Almond milk is easy to make at home … really!

When you make your own almond milk you avoid having to deal with the cartons, both lugging them home from the store, and sending them back to the recycler. And home made almond milk is much more economical than the commercially prepared brands, especially if you purchase almonds in bulk and store them in the freezer.

Another advantage of making your own almond milk, is you can sweeten it how you choose … or don’t sweeten it at all. And you can filter it or not. This flexability allows you to create almond milk to suit your particular need. For instance, if I am going to use the almond milk in a recipe that already contains sweetening ingredients, I make an unsweetened version. I make a sweetened almond milk to pour on my unsweetened breakfast cereal (usually cooked brown rice or quiona).

The only time I filter my almond milk is when I am going to drink it on its own.

It takes less than 5 minutes to make a full litre of almond milk that will keep in the fridge for several days.

Almond milk is
- low alkaline forming
- dairy free
- diabetic friendly
- gluten free
- raw
- vegan

Ingredients
1 cup raw almonds
4 cups filtered water

Optional Ingredients
Sweetener: 1-2 pitted dates OR 1 tbsp honey OR 1 tbsp maple syrup
Flavouring: pinch of sea salt, splash of vanilla extract or seeds from 1 vanilla bean, 1 tsp cinnamon, allspice or nutmeg
Enhancer: 1 tbsp organic coconut oil (adds richness to the finished product) 

Directions
1. Place almonds and water into high speed blender (Vita-mix works perfectly for this)
2. Blend on high for about 60 seconds
3. Decide what type of almond milk you want and follow the appropriate directions below.

For unsweetened, filtered milk:
- Pour it through a strainer or nut milk bag. The ‘pulp’ will keep in the fridge for several days, or can be dehydrated and ground up into almond flour. 
- Enjoy the milk as is, over ice, or added to recipes

For sweetened, filtered milk:
- Pour it through a strainer or nut milk bag. The ‘pulp’ will keep in the fridge for several days, or can be dehydrated and ground up into almond flour.
- Put the filtered ‘milk’ back in the blender
- Add your choosen sweeteners, flavourings and/or enhancer and blend for about 30 seconds. When using dates as a sweetener, you may need to blend a little longer to ensure the dates are completly broken down.
- Enjoy the milk as is, over ice, or added to recipes

For unsweetened, unfiltered milk:
- You’re done!
- Enjoy the milk as is, over ice, or added to recipes

For sweetened, unfiltered milk:
- Add your choosen sweeteners, flavourings and/or enhancer and blend for about 30 seconds. When using dates as a sweetener, you may need to blend a little longer to ensure the dates are completly broken down.
- Enjoy the milk as is, over ice, or added to recipes

Quick, satisfying, easy cleanup. Raspberry Shake can also be frozen in popsicle molds for a nurishing cool off on a hot afternoon.

Raspberry Shake is:
- Low to medium alkaline forming depending on what nuts you use
- Diabetic Friendly
- Gluten Free
- High Fiber

Ingredients
½ cup raw nuts (macadamias, cashews, almonds or your favourite)
1 or 2 dates, pit removed
2 cups water
1 cup frozen raspberries or if you want to use fresh raspberries, add ½ cup of ice cubes
Splash of Vanilla extract (optional)
¼ inch fresh ginger root (optional)

Directions
1. Place nuts, dates, water, and fresh ginger root (if using) in blender and blend until smooth
2. Add raspberries and blend again until smooth and frothy
3. Enjoy!

Rolled Oats Raw is quick and easy to prepare. Mix it up before you go to bed and it will be conveniently ready to eat when you wake up.

Rolled Oats Raw are:
- Low to Neutral Alkaline forming
- Diabetic Friendly (use caution with sweeteners and fruit)
- Gluten Free
- High Fiber
- Raw

Ingredients
½ cup rolled oats per serving
1 cup water per serving
¼ cup plain yogurt or to taste

Optional Ingredients. Remember you don’t need to use all the optional ingredients. Just pick and choose what you like and what you have on hand.
- Chopped raw nuts: almonds, walnuts, filberts, pine nuts, etc
- Seeds (whole or ground): sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, flax, salba, hemp, etc
- Chopped dried fruit: raisons, currents, apricots, dates, coconut, etc
- Sweeteners: honey, maple syrup, etc
- Fresh or frozen fruit: berries, apples, peaches, bananas, etc
- Dash of flavouring: cinnamon, ginger (fresh grated or dry powdered), dark chocolate (grated), allspice, vanilla extract, carob powder, lemon or lime zest

Directions
1. Place rolled oats and what ever optional ingredients you are using into a glass bowl
2. Add water and stir well
3. Cover with an upturned side plate and place in fridge over night
4. In the morning the oats and other ingredients will be plumped up by the water
5. Spoon yogurt on top
6. Serve and enjoy