raw cinnamon sunflower seed milk

you can make milk out of nearly any seed or nut. i decided to use sunflower seeds for this recipe, but you can use almonds, cashews, oats, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, rice or buckwheat – it just requires a little soaking, blending and straining.

the result might not taste exactly like milk but makes a good substitute for the lactose intolerant, soy intolerant, raw foodist or those with nut allergies alike.

raw cinnamon sunflower seed milk
1 c raw sunflower seeds
3 c water
1 tbsp raw sugar or agave
1 tsp cinnamon

soak the sunflower seeds (or whatever nut/seed/grain you’re using) in the water at least 4 hours at room temperature.  you can do it over night if you are preparing it the next morning.  you can do this is a medium-sized bowl, make sure to cover it with a towel or plastic wrap to keep any bugs out.

after soaking the seeds should be noticable plumper and softer.  notice in the picture above, the difference between the dry seeds on the left and the soaked ones on the right.

after soaking, add the seeds and all of the soaking water into a large blender, and add in the sugar and cinnamon.  1 tablespoon of sugar just adds a hint of sweetness, if you like things really sweet feel free to add more.

blend well for 2-3 minutes to make sure it is as smooth as it can get.  the mixture should be whitish.

strain the mixture through a straining bag and gently squeeze it until all of the liquid has drained out.  what is left in the bag is the pulp from the sunflower seeds, mostly just fiber.  i usually throw this away but you could probably find some use for it.

you can drink it right away or chill it for later.  because it is so fresh it only keeps for 2-3 days refrigerated in a sealed contain, so enjoy promptly!