DIY Nut Milk

Homemade nut milk is budget-friendly and easy to make, plus most commercial varieties contain ingredients that are questionable for microbial health. Once you make your first batch, you’ll wonder why it took you so long to upgrade your plant-based milk to homemade. All you need is a quart-size jar, a nut milk bag (or an old T-shirt), and a blender. No sugar. No additives. Just pure ingredients.

Ingredients

1 cup nuts (almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts—all work great)

3 to 4 cups filtered water (use less water for a creamier milk)

1 to 2 dates, as a sweetener (optional)

Pinch of sea salt

Method

SOAK THE NUTS FOR at least 6 hours or overnight with enough water to cover. (Cashews only need 4 to 6 hours.) Drain the water and place the soaked nuts in the bowl of a blender with the filtered water. Blend for a few minutes. For a touch of sweetness, add in dates, if desired. Toss in the salt. Blend again until smooth. Pour the mixture into a nut milk bag and squeeze out all of the liquid over a bowl. Discard the pulp and place the milk in a mason jar or airtight glass container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

VARIATIONS: Once you get comfortable with the basic recipe, feel free to add pure vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, turmeric, cocoa powder, or any other flavors and spices you desire.

Recipe by Elise Museles of Kale and Chocolate. First appeared in The Microbiome Solution (Penguin 2015).