Fork and Beans

Making food fun for the family

Raw Nut Milk

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A funny thing happened to me on my way to the Olive Festival in Paso Robles this weekend…

How to make plain AND flavored Raw Nut Milk!

At one of the booths sat a psychic, offering tarot card, palm and energy readings. I, of course, being of curious nature have always wanted to cross that off my list of “Things to Finally Try” so I paid my $30 and immediately gave Rose my palms to read.

“You will live a long and good life”…

How to make plain AND flavored Raw Nut Milk!

I sat there wondering if she has ever broken the bad news to someone that they are going to die next week or if that is just every psychic’s modus operandi to make you feel good from bullet point one that I have many full years ahead of me (regardless if that is the truth or not). I immediately began to regret my decision until she started to read my energy and spoke on things of more substance. Like the direction I am going in life…something that has been weighing heavily on my heart as of late.

I’m all ears, Rose.

How to make plain AND flavored Raw Nut Milk!

She said that I was a creative person who was designed to help people and that my career is closely connected to home, meaning that whatever it is that I will do, it involves aspects of home life. She also said that livestock is in my future. Along with fields and fields of land. And a big body of water.

I got a kick out of that one.

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Raw Nut Milk

  • Author: Fork & Beans
  • Yield: 4 cups 1x
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 c. cashews, soaked for 1 hour, rinsed and drained
  • 4 c. filtered water
  • 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted (refined, if you don’t like the taste of coconut)
  • 2 Tbsp. agave nectar or maple syrup (more or less according to taste preference)
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • small pinch sea salt

For strawberry milk:

  • Add 1 c. fresh or frozen strawberries

For chocolate milk:

  • Add 4 Tbsp. raw cacao powder (or regular cocoa powder)

For banana milk:

  • Add 1 medium banana

For blueberry milk:

  • Add 1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

Instructions

  1. Blend the cashews and water together until it becomes almost smooth like butter. Add the remaining ingredients into the blend and mix for 2 minutes or until completely smooth.
  2. Pour through a fine mesh strainer to catch the unblended cashew pieces and place into a sealed container. Chill in the fridge.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 157
  • Sugar: 4g
  • Fat: 15g
  • Carbohydrates: 9g
  • Fiber: 0.5g
  • Protein: 3g

But what struck me the most was that she kept saying that she reads a lot of confusion in my life and that I am in the place of being stuck. Precisely. I do feel stuck. I have felt stuck for awhile.  And though Rose did not give me anything in terms of how to unstick myself, there was something about her telling me this that gave me a little glimmer of hope.

How to make plain AND flavored Raw Nut Milk!

The changes are coming (both in my life and with Fork and Beans). Thank you for being patient with me, friends. My deepest apologies for not being on top of responding to every comment (something that is so important to me). I am in the process of unsticking…

About Cara

Based in Chicago with her husband and son, Cara is the creator behind the site Fork and Beans: A place where kids can have fun with their food.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Cara

      Pardon the delay in response, I’ve been a little busy with moving to new place so I unfortunately don’t always get to questions as soon as they are posted. Try the coconut oil in your nut milk, it’s amazing. Makes it creamy and have not found it to solidify. If it does for you, simply warm up mildly. Happy Holidays!

  2. Denae Price

    Does the coconut oil solidify once its in the fridge? Does it just make it have a richer feel? I have been making coconut and almond milk for years, but have never thought about putting oil in it!

  3. Tess @ Tips on Healthy Living

    I’m both a excited, and a little nervous to try this recipe. I recently found out I am lactose-intolerant (after 20-odd years), and I’ve been trying to find some milk alternative. This looks great! Thanks for sharing!

  4. Rose

    I made the chocolate version of this, and it is so good, it makes me want to curse out loud. Repeatedly. 😉
    I have made a lot of nut milks and this is the ONLY one worth repeating. My 3 year old even loves it and asks for it. THANK YOU!!!

    • Cara

      One is from Crate and Barrel (it’s a bottle to put your cream in) and the other is a garage sale find. They are the cutest things on the planet, aren’t they??

