I use milk alternatives for almost everything - my chia seed pudding creations, smoothies, baking and add it to my coffee and tea. While almond milk is typically my go-to, I’ve tried cashew milk, oat milk and tiger nut milk. I love the number of options and always eager to try new milk alternatives. I heard of the benefits and how easy it was to make your own milk, so when it came to making a list for Santa Clause, an at-home milk maker was one of the only things on the list. (I actually ended up getting two, one from my mom & BF, but was excited both times!!).

Here are a few reasons why I decided to make my own milk alternatives:

• Simple and clean ingredients: while Almond milk is a tasty alternative to cow's milk - many store bought products actually have unhealthy added preservatives. By making my own, I am avoiding any unwanted additions and keeping my milk alternatives clean and delicious.

• It’s easy: I used my Almond Cow for the first time this week. It was so simple and I made a pitcher filled with almond milk in just 15 minutes.

• It's sustainable: by making your own milk altneratives, it's saving the environment from single-use plastic containers. The Almond cow is definitely an investment, a cheaper alternative is the Soyabella (which I also have, but have not yet tried) and or a blender (you just need a nut bag!).

Here's how I made the almond milk with the Almond Cow:

• Soak the almonds. This step is optional but recommended for a smoother almond milk texture.

• Place the almonds in the designated Almond Cow filter basket.

• Attach the container to the blade head and twist to close.This is a little tricky. It took me a few times to get the container closed, but after a few shakes it worked.

• Fill the Almond Cow base with water up to the fill line. I also added a teaspoon of vanilla extract to make it a little sweeter.

• Plug in the Almond Cow and press the handy button at the top! Let the machine run 1 cycle, or you can run another cycle if you want a finer grind. Remove the top half of the Almond Cow and set aside.

• Pour the milk into a container and enjoy!

NOTE: this post is not sponsored.