Nut & Seed Milk
GLUTEN FREE · VEGAN · PALEO · nut free option
Homemade plant-based milk (sometimes called mylk) will always be a better option than the store-bought, from-a-carton versions. Now don’t get me wrong, I use my fair share of store-bought milks, it’s so much easier, right? Well…yes and no. Yes because all you have to do is buy it and then use it! But also no because, when you are trying to eat for health, and you are investing time and effort into making your diet as anti-inflammatory and health-supportive as possible, then one of the first things you do is to not buy anything until you have studied - and approved - the ingredients list!
So many of the alternative milks you find include a list of random ingredients alongside the key players of nuts/seeds and water. There is often a generous amount of added sugar, and a whole host of other ingredients, there to ensure product shelf-life and to prevent issues with texture or consistency. The most common extra ingredient is some form of binder, such as guar gum, tapioca starch or carrageenan. Gums can cause digestive discomfort, and carrageenan has been linked to inflammation and can also cause intestinal distress - all things we would like to avoid, right? While there are ‘purer’ options out there, you need to do your research and actively study labels to ensure you get the best option you are able to.
Or, you can try making your own nut/seed milk! It’s quick and easy, and it tastes better too.
The Ingredients
Nuts/Seeds of Choice
The options for nut and seed milks are plentiful. You can go for one kind of nut or seed by itself, or you can combine different ones to create unique flavour combinations and nutrient profiles.
Different soaking times are required for different nuts and seeds (discussed further below).
These are the some of the options you can choose from:
Nuts: almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, pecans.
Seeds: hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds.
Grain options: oat, rice.
Water
Filtered water is preferable.
Optional Add-Ins:
These options are used to sweeten the milk and/or add flavour, if you are not keen on the plain version, or would just like to experiment with different tastes.
Note - these are best added in after you have strained the milk (see below for more information).
Honey or maple syrup: you can use between 1 tsp and 1 tbsp depending on how sweet you would like it.
Dates (pitted): 1-2 dates will add sweetness but also a bit of fibre. I always recommend Medjool dates if you can find them, but any date will do. It’s also preferable if you can soak the dates beforehand, even 20-30 minutes is fine.
Vanilla extract: this is a great addition to nut/seed milks, and can really help make some of the stronger tasting milks more palatable. Add in around 1 tsp.
Cinnamon: a great warming spice with blood-sugar-regulating properties, cinnamon can make a great addition to nut/seed milk.
Sea salt: just a pinch can help enhance the existing natural flavours in your homemade milk, as well as those of any add-ins you have chosen to use.
Raw cacao powder: add in between 2 tbsp - 1/4 cup to make delicious chocolate milk!
Berries: 1/4 cup fresh or frozen berries added in for ‘berry milk’.
Step 1: Soaking
Soaking nuts and seeds before using them to make milk has a dual purpose:
From a purely practical perspective, soaking softens the nuts/seeds to facilitate the blending process and ensure a smoother milk.
Soaking also makes nuts/seeds easier to digest and increases the bioavailability of their nutrients. This is because nuts and seeds contain so-called anti-nutrients, such as phytic acid, and the soaking process helps to break this down. So, to make nuts and seeds more gut-friendly and easier to digest overall, ALWAYS soak them, even if they don’t technically need it.
Some nuts and seeds require longer, overnight soaking, while others will do just fine with a quick soak, or none at all.
As a general rule, harder nuts with skins will need to soak for 8-12 hours. These include: almonds, hazelnuts, pecans and walnuts.
Cashew nuts are softer and don’t have skins so are good to go after around 4 hours of soaking.
Brazil nuts and macadamia nuts can get away with no soaking at all, however, this will also depend on the power of your blender. If you have a high-powered blender, like a Vitamix, then it won’t have any trouble getting the milk smooth. However, weaker blenders may leave a ‘grittiness’ to the milk, so it’s worth soaking for around 4 hours to avoid this.
Seeds generally don’t need an overnight soak, and will do well with just 4-8 hours. These include sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Hemp seeds, on the other hand, can be used without soaking.
Step 2: Draining and Rinsing
This step is pretty self-explanatory. You of course will drain the nuts/seeds to get rid of the water they have been soaking in. However, once you have done this you must also RINSE them thoroughly. This is very important, as it is the follow-on step to soaking for increasing the digestibility of nuts/seeds and reducing their phytic acid content.
Step 3: Blending
Where the magic happens! As a general rule, you are aiming for a ratio of 1:3 or 1:4 of nuts/seeds to water. So for every 1 cup of nuts/seeds, you will add 3-4 cups of filtered water. You can adjust this to get the consistency and ‘creaminess’ that you prefer.
Blender cleaning hack: an easy way to clean your blender after use is to pour in some warm water with a drop of dish soap and switch on! This will usually do the job perfectly, unless you have been making something ‘sticky’ like nut butter - you may then need to clean it more thoroughly in such a case.
Step 4: Straining
Depending on which nuts/seeds you are using, straining may not be required. However, I would recommend it as it will always give a smoother and creamier result, which is what we are going for after all!
Generally speaking though, most nuts will produce substantial pulp that will be separated in the straining process (and which you can even use in some recipes), while most seeds, and even cashew nuts, will have much less solid matter to separate.
You can use a nut milk bag, cheesecloth, fine mesh sieve or even a thin tea towel to strain the milk.
Step 4(b): Optional add-ins
If you are using any extra ingredients to flavour your milk, it’s best to do so at this point of the process. Simply pour the strained milk back into the blender, add in your flavouring of choice and blend again.
If you are using berries, you may need to strain the milk once more, so as to filter out the skins and seeds which could make the milk gritty.
Step 5: Storage
Generally speaking, homemade nut/seed milk will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge. It is important to use an airtight container, and using a couple of smaller ones (rather than a single large one for the entire batch) is recommended if you are making a larger batch so you’re not repeatedly opening the same container and letting air in, as this could affect your milk.
You could also pour some of the milk into an ice cube tray so you have the milk cubes ready to go for use in smoothies etc.
Keep in mind that nut/seed milks can separate - don’t worry, this is totally normal. Just shake before using and you’re good to go.
Step 6: Using the Pulp
You don’t have to use leftover pulp of course, but if you don’t want to throw it out, you can always use it in baking. I’ve tried these brownies and loved them, and you can find plenty of other ideas online too.
NUT/SEED MILK
Ingredients
- 1 cup nuts/seeds of choice (soaked 4-12 hrs, drained and rinsed)
- 3-4 cups filtered water
- 1 tsp - 1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1-2 pitted dates
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp - 1/4 cup raw cacao powder
- 1/4 cup berries (fresh or frozen)
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Blend nuts/seeds with water.
- Strain the milk using a nut milk bag or cheesecloth, squeezing well to get all the liquid out.
- If using any flavourings, return the milk to the blender, add in flavouring of choice and blend again.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes:
· Will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge. · Some separation may occur. This is normal, just shake before using.