HOMEMADE ALMOND MILK & CHOCOLATE TREAT

Simplicity.

All you need is almonds and water to start...and a bit of time.

First you need to soak 1 cup of raw almonds over night, covered in filtered water.

Then the next day, when you have half an hour to spare, drain and rinse the almonds, then take the skins off the almonds by pinching/ squeezing them off. Discard skins in the compost. Now add 2 cups of filtered water to your blender with the skinless soaked almonds and blend on high until smooth.

There shouldn't be any chunks of almonds left. Only a thick creamy liquid.

Pour into a tea strainer or cheesecloth and strain. If using a tea strainer you'll have to stir with a spoon and press down to push out the liquid until there is only a thick almond pulp left. Save this pulp for cookies, baking or other delicious treats.

Add another 2 1/2 cups filtered water to the almond milk you have just strained. There should be a total of 4 1/2 cups of liquid. Store in a large mason jar or washed glass juice container.

I like to leave my almond milk unsweetened and unflavoured, in case I need to use it for baking.

To flavour. For vanilla add a bit of sweetener, such as stevia, unpastuerized honey or maple syrup, and vanilla. So either a the vanilla bean seeds or vanilla extract.

For chocolate add cacao/cocoa powder and sweetener. I like to add a bit of carob powder to my chocolate goodies for a traditional chocolate flavor.

I strongly recommend making some chocolate almond milk, heating it up, then pouring it over vanilla coconut milk ice cream! It's such a wonderful treat. Reminds me of my Oma and Opa's house.

HOMEMADE ALMOND MILK
Makes 4 1/2 cups

1 cup raw almonds, soaked over night and rinsed
3 1/2 cups filtered water

1. Soak the raw almonds, covered in filtered water, over night.

2. Drain and rinse the almonds. Pinch off the almond skins. Discard skins. Place almonds in a high speed blender with 2 cups of the filtered water. Blend on high until smooth.

3. Strain almond milk through cheesecloth or a tea strainer. Save the thick pulp for other treats.

4. Add the rest of the filtered water, 2 1/2 cups, to the strained almond milk. Store in a mason jar or glass juice container in the fridge. Will keep for 3 weeks.

To sweeten - Remove pits from 5 dates and soak in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain. Blend dates with almond milk until smooth. Serve cold.