Homemade Vanilla Almond Milk

Did I mention that my middle name is Lactose-Intolerant?  Well, it is.  I know, strange name, especially for a girl, but my parents really had no choice in the matter.  I've been picked on and tormented about my middle name for YEARS.  When I finally came to my senses and realized what dairy was doing to my tummy, I put a halt to it.  Worked like a charm!  I said "bye bye!" to cheese, cow's milk and anything with dairy in it (pizza, cream-based soups, Alfredo, ice cream, etc) and have not for one moment regretted my decision!  Can't say that I even miss those foods.

Give up that cow's milk!  Cow's milk was made for baby cows and human milk was made for baby humans.  I know it may be difficult finding human breast milk in your local market, so I'm really leaving you with no choice here:) You also might be thinking, "Hey, I'm gonna stick with my store bought almond or soy milk."  Don't do it!  Did you check those labels?  I won't name names, but most of the popular almond milk brands use chemical additives and natural flavoring in their recipes.  "Natural flavoring" isn't as innocent as it sounds.  In fact, it's worse than "artificial flavoring"!  If you are striving for optimum health on a cellular level (like me), you don't want to put that poison in your system.  More on that at a later date. 

The benefits of all natural, raw almond milk:

• Rich in potassium, copper, magnesium, and iron
• Contains a lg. amount of Vitamin E, an antioxidant that destroys free radicals; a harmful compounds in the body that damage DNA and cause cell death (Vitamin E = glowing skin!)
• Hormone free
• High in protein and omega fatty acids
• Free of cholesterol and saturated fat
• Completely additive and preservative free and you know where it came from!

My daily morning routine consists of my homemade raw granola topped with this FitLicious homemade Almond Milk.  You can substitute it in recipes that requires milk or cream and even add it to your morning coffee or latte.

So I challenge you, if you have never thought of making your own milk, give this recipe a go.  There are no almond teets to milk, all you really need is a blender and a strainer.


Vanilla Almond Milk (yields 3 cups)
1 cup almonds, soaked 8-12 hours beforehand if it’s possible
4 cups water
6 dates or 1/4 cup raw agave
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (or the contents of a vanilla bean)
Procedure:
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend for 1-2 min.
Strain the milk into a lg. bowl, collecting the almond pulp (I use a mesh strainer or you could use cheesecloth). Transfer milk into an air tight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.