Cooking with Almond Milk

Even though you are suffering from lactose intolerance, you can enjoy the same recipes without actually using regular milk. Wondering how would you do it? Well you can use almond milk for cooking, which makes an excellent substitute for milk and other dairy products.

People who are intolerant to lactose can derive the same nutrients from this product, similar to that of milk. Cooking with almond milk has been a practice since centuries and which is being followed till date. You can cook a number of dishes using almond milk, that is rich in proteins and which also gives the food an enchanting taste.

Though you can get almond milk from various food stores, it is always a better option to make almond milk at home. This will save the trip to the food store and also make it available whenever you require. Here is a recipe for the preparation of almond milk.

Ingredients Required

• Vanilla essence, 1 teaspoon
• Almonds, 2 cups
• Water, 4 cups
• Sweetener (optional), as required

Instructions for Preparation
Place the almonds in a large bowl and pour water just enough to cover them. Allow the almonds to soak overnight so that they become soft and the milk can be easily extracted. You can even place the bowl in a refrigerator.

After the almonds have soaked completely, transfer them into a blender jar and process them till they become smooth. You can add more water if needed. While blending add a few drops of vanilla essence. If you want it to be sweet, add honey, rice syrup or any other natural sweetener.

Now take a cheesecloth and strain the contents into a large bowl, while retaining the pulp in the strainer. After all the liquid has been strained, squeeze the cloth to drain out the remaining milk from the almond meal. Store this almond milk in an airtight bottle in a refrigerator. Properly stored almond milk can last for up to a week. You just need to shake the bottle well to mix the liquid before using it.

Ingredients Required

• Steel cut oats, 2 cups
• Almond milk, 4½ cups
• Banana, cut into slices, ½ fruit
• Strawberries, diced, ½ cup
• Raisins, ½ tablespoon
• Toasted almonds, 1 tablespoon
• Honey, 2 teaspoons

Instructions for Preparation
Take a large saucepan and simmer the almond milk for about 10 minutes. Add the oats and honey, while stirring it continuously. Allow the milk to simmer for another 5 minutes till the oats become soft and till the liquid is partially absorbed. Transfer the cooked oatmeal to a bowl and top it with sliced banana, strawberries and dry fruits of your choice.

Ingredients Required

• Almond milk, 2 cups
• Bananas, sliced, 2
• Strawberries, diced, 1 cup
• Peaches, chopped, 2 cups
• Honey, 2 tablespoons

Instructions for Preparation
Chop the fruits and place them in a blender jar. Pour the almond milk and honey and puree the contents till they become smooth. Refrigerate this fruit smoothie for about a couple of hours. Pour the contents into a tall glass, place decorative straw and garnish it with a slice of strawberry. Enjoy this chilled and healthy smoothie while relaxing on a hammock.

Ingredients Required

• Almond milk, 2 cups
• Coffee powder, 2 tablespoons
• Honey, 1 tablespoon
• Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
• Cocoa powder, for dusting

Instructions for Preparation
In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the almond milk and add the vanilla extract, coffee powder and honey. Use a hand blender to make the almond milk frothy. Transfer the milk to a glass and top it with cocoa powder.

Almond milk is a healthy alternative for milk, which is gluten free, low in carbs and also promotes good health. The calories in almond milk is also lower than regular dairy's milk. Cooking with almond milk is worth the experiment as you can dish out a number of delectable dishes without compromising on the nutritional requirement.