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Homemade Almond Milk + Almond Pulp Granola

August 30, 2018 · Natalie 25 Comments

Easy and versatile Homemade Almond Milk in the Vitamix – step-by-step instructions and video tutorial. Plus a delicious snack idea to not waste the pulp!

THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY VITAMIX.

We’re getting reeeeeeeeeeal basic today.

Because if there’s one thing that recipe development has taught me, it’s that the basics done RIGHT is almost always better than some funky fantasy recipe no one even asked for (ahem, superfood swirl bars).

It doesn’t get much more basic than Homemade Almond Milk. It also doesn’t get much more versatile/easy/game-changing fridge staple than homemade almond milk. And you haven’t had a matcha latte until you’ve had one with homemade almond milk. But that’s for another day.

I happen to be sipping a matcha latte right now, but this stuff goes WAY beyond lattes. Think: on top of cereal, in extra creamy smoothies, turned chocolate milk (recipe below!), baked into cake, no-baked into pie, blended into ice cream, gelled into chia pudding, DO YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN? There is no limit with this stuff. And no matter what you make, it always adds a little extra richness the carton stuff can’t.

So say hello to your new DIY dairy-free best friend.

And say hello to your old bestie the Vitamix, who made this beautiful new friendship possible.

I’m gonna guess your relationship with homemade nut milk falls into one of three categories:

Make it weekly, never going back.
Why though when it comes in a carton?
Know it’s better. Know you should. Just can’t get in the habit.

If you are in camp one, you probably know the ratio by heart, have tried it with at least four different kinds of nuts and a couple of seeds, and have a glass jar in your fridge exclusively dedicated to Homemade Almond Milk. So skip to the granola part, and try out a new snack use for that pulp.

If you are in camp two, I’ve got at least one carton in my fridge at all times too so I’m not judging. Unsweetened vanilla is my jam.

If you are in camp three, this is your moment. This is your motivation to finally get in the habit, or at least a nice little nudge to make it more often. A nudge in the form of granola.

So let’s break this down.

Soak the almonds. Okay this part does semi annoy me because I always forget to do it ahead of time and then I want to make almond milk NOW. But patience is good for me. You can either soak them for 1-2 hours in hot water, or 4+ hours in room temperature water. I usually opt for the speedy hot tub style soak (patience in baby steps, okay).

Drain. And rinse off that now-funky soaking water.

Add to the Vitamix with 4 cups of water. I’m using the Vitamix A3500 here, it’s my go-to machine for…well…everything!

Blend. On high speed. For longer than it feels like you should. But you want to maximize the milky-ness of your almonds. Usually 1-2 minutes is good, and luckily the Vitamix has a convenient built in timer so we don’t have to one mississippi, two mississippi, three mississippi…

Strain. Using a nut milk bag or cheesecloth so you can SQUEEZE out as much milk as possible. And save the pulp for forthcoming granola-making matters.

Refrigerate. Because this is homemade without preservatives or gums, it won’t last the forever that store-bought nut milk can. I’d say 4-5 days or so. You will also need to shake it before using. But the superior flavor and consistency make it all worth it. I mean IT ACTUALLY TASTES LIKE ALMONDS.

Or turn it into chocolate milk by blending again with cacao powder, a touch of sweetener (I used maple syrup), and a pinch of salt.

Because we love a) not wasting food and b) snacks, we’ve got plans for that pulp. Big, delicious, crunchy, addictively salty/sweet plans.

I’ve been kinda very obsessed with this grain-free granola lately, so I tested a non-chocolate batch with the almond pulp mixed in. Mmmmmm yes! You don’t even know the pulp is in there. In fact if anything it makes it more prone to hunky clusters, which I love. It will need to bake a little longer to get it crispy due to the extra moisture in the nut pulp, but very worth the wait.

I know that was a lot, but I want you to feel fully ready to make your homemade almond milk dreams come true in your very own Vitamix in your very own kitchen.

And your stuff-your-face-with-the-bestest-granola dreams too.

So whaddya say?

Homemade Almond Milk + Almond Pulp Granola

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

Author: Natalie
Yield: 4 cups 1x
Category: beverages
Method: blended
Cuisine: american

Print Recipe

Description

Easy and versatile Homemade Almond Milk in the Vitamix – step-by-step instructions and video tutorial. Plus a delicious snack idea to not waste the pulp!

