In a world where it seems like there are one million plant-based, dairy-free milk alternatives it can be hard to navigate which one is the most fitting for your lifestyle. When I have the time I like to take the guessing out and make my own milk using whatever nuts, grains, spices, etc. I’m feeling in whatever quantities I want. I’ve always loved cashew milk and have recently become hooked on oat milk (thanks to Oatly), so when I recently ran out of the idea to make a single hybrid of my two favorite plant based milks came to me.
I went with it completely and I’m glad I did because this milk is super rich, creamy, and tastes like a vanilla milkshake. You can take my word for it or you can try it too
Ingredients:
1/2 heaping cup of rolled oats
1/2 heaping cup of raw, unsalted cashews
You could use any nut/seed here but I like cashews because you don’t have to strain them with a cheesecloth during blending
2-3 medium-large medjool dates, pitted
1 tsp of vanilla extract
Couple generous shakes of cinnamon
Dash of pink salt
5-6 cups of water
Instructions
In a bowl/container submerge rolled oats, raw cashews, and pitted dates in water, cover, and soak in the fridge overnight
Remove from the fridge, rinse off, and strain any excess “dirty” water from the soaked oats, cashews, and dates
Add oats, cashews, and dates to your blender
Add cinnamon, vanilla, and pink salt to blender
Add 5-6 cups of water to blender and blend until milk is smooth
I alternated between short bursts at a high blending speed and long periods at a low blending speed
I recommend a high power, adjustable speed blender (I used my Vitamix), but if you’re using a low power blender, like a Ninja or NutriBullet, I would split the batch into two separate blending cycles so the blender isn’t overwhelmed and your milk isn’t too chunky.
Pour milk into container(s) of your choosing and store in the fridge for up to one week.
In case you need the extra push to make this recipe here are some science supported and linked health benefits to the ingredients:
Oats:
Are nutrient dense and high in the soluble fiber beta-glucan. This means oats are high in the vitamins and minerals our bodies need, yet we often are deficient in such as magnesium, iron, zinc, folate, and many more. The beta-glucan in oats has a plethora of benefits to our well-being. It helps us stay full so we don’t overeat leading to an unhealthy weight, it improves our gut micro biome by increasing good bacteria in our digestive tracts, it’s shown to reduce blood sugar and regulate insulin response, and helps reduce overall levels of total and LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Cashews:
Are another nutrient dense food packed with Vitamin E, Vitamin K, iron, phosphorus, zinc, calcium, and magnesium. Cashews are also a healthy source of fats. Cashews are a non-saturated fat composed of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. These healthy fats can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and blood triglyceride levels. They also help the risk for heart disease, stroke, and heart attack.
Dates:
Nature’s sugar! Dates are naturally high in sugar, but they also offer other nutritional benefits, so they’re a great “healthy” or “natural” sweetener to use. Just make sure to always pit them and soak them if you’re not consuming them whole. Dates are nutrient dense, high in fiber, and are high in antioxidants. We know sugar isn’t the best thing for us, so if we’re going to be consuming it on a frequent basis dates are a great source because they also provide us with vitamins and minerals, improve our digestion, release the sugar slowly into our bloodstreams to keep blood sugar levels stable, and help fight free radicals, and
Cinnamon:
A highly potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substance. This means consuming cinnamon fights the nasty effects (cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc.) of free radicals in our bodies and helps reduce inflammation in the body.
Hope you enjoy!