Hello lovelies!
Trying to go zero waste isn’t easy and you often reach the limits of what is possible. For example, it seems to be impossible to find plant milk which doesn’t come in a Tetra pak around here. Just like always, I do things myself, if I can’t find them zero waste. This week I had a try on soy milk, because our local bulk store had a promotion on soy beans 😉 I must admit that I am amazed by the quality of the soy milk. I already started doing oat milk myself a few weeks ago and I tried some nut milk, too. So today, I’ll show you, how you can do it yourself! I promise, it is easy and not as time consuming as you might think.
Let’s start with the soy milk. This version of plant milk is the most time consuming, but it stays fresh longest and you can use it in various recipes- e.g. for vegan pancakes, vegan mayonnaise or for baking.
For one liter of soy milk you need:
- 100g soy beans
- 1 liter water
- 1 pinch salt
Preparation:
First, soak the soy beans in plenty of water. They should soak for at least 4 hours- best overnight. Then drain the soy beans and put in your blender with 300ml of water. Blend until you get a homogeneous mass and then add in the remaining 700ml of water. Take a big pot and a sieve. Line the sieve with a cotton cloth and pour the soy bean-water-mixture through it. Let it drain and wring it out. The remaining soy mass can either be frozen or directly used for some veggie patties.
Now skim the foam from your soy milk and bring it to a boil while constantly stirring. At the beginning it will froth a lot, but that will stop after around 10 minutes of cooking. You definitely have to cook the soy milk until it stops frothing and just bubbles. Then you can season it to your taste. I like to make half a liter of neutral milk, with just a pinch of salt added, to use for cooking and baking. Then I add some xylitol and vanilla to the rest of the soy milk, which I use in my black tea. I fill my glass bottles with the boiling hot soy drink and close them immediately. That way they will last quite long in the fridge.
The easiest and fastest plant milk is definitely oat milk, because it doesn’t need any preparation time. Nut milks are also quite quick, if you have a high-performance blender. If not, you should definitely soak your nuts.
For one liter of plant milk you need:
- 100g oats or nuts
- 1 liter water
Preparation:
First you pour the oats or nuts in your blender with 300ml of water. Blend until homogeneous and then add in the remainig 700ml of water. Pour through a cotton cloth and wring out the leftovers. Those can be used up directly or frozen for later. Most of the time, I only make half a liter of these plant milks, because they seem not to last as long as the soy drink.
As you might have noticed, it is really easy to make your own plant milk. Another plus is that it is also way cheaper and tastier than store bought ones. So, give it a try 😉
Have fun!
XOXO, Stef