To peel or not to peel is the question....

[AutumnBreezColordLeavz]

Do I have to peel the skins off the almonds after soaking before making the nut milk? I have been and it is time consuming, just curious if I am wasting time or is it just part of the process?

[VeganVixen]

you dont have to ,but the skins can give it an acidic twaing -so it really depends on you....

[DotfromOz]

I just made my first batch of almond milk earlier this week and simply drained off the soaking water, dumped the almonds into the blender, added honey, some more filtered water and fired up the blender.

Tastes absolutely fabulous, methinx, so no, I don't think it's at all necessary.

Depends upon what you prefer, as I agree with VeganVixen that it might taste sourish if you prefer not to use the honey.

[tracyinfo]

You can either peel (time consuming) or not peel soaked almonds. For the almond milk, after throwing it all in the blender, I do strain the milk through a mesh/canvas bag. Then the almond pulp, I use in some kind of cookie or cracker.

-Tracy

[rawpriestess]

Hi,

I do NOT peel the almond, it makes the milk or cheese not quite so white, but it tastes fine. I have never peeled them, so guess I don't notice it if they taste a littel acid.

I make almond milk with almonds (soaked) and water only.

Then I use it to make creamy soup base, or nutmilk shakes, then I add dates.

So, I would try it both ways if you are in doubt at all.

Try one batch without peels and one batch with peels.

[RawTruth]

I don't want to be eating the tannin in the skins, so I remove them.

I use Rhio's method of blanching them (as she describes in her book) and it is incredibly easy. Afterward, I just squeeze the almond and it pops out of its skin! Yes, it does take a few more minutes than not doing it at all, but it's so much quicker than like they do at the Ann Wigmore Institute where they hand peel every single little booger ... er, I mean every single little almond. Blanching causes the skin to release its hold on the nut, and it doesn't heat it, so the enzymes are still safe.

If you want to know how to do it, just let me know and I'll type out her instructions here (with acknowledgment to her, of course).

[AutumnBreezColordLeavz]

I don't want to be eating the tannin in the skins, so I remove them.

I use Rhio's method of blanching them (as she describes in her book) and it is incredibly easy. Afterward, I just squeeze the almond and it pops out of its skin! Yes, it does take a few more minutes than not doing it at all, but it's so much quicker than like they do at the Ann Wigmore Institute where they hand peel every single little booger ... er, I mean every single little almond. Blanching causes the skin to release its hold on the nut, and it doesn't heat it, so the enzymes are still safe.

If you want to know how to do it, just let me know and I'll type out her instructions here (with acknowledgment to her, of course).

I am doing each individual because I don't know how to blanch without cooking them. I soak for several hours and then peel each one and it is time consuming. So can you please clue me by sending instructions on how to blanch without cooking the enzymes????? It would be soooo appreciated!

[RawTruth]

This is from Hooked on Raw by Rhio. By the way, I most highly recommend her book. While the recipes are great, the rest of what she's written is most valuable. Her explanations of alkaline/acid balance and how we should maintain an 80/20 balance, food combining, enzymes and optimum digestion are so clear, and she's been at Optimum Health, Ann Wigmore Institute and many other raw food/healing institutes in addition to founding the raw food hotline in NY City. For this book, she actually called all the food distributors and manufacturers to get to the bottom of how the food is processed. This is how she discovered "that some figs, dates and prunes are steamed; or that 'raw' oat groats are damaged by het in prcoessing ... that the only way to be certain you are purchasing really raw honey is to make sure the labels says 'unheated.' The words ''uncooked' or 'raw' do not ensure that you are getting ... no heat applied ... that the milling process, used to make the 'raw' resame tahini ... generates heat to the tune of 150 to 160 degrees ... that some spice blends have been tasted or roasted ... dried coconut was pasteurized." Okay, enough of a blurb for her book!

Here's the section on Blanched Almonds:

To blanch almonds (without cooking them), first prepare a large bowl of cold water into which you have added two trays of ice cubes. Then heat up some other water to a boil, turn off the flame, and put in the sprouted almonds for 7 seconds. Time the 7 seconds, and stay with the pot. If you move away to do something else, you might not come back to your almonds in 7 seconds, and then you will have cooked them. Drain the almonds quickly through a colander and plunge the colander into the ice water. This stops the process of cooking immediately. The almond skins will the pop off easily when you push them between your thumb and forefinger.

Why Is It Necessary to Remove Almond Skins?

Almond skins have a high concentration of tannic acid. Research has indicated that tannic acid may interfere with the body's uptake of iron. When you eat a lot of almonds, it might be a good idea to remove the skins. (If you are just having a handful, then you don't need to skin them.)

[rawpriestess]

WOW, RawTruth,

I never knew that,

and I love her book,

My favorite recipe of hers is Portabello Mushroom Stroganoff, it is devine, and now I guess I will have to start peeling my almonds,

Live and learn, thanks for letting me know about this.

And also, thanks for posting how to do this the quick and easy way, wow what a time saver that will be.

Blessings,
Rawpriestess

[RawTruth]

I have so much fun popping those little buggers out of their skins. I see how far back I can stand from the bowl and still get 'em to plunk in. What can I say -- if I don't amuse myself, who will?

I'm glad someone else loves her book. I think her spirit comes through so strongly. And, she's just so knowledgeable.

[VeganVixen]

I have so much fun popping those little buggers out of their skins. I see how far back I can stand from the bowl and still get 'em to plunk in. What can I say -- if I don't amuse myself, who will?

I'm glad someone else loves her book. I think her spirit comes through so strongly. And, she's just so knowledgeable.


HAHA LOL your not the only one guilty ::::::raises hand::::::

I call it therapy!!!!!!!

[AutumnBreezColordLeavz]

Sounds like a carnival game! :p Plunkin shots

Gather 'round young'n, try your skills of skin'n and a plunk'n these here almonds into that mixer over yonder....your prize?.... a nice glass of this here delicious almond milk.

Ok.....that was really super corny, sorry all!

But I really do appreciate you saving me time on my next batch of almonds with this method. Thank you sooo much!