When it comes to raw food as a viable alternative for everyday life, there are plenty of things that you might not have considered replaceable. For example, you might think that a raw diet would mean you would never have a plate of spaghetti again, or never get to savor a hamburger.
But raw foods are nothing if not versatile, and you can find wonderful, delicious replacement recipes for both on any number of raw food blog sites. But there is one food item that people tend to think is fairly irreplaceable, and it’s absence in their diet is one that can have a dramatic impact.
Many of us have grown up with dairy as a vital and visible part of our everyday diets. From the milk we drowned our morning cereal in as children, to the ice cream treats we enjoyed as adolescents, and on to the yogurts we eat as adults. Of course, the dairy we consume today has very little in common with the dairy that we, as people, originally started with, and that’s where we find a conflict between eating raw and eating dairy.
Originally, milk was something that came straight from the cow or goat to the glass. But when pasteurization was discovered, something happened to the milk that we drink, both for the better and for the worse. On the upside, pasteurization greatly reduces the number of micro organisms in the milk that could cause illness. But the downside is a loss of the living food enzymes and beneficial bacterial cultures that make milk so good for us.
So, what are we to do? A good raw food diet blog will give you all sorts of examples of ways to get your daily allotment of calcium in other foods, but if you simply want a tall, cold glass of milk, you have two main options.
One way is to find a local source of raw dairy products. This can be exceedingly difficult, as laws in some jurisdictions have actually outlawed the sale of raw dairy, for fears of causing outbreaks of illness.
Many milk producers back these laws – and why not? If consumers want the beneficial bacteria that are originally found in raw dairy, they can still find them – in “pro-biotic” yogurts, which tend to cost a little bit more. If raw dairy is legal and available, by all means, take advantage.
But if you have no source for raw dairy, fear not. There are other milks available than what comes from the teat of a cow. Healthy eating advice will tell you that milks made from almonds or rice can give you the texture you crave, and a taste that might not mimic milk, but will be something very pleasing.
These alternative milks are also great in your raw recipes, making smoothies thicker and your sauces creamier. But be careful when you buy them in stores, as some of these milks also come pasteurized. Be sure to read the labels carefully, and you will be able to find a milky replacement.
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Even better than “store bought” almond (or any other nut) milk is home made, and it is SO easy. To begin, use a ratio of 3 parts water to 1 part nuts and blend until nuts are pureed as much as possible with your blender or food processor. If you want creamier or thicker fluid, simply experiment with less water, or for thinner (like skimmed milk) use a little more water. You can strain out the solid parts of the nuts if you want just the milk, or you can keep the nut parts in if you like a little crunch with it. You can add pure raw vanilla powder (or vanilla bean) or other flavoring and ground raw stevia leaf for flavor and sweetness to taste. Experiment with small portions first until you get the hang of what satisfies you most. It may take a little getting used to, but you may end up liking it a lot more than cow’s milk (even raw milk).
Thanks Judy. That’s definitely the gold standard for almond milk. Most people it’s tough to make but it really takes about 2 minutes. And it tastes great.