So can you freeze almond milk for smoothies? First you should know what it is actually.
Almond milk is a dairy free, plant based milk that is purely made up of almonds and water. This dairy free milk is perfect for blending into your fruity purees; its slightly creamy and sugar free which gives you the ideal texture for you smoothies!
It is rich in healthy nutrients, has a gratifying flavor and a creamy-texture. For this reason, this nutty milk is liked by several people.
But can you freeze this nutty milk? Can you use the frozen milk for smoothies? In this article we will be covering all this questions.
So, keep reading till the end to know everything about almond milk and its smoothies!
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Can you freeze Almond milk for smoothies?
The simple answer goes around like, yes you can undoubtedly freeze this plant based milk. Yet, before freezing it, it’s better to consider how you aim to use it afterward. To elaborate, if you intend to use this milk for cooking purpose, freezing it is recommended. Conversely, if you wish to drink it later, in that case you might need to think twice.
Although, freezing it will extend the life-span of this nut-milk beyond its original expiry date; nonetheless it will also affect the texture and the consistency of your almond milk. As thawed almond milk tends to separates from the solid part, and this separation is what leads to the change in texture.
Honestly the separation doesn’t mean that the almond milk is spoiled or anything. If truth to be told, this process of separation occurs naturally in almond milk. Which implies, even with or without freezing this dairy free milk is meant to separate anyways. However, thawed milk shows a greater change in texture.
So in a nutshell, freezing almond milk may not be the best way to utilize it, especially for drinking purpose like smoothies, but it won’t cause you any harm rather than just a little bit of change in texture and probably taste as well. Plus, it is always better to freeze the excess milk rather than wasting it.
How to prepare almond milk in home?
Even though, you can find almond milk in almost every convenience – store near you; however, preparing it in your home won’t take too long. In fact, this will allow you to control the sweetness along with the thickness of your almond milk.
So, if you want to prepare this nut-milk in your home, then all you need is some almonds, 10 minutes of your life and a Blender or the best Juicers on the market.
Ingredients Needed:
- 1.5 cups of raw almond.
- 4 to 5 cups of cold water + adequate water for soaking.
- Dates according to your taste (3-5 suggested).
- Pinch of salt.
3 Simple steps to prepare almond milk:
- Start with soaking raw almonds overnight in cool water.
- Then drain and rinse the almonds and put them in a blender along with fresh water, a pinch of salt and any further add-ins (for instance vanilla or dates for sweetness).
- Blend well for about 2-3 minutes, when you think the mixture is good to go, pour the milk through a nut milk bag into a container. And squeeze to separate all the almond milk.
How do you make Almond Milk Smoothies?
Now that we learned how to prepare almond milk in home, making smoothies out of it is a must! There are several recipes to make almond milk smoothies; hopefully, you will love the one we have picked for you here.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of almond milk.
- 2 large bananas frozen and chopped.
- 1/4 cup almonds.
- 1 cup ice crushed.
Instructions:
- Blend the almond milk, chopped bananas and almonds in a high speed blender, until you get a thick and smooth mixture.
- Add the ice cubes and continue blending, until you get your desire texture.
- Pour the smoothie into glasses and enjoy!
Can you store the smoothie?
Smoothies are flavorful and best enjoyed when consumed within 1-2 hours of making it, since after that time the texture of smoothies starts to drain. But you can definitely store it in freezers for a day or 2, make sure to mix them before consuming it.
How to freeze Almond Milk?
When it comes to freezing almond milk, there are two common ways you can choose from. You can either freeze it in cubes, if you want the flexibility to use it in small amounts, or you can also freeze it in containers if you plan to use it for fruity purees.
Freezing Almond Milk in Cubes
This process takes a bit more time hand-on time, but it is easy and the extra time required is worth the flexibility.
Instructions:
- Pour the milk in an ice cube tray.
- Place the tray in a freezer. Although it should take around few hours to freeze, freezing it overnight is suggested.
- Bring out the milk cubes from the tray and transfer them into a container.
- Place the container back into freezer, and use as little milk as you need at a time.
Freezing Almond Milk in Containers
This process of freezing almond milk in a container is quite easier and takes less to no effort!
Instructions:
- Consider the amount of milk you will need at a time.
- Pick a container according to your need.
- Fill the container and put it in a freezer.
Bingo, that’s it!
How to defrost/ thawed frozen Almond milk?
Now that we had frozen almond milk, we need to thawed it before using. But how do you defrost frozen almond milk?
Here are three ways to defrost Almond Milk:
In lukewarm water – If you are running short on time putting the frozen milk in lukewarm water will speed up the process of thawing. Do not put it in warm water.
In the refrigerator – This is the best way to defrost this milk, meanwhile consuming a hell lot of time. Put the frozen milk in the fridge until it melts.
Defrost while cooking – If you wish to use this milk for cooking, you don’t really need to thawed it before hand, just put them in with you curries.
Some FAQs About Freezing Almond Milk:
How long does frozen almond milk last?
Although frozen milk can last up to 2 months; however, once the milk is thawed it should be consumed within 5-7 days.
How do you know, when your almond milk is spoiled?
The best way is to look at the taste and how the milk looks like. Once it gets thick, smells off, and tastes sour, that’s the expiry point for the milk.
Does almond milk make you gain weight?
Almond milk is 50% lower in calories than cow’s milk and since it is not an animal product, it has no cholesterol, making almond milk a weight-loss-friendly drink.
Can you refreeze almond milk?
You can. But note that in that case you may not like the texture.
Can you freeze homemade almond milk?
Homemade almond milk freezes in the same way, so there are not much changes.
Is it OK to boil almond milk?
It’s fine to boil almond milk, as for adding to coffee or tea.
Does almond milk have the same benefits as almonds?
Even though almond milk share some of the benefits of raw almond, but raw products are definitely healthier.
How long should you soak almonds for almond milk?
Soaking overnight in cold water is suggested, but you could go with a minimum of 4 hours. Conversely if you are on a rush, try soaking for 1-2 hours in very hot water.
Conclusion
Almond milk has several essential nutrients, which makes it an excellent add-on to a healthy diet, especially for those who are allergic to dairy products.
So in short, you can definitely freeze almond milk. Although it will affect the consistency of the milk, but if you are not that picky this won’t really matter.
On top if you wish to use the frozen milk for smoothies specifically, freezing it in ice cube trays is recommended. this way you will be able to add as much as milk you need.
