper towels. But they work great. Virtually lint free, finely woven, easy to squeasy.

P. Moon

[Low-Carb Chicklady]

SteviaSmart carries a "travel" size sweet leaf stevia clear if you want to try it without buying a big bottle.

[Faia]

Originally Posted by Kamalam

At first my little boy (three years old) didn't care for it - he'd been used to soy - but now he's fine. Just wish he'd eat more veggies. Won't even go for a green smoothie! Oh well... Eventually I'm going to try and eliminate the vanilla just to save $, and slowly cut back on the honey, though I probably only use a few teaspoons in six cups as it is.

Green and red make brown... Perhaps a bit of cherry concentrate (we have a couple around here that are made from just cherries) and a bit of cocoa powder? Not sure what the ratio would have to be to make brown and not "strange green".

[Kamalam]

Originally Posted by Faia

Green and red make brown... Perhaps a bit of cherry concentrate (we have a couple around here that are made from just cherries) and a bit of cocoa powder? Not sure what the ratio would have to be to make brown and not "strange green".

Thank you! I will try that. He is a big chocolate lover... when I let him have it!

[Faia]

Originally Posted by Kamalam

Thank you! I will try that. He is a big chocolate lover... when I let him have it!

Let us know how it goes (and what the final recipe comes out as).

If I might ask, what is your avatar?

[Kamalam]

Originally Posted by Faia

Let us know how it goes (and what the final recipe comes out as).

If I might ask, what is your avatar?

I will let you know how it goes with the not-so-green smoothies! I really hope that once I say, "it's chocolate drink!" he will dive right in. There may be a texture issue that he wrinkles his nose at, but hopefully I can bypass that.

Oh, my av... that's a photo I snapped of a sculpture in Big Sur, CA. There is this super amazing art store, can't remember the name (I have the brochure filed away somewhere) and when I saw the angel sculptures I was so blown away. I think we took a lot of pics that day... And if I ever win the Lotto, I know exactly where to go for outdoor art!

[cindy_cfids]

I'd highly suggest you check out ebay for almonds straight from the farm. Not only are you getting large quantity at a good price but the main reason is they are not irradiated. Commercially sold almonds are now required to be pasteurized. I get mine every year from seller gaspare5491 - 20# shipped for $2.85# is $57 total

April 6, 2007 - Small-scale farmers, retailers, and consumers are outraged over a new federal regulation that will require all almonds grown in California to be sterilized with various “pasteurization” techniques. The rule, which the USDA quietly developed in response to outbreaks of Salmonella in 2001 and 2004, traced to raw almonds, mandates that all almonds undergo a sterilization process that includes chemical and/or high-temperature treatments.

The only exemption to these new regulations will be ... small-scale growers who can sell truly raw almonds but only direct to the public

[PMoon]

Cindy, thanks. I will look for those before I run out next time. My main reason for getting a smaller quantity to begin with was not knowing if we were going to have that much use for them. But it seems to be working out pretty well.

Plus, I started using just a half cup of almonds to make a quart of milk. This makes an acceptable beverage. So I can stretch them out for a long time.

I assume they can be stored in the freezer for quite a while?

P. Moon

[ElizabethLC]

Off topic here, I apologize...

Kamalam: Was the store that you took your avatar picture at called Nepenthe by any chance?

Nepenthe Restaurant, Big Sur, California

I was just there and it is a super cool place!

[Kamalam]

Elizabeth, it's not the Nepenthe, but that place is awesome, I agree! Did you by chance happen to see that kind of alien figure, with a halo? I think it's above the store and you can see it as you go up the steps to the restaurant patio... So weird and wonderful.

I have just pulled out my "Cool things to do folder" and found the brochure of the art gallery. It's called the Hawthorne Gallery.... the not so good news is that I didn't write down the name of the artist for the angel sculpture. However... I just emailed them and included a photo asking for their help. Hopefully I'll hear back sometime next week!!

[cindy_cfids]

Originally Posted by PMoon

I started using just a half cup of almonds to make a quart of milk. This makes an acceptable beverage. So I can stretch them out for a long time.

I assume they can be stored in the freezer for quite a while?

Yes you can freeze almonds. I don't have freezer space or refrigerator space. I buy 20# a year and they last almost a year and taste fine.

[CindyCRNA]

To make almond milk, how much almond to how much water? Any water or do you use a special water? Overnight in the fridge? What do you do with the left over almonds? I love Almond Breeze but have wondering if I could make my own.

[Kamalam]

Originally Posted by CindyCRNA

To make almond milk, how much almond to how much water? Any water or do you use a special water? Overnight in the fridge? What do you do with the left over almonds? I love Almond Breeze but have wondering if I could make my own.

There are probably a few different ways... but this is the recipe I use:

Living and Raw Foods: Recipe - Almond Milk

Basically, 1 cup of almonds soaked overnight in the frig, to 3 cups of water, blended in a high speed blender. You can add a little honey, or other sweetener, or even nothing at all. I also add a vanilla bean.

For "skim" milk version, you just add more water... and believe me, almond milk made fresh is LOADS tastier than anything you can buy! Good luck on your journey. It's such a fun, organic process.

Oh, and the left over almond meal... there are a few things you can do (especially if you have a dehydrator, which unfortunately, I don't). You can make nut cheese, or dehydrate to get flour, you can add to a cookie mix... But argh, I just end up throwing it away. I'm so bad.

