Are you someone who prefers an alternative to dairy milk? Perhaps you are lactose intolerant, a vegan, or you just don’t like cows milk? There are lots of alternatives in the shops – all of which seem to come in drinks cartons, usually Tetra Pak, as far as I can tell. They can contain a lot of sugar and additives and in any case, Tetra Pak is not an option when you want to avoid single-use plastic. The obvious solution is to make your own nut, oat, rice, hemp or soya milk and until I had a go at this, I had no idea how easy it is.
These alternative milks last a few days in the fridge and can be used with breakfast cereals, smoothies, shakes and for cooking with. They do tend to curdle slightly if added cold to a hot drink. You can add vanilla, maple syrup or pitted dates at the blending stage to increase the sweetness, but nut milks tend to be naturally sweet. Many websites also give you recipes for using up the pulp that is left over, for example to make oat biscuits. Oats and rice milk are perhaps the quickest and cheapest options, but you do not need large quantities of the basic ingredients, so price is not really an issue (I am convinced that the cost of the ingredients in commercial products are miniscule compared to the cost of the packaging and transport and mark-up for the retailer). Cashews also lend themselves to making cream which is great to use in Indian cooking. Simply soak a handful of cashews in a cup of water for 10 minutes and then blend – no need to strain afterwards.
You will need a blender or food processor, a piece of muslin or cheese cloth, a funnel and glass bottles with lids. If you have a local unpackaged or zero waste food shop, you will be going along with your fabric bags to stock up on the ingredients. If not, it’s time to get searching as most cities have at least one zero-waste, bulk buy, or unpackaged food shop. Have a look here.
Almond milk:
- Zero Waste Chef https://zerowastechef.com/2017/04/05/almond-milk/
- Or try this recipe with dates and vanilla: https://www.thespruceeats.com/raw-vegan-gluten-free-almond-milk-3377459
Cashew milk:
- Great recipe, no straining required: https://elanaspantry.com/cashew-milk/
- Also try Deliciously Ella’s mango and cashew smoothie while you’re at it: https://deliciouslyella.com/2014/04/27/mango-and-cashew-smoothie/
Oat Milk:
- I made this one this morning, 30mins soaking time only: https://simpleveganblog.com/how-to-make-oat-milk/
- Recipe with or without soaking the oats can be found in this article:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2015/oct/21/almond-milk-quite-good-for-you-very-bad-for-the-planet
Hemp Milk:
- Made with shelled hemp seed, this is a simple no-soak recipe, with or without straining https://minimalistbaker.com/make-hemp-milk/
Soya Milk:
- How to Make Soy Milk: A Korean Recipe https://www.thespruceeats.com/korean-homemade-soy-milk-recipe-2118535
Rice Milk:
- No cook rice milk from the Zero Waste Chef https://zerowastechef.com/2014/06/04/no-cook-rice-milk/
- Recipe with cooked brown rice, can be used whole or strained https://healthyblenderrecipes.com/recipes/home_made_brown_rice_milk