Milks!

I prefer to use cashew or hemp milk for most things because I can make it on the spot. No thinking ahead! For those of you who like to drink nut and seed milks, you’ll need to try them to determine if you like them straight up, but using them to make chia seed pudding, or on homemade raw cereal, or as a base for creamy soups, you may prefer a different blend. Here are my recipes and, as usual, some thoughts…

Hemp milk

½ cup Raw Hemp seeds – I prefer to use ones I purchase from the refrigerator section, if possible

1 ½ cups Water

Blend in the blender

Cashew milk

½ cup Cashews – you can soak for ½ to 2 hours, but if you have a high speed blender and need the milk right now, you can skip this…

1 ½ cups Water

Blend in the blender

Almond (or sunflower or macadamia nut or pumpkin seed or ????) milk

1 cup Almonds, soaked 8 hours or over night in 2 cups water (or raw sunflower seeds)

2 cups Water for blending – adding up to 2 additional cups of water as you blend; starting with less water helps to blend the almonds up better. Once they are blended to a creamy texture, add the additional water.

Blend in the blender

(Note: my food co-op isn’t selling raw sunflower seeds any more, they are steam pasteurized. I found raw sunflower seeds at a reasonable price at Azure Standard https://www.azurestandard.com/. They sell lots of good organic and non-GMO things.)

Now, none of these needs to be strained with a nut milk bag or mesh strainer, but you probably should if you want to drink them straight. If you are using them on raw granola or in chia seed pudding or the like, you can use them as is. The hemp milk and cashew milk will come out much creamier than the almond milk. The hemp and cashew milks can be whipped up in a sec, just when you need them. With the almond and some of the other milks, since they require pre-planning and need to be soaked, you can make a batch, then freeze in individual serving size jars and use when needed. Just set your container on the counter or put in the fridge overnight to thaw.

If you like your milk a little sweeter, add a bit of date paste to the recipe. Play with the amounts until you get the exact sweetness you are looking for. Start with less paste than you think you need and add until it is just right. You can also add a little vanilla bean if that is more your speed.

Don’t forget 2 tablespoons of cacao or carob powder for chocolate milk or a cup or 2 of strawberries for strawberry milk in each recipe!

As with all raw recipes, start with the basic recipe and adjust the amount of water or nuts/seeds until it suits what you like.

The cashew and almond milks have a milder flavor and go with anything. The hemp and almond milk has a unique, but good, flavor. You might find that the unique flavors don’t pair with your coffee as well but are better on your raw granola. Of course, this is my opinion and you might think otherwise. 😊

In love and good health!