Creamy Cashew Milk
If you’ve made fresh nut milk before, you know it blows the carton stuff away. It is rich, creamy, and light all at the same time. It’s incredibly refreshing on it’s own and can be used to replace dairy milk in almost all recipes. Make it once and the fresh, clean flavor will sell itself. It takes a little more effort than buying it in a carton, but like all food, it's far superior when fresh. And, you'll be amazed by the minimal amount of effort that it takes to make. Soak, rinse, blend. That's it. A secret about making cashew milk is that you really don't need to strain it. You can, of course, if you are looking for a perfectly silky texture, but if you blend it well enough you can attain that texture without the hassle of straining the milk. Not only does this save you time, but it also means you're eating the whole nut, fiber and all. You tend to lose a lot of fiber when making nut milks such as almond milk. Even after soaking and blending, almond milk needs to be strained with a nut milk bag or cheese cloth for a silky smooth consistency. So, if you are cutting dairy out of your diet, or just wanting a refreshing, healthful drink, give this recipe a try!
Creamy Cashew MilkThis recipe yields a thick, creamy consistency similar to whole milk, if you'd prefer something similar to 2% milk, use half the amount of cashews. Yields about 1 quart of cashew milk.
- 2 cups raw organic cashews
- 4 cups water + more for soaking
- 1 T maple syrup or honey
- 1 t vanilla
- pinch of sea salt
Soak the cashews in cold water for at least 4 hours or overnight. When you are ready to make the milk, drain the cashews and rinse until the water runs clear.
Add cashews and 4 cups of water to a blender and blend until very smooth. This can take several minutes in a traditional blender so be patient. If desired, strain milk through a fine mesh sieve or nut milk bag, but as I mentioned above this is not necessary with cashew milk.
Add sweetener, vanilla, and salt. Refrigerate for 2-4 days.