Eating Healthy - Almond Milk

Milk is the very first nourishment a human being gets after making an entrance to the earth. At that time it provides all the nutritional needs of the body. For a long time people have been depending on animal milk for their daily nourishment, even adults consume milk on a daily basis. But, it was discovered that milk had some not very good effect on people. For instance, it contains unsaturated fats which wreck havoc in the plans of those wishing to lose weight. These extra calories once taken daily eventually lead to accumulation of unwanted fats in the body. These fats have adverse effects on the health of individuals. There are also many people who have milk allergies or they may have a hard time digesting milk. Almond milk is therefore the great option for milk lovers who love the creamy taste, but want to get away from the unhealthy fats and animal proteins. Almond milk can be bought commercially and can also be easily made at home. This is done by mixing ground almonds and water in a blender.
Almonds activate enzymes in the body system so that the body mechanisms are promoted and proper functioning of the body.
For vegetarians who don't consume animal produce either by choice or due to health issues, almond milk is the best way to go. This milk has no further ingredients other than the almonds themselves and water.
For those concerned about the taste, rest assured that almond milk has a very agreeable taste which experts describe as "light, nutty." The milk is also light and clear and flows smoothly which makes consuming it not only a matter of health but also to enjoy it.
Research has it that most skin problems like acne are as a result of a poor diet. Milk is a major cause of the breakout of acne pimples on the skin. However more research has established that almond milk has no effect on the skin since it has no saturated fats. This ensures that there is no deposition in the skin surface. Therefore for people who want to maintain a good skin, almond milk is the best. It cures acne in a natural way instead of introducing harsh products than later have more devastating effects on the skin.
Almond milk is much cheaper than normal milk. This gives you more nutrients at a cheaper rate than the conventional one. Also it proves a better snack than the normal ones that are loaded with calories, chemicals, and hormones which are harmful to the body.
Almond milk can also be used in other recipes like in cakes, pastries and also used as additives in normal dishes. This is because it has an agreeable taste and will not alter the taste in a negative way.
So you can make your daily intake of milk a step further into good health by choosing to use almond milk.

The Perfect Recipe For Making Raw Living Sprouted Almond Milk in 5 Easy Steps

If you've never tried nut mylk, you're in for a treat! It tastes so much better than cow's milk and is easy to make. Today I've outlined, 5 easy steps to making the most nutritious and delicious almond mylk.

1) Soak 1 cup of raw organic almonds in 2 cups of filtered water with a few spritzes of food-grade 3% H2O2 to kill off any bacteria. Soak for 2 days, changing the water twice per day - once in the morning and once in the evening. (Double the quantity if you want to make a larger batch.)

2) Most almond mylk recipes call for soaking only between 4 hours or overnight in the fridge. I recommend 48 hours because it allows the almonds to begin sprouting which changes the nutritional composition.

Have you ever eaten shelled sunflower seeds? Then you know that they are slightly oily and contain fat. How about that same sunflower seed 10 days later after it's sprouted into a sunflower green? Now it's green crunchy, fresh and plump with water. Where did the fat go? The process of sprouting changed the nutritional composition of the seed.

When you sprout almonds, you will see a tiny bud starting to form at the tip of the almond and a crack down the center where the almond is about to split so the sprout can emerge. This will only happen if the almonds are truly raw, fresh and viable.

3) Although not necessary, I usually remove the skins from the almonds before making mylk because it makes the mylk smoother and less gritty. The skins are easier to peel after they've been soaking for a couple of days but to make it even easier, you can blanch the almonds quickly by putting them in boiling water and then into an ice water bath. I usually prefer not to cook them at all and just peel them by hand, but blanching is a quicker option.

4) Place the cup of almonds in a high-speed blender like the HP3 Blentec with two cups of water, a pinch of Celtic Sea Salt and an optional sweetener like vanilla bean seeds, honey, agave nectar, stevia or yacon syrup. I prefer just vanilla bean seeds scraped from an inch long piece of a vanilla pod. If you are making a flavored mylk like chocolate milk or chai, now is a good time to add the raw cacao or spices. Blend at high speed. Taste test your mylk and adjust to desired flavor.

5) Pour the almond mylk through a nut mylk bag and squeeze to separate the almond pulp from the mylk. The almond pulp can be used to make other treats like raw almond cookies, but the pulp will only keep fresh for 1-2 days refrigerated unless you dehydrate it into almond flour.

Yay! You're done and now you can enjoy your almond mylk straight or use it to make a creamy smoothie, soup, dessert, etc. Sky's the limit!

