Almond Milk and Pre – Workout Smoothie
Like so many things, most cooking techniques are complicated or hard until you know what you’re doing, then it’s just memory. There are bunches of little recipes you buy at the store, paying more than needed that have stupid preservatives all up in them because you don’t know how to just do it yourself. Almond and other nut milks are like that for many. You buy those cartons with all the extra junk that you don’t need in there but you don’t have to, today, today is your lucky day.
1 c raw almonds (soaked for at least 5 hours) *
4 c water
for sweetened vanilla add:
1 TBS agave
½ tea vanilla
Blend for a solid 3 minutes then strain through a “cheesecloth” if you have it, if you don’t, pick a clean kitchen towel or even an old, but very clean, t-shirt. Squeeze excess milk out of the pulp and there are lots of things you can do with the pulp or you can throw it out. Refrigerate the milk for up to 5 days. Try to do this all without making any “squeezing the milk from nuts” jokes…
*You can make milk from nearly any nut or seed. They all act a little different though. For instance hazelnuts are softer than almonds and don’t need to be soaked. Just take a cup nuts to 4 cups water and blend, the same as almonds but without the soaking. You can also do the same process as almonds but with sunflower seeds, hemp seeds or whatever you want.
So now you’re ready to make some awesome smoothie goodness! One of my favorite pre workout smoothies is this one:
“Signs of Life”
1 banana
2 large ice cubes
⅔ c almond milk
½ c frozen blueberries
½ c frozen mango
½ TBS peanut butter
1 TBS raw almond butter
1 TBS raw hemp seeds
1 handful of kale
¼ tea vanilla
optional:
2 TBS Healthforce Warrior Food Protein Powder (vanilla)
½ tea Healthforce Vitamineral Green Powder
Blend until it’s totally smooth, you don’t want any chunks of frozen stuff or leafy greens up in there. This recipe comes out kind of thick because I like to throw a handful of raw granola on top but if you’re looking to drink, or your blender doesn’t like it thick, just up it to a full cup of your newly made almond milk and get stoked on all the energy you have to work out or just make it through your day.
(Ps. Yes, all of my recipes are named after songs.)
I am so glad that I found your blog today. About 8 weeks ago I went vegetarian (mostly Vegan with the epoexticn of mozzarella cheese which I have no good reason for still wanting and eating) I had been breastfeeding my daughter for the past 8 months and when my milk supply changed and her sleeping habits changed I got worried, called my doctor and asked if it was about the vegetarian shift and I was basically chastised by every one. I became so worried that I was harming my baby I started eating meat and cheese again. The milk supply and the bad sleeping continued and I felt so angry that I had given up something that was making ME feel better. Thank you for re-inspiring me.
Where I live, we don’t have a Trader Joes, Whole Foods, World Market, or even a Wegmens. We have a dirty Shop-Rite, and overpriced Weis, and Walmart. Ooh, and Target, they just added food! My area prtety much sucks when it comes to finding “different” foods. I’ll have to check the one tiny natural food store that we have though, they might have it. I’m not planning to go gluten free, but the almond flour sounds like it would really add some nice texture and flavor beyond what regular flour has.
Mariem, you can totally just use a clean kitchen towl to make the almond sack
then just get almonds and follow the recipe.