Are you a drink the milk at the end of your cereal bowl person? I’ll be honest, as an adult, it sort of grosses me out. I don’t know. I haven’t had cereal in a long time but thinking about slurping milk from a bowl makes me make a yuck face. There are soggy pieces of fibrous wheat floating around. That’s gross.

I haven’t always felt this way, though. There was a time when drinking my cereal milk was not only ok, it was really the only reason I ate cereal. I’m referring to when I was in college ten and there were Froot Loops involved. You totally know what I’m talking about. That pink, delicious, sweet milk at the end of your Froot Loops. Well, I made you some…sort of.

I made you pink, delicious, sweet milk, but I cleaned it up a little. You know, I made it naked. I left the rainbow of glutenous rings, nasty food dye and all the sugar out. Did I just lose you? Keep reading, I promise it’s good! That color comes from real strawberries. And the sweetness…yeah, the strawberries do it again. 

I’ve been wanting to make my own almond milk for sometime now, but after reading some how-to’s it seemed like something that was just easier to buy. But I came across a version in Martha Stewart Living this month that didn’t require hours of soaking or purchasing a nut bag (it’s a thing). This was super simple and rather quick. You can expect other flavors coming soon. So sit and enjoy yourself a tall, cold glass of strawberry almond milk. You could also try it in a smoothie, in your oatmeal or of course, on your cereal. But if you do that, you better tip that bowl back and get every last drop. Enjoy!

Strawberry Almond Milk (adapted from Martha Stewart)

Ingredients:
1 cup raw, whole almonds
4 cups water
1/2-1 teaspoon vanilla
10 large strawberries, washed and trimmed

Directions:

1. Boil 1 cup of water.
2. Place almonds in a blender and pour boiling water on top. Let sit for 30 minutes.
3. Add the last 3 cups of water, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and trimmed strawberries. Blend until smooth and frothy.
4. Pour through a fine mesh sieve. Push through using a rubber spatula. Taste. If you want it to be a little sweeter, you can add the other 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla here.
5. Store milk in a mason jar in the refrigerator. Ours kept for 6 days before we finished it.

Notes:

1. This makes about 4 cups.
2. I’m now totally into this and want to compare making it the long, soak-the-nuts, nut bag way. I’ll let you know when I do.
3. The pulp. Save it and throw it in smoothies. It’s just ground up nuts, even though it doesn’t look too appetizing. That’s expensive “waste,” so use it.
4. My milk-hater husband agreed to try this after my constant nagging and under terms that he set. I wasn’t allowed to look at him (he said his face would disappoint me) or be upset when he said he didn’t like it. I agreed so he took a sip. His reaction, and I quote: “This is the best milk I’ve ever had.”  (I win)

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