Hemp Milk Rules!

1st thing's 1st - I love milk (skim milk only actually, super cold), but there's a few reasons I don't drink it very often:

1. Even though I don't dispute that real milk, in moderation, has health benefits, I do think that other "milks" can be healthier.
2. Even though I love the taste of real milk, I like the variety of tastes in other "milks".
3. Even though I'm not a vegetarian or vegan (yet haha), I do worry about the treatment of animals, and try often to cut down on my participation in that machine. 

So I always buy soy milk because that's what I like in my smoothies for the most part, and I find that vanilla flavored soy milk is a great thing to have around when I'm craving dessert.  I also like rice milk a lot because its light and the closest to real milk I've found so far.  


But did you know that there are 2 more milks that are super easy to make at home??  Almond milk and hemp milk!  Both raw vegan, both great for you.


ALMOND MILK - all you have to do is soak a cup or 2 of almonds for a day in water, then pour it all in a blender, add more water and whizz away!  Ones the almonds are about as broken as they will ever get, just strain out the milk with a strainer, and throw the almond bits back in the blender with a little more water to repeat the process again.  When I did it I got about 3 rounds in the blender out of the almonds.  I also added a little vanilla and cinnamon to give a little spice.  It was very VERY good. 


HEMP MILK - Yesterday I did the same with hemp seeds.  Although with hemp seeds I read online that you don't have to strain it, so I didn't.  They didn't quite break down all the way (probably because right now I refuse to spend $400 on a Vitamix) but still drinkable.  The hemp milk has a much stronger flavor that might not be for everyone.  But hemp seeds are great for you, so drink up!

"Hemp seed nutrition is remarkable. It is a perfect protein supplement because it contains all the essential amino acids our bodies need (ones our bodies can not make). No other single source of plant has all of these proteins that are so easily digested.

Hemp seed is a great source of omega-3 and omega-6 (essential fatty acids) and provides an ideal balance between the two. It is also a very good source of omega-9."

Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/health/alternative-medicine/articles/42702.aspx#ixzz1CWrXHtcK

These are hemp seeds (duh) and I use them a lot.  Making milk, adding to smoothies, sprinkling on salads or in granola bars.  I wonder actually if eating them so often is gonna make me fail a drug test one day.  I guess I should look into that. 

You can see the milk has a little "texture", but this is a great option if you can have dairy, or you feel bad for the cows!