Milk Substitues better or no?

Desdemona98 · 08-12-2011, 02:34 PM

Since milk is the big debate (in some areas anyways) I was wondering what everyone's take on milk substitues are. I mainly ask because I LOVE.. with a passion almost (haha).. Latte's. I have my own espresso machine and have started my day out with one for years. I don't want to give them up and have gone back and forth on just using raw whole milk (which I did for a couple of years) or using coconut milk. I do like the vanilla/no sugar coconut milk made by So Delicious. It has a very low carb rating.

The whole costs-less and lives longer thing is also a perk. Raw milk can have a short shelf life sometimes. I use to beable to buy it at a farmers market straight from the supplier but now I have to go to the store.

So, do you think drinking a fake milk product (I will probably just stick with coconut, not a fan of almond) is kind of missing the point? The milk is at least straight from the cow and unaltered (raw/grassfed) for the most part.

Dottie · 08-12-2011, 02:52 PM

My personal take is: the So Delicious is only barely called coconut milk because it has so many additives!

IMO you're better off getting a real coconut milk and just diluting it for the same uses you'd use that "stuff" for lol

Nigel · 08-12-2011, 03:05 PM

My suggestion would be to make nut milk. You can make it from any raw nuts. I have made it from roasted nuts too, but the flavor is a heck of lot stronger.

You can add in vanilla or sweetner if you want after its made.
I don't add anything to mine. I like it plain.

For cashew milk, I took half a cup of cashews and put in a pint jar and covered them with water and put the lid on. Then waited overnight (I think you could do this in as little as 4 hours, but most recipes say 12 hours).
Then I rinsed them off and put them in the Vitamix (you could use a food processor) with 2 cups of water and blended them all up.
They blend easily cause they get soft. Then I had almost a quart of milk/cream substitute.

I made instant pudding with it and it worked just fine. Different nuts have different flavors when they are turned into nut milks.

lauraleeor · 08-15-2011, 05:43 AM

I use organic coconut milk in a can--it is the good fats and no additives like the carton. I don't shake it and keep it in the fridge for my coffee or to scoop over berries. so good. I use the water at the bottom to make a veggie smoothie-coconut water, mash sweet potato, spinach, ice.

Laura Lee

Desdemona98 · 08-18-2011, 10:57 AM

I haven't done a lot of "homemade" stuff yet, because I lack time. When I first went "all natural," I did a lot more and I felt like I was going to lose my sanity so I cut back. I attend school, work full time, and have a toddler as a single mom... so my time is pretty sparse. I do make a few things though (like bone broth).

I will have to look at the carton again, I bought it because it seemed like it's additives were low, but maybe I was being too lienant. I have cans of coconut milk that I bought a long time ago, but it was so thick I couldn't really stomach it. I don't know why I didn't think to just add water to it. I will try that as soon as I run out of my current (small) stash of carton coconut milk.

I use espresso and not coffee, so we are talking about a large additive not small like creamer in a coffee. It use to be my breakfast when I used full fat milk, but since I'm trying to cut the cow carbs and the expense of raw milk. If I ever get smart I'll turn it into breakfast smoothies, but to be honest I don't want the added mess or choir in the morning before work.

Desdemona98 · 09-04-2011, 10:16 PM

well, I tried coffee and "real" coconut milk today.. I had a problem with it mixing (I drink cold lattes), so I nuked it slightly and it was ok.. but I didn't like it warm so I killed the natural and flavored it with a touch of coffee creme liquor (my one cheat for the day). It was ok, but was really good once cold. So, I think tomorrow I will do the same, minus the liquor of course, and see if it tastes good once it's cold.

Thanks for the tip.