Ingredients

Scale

Homemade Almond Milk

1 cup (150g) raw almonds
4 cups water

Chocolate Almond Milk

1 cup (150g) raw almonds
4 cups water
1–2 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup (20g) cacao powder
1/4 tsp salt

Grain-Free Almond Pulp Granola

Pulp from one batch of almond milk (about 1 cup or 110g)
1/2 cup (60g) chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
1/2 cup (60g) pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup (30g) hemp seeds
1/4 cup (35g) flax seeds
1 cup (45g) coconut flakes
1/4 cup (80g) liquid sweetener (I really like molasses! but honey, maple syrup, or agave work too)
2 tbsp coconut oil (or runny nut/seed butter)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Homemade Almond Milk

Soak the almonds for 4 hours or ideally overnight. Or if you are in a hurry, soak in hot water for 1-2 hours.
Drain and rinse.
Add almonds to the Vitamix with 4 cups water.
Blend on high speed for 1-2 minutes until creamy and frothy.
Strain through a cheese cloth or nut milk bag.
Pour into a glass jar and refrigerate.
It will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. Shake before using.

Chocolate Almond Milk

Follow above steps.
After straining, pour the milk back into the blender. Add the cacao powder, sweetener, and salt.
Blend again.
Pour into a glass jar and refrigerate.
It will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. Shake before using.

Almond Pulp Granola

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Toss to evenly coat.
Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 10 minutes at 350F. Stir. Then bake for another 10-15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool completely. It will become crispy as it cools.
Enjoy with almond milk, on top of smoothie bowls, by the handful, etc.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Keywords: vegan, dairy free, paleo, diy, snack, breakfast

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Thank you Vitamix for sponsoring this post!

Blueberry Frozen Yogurt

August 23, 2018 · Natalie 32 Comments

Easy homemade froyo! This Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Recipe is a healthy summer snack made in the blender with 5 ingredients. Optionally swirled for extra YUM!

After posting this swirly purple teaser on Instagram last week it was obvious blueberry froyo means just as much to you as it does to me. And a homemade, banana-free, blender recipe for it would be much appreciated. So three batches later, here we are.

Three batches not because batch one didn’t taste good, it most definitely and deliciously did. Three batches because froyo is tricky to photograph in Florida summer heat, and I wanted to test it out in both a cone and a cup for you. But I’m certainly not mad about a freezer full of berry leftovers.

This vegan Blueberry Frozen Yogurt recipe is:

heavy on the berry creaminess
light on the effort, you just need a blender
fruity and tangy with a touch of sweet vanilla
extra enticing when swirled
optionally sweetened
delish out of a cone or cup (or the blender!)
the best purple thing for your summer it’s-hot-and-i’m-hungry dilemma
just like REALLY REALLY YUMMY

Oh and in case you are still thinking this is nice cream, it is not. There are exactly zero bananas. This is real life frozen yogurt with actual yogurt.

How does one turn frosty blueberries and gloopy yogurt into perfect swirly froyo without a fancy machine or magic?

Three words: Ice. Cube. Tray.

Step One. Freeze the yogurt. Now you could use a thin, runny, mostly gum-filled non-dairy yogurt. But you shouldn’t because that will make for icy, un-dreamy froyo. I recommend using a higher fat yogurt, preferably made from coconut milk. I actually used a mix of Coyo (which is REALLY rich) and Kite Hill almond milk yogurt.

Plop it into an ice cube tray (or mini muffin pan if you don’t have one) and freeze overnight.

Step Two. Blend those cubes with frozen berries, maple syrup if you want a not so tangy froyo, vanilla, and salt. Depending on what kind of yogurt you use and how powerful your blender is, you may need to add a splash of non-dairy milk. But avoid it if possible so your froyo doesn’t turn into a smoothie.

Or if you are really serious about CREAMY froyo, blend in a half cup or so of chilled coconut cream. Yeah, you know that’s gonna be good.

Step Three. Eat up! In a cone or cup. Swirled (with a piping bag and tip) or not. With toppings or straight-up.

You can keep the leftovers in the freezer for later, but it will never be as good as freshly blended. So maybe just go back for seconds and freeze more yogurt for tomorrow.

Happy berry froyo blending to you!