The Lazy Faire

Avdi wanted me to write about the Almond milk I just made yesterday. I got the recipe from a book called “Alive in 5″ by Angela Elliott. Not having any “nut milk bags” on hand I just used a colander, and a fine mesh strainer.

You start with some soaked almonds blended with a lot of water. Then you strain it, saving the milk separate from the pulp. The pulp you can use later for a wonderful grain-free “cereal”.  Wash the blender out, pour the milk back in and blend with some assundried other ingredients including Agave nectar. Blend up until creamy!

My almond milk came out a bit gritty, and so here’s where I think it might be beneficial to have one of those nut milk bags! (And stop giggling over what they’re called. I can’t help it they have that euphemistic name! “Nut milk bags”! Honestly!) It seems a little silly to me to pay $8 for 1 bag, so I began looking for “how to”’s on making one. Couldn’t seem to find any instructionals. I did, however, find one website that claims Vegan Nut Milk Bags are none other than small paint straining bags (that go for a little more than $2 for 2 bags). I wonder how well they work. Well, if I ever do get up the nerve to try something called a “paint straining bag” for food stuffs, I’ll let you know.

Take 1/2 gallon (2 quarts) raw, whole milk, heat it gently to about 105-110 degrees F. Mix a little (about 1/4 cup) with yogurt culture be it 2 packets Yogourmet yogurt starter powder, or 2 Tbsp up to 1/2 cup yogurt from previous batch. Mix this in with the milk, put in covered container of choice for incubation. Surround with a heating pad set on medium for 6-8 hours or until it has reached the desired consistency. Note that the longer it sits, the more bitter it gets.

Raw yogurt still has all the nice, good-for-you enzymes that exist in raw (unpasteurized) milk. Once heated any higher than 115, those enzymes begin to “die” rendering the milk, and in this case the yogurt, less beneficial.