New Territory

There are days when I feel like an Aussie, local to Melbourne, and others when I feel, and probably seem, like a total and utter foreigner. Today I gave someone detailed and accurate directions to Melbourne Central (a shopping mall/area), complete with street names and approximate walking distance to boot. Local.

But at some point today I definitely said "I can't believe it's March already, eh?" and "One sec, I'll see if I have a toonie". TOONIE? Oh, right, toonies only exist in Canada. Foreigner.

I've started saying "reckon" and "how ya going?" and enjoy both terms. Local.

I cannot and will not comprehend how and why my beloved almond milk is a) uncommon and b) crazy expensive, $9.50 for a carton. FOREIGN...and alarming. It's strange because only almond milk is overpriced; soy, rice, and oat milk range from two to three dollars.

I understand this is a trivial matter (maybe?) seeing as other milks are affordable and readily available, but I still miss my favourite Almond Breeze by Blue Diamond. Sigh. What I would do for a two for $5 deal at my local supermarket...

But with any adventure, new territory often brings exciting and surprising challenges. Enter homemade almond milk, which turned out to be more of a 1-2-3 step process!

Pure and Delicious Almond Milk
Adapted by Living and Raw Foods

Ingredients

• 1 cup soaked almonds (soaked overnight)
• 3 cups water
• 1 vanilla bean (remove seeds if you're not using a powerful blender)
• 2 dates (pits removed)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon 

Blend the soaked almonds, water, vanilla, and dates until smooth. Then strain the mixture through a sprout bag, nut milk bag, cheesecloth, or fine mesh strainer into a jar (or whatever you plan to store your milk in). I recommend securing your bag with an elastic band. Squeeze any remaining milk from the almond pulp. Once your mixture is fully strained, add a dash of cinnamon. Refrigerate and store in a glass jar of your choice. This milk will last for about 3-6 days and shake well before using! Living and Raw Foods shows step by step photos here, which you may find helpful. 

Use your leftover almond pulp in cookies, energy bites, muffins, bread, or on its own as a nut spread. I'm still debating what to do with mine.

Extra delicious with the cinnamon twist. Making my favourite milk from scratch left me feeling happy and accomplished :)

I'm looking forward to my breaky smoothie tomorrow. Till then,

xo