Question: Why in the world hasn't nut milk replaced dairy milk yet? It is so yummy!! And easy to make. And oh yes, the best part, it is cow-friendly. Lets take all the dairy cows and place them in wide open grassy fields and put some cashew-soaking, almond grinding nut milk factories in place of those dairy farms. Lets add in some soy, grain, coconut and rice milk factories too just in case you have nut allergies (but then this post probably isn't for you anyways.) I don't think the world would miss dairy milk at all. But that is just me.
Back to nut milks. They are amazing. Creamy, velvety, white .. swoon.. Here is a simple cashew milk recipe I love!..
How-to Make Cashew Milk - raw, vegan
1 - Empty a bag of raw cashews into a large bowl.
2 - Add very warm or hot water to the cashew bowl until the nuts are well submerged. Add a few sprinkles of salt. I like pink salt because it is rich in minerals. And who doesn't like anything PINK. Swirl the salt into the cashews. Allow bowl to sit on counter for at least four hours. tip: Sometimes I soak the cashews in very hot water and it speeds up the soaking time.
Yes, this is the boring part.... SOAKING SOAKING (nibble a cashew to taste test how soaking is going) SOAKING SOAKING SOAKING (another nibble!) soaking soaking... DONE!
3 - Drain water from the cashews. Rinse the nuts in cold water. Add about one cup of soaked/rinsed cashews to a high speed blender like a Vitamix.
*if not making cashew milk right away, or if not using all the soaked nuts - store soaked cashews in fridge - I like to keep mine submerged in water so they don't dry out. Use within a couple of days though.*
4 - Add in the additional ingredients: 4 cups fresh, chilled water + a few drops vanilla extract or some real vanilla bean seeds + maple or agave syrup to taste (I like about 1 Tbsp) + salt to taste (I like about ¼ tsp)
And here we go - watch the magic happen. BLEND FROM LOW TO HIGH SPEED - for a while. Until smooth. And creamy. And frothy.
5 - You could just drink the "chunky version" or for the smooth version you will need a nut milk bag - or a mesh strainer. Strain your blended milk. You should be left with just a small amount of pulp. You can use this pulp in cookies, baked goods or simply toss it.
6 - DRINK UP. store leftovers in sealed container in fridge. I like glass containers. Drink within a few days. Separation/settling is natural - shake before drinking.
7 - Tweak it. Blend cashew milk with some raw cacao powder for chocolate cashew milk - or a few fresh strawberries for strawberry milk (yum!!)
Enjoy your nut milk! The cows thank you.
ps... you can use this same process for a wide variety of milks - almond, walnut, pistachio and more..
