de·hydrated

Summer Strawberry Macadamia Nut Milk

• Posted on August 14, 2011
• in Recipes
• under Drinks

Nut milks take minutes to make and are an easy, dairy-free (and hormone-, antibiotic-free) alternative to cow’s milk.  Making nut milk at home means you will skip out on additives such as vegetable oil and corn syrup, forgo the non-recyclable Tetra pak packaging typically used for store-bought dairy alternatives, and is often more economical, as well.

• 1 cup raw macadamia nuts (unroasted, unsalted), ideally soaked for 4-6 hr
• 3 cups filtered water
• 1 cup frozen or fresh strawberries
• 3 tbs agave nectar, raw honey or yacon syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or the scrapings from ½ vanilla bean
• ½ tsp lemon juice
• Pinch of Himalayan or sea salt

Place all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.  For nut milk without traces of nut particles (particularly if you do not have a high-speed blender), strain through a nut milk bag or fine-mesh cheesecloth.  If using vanilla bean scrapings, strained milk mixture may be added back into a clean blender pitcher and re-blended with the vanilla as a last step, as opposed to adding it to the original mixture, as not to loose any of the vanilla bean during the straining process.  Best when served well-chilled (will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator).  Nut fat will separate from the water after some time, so make sure to shake or stir before serving.