I first read about almond milk on Taste Memory, one of our first blogger friends, a long time ago. Wow, time flies. Made from pressed almonds, it’s very natural and doesn’t contain any dairy. Lon is a lactard (lactose-intolerant) but doesn’t like most soy milk, so almond milk has been his go-to with cereal when he’s not eating it dry. It goes particularly well with Honey Bunches of Oats.
What I love about it is the natural almond flavor, without tasting like almond extract. I often feel like the extract is too strong and this has a really different flavor. It’s not creamy enough for me to use it in place of cream for coffee, but if you cook oatmeal in it, it ends up feeling ultra creamy. The starches of the oatmeal helps to thicken it and you end up feeling like you’re eating a luxurious dessert, similar to a rice pudding. A smooth, rich coating on the tongue usually comes with a high calorie price tag, but this is a 240 calorie breakfast (not including almonds, a few slices would be about 10 calories).
So pick up some almond milk. We get it at Trader Joe’s and it’s available at most health food stores and Whole Foods. You can also make this recipe with Vanilla Soy Milk and the result is pretty similar in mouth feel though the flavor is different. I like it equally, but again, Lon is not a fan of soy milk so we don’t stock it.
Vanilla Almond Oatmeal
~for one
- 1 cup vanilla almond milk
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup old-fashion oatmeal
- cinnamon
- sliced almonds to garnish (optional)
Instructions –
1. Bring vanilla almond milk and salt to a boil in a small non-stick sauce pot.
2. Stir in oatmeal and try to keep it down to a simmer, cooking for 6 minutes, or until it reaches desired consistency. Stir frequently with a rubber spatula. *Note: it will thicken slightly as it cools so remove it from heat just before it’s to your liking.
3. Sprinkle with cinnamon and almonds (if using). Eat immediately.
I have never tried almond meal so far but now, I am very curious about it!
Not a huge fan of oatmeal, but I am thinking a almond milk rice pudding could be fun to make…
i like the way you think–this sounds amazing. frankly, the smell of almond extract makes me a bit queasy and i rarely use it, but i do love me some almonds. excellent breakfast indeed.
Vanilla and almonds are some of my favorite flavors. I like the refreshing, mildly sweet taste of almond milk but have yet to try it in oatmeal. Great idea!
Mmm I absolutely love almond milk!
I love soy milk and hate dairy, so I thought I’d try it (even before you posted this). I bought a carton and didn’t like it. Hard to drink it straight, I decided to do something else with the rest of the carton. So I used Knox gelatin and made it into almond jello I added almond extract to intensify the almond taste and then served it with canned lychee. My friends liked it too.
MMMMMMMM,…a lovely, easy yet so tasty breakfast!!
I so love almond milk & vanilla flavoured must taste fab!
Olivia, you’re the opposite of Lon, who loves dairy and hats soy milk. haha Good idea for the almond jello…try making the oatmeal with soy milk. I like the way it thickens up.
I am always looking for new ways to make my morning oatmeal more flavorful and absolutely adore this idea! Thanks for breaking up the monotony of blah oatmeal.