Almond Milk in my Vitamix

Oh how I love thee Vitamix blender. I have waited a long time for you. I finally broke down and bought one on a three installment plan courtesy of the sales representatives at IDEA fitness convention in Los Angeles in August. I have passed by the demonstration stations at Costco for years- longing and drooling. The deal I received was better than any I had previously known and so I went for it. I received my Vitamix about a week later, and I started to experiment.

As a personal trainer I speak to my clients about smoothies as a low calorie snack or meal replacement option, especially for breakfast. You can make a homemade healthy smoothie with a good balance of carbohydrates and protein for half the cost of stopping at your favorite smoothie bar. Blenders are not created equal, and most of the hassle of making your own concoctions comes with bad blending. Having the right blender creates happy smoothie making.

I wanted my Vitamix for additional reasons, not just smoothies. I wanted to make my own nut butters, and non-dairy milks like: rice, coconut, and almond. Making your own "milks" is much more reasonable that store bought products. I always find greater satisfaction making something from scratch as well. My blender came with three recipe books, but I went to Youtube to help me find a video on how to make Almond Milk.

Almond milk is recognized by the USDA as a significant source of non-dairy calcium, supplying 45 percent of our daily caloric requirement in one eight oz. glass. It is also an excellent source of vitamin E and is antioxidant rich. Almond milk contains no cholesterol or lactose and is low in calories especially if left unflavored.

Many people have lactose intolerance and milk allergies and look to other sources of calcium in their diets. Almond milk is a wonderful substitute for dairy or soy products and is especially useful when putting the body through a detox that rids they system of potential allergenic foods or food products.

I love the taste and creaminess of almond milk. The hardest part of this recipe is waiting overnight for the almonds to soak. Check out Jane from www.Blenditandmendit.com. She is very quirky, but I really enjoyed her uniqueness.