Chocolate Almond Milk

By Kris Carr (Crazy Sexy Juice)
Yield 3.5-4 cups

Your inner kiddo will go nuts for this milk. Grab some graham crackers and cuddle up with your books as you sip on this wonderful, dairy-free treat..

Pro Tip: You don’t have to use cacao powder in this recipe—cocoa powder will work, too—but cacao powder tends to be more potent than cocoa powder, and I love the way its bold flavor comes to life in this recipe. I also like to add a little bit of cinnamon, but feel free to leave it out if you prefer your almond milk on the super traditional side.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almonds, soaked for 8 hours
• 2 to 3 pitted Medjool dates
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons cacao powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Method:

1. In a high-speed blender, blend the almonds, dates, salt, and water till totally smooth.
2. Create a large, double layer of cheesecloth and hold it over a large mixing bowl, or hold a nut milk bag over a large mixing bowl. Pour the almond milk through the cheesecloth or bag and squeeze thoroughly. You can compost or discard the nut pulp.
3. Transfer strained almond milk back to your blender. Add the cacao and cinnamon, if using. Blend till smooth.
4. Transfer the nut milk to an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for about 3 days.