      • andrea

        Yes! They remind me of the special canning jars that you can buy .. the Weck jars.. Need to find some!

  9. Sophie C

    I made myself a batch of this chocolate cashew milk, and some raw vegan snickers bars this weekend… oh, YUM!! your blog is officially one of my favourite recipe resources 😀

  10. melodyfairitale

    This milk seems to be delicious! I have tried making almond milk in past, but it didn’t work out as good as i hoped it to, perhaps, it was because i don’t have a strainer.

    I just found your blog so i don’t know anything about you, but changes are always for good, that’s why we have came to this world – to develop and grow, sane everyday life isn’t bad, but it doesn’t really help with our growth either ( in my opinion ).

    • Rhonda

      For almond milk, try to get or make yourself a nut milk bag. They can be fairly expensive, around $17 in Australia but I’ve also found that the sheer nylon wash bags work and they are much cheaper. You can make them easily from nylon or use the seats out of a new and washed pair of panty hose to strain them through. Cashews blend readily, almonds do not and will always leave a pulp which you can dry and blend to become almond meal or use in slices, bliss balls or even in savoury dishes.
      Pour your milk into your chosen straining fabric and then squeeze the milk out of it. I sometimes feel that the action is akin to milking a cow (or expressing from breast)as it is almost a pulsing action. Good luck.

  11. Rebecca W.

    I used to be so good about drinking my raw milk! Thank you for the encouragement to get back into it. There’s nothing better than a glass of raw chocolate almond milk.

  12. Martine

    Hi! I’ve got a question and a comment…
    Question: Most of the nut milk recipes I’ve read say to discard the soaking water – any reason why you use it?
    Comment: Up until recently, I’ve also been feeling stuck. Unhappy with where I’m at, but totally overwhelmed trying to think about what I want. I also get “swarm brain” (my thoughts are like a bunch of bees flying around my head, actually posting about that tomorrow!), which means that I just think about doing things rather than doing them. The best advice I can give is 1) make space to dream. Even if you can’t identify the specifics of the what/when/where, focus on how you want to feel or what you don’t want. I’m about to make a big life jump and I’m not sure where I’m going to land, but I’m letting how I want to feel and what I don’t want (logistical, environmental, emotional, etc.) to guide me. I also force myself to focus – both in work and in dreaming. Multitasking saps my energy and motivation, and everything just gets muddled. Good luck, and I hope you get unstuck soon!

    • buffyellenBuffy

      I’d also like to know the question about reusing your soaking water, or discarding? Seems a waste to discard it as it has all sorts of nutrients leaked out into it not to mention flavor, but most recipes discard, rinse, and add new fresh water? Please answer someone manyone!

      • Cara

        I wish I had a smart, educated answer for the both of you but the truth is I’m neither 🙂 No, the truth really is that I’m lazy. It’s probably gross and dirty water (and if so, then discarding the water and using a new fresh batch is best) but I’m simply lazy and tend to be a rush to just throw everything in. And I like dirt 😛 Hope this helps ladies! xo, Cara

        • buffyellen

          Ok great thanks. I’ve come up with a solution: Rinse the nuts first to remove any dirt/grubby hands etc. then soak in filtered water but use the water in your milk blend so you retain all the flavour. I tried that this time and it turned out great! (I taste tested the soak water and it was delicious so just rolled with it). Thx!

          • CB

            The reason for soaking any nuts is to leach out the anti-nutrients from the nuts. If you blend with the soak water you are simply adding these back in and there is no point in soaking in the first place. The anti-nutrients prevent our digestive system from absorbing the good nutrients such as magnesium in the nuts. Best to discard the soak water and add fresh water.

  13. Lou Dwan

    There was a period for me when I felt like I was stuck in the mud for a long while. The lesson of how to get OUT of the mud and move on if you will was WHY I was stuck in the mud. Life has a funny way of teaching us the things we need to grow. Also I wouldn’t mind being stuck in a sticky mud pile if I could drink chocolate nut milk. YUMMO.

