It does seem kind of anti-climactic, don't you think? I mean, considering the signs and symptoms that occur when one cannot consume dairy, you would think they would call it something like "The-Worst-Stomach-Pain-Ever (sans labor)".
Maybe you're lactose intolerant. Or, maybe you've read some of the debates on milk verses soy verses almond or rice milk and have discovered (as we have) that (dairy) milk is actually not good for you.
WHAT?!! I remember the first time I ever heard that. Dairy is one of the major food groups! I've seen the chart - fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat. You have to get all of them to be healthy, right?
However, the more I studied (mainly for my son at first) - the more I realized that unless the milk is raw (straight from the cow to my mouth), it is "dead".
Oh my word! How many sippy cups of milk did I feed to my children?
At first, I turned to soy milk thinking (like most of the rest of America) that it was a healthy, logical choice. However, most of the soybeans grown today are genetically modified. It is extremely rare to find organic soy grown in the U.S.
So, until I could find a proper "substitute", I put my family on organic dairy milk. I wasn't happy with it, but at least I knew they could use it safely in their cereals and I could use it in recipes. However, the cost of organic milk has nearly forced us to take out a loan! (Can I get an amen?)
But, those days are over. Until Rick (and Bubbles) will let me put a cow in our backyard, we are going Rice Milk all the way baby.
That's got to be expensive too, right?
Not when you make your own!
Did I just see you roll your eyes? (I know my brother just did. He has already informed me that he thinks I've gone off the deep end.) However - stay with me here. I was AMAZED at how simple it was. (Not to mention inexpensive!)
Wait. What about all the nutrients ... the calcium you'll be missing? Again, unless you're drinking it straight from the cow, the milk you're drinking is dead anyway. Pasteurized milk doesn't have the nutrients raw milk has. (And frankly, if you're that worried about calcium, supplement with a Calcium supplement.)
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN RICE MILK
Are you excited?
You're going to need:
8 oz organic long grain brown rice
8 cups water
more water for diluting
mason jars (or other storage containers)
blender
Begin by washing the rice thoroughly. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil and add the rice. Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for 3 hours. (I stirred mine occasionally so that it wouldn't stick to the bottom.)
Fill the blender halfway with cool water. Fill the other half with the rice "soup". Blend until smooth.
(I made the first batch with just water and rice. However, after the second batch, I began putting maple syrup and cinnamon into the blender to give the milk a sweeter taste. I will continue to do this until we are used to used to the change. You could also just put a tablespoon or two of organic sugar in if desired.)
Strain the mixture so that the milk separates from the unblended rice.
Pour into mason jars (or other storage containers) and refrigerate.
Eight ounces of rice made 6 1/2 (16 oz) jars of rice milk. (Roughly 7 cups - or almost half a gallon)
Let's talk prices.
I paid $.82 for the rice. That's $.82 for a half gallon of milk or $1.64 for a gallon. Since I had to purchase the mason jars for the first time, if you factor in their cost, I paid $5.46 for the first gallon. (However, that will only be a one time fee and oddly enough is still cheaper than most organic milk.)
We have used the rice milk so far in oatmeal and in smoothies and no one has been able to tell a difference. Well, that's not entirely true. Rick said his wallet can already tell the difference!
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