Zero Waste Recipe: Quick Cashew Milk

Personally, I tend to drink more almond milk (but don’t tell cashew milk that). That’s only because cashew milk tends to be a bit on the heavier, creamier side. That said, it can easily be adjusted and thinned, so I’ve come to have a newfound love for cashew milk. The recipe below explains how I thin it out (trust me, it’s not hard), so I think this quick cashew milk will become a regular staple in my fridge. 

Note: You can add 1 or 2 dates for added sweetness, just make sure you blend them into the milk really good. I prefer my milk unsweetened so I skipped this step. 

1. Place the raw cashews into a pot and add 2 cups of water. Turn up the heat so that the water starts to boil. Once it starts boiling, let it boil for 10 minutes. This will help the cashews expand and soften.
2. Once the cashews are tender, and the 10 minutes are up, add both the water and cashews to your blender. Let it cool a bit first, then blend it all up for at least one minute. Add in the vanilla extract and blend for a few seconds to mix. If you want to sweeten it more, now would be the time to add two dates (make sure you blend them into the milk really well).
3. When you’re done blending, add the cashew milk to the container of your choice (I used a glass jar I got at Michael’s craft store, but mason jars work well too).
4. At this point, the cashew milk will be very creamy, so to thin it, feel free to add more water to it. I added at least one more cup of filtered water, but it’s up to you. You can add more (or less) if you so desire. It also depends on how big your jar is and how much it can fit (since adding more water will increase the cashew milk’s volume). Don’t want it to overflow!
5. Put it in the fridge and let it get nice and cold. Tada, you just made yourself some easy zero waste milk!

That’s it! Super simple, right? It only takes a few minutes to make, maybe 30 minutes tops (but who’s counting?). I’ve used this in my cereal so far (pictured below) and absolutely love it. It tastes great and isn’t too thick or too thin (just right). Also, if you find yourself running low on it, just add a little more filtered water to it: This will not only help thin it out, but prolong its life (meaning you won’t have to whip up another batch right away).

#LifeHacks.

________________________

Using Cashew Milk

• Drink it straight up (I wouldn’t, but hey, go ahead)
• Add it to cereal (I do this and highly recommend it)
• Add it to coffee or tea
• Make a matcha latte using it (I’m so doing this!)
• Use it in smoothies
• Make yogurt out of it (use it as a base)
• Use it in baking recipes that call for milk
• Make cashew milk cheese (I never have, but why not?)

Yup, it’s pretty versatile. Just like any other plant based milk, only this one is completely zero waste.

Keep cashew milk in the fridge at all times. I put mine in a glass bottle with a ceramic lid. I got the jar a while ago while shopping at Michael’s Craft Store with the intention to fill it with nut milk (or mouthwash). Its filled one of its intended purposes so far, which makes me happy. That said, you can put this in any free glass container you have (emptied out sauce jars or thrifted mason jars work well too). This milk won’t keep too long so be sure to use it up within 4 days or so!