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Miscellaneous: Roasted Strawberry Almond Milk

Source of Recipe

From "Gather At Home" by Monika Hibbs


Recipe Introduction

"To me, strawberry-stained fingers are one of the true markers of summer. Carrying home boxes and boxes of sweet strawberries after spending time in the fields brings endless recipe possibilities to my mind. One of my new favorites is this homemade strawberry-infused almond milk. It has been such a hit with my kids and their cousins. And the best part of all? The lingering aroma of oven-roasted strawberries. I have a feeling that this recipe is going to be requested for many summers to come."

List of Ingredients

◦ � cup raw almonds
◦ 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
◦ 2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar or cane sugar
◦ 3 � cups cold filtered water
◦ Pinch of sea salt
◦ � vanilla bean, seeds scraped, or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract





Recipe

Place the almonds in a large bowl or container. Add cold water until they are completely submerged. Cover and let chill for 10 to 12 hours in the refrigerator. This step is key to helping the nuts blend more easily. The longer they soak, the easier they'll be to blend.

Preheat the oven to 375� F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the strawberries in a single layer on the baking sheet and sprinkle them evenly with 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar, depending on how sweet you would like the milk to be. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the strawberries have softened and the juices around them look syrupy. Let cool.

Drain the almonds and rinse them a few times. Add the almonds, filtered water, and salt to a high-speed blender. Blend on high for at least 2 minutes, until the almonds are broken down as much as possible. Add a splash more water to make blending the almonds easier, if necessary.

Pour half of the almond mixture into a French press to separate the milk from the solids. (Feel free to use a nut milk bag if you have one!). Let the mixture stand for a minute to allow the pulp to settle. Take your time and slowly press the plunger down. If the liquid is too thick and the plunger will not move, add more filtered water. Once the plunger reaches the bottom of the press, or you've strained all possible liquid from a nut milk bag, pour the almond milk into a separate container. Repeat this step with the remaining almond mixture.

Rinse out the blender jar, then pour the strained almond milk into it. Add the vanilla and roasted strawberries along with their juices. Blend on high for 2 minutes. Store the almond milk in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. If it separates after sitting in the fridge, shake or blend it before serving.

Makes about 2 � cups




❧ Tips:

✰ If you don't want to include the strawberry pulp in the almond milk, blend the strawberries on their own and use a fine-mesh sieve to strain their juices into the almond milk. Stir to combine.

✰ Freeze the strawberry almond milk in ice cube trays and blend them into your next smoothie! (I don't recommend thawing them, as the milk will separate.)