A four-ingredient recipe for a hemp staple.

Nowadays, the milk section of your local Whole Foods Market is likely to have an ever-growing selection of non-dairy milks. Between soy, almond, coconut, rice, cashew and hemp milk, there’s a wide variety of milks that have different things going for them; soy, for example, has almost as much protein as cow’s milk, and rice milk is the most hyper allergenic.

But despite the benefits of other types of non-dairy milk, hemp milk was the first variety that we deemed worthy enough to live in our house. Hemp milk is as easy as it is healthy, and you can use it in baking, soups, smoothies or just to have a glass with your favorite baked treat.

The milk is made from whole or hulled seeds (hemp hearts), a superfood that is high in amino acids, has enough omega-3 fatty acids required for a day and contains no soy, cholesterol, gluten, dairy or saturated fat. My recipe for hemp milk also adds agave and vanilla, though some folks enjoy the taste with no added flavorings.

Hemp milk is best when enjoyed just after blending, but will last for up to five days in the fridge. If you are not straining out the hemp seeds, blend or shake well before drinking.

As hemp comes from the Cannabis sativa plant, people often ask me if they will get high from hemp milk. Good news is that the hemp plant is bred to not contain any THC, so you will feel no psychotropic effects from its seeds. You will get tremendous health benefits, but if you are looking to get buzzed, hemp milk will leave you unsatisfied. That said, there is nothing wrong with spinning a little canna-butter in the blender along with the seeds and milk if that’s the experience you’re looking for.

Healthy Hemp Milk Recipe

Makes 8 half-cup servings

Ingredients

1 cup hulled hemp seeds

4 cups water

2-3 teaspoons agave

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

    1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Process for three minutes.
    1. Take a spoonful to taste for sweetness and thickness. Add more water if it’s too thick for your desired consistency — changing the water ratio is kind of like controlling the difference between heavy cream and skim milk.
    1. Strain the milk if you want, though this is not required.
  1. Refrigerate, shake and enjoy!

 
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