Rosemary "Kali Lilla" Vargas has been a raw food enthusiast for several years. She received her Living Food Lifestyle Total Well-Being Certification in 2003 from the Ann Wigmore Center in Puerto Rico and in 2006 went on to work for the prestigious Tree of Life Rejuvenation and Raw Food Center in Arizona. In 2007, she moved to Kauai to learn organic farming at the LaOla Health Center in Kilauea. Kali Lilla is also a certified yoga instructor and former owner of Yoga Bums Studio in NJ. In 2005, she went to India to study Ashtanga Yoga with Pattabhi Jois and published the book "Ashtanga City" shortly thereafter. She runs two websites currently. A health-related website entitled Healthy Simple Living and an Ashtanga website entitled Mysore Ashtanga.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1437213

How to Make Almond Milk - In 8 Easy Steps!

In this article I will show you how easy it is to make almond milk in your own kitchen!
Nut milk is a creamy delicious alternative to cows milk full of vitamin E and heart healthy fats! And it's really easy to make.
1. Measure out a cup of raw almonds and rinse them really well.
2. Soak them in water to cover in the refrigerator or overnight.
3. Rinse the soaked almonds really well.
4. Put them in the blender with 3 cups of cold filtered water.
5. Blend them in the blender for about 30 seconds.
6. Strain the mixture through a sprout bag/nut milk bag, strainer, or cheese cloth into a big bowl.
7. Pour the milk back into the blender pitcher.
8. Blend the milk with your sweetener of choice such as dates, honey, or stevia. You can also add other flavorings such as lemon peel, vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate, and carob powder.
Use the milk quickly as it will only last a few days in the fridge. Use it as a base for smoothies, soups, desserts, or just drink as is. Don't put it in your hot tea as it will separate but you can easily pour it into your ice tea or iced coffee.
The best smoothie is when you take a cup of the nut milk, two frozen bananas, and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. You can also freeze the vanilla banana smoothie and make popsicles for the kids.
Hope you enjoyed this recipe. For more easy recipes please check out the links below.

How to Easily Make Almond Milk, At Home!

Did you know you could make creamy rich almond milk at home? In this article I will show you how easy it is to make raw almond milk at home, using common ingredients. Making your very own raw almond milk has never been so easy!
Almonds contain heart healthy fats and are a good source of vitamin E, magnesium, and potassium and their creamy texture makes them a perfect choice for making a healthy nut milk. Nut milk is a great substitution for cow's milk because it tastes great and easy to make. Many people who suffer from a milk allergy, including myself, substitute almond milk so that they can still enjoy their cereal in the morning! Nut milk can also be used in smoothies or by itself. Natural flavorings can be added to the milk such as carob, chocolate, or vanilla.
The first thing you need to make almond milk is a a good source of organic (if possible) almonds. You can find them online, at a natural grocery store, or if you live in California, at your local farmer's market.
1. To make one batch of milk you need 1 cup of almonds.
2. Rinse them well and then soak them in a bowl of water in the refrigerator overnight or at least 6 hours.
3. After they have been soaked, rinse them well and then put them in a blender with 3 cups of cold filtered water.
Blend them in the blender until the water in the blender is a milky white color.
4. Then strain the liquid through a strainer, cheesecloth, or something called a nut milk bag, sprout bag, or filtering bag.
The nut milk bags are inexpensive and easy to find online. The bags really make it easy. If you don't have the bags you can use a large strainer or some cheesecloth. Squeeze the liquid through the cheesecloth or nut milk bag over a big bowl and discard the pulp or save it to bake with.
5. Put the milk back into your blender and add some sweetener and flavorings. My favorite is to add 3 soft chopped dates and a teaspoon vanilla extract. But you could use a teaspoon of honey or a pinch of stevia powder. Blend the milk with the flavorings until smooth.
6. Store your almond milk in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It should last no more than 3-4 days. Do not consume it if it smells sour, it will not last as long as regular milk because it is not pasteurized.
The fiber will naturally separate from the water so you must shake the almond milk before using it.
The ratio of 1 cup almonds to 3 cups water is the perfect ratio to make a silky milk but if you want a richer or more fatty milk add 2 cups of water to 1 cup almonds or for a more watery milk add 4 cups water to 1 cup almonds.
Another option, if you don't want to use your blender to make almond milk, you can buy a soy milk maker that can also make nut milks as well. My favorite soy milk maker is called the Soyabella by Tribest. The Soyabella gives you the option of making cooked or raw nut milks and does the blending for you.
I hope that I have shown you how easy it is to make almond milk, if you would like step by step instructions with pictures of how to make almond milk please check out the resources below.