Making your own plant-based milk drinks is so easy and satisfying you will wonder why you never tried it before.

There are many reasons to make your own plant milks including the following, to name just a few:

  • Reduces packaging use greatly.
  • Reduces cost.
  • Avoids unnecessary additives, thickeners, preservatives etc.
  • Allows you to pick the level of sweetness you prefer.
  • Allows you to add flavourings to your own taste, such as chocolate, vanilla or cinnamon.

The recipe is very simple so it’s easy to remember; it’s always 4:1 (see below). You can make various additions if you wish. Nut milks require some time to soak and soften the nuts but oat milk can be made instantly. Oat milk has the tendency to thicken when heated so bear this in mind when using in hot drinks or cooking.

Making your own plant milks does require a blender; or a food processor can do the job as well if that’s all you have.

The main down-side of making you own plant milks is that you won’t get the supplements that are often added to manufactured plant milks. Calcium, vitamin-D and iodine are very important in our diets for our health and shop-bought plant milks are commonly one of the best sources of these particular nutrients for vegans. There are some other food sources but the options are limited if you are vegan so supplementing may be likely to be required to ensure you are absorbing enough to meet your body’s needs optimally.

Finally, it can seem a bit wasteful to have to throw away the “pulp” after making your own plant milk. Remember that the milk would contain most of the goodness of the nut or grain and the pulp would mostly just be fibre, with less nutritional value. However, there are several uses for your pulp, including:

  • Make cookies (I really like this recipe – easy and delicious).
  • Add to stews to thicken, such as this Spiced lentil, carrot and spinach stew, in place of the ground almonds.
  • Make compost – add to your home compost heap or in your council composting bin, if you have one.

Nut milk – basic recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 cup nuts (eg almond, cashew, walnut, pecan or a mixture. Seeds like pumpkin or hemp can also be used to avoid nuts.)
4 cups water

METHOD

  1. Soak the nuts in plenty of water overnight or for at least 4 hours.
  2. Drain the nuts and rinse well.
  3. Place the nuts in a blender with the 4 cups of water and blend thoroughly.
  4. Strain the mixture in a fine sieve and then through a nut milk bag or muslin cloth if you have it. It would be fine to just use a sieve, it just won’t be as smooth.
  5. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze to store for longer.

Oat milk

INGREDIENTS

1 cup oats
4 cups water

METHOD

  1. Place the oats in a blender with the 4 cups of water and blend until well combined, but not for too long or the milk can go a little gloopy.
  2. Strain the mixture in a fine sieve and then through a nut milk bag or muslin cloth if you have it. It would be fine to just use a sieve, it just won’t be as smooth.
  3. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze to store for longer.

Optional extras

After making the milk, return to the blender and add one (or more) of the following to sweeten and/or flavour:

  • Honey or maple syrup, to taste, blending until well combined.
  • 3-4 dates when blending, soaked for 5-10 minutes in boiling water, enough to just cover them. Add the soaking water too.
  • 1-2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1-2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2-4 tbsp raw cacao powder
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • Blend your nuts/grains with 3 cups water instead of 4 then blend your finished milk with 1 cup of frozen raspberries.

Now go and make yourself a tasty smoothie with your delicious, fresh plant milk or enjoy a lovely cup of tea!