What is it with all the gums in everything? gellan gum, guar gum, xantham gum, tara gum, and also a substance that although derived from seaweed, resembles vaseline: Carageenan. Also what is this "natural" flavor that makes things taste like buttery vanilla "creme"? All this stuff is in commercial milk alternatives. I used to get almond milk from Trader Joe's or whatever unsweetened nut milk grocery outlet had (great prices,) but I am questioning the gums, carageenan and "natural" flavors a lot more lately and I am hesitant to feed my family things I don't understand, like really a really expensive polysacharide derived from bacteria created in a lab?So here is the first recipe to share: Coconut Almond Milk:
Ingredients:
1 C almonds (I use half toasted and half raw/blanced )
1/2 C Coconut flakes
1 pinch of sea salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla
3 1/2 to 4 cups of water
1 t sunflower seed lecithin or GMO free soy lecithin (this is a supplement I take because I don't have a gallbladder and I need extra choline, it has the side effect of making the milk creamier because it bonds to both fat and water molecules)
1 date (optional)
you can make this in various flavors. One that is yummy is cardamom honey, add 1 T of honey and a couple cardamom pods, also you can make an horchata flavored milk by adding a cinnamon stick and maple syrup.
Blend and then strain through a cloth bag. I buy the cotton produce bags from the co-op. They work better than the plastic mesh kind.. you can also use a clean dishrag.. just put it over the opening of a strainer and pour the milk through it, then gather the corners up and twist it and squeeze/massage the milk out.
