How To Make Almond Milk

Lately, there has been plenty of controversy surrounding dairy and how it can harm your body. Whether you believe you should or shouldn't be drinking dairy, it doesn't hurt to taste the alternatives. One of the more popular, healthy, and inexpensive options is almond milk.

Almond milk has a low glycemic index, it is low in hormone levels, and it's delicious. Though almond milk can be enjoyed alone, it is often used in place of regular milk in recipes. Whether you want to bake with it, pour it in a smoothie, or include it in another recipe, your almond milk options are endless. If you're wondering what it tastes like, it's light, refreshing, and it isn't too nutty.

There's plenty of prepackaged brands you can purchase — like Blue Diamond and Silk — but you can skip the grocery store. Chances are, you have all of the ingredients for DIY almond milk lying around your house.

For plain almond milk, all you need is water, sea salt, raw almonds, a blender or Vitamix, and a strainer or a cheese cloth. If you're looking to jazz things up and add some extra flavor without unnecessary fats and sugars, many people enjoy adding vanilla, dates, or honey.

In general, making almond milk requires three steps: Soak, blend, and strain. First, you soak the almonds in water with sea salt. After they've soaked and you rinse them off, toss them into a blender and blend them until they've reached your desired texture. Then, strain it or use a cheese cloth — that's it!

If adding dates or honey sounds delicious, here's a recipe from Wellness Mama that's sure to please.