Throwback Recipe: Leche De Alemendras

Back in 2016, we wrote a blog post on DIY Almond Milk or Leche de Alemendras. Back then almond milk and soy milk were the main choices for those that wanted a healthier and more humane cow’s milk alternative. We loved using almond milk in our favorite recipes including smoothies and desserts for its neutral flavor and health benefits.

Three years later, almond milk is the world’s most popular and most consumed milk alternative and remains a staple in many of Todo Verde’s dishes. However today it feels like everyday there is a new brand with a new kind of plant-based milk -- oat, hemp, quinoa, macadamia, pea, and more! It’s great to see the demand for alternatives growing, but it can also be overwhelming. With the influx of new plant based milk products, we felt inspired to go back to basics and reshare our recipe for simple and preservative free almond milk.

We hope you enjoy this throwback blog post originally written by our team in October of 2016. We’ve grown a lot since then, but this recipe still hits the spot!

Original post below:

If you haven’t already noticed, we love almond milk at Todo Verde! Although there is still on-going research about the benefits and drawbacks of the nutritional value of almond milk, it continues to be our favorite alternative to milk. In fact, we use it in many of our recipes, and love offering our community healthier alternatives. We recently read an article on the benefits and drawbacks of almond milk that still has us rooting for our little almond friends!

One of the main reasons we love almond milk is we don’t need to worry about any lactose allergies. Some of you may not know or realize that our bodies have become tolerant to consuming dairy, when in reality to be lactose intolerant is not that uncommon. In fact, more often than not more people are realizing that they are allergic to dairy products (Todo Verde team members included). For many years we consumed dairy products like milk and cheese, and often times this caused bloating and discomfort after consumption. These feelings were subtle, never quite unbearable, but always there. It was in a sense just a consequence of eating dairy products -- or so we thought. It wasn’t until after we cut dairy from our diet that we realized feeling bloated, swollen and uncomfortable wasn’t a normal feeling to always have after you’ve eaten. Even though milk is a natural source of protein and vitamins such as calcium, it is not always easily digestible. The next time you eat dairy products, consider how your body feels afterwards.

Another great thing about almond milk is that it contains no sugar and is low in calories - if you’re consuming unsweetened almond milk. When purchasing store bought brands, it is important to look through the ingredient list. What are the ingredient names, sources, and what purpose do they serve? Most store-bought brands contain additives and preservatives to ensure a longer shelf life. Our suggestion is to make your own at home! We’ve provided a simple recipe below for you to experiment with at home. All you need is filtered water, a blender -- we recommend a high power blender that will result in less pulp afterwards -- a nylon mesh nut bag, and of course raw organic almonds if possible! You can find inexpensive nut milk bag options, like this one, on Amazon.

Almond milk is the creamy base for our favorite smoothie recipes.

At-Home Almond Milk:

3:1 ratio

3 Cups Filtered Water

1 Cup Raw Organic Almonds

Soak your organic raw almonds in filtered water overnight. Drain and rinse your soaked almonds the next day. It is optional to remove the skin but we recommend leaving them on. Almond skin is high in protein -- one of the highest nuts in protein! Blend the almonds and water. Once blended, strain contents in your mesh bag into a bowl. You can add cinnamon, vanilla, maple syrup, sea salt, and other natural ingredients to flavor your almond milk. Store in a glass container, and it should keep in the fridge for about a week.

If you’ve been considering a dairy-free diet, we highly recommend switching to almond milk. If you are allergic to tree nuts or almonds, you can use options like cashews or pumpkin seeds. Of course, we encourage making your own at home, but if this is not a feasible option, remember to read up on store-bought brands and the ingredients used. Stay informed!  If you try our recipe, let us know how your turns out and don’t forget to tag us in your photos!