Easy To Make Homemade Almond Milk

I am always on the lookout for new interesting things to make, so I decided to try my hand at making some homemade fresh almond milk! Did you know that humans were not built to digest cows milk and we are not actually meant to drink it? I did not know this, so naturally when I found this out I started looking for a healthy alternative. I chose to make some almond milk as I love trying anything new, and I love creating things in my kitchen! Almond milk is especially good for you and here are a few reasons why: 

- It helps with weight management

- It keeps your heart healthy due to their being no cholesterol or saturated fat in almond milk

- It keeps your bones strong

- It keeps your skin glowing as it contains 50% of the recommended daily amount of Vitamin E 

- It barely impacts your blood sugar

- It contributes to muscle health and healing

- It keeps your digestion in check 

- It doesn't contain lactose so a great alternative for those who are intolerant!

- Some say it tastes better than cows milk

- It's easy to make (and I can vouch for that!)

So lots of reasons to choose almond milk as a supplement or even just a once in a while change from dairy milk! 

So here's how I made my almond milk. It was so quick and easy! 

Ingredients:

1 cup raw almonds

2 cups water, plus more for soaking

Sweeteners like honey, sugar, agave syrup, or maple syrup, to taste (optional)

Equipment:

Bowls

Strainer

Measuring cup

Blender or food processor (I used a blender)

Fine-mesh nut bag or cheese cloth (I used a muslin square cloth)

Instructions

1. Soak the almonds overnight or up to 2 days. Place the almonds in a bowl and cover with about an inch of water. They will plump as they absorb water. Let stand, uncovered, overnight or up to 2 days. The longer the almonds soak, the creamier the almond milk.
2. Drain and rinse the almonds. Drain the almonds from their soaking water and rinse them thoroughly under cool running water. At this point, the almonds should feel a little squishy if you pinch them.
3. Combine the almonds and water in a blender. Place the almonds in the blender and cover with 2 cups of water. 
4. Blend at the highest speed for 2 minutes. Pulse the blender a few times to break up the almonds, then blend continuously for two minutes. The almonds should be broken down into a very fine meal and the water should be white and opaque. (If using a food processor, process for 4 minutes total, pausing to scrape down the sides halfway through.)
5. Strain the almonds. Line the strainer with either the opened nut bag or cheese cloth, and place over a measuring cup. Pour the almond mixture into the strainer. 
6. Press all the almond milk from the almond meal. Gather the nut bag or cheese cloth around the almond meal and twist close. Squeeze and press with clean hands to extract as much almond milk as possible. You should get about 2 cups. 
7. Sweeten to taste. Taste the almond milk, and if a sweeter drink is desired, add sweetener to taste.
8. Refrigerate almond milk. Store the almond milk in sealed containers in the fridge for up to two days.

credit to: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-almond-milk-at-home-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-189996

So thats it! It may seem like there is alot to this recipe but it really takes no longer than 10 minutes once your almonds have been soaked for a few nights. The almond milk has a very sweet taste. I put some on my cereal one morning and found that I couldn't finish it, so I find that it is best in small doses. I will have to find a way to make it not so sweet! But other than that it is a really lovely alternative to cows milk and I recommend you all give it a go! :) 

Extremely Easy and Healthy Homemade Vitamin Water!

So for a while now I have become more aware of the types of foods that I have been putting into my body and how I'm probably not doing myself any favours eating the way that I am. So recently I have been researching different ways of getting all the nutrients into my body without really trying too much, as I do work part time and am a housewife there just isn't enough hours in the day to spend hours cooking extravagant healthy meals and lets face it, who has the bank balance to do so? It just doesn't seem fair to me that all the foods that are good for you are so expensive and all the unhealthy sluggish food is so cheap! To me it makes sense for it to be the other way round so more people would eat right. 

So during my research I came across a beautiful blog called lipstickandberries.wordpress.com and found her edition of vitamin water! They just looked so pretty and tasty that I had to give it a go! I chose to make a cucumber vitamin water. Literally all you do is chop up some cucumber, place in a jar of water and leave to infuse in the fridge overnight! It is that simple. The next morning when you wake up it is so tasty and so refreshing! 

Cucumbers are so healthy for you and leaving them in the water and then drinking, draws out all the health benefits. Not only do cucumbers have most of the vitamins the body needs in one single day,  but they keep the body hydrated while helping to emilinate nasty toxins from the body. Cucumbers are known to have properties in them that help to reduce the risk of several cancer types, such as, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer and prostate cancer. So if ever there was a reason to choose cucumber, this is it! 

It is a great idea to drink cucumber vitamin water first thing in the morning as cucumbers are known to aid in weight loss and digestion due to its low calorie and high water content. So basically, you're set for the rest of the day! 

The blog where I found the idea for the vitamin water had the water in cute little jars and luckily I have a bunch of jars in my cupboard from the one time I ever made jam (I'd definitely like to make it again!) so thought it would be nice to copy her idea, and it certainly does make them look unique and different! 

Vitamin water is a great way of revitilising and refreshing in the morning and during the day, and the health benefits come in abundance. They're so quick and easy to make and you can use just about any fruit or veg you have in your fridge. So why wouldn't you want to do your body the favour?! 

I also made a strawberry and basil vitamin water, which was delicious! 

Do you have any tasty vitamin water combinations I could try?