Ali's All-Natural Almond Milk

I have been dying for some fresh almond milk ever since I tried it for the first time at Organic Avenue in NYC. The problem is that all of the almond milks in standard stores (including Whole Foods and Trader Joes) sadly have tons of additives and preservatives. I knew I would need to make it myself, so I finally bought some cheesecloth so I could make it happen. 

I am going to try some out in my oatmeal tomorrow morning - you heard it here first that oatmeal has reentered my life. I have been suffering from some stomach problems for the past couple of months, and after my trip to canyon ranch, I made the decision to try to reintroduce small amounts of certified gluten free oats and brown rice back into my diet. I am on my second week of the experiment (1/2 cup oats in the morning and 1/4 cup brown rice mid-day), and I am feeling a lot better. I had a very hard time eating them at first since I have gone over six months without a single grain. I had to remind myself that my goal isn't about being 100% strictly paleo - it is about being the healthiest version of myself possible. Every person is different in terms of what their body needs, so I plan to continue to experiment until I feel fully healthy. I have battled stomach issues my whole life and am committed to find what truly works for me. For now, I am Sooo Paleo + Oats & Rice... I'd change the website, but it doesn't have the same ring to it ;)

Ali's All-Natural Almond Milk: Serves 4 (32oz.), Prep time: 15 min, Wait time: 12 hours

Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 cups raw almonds

- water for soaking

- 3 1/2 cups fresh water

Instructions:

1. Soak almonds in a bowl of water for 12 hours

2. Drain the almonds, and put them in the blender along with the fresh water

3. Blend for 1-2 minutes until fully blended.

4. Put a strainer on top of a bowl, and line the strainer with cheesecloth.

5. Pour in the almond milk - all of the chunks will collect in the cheesecloth. 

6. Squish out all of the excess milk using your hands or a spoon. 

7. Seal the milk in an air-tight container, and refrigerate. Sources say it should last 4-7 days. 

For almond meal, spread the leftover almond pieces from your cheesecloth on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 175 degrees for 2-3 hours until dry. You can then run it your food processor, and you have homemade almond meal!