Homemade Coconut Milk

Although I am not completely dairy-free, (I still enjoy some raw goat cheese or my favorite…Gruyere:), I don’t dabble with milk much anymore. There are a list of reasons why removing certain types of dairy can be beneficial for your overall health:

·       Decrease in belly bloat and gas

·       Significant improvement in dark circles under your eyes

·       Clearer skin, improved pigment, removal of red bumps on back of arms

·       Weight loss

·       Mucus free

·       Headache/migraine free

·       Increase in energy

I could go on and on but I want to share a recipe for you. If you want more info on the Dairy Woes and how to do dairy right, you can read more here.

However, a lot of the dairy alternatives aren’t that great for you either. Many of them are loaded with fillers and emulsifiers like guar guam, lecithin and sugar that make them a less than ideal swap-out.

Turns out, you can make your own milk alternative with just two ingredients, a blender and a nut bag. Yes, it is called a nut bag. You can find said nut bag at Whole Foods, Outpost or any natural food or home goods store.

What you get is a deliciously creamier and tastier milk than that watery skim stuff or the boxed dairy alternatives at the store.

However, if you ARE going to buy a dairy alternative, the unsweetened 365 brand at Whole Foods has the safest stuff and for the most part, the cheapest stuff. Not a lot of fillers and no added sugar.

4-5 cups of unsweetened coconut flakes/shreds

7-10 cups filtered water

Directions

1.     Add water to the bottom of your blender or Vitamix.

2.     Pour in coconut.

3.     Blend on high for 5-7 minutes.

4.     Using a nut bag or cheese cloth, strain the milk into a large glass pitcher.

5.     Remove left over pulp from the nut bag. (You can use the pulp for another round if you want your milk a little thinner. Just add half the amount of water from the first round. I prefer it creamier.)

6.     Immediately drink or store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

OPTIONAL ADD-INS

Note: Add/blend these in only after straining the milk.

·       2 tsp alcohol free vanilla extract

·       1 soaked Medjool date

·       2 tsp groung cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves

·       Unsweetened cocoa powder with grade B maple syrup

·       Raw honey

·       Celtic sea