A Vegan Nut Milk Latte for Coffee Fanatics

Every other Thursday, Gena Hamshaw of the blog Choosing Raw shares satisfying, flavorful recipes that also happen to be vegan.

Today: What's the secret to a creamy, frothy latte that dairy-free coffee fanatics can enjoy? Homemade nut milk.

Most people who are contemplating going vegan worry that they’ll miss cheese. Or yogurt. Or fish. I worried about coffee. Specifically, I worried about missing rich, frothy, piping hot lattes, and so far as I could tell, there wasn’t a perfect vegan version.  

This all changed when I learned how to make homemade nut milks. Commercial nut and soy milks are great, don’t get me wrong, but I think homemade nut milks beat them by a mile -- especially for recipes in which you’re really aiming for a creamy texture. I’m partial to my homemade cashew hemp milk because it doesn’t demand any straining (which some nut milks do); it’s as quick and as easy as throwing ingredients in a blender and giving them a whirl, and the results are amazingly delicious. 

This recipe calls for a mixture of cashew milk and espresso. If you don’t have an espresso machine, you can use a 1:1 mixture of strongly brewed coffee and the cashew hemp milk instead -- you’ll still have a delicious café au lait on your hands. 

Creamy Cashew Hemp Latte 

Serves 2

2/3 cup cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours and drained
3 tablespoons shelled hempseeds
3 1/2 cups water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons maple syrup  

See the full recipe (and save and print it here).

Photo by James Ransom

Gena's new book Choosing Raw: Making Raw Foods Part of the Way You Eat is a thorough, relatable guide to incorporating raw and vegan foods into any diet. It's full of no-fuss recipes for every meal, which range from fully raw to mostly cooked, with plenty of snacks and desserts to keep everyone happy.