Whiteley Creek Homestead

After soaking dried fruit to make yesterday's jam, I needed a use for the sweet soak water, so I decided to use it to sweeten homemade almond milk. 

 
While I was at it, why not make several kinds of nut and seed milks? So, I soaked 1 cup each of walnuts, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts (aka filberts), raw sunnies, and sesame seeds in water overnight (enough to cover + a little more to allow room for swelling). In the morning, I drained and discarded the soak water (or you can use it to water your plants), then rinsed the nuts and seeds several times.

 
To make almond milk, combine soaked almonds, 1 quart water, and 1 tbsp honey or 2 dates (soaked for 20 minutes) in a blender and liquefy. (I chose instead to sweeten the milk with 1 cup dried fruit soak water leftover from yesterday's jam + 3 cups water.) Strain the liquid through a nut milk bag or sprout bag by setting the bag in a strainer to drain or squeeze the bag with your hands. Save the pulp for other recipes. Store milk and pulp in the refrigerator where it will keep for four to five days. Use these same directions to make other kinds of nut and seed milks. Note: The bag I used (shown in photo above) is a Sproutman sprout bag made of 100% hemp. It allows me to remove virtually all moisture from the pulp. Do an online search for nut milk bags and sprout bags and you will find many different styles. 

 
This is what the pulp looks like. In upcoming posts, I will share some deelish recipes using the nut and seed milks, as well as the pulp.