08-12-2011, 02:34 PM	#1
Desdemona98 Junior LCF Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 57 Gallery: Desdemona98 Stats: 154/154/125 WOE: Primal Start Date: still trying to start...	Milk Substitues better or no? Since milk is the big debate (in some areas anyways) I was wondering what everyone's take on milk substitues are. I mainly ask because I LOVE.. with a passion almost (haha).. Latte's. I have my own espresso machine and have started my day out with one for years. I don't want to give them up and have gone back and forth on just using raw whole milk (which I did for a couple of years) or using coconut milk. I do like the vanilla/no sugar coconut milk made by So Delicious. It has a very low carb rating. The whole costs-less and lives longer thing is also a perk. Raw milk can have a short shelf life sometimes. I use to beable to buy it at a farmers market straight from the supplier but now I have to go to the store. So, do you think drinking a fake milk product (I will probably just stick with coconut, not a fan of almond) is kind of missing the point? The milk is at least straight from the cow and unaltered (raw/grassfed) for the most part.

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08-12-2011, 02:52 PM	#2
Dottie Administrator Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: S.E. Texas Gulf Coast Posts: 68,569 Gallery: Dottie WOE: JUDDD calorie cycling plan	My personal take is: the So Delicious is only barely called coconut milk because it has so many additives! IMO you're better off getting a real coconut milk and just diluting it for the same uses you'd use that "stuff" for lol

08-12-2011, 03:05 PM	#3
Nigel Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 3,081 Gallery: Nigel	My suggestion would be to make nut milk. You can make it from any raw nuts. I have made it from roasted nuts too, but the flavor is a heck of lot stronger. You can add in vanilla or sweetner if you want after its made. I don't add anything to mine. I like it plain. For cashew milk, I took half a cup of cashews and put in a pint jar and covered them with water and put the lid on. Then waited overnight (I think you could do this in as little as 4 hours, but most recipes say 12 hours). Then I rinsed them off and put them in the Vitamix (you could use a food processor) with 2 cups of water and blended them all up. They blend easily cause they get soft. Then I had almost a quart of milk/cream substitute. I made instant pudding with it and it worked just fine. Different nuts have different flavors when they are turned into nut milks.

08-15-2011, 05:43 AM	#4
lauraleeor Senior LCF Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: ATL Posts: 134 Gallery: lauraleeor Stats: 210/140/135 WOE: paleo Start Date: November 2009-medifast August 2011-paleo	I use organic coconut milk in a can--it is the good fats and no additives like the carton. I don't shake it and keep it in the fridge for my coffee or to scoop over berries. so good. I use the water at the bottom to make a veggie smoothie-coconut water, mash sweet potato, spinach, ice. Laura Lee

08-18-2011, 10:57 AM	#5
Desdemona98 Junior LCF Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 57 Gallery: Desdemona98 Stats: 154/154/125 WOE: Primal Start Date: still trying to start...	I haven't done a lot of "homemade" stuff yet, because I lack time. When I first went "all natural," I did a lot more and I felt like I was going to lose my sanity so I cut back. I attend school, work full time, and have a toddler as a single mom... so my time is pretty sparse. I do make a few things though (like bone broth). I will have to look at the carton again, I bought it because it seemed like it's additives were low, but maybe I was being too lienant. I have cans of coconut milk that I bought a long time ago, but it was so thick I couldn't really stomach it. I don't know why I didn't think to just add water to it. I will try that as soon as I run out of my current (small) stash of carton coconut milk. I use espresso and not coffee, so we are talking about a large additive not small like creamer in a coffee. It use to be my breakfast when I used full fat milk, but since I'm trying to cut the cow carbs and the expense of raw milk. If I ever get smart I'll turn it into breakfast smoothies, but to be honest I don't want the added mess or choir in the morning before work.

09-04-2011, 10:16 PM	#6
Desdemona98 Junior LCF Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 57 Gallery: Desdemona98 Stats: 154/154/125 WOE: Primal Start Date: still trying to start...	well, I tried coffee and "real" coconut milk today.. I had a problem with it mixing (I drink cold lattes), so I nuked it slightly and it was ok.. but I didn't like it warm so I killed the natural and flavored it with a touch of coffee creme liquor (my one cheat for the day). It was ok, but was really good once cold. So, I think tomorrow I will do the same, minus the liquor of course, and see if it tastes good once it's cold. Thanks for the tip.