Compassionate Raw Milk

In our house we refer to all faux animal foods and drinks as compassionate.  It's a personal thing, my children and I have a difficult time saying faux or fake because, it is real food, it's just not from an animal.  So when you see the words compassionate, it means just that.  To put it another way... "no animals were harmed in the making of this product :)" and that always puts a smile on our faces.

With our journey further and further into the raw arena, we started making our own compassionate raw milks.  Not only did we find out that it's super easy, but it's so much fun to create an array of delicious flavors.  Often people avoid trying raw recipes because they think it's too complicated and takes too long.  What takes long is when you need to soak or dehydrate items.  I'll let you in on a little secret... timing is everything.  What I mean is, if you know a recipe requires nuts or seeds to soak for 12 hours, then soak them before going to bed and they are ready to go when you wake up.   You didn't do a thing and it didn't interfere with your time because you were getting your beauty sleep while the water and nuts did all the hard work.  Same goes for dehydrating, if you're making something for dinner and it takes 4-5 hours to dehydrate, get them ready and place in the dehydrator after you've finished your lunch.  Meal planning takes the stress out of already busy schedules.

Preparing your own milk allows you to flavor them how you choose and it keeps the ingredients more whole and less processed.  You can also change up which types of milk you make.  One week you may want almond milk, the next you might prefer coconut and don't forget all the delicious flavors you can create.  Use your imagination to come up with all sorts of taste bud pleasers such as strawberry, cinnamon, chocolate, banana, I could go on and on.  Okay, I won't keep you waiting any longer...

Unsweetened Almond Milk

Ingredients:
1 c. raw almonds (soaked 10-12 hours)
2 1/2 -3 c. filtered water (the more water you use, the thinner it will be.  It would be like a skim milk version the more water you use.  I personally use 3 cups).

Directions:
1.  After nuts have soaked, rinse them and place the water and nuts into a high speed blender.
2.  Process until smooth.
3.  Place a mesh strainer, nut milk bag or cheese cloth over a bowl or pitcher and slowly pour the mixture through the strainer or cloth.
4.  Squeeze the stainer or cloth to get all the liquid.  What's left in the bowl or pitcher is your milk.  Use the left over nut pulp for baking (it's best to dehydrate it first, then you can store it in an airtight container until ready to use).
5.  Place milk in the fridge for 3-4 days.  It may separate so just give it a stir before each use.

Tip = you may want to pour it through a strainer or cloth a second time if you want to be extra sure there's no pulp.


Chocolate Almond Milk

Ingredients:
1 recipe of unsweetened almond milk
3-4 Tbsp. raw cacao powder
1-2 Tbsp. raw agave or 6 pitted dates

Directions:
1. Follow instructions above. If using dates, process them with the nuts then move to step 2.
2.  Once milk has been through the strainer or cloth, pour milk back into blender and add cacao and agave.
3.  Process until well mixed.  Pour into pitcher and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.  Stir before each use.


Cinnamon Almond Milk

Ingredients:
1 recipe of unsweetened almond milk
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean
1 Tbsp. raw agave or 6 pitted dates

Directions:
1.  Follow directions for unsweetened almond milk.
2.  Once nuts, and if using dates, have gone through strainer or cloth, place milk back into blender and add cinnamon, vanilla and agave.
3.  Process until well mixed.  Store in the fridge 3-4 days.  Mix before each use.


Unsweetened Coconut Milk

Ingredients:
1 c. shredded unsweetened coconut meat
2 c. filtered water

Directions:
1.  Place coconut and water in a high speed blender, process until smooth.  Serve as is or pour through a strainer or cloth.
2.  Store in the fridge for 3-4 days.  Mix before each use.


Strawberry Coconut Milk

Ingredients:
1 recipe of unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 - 1 c. organic strawberries (hulls removed)
1 Tbsp. raw agave or 6 pitted dates (process dates with coconut)

Directions:
1.  Follow instructions for unsweetened coconut milk recipe.
2.  If straining, pour mix back into blender then add strawberries and agave.
3.  Process until smooth.  Store in the fridge 3-4 days.  Mix before each use.

You can experiment using different nuts or seeds in place of the almonds.  Soaking nuts and seeds allow them to soften so, once blended, they create a creamier milk.  Feel free to share any other flavor combinations you try, I would love to hear about them and enjoy those compassionate milk mustaches!