[CindyCRNA]

Thank you so much! That is just what i needed. Do you use raw almonds?

[Kamalam]

Originally Posted by CindyCRNA

Thank you so much! That is just what i needed. Do you use raw almonds?

Hi Cindy... yes. Raw almonds for sure. But I just learned from another wonderful Cindy that most almonds are pasteurized (i.e. sterilized)... especially ones from big chains like Costco.

So.... if cost isn't a big issue, I'd strongly suggest you buy them either from a health food store OR even better, the other Cindy buys them from an organic grower off of Ebay. If you look up a few posts (5/24), you'll see the seller she recommends. That's what I plan on doing once I finish my poor little Costco almonds!

Oh, and I can't stress how much the mesh bag helps... I ordered mine online through Amazon - it separates the milk from the almond meal. I squeeze every last drop!

[cowboyshootergirl]

P. Moon,
Sorry I've taken so long to post on this thread. I have been looking all over the place for my "From the Kitchen of Two Sisters" cookbook. Finally found it. Here is there recipe....

2/3 C Almonds
1/2 C Distilled Water
3 Whole Dates
3 1/2 C Distilled Water
1/4 tsp Vanilla
1/4 tsp Salt

1.) Boil about 4 cups of water in a teakettle

2.) Place the almonds in a bowl and pour boiling water over the. Set aside for 3 min.

3.) Drain the water, then pop the almonds out of their skins by squeezing.

4.) Place the almonds in a blender with the 1/2 C distilled water and blend on high speed for 1 min.

5.) Add the remaining ingredients and blend for 2min. or until creamy and very smooth.

6.) Pour the almond milk through cheesecloth into a jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Cooks's Note: The process of straining the almond milk through cheesecloth can be skipped. However, the almond milk will not be as smooth.

__________________________________________________ __________

I hope this helps.

[PMoon]

That looks wonderful. Thank you. We can't wait to try it.

[miboje]

I am assuming he is not worried about carbs here. Before going LC, my favorite was almond milk with frozen banana and a couple of soaked dates whizzed in the blender. Yum, Yum! Just like a milkshake! Unfrozen banana is good too assuming the bananas are good and ripe. Thats a good recipe for raw foodists, too.

[NurseMonkee]

Great post!
And here I thought that my costco "raw" almonds, were 100% all natural healthy goodness.

I just looked up the ebay seller that was mentioned and will be placing my order. I am really looking forward to making my own milk.

[Kamalam]

Originally Posted by NurseMonkee

Great post!
And here I thought that my costco "raw" almonds, were 100% all natural healthy goodness.

I just looked up the ebay seller that was mentioned and will be placing my order. I am really looking forward to making my own milk.

I'm going to place an order soon too... I had bought two bags from Costco, but we're finally getting to the end. In the Thrive book, there's an awesome recipe for Rooibos Almond Milk. All the goodness of almond milk PLUS the incredible antioxidant addition of rooibos. It sounds as if it wouldn't taste good (tea and almond milk?!) but it's acutally delicious. And so nice to know I'm getting in my antioxidants too. If anyone's interested let me know.

[NurseMonkee]

Originally Posted by Kamalam

I'm going to place an order soon too... I had bought two bags from Costco, but we're finally getting to the end. In the Thrive book, there's an awesome recipe for Rooibos Almond Milk. All the goodness of almond milk PLUS the incredible antioxidant addition of rooibos. It sounds as if it wouldn't taste good (tea and almond milk?!) but it's acutally delicious. And so nice to know I'm getting in my antioxidants too. If anyone's interested let me know.

Sounds good.
Can you post the recipe, please.
Thanks.

[Kamalam]

Ok! Here's the recipe for Rooibos Almond Milk:

From the book, Thrive:

This tasty, creamy mixture is delicious as a stand alone drink or on cereal. Of course, it's packed with nutrition.

3 cups water
5 rooibos tea bags (or about 2 tbsp of loose rooibos if using a teaball)
1 cup of soaked almonds (overnight)
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Sea salt to taste

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Pour into a teapot; add rooibos (I just took the pot off the burner, popped in the teaball and placed a lid on top). Let steep for 15 minutes. Remove teabags or teaball.

In blender, blend tea, almonds, agave necatar, lemon juice, and sea salt until smooth.

Keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

(fyi, he doesn't add to strain out the almond meal but I think this is a must unless you like THICK almond milk. So if you strain, do so before adding the agave, lemon or salt. Then pour back into the blender and add those ingredients... ).

I really thought the tea and lemon (and dash of salt!) would make this taste weird... but it was great. Oh... last little Virgo detail... I let the tea cool a bit before blending with the almonds because it was so HOT - didn't want to lose any nutrition from the almonds by scalding them with hot tea!

And remember... for more of a "skim" milk version, just add more water.

[PMoon]

I have read in a few places that raw almonds can bother the thyroid. Is there any research to support that?

I've actually been roasting the almonds before I make milk, which makes it taste even better. LOL I know you lose some of the raw goodness factor, but we are using it more as a milk replacement than as a nutritional supplement. So, I am really torn about what to do! I don't want to ruin his thyroid. :s

Oh, by the way, my local grocery stores don't carry unsweetened dates. So, I substituted prunes, which my little has always liked anyway, and made him smoothies with that. he loves it!

P. Moon