    • Cara

      That is beautifully put, Lou. It’s not enough to realize that you want to become unstuck, but to be aware that the reason you are there is pertinent and must be addressed. Love this! xoxo

  14. Natalyn :)

    This nut milk is GOOD. 🙂 Had it for breakfast. Thanks Cara! 😀

    Also, I want to let you know that you are an amazing person – I’m sure many have told you that, but it’s true! – and I know that you will get through the rough spots in life. And if you ever need someone to talk to, you’re welcome to talk to us about it. We’re here for you!! <3

    • Cara

      This comment just totally touched my heart. Wow. Thank you so much Natalyn for your incredibly KIND words to me. Wow. Seriously. Wow. xoxo!

  15. Ana

    The milk looks delicious, cashew milk is so creamy and good! I like your chocolate milk variation, will be trying that one soon!
    And good luck with “unsticking”! I sort of feel stuck too and believe am on the same process myself 🙂
    Ana

  16. Blondie

    And she’s at it again 🙂 And, yes, I’m shamelessly writing this in hopes that I, too, will get a comment.

  18. Purely.. Kay

    I just love the use of the mason jars… and those straws.. so cute! I would love to get paid for what I love to do… if you have that secret let me know 🙂

    • Cara

      Aren’t those jars just the cutest??! I heart them so!
      I will definitely let you in on the secret once I figure it out–I might have to charge a small fee however 😉

  19. Heather

    Wow what a reading Cara – I too have always been curious, we will have a palm/tarot reading at our end of Summer Party, part of me though may not want to hear what they have to say but the other part of me is just too curious not too know.

    here’s to getting unstuck & moving forward – I will wait for you with a big glass of strawberry nut milk to pass the time.

    • Cara

      You should do it. You already know all the answers–it’s just nice to have them solidified from time to time… so really, they aren’t going to tell you anything that you don’t know (unless it involves livestock)… It’s more fun than anything to see the accuracy 🙂

      • Heather

        Haha I thought the livestock reference was reffering to you eating meat again…that is if you are even heading in that direction 🙂

  20. Sarah

    Yum and yum! Great job Cara…so so proud of you. 🙂 Keep going on that life journey, and keep seeking the silver lining, and you’ll become exactly the person you’re meant to be. You are loved, girl (even if it has been a long time). xo

  24. Laurel

    Thief! I made some strawberry hemp milk the other day to bake with. I was going to drink the rest when my nephew, being helpful, spilled a blender, half full of lovely strawberry milk out. Rats. I think his future may be akin to yours – on a sheep farm, in New Zealand!!!
    Glad to have you back. xoxox

  25. Beth @ Tasty Yummies

    Yum Cara. I love the idea of flavored nut milks. I make my own almond milk all the time, but I have never played with the idea of adding strawberry or chocolate. Love it.
    BTW I cannot wait to see all of these upcoming changes. I am excited for you.

  26. Caitlin

    these milks look delicious! i love the strawberry version! i never liked the powder strawberry milk mix growing up(with the bunny on it), but i feel like this would taste more like a smoothie. and raw chocolate milk- yum!

  27. Somer

    Um cashew milk is my absolute favorite! I haven’t made the chocolate or strawberry versions yet though, so this is inspired. I’m too lazy to soak the cashews so when I’m in a rush, I pour half the amount of boiling water over them, blend then add ice to the top of the jar. Lazy but it works. Dude, the coconut oil addition must make it INSANELY creamy!

    • Cara

      I AM LAUGHING SO HARD RIGHT NOW!!!
      Yes! She gave me a potion that will make him fall in love with me and then it inevitably will make me break out into song in the locker room…
      xoxoxoxo!!
      This comment so made my day!

  29. Brooke (Crackers on the Couch)

    This post is perfect for me right now. My oldest is on a milk detox for a week to see if his stomach stuff is dairy related. The store bought milks are so full of chemicals! He’s been a little sad not to have much in the way of dessert. He’ll love this! As for you, I thought you already had huge… tracts of land.

  31. Abby

    If you figure that out, let me know (just don’t charge me $30, as that could be spent on organic produce.) 😉 And I’m more than willing to collaborate on changing the world with you through food and words and art, so we should probably get started on that…

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