Vegetarian Chicks - Ideas for Almond/Soy Milk?

I bought soy and almond milk today. Im not to keen on soy milk (maybe a aquired taste), almond is a little better. I have been trying to ween off of dairy for awhile in order to go completely vegan. I worry about getting enough B-12 etc. And that seems to be in the almond milk. But anyhow, does anyone have some recipes or ideas on how to make these milks taste better?

What are you using the almond milk for?

As for B-12, I'd either supplement, use nutritional yeast or include sea vegetables into your diet.

I'm not so keen on the taste myself, but I do mix them in a blender with fruits. I like chocolate soy with banana in particular.

I love Soy Milk. I can drink it from a glass now, where when I first started drinking it, I could only swing it with a bowl of cereal. Now I like it just like regular cows milk. I use it in cereal, smothies, and cook with it. And just drink it....you can put chocolate in it as well, but I dont. It will grow on you if you stick with it. Just think of all the cows you will not have to feel guilty about..............

I use the unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze in smoothies every morning. I think the vanilla flavors taste pretty good.

I use unsweetened chocolate Almond Breeze with my cereal every morning. Its just 45 calories for one serving!! And it satisfies my chocolate craving (a bit) too!

Thank you Mug, that gave me a new way to look at it. Nelie, I basically want to switch out the dairy and go completely vegan. Therefore, hoping to get the nutrients either out of soy and or almond milk. I guess I really have the concern of getting enough B-12. And I cant take pills. They make me gag. No matter how big they are. Im worse than my daughter! Its awful.

I bought Soy vanilla lite today doesnt have much flavor for me. But im trying to avoid sugar so dont want regular. Also I never really drank alot of milk so that could be why I cant compare the two. I just stuck it in coffee, cerial, and other mixtures. The thing I take the most is cheese. Which is my real sacrafice. So giving up cheese (is the most dairy I take in) will have to be replaced elsewhere (the nutrients). So almond or soy drinks?

I could do what festivus did make smoothies or I could put unsweetened cocoa in it for flavor. Thank you for the ideas!

Lots of vitamins come in a liquid form too, maybe you can find b12 like that and just mix it into a smoothie or other drink? Just a thought! :)

I could do what festivus did make smoothies or I could put unsweetened cocoa in it for flavor. Thank you for the ideas!

The unsweetened chocolate flavor of almond breeze has much less sugar, and tastes pretty good considering.

Try making a banana smoothie with either chocolate or vanilla almond milk. The banana makes it ice cream like.

Also remember you can use the regular flavor in hot cereal too.

They make sub-lingual B12 pills. You don't swallow them, one just sits under your tongue and dissolves. If you can suck on a hard candy, you can use sub-lingual b12! The theory is that vitamins are absorbed less in your stomach, so dissolving it under your tongue increases absorption (which may or may not be true). However, if you can't swallow pills, this may work well for you anyway!

I first try soy milk a couple years ago. And HATED it. So I bought only the vanilla or chocolate for the first little while. I started off by mixing it in smoothies too. Now I drink it like milk. I even use it instead of milk/cream in my coffee. I have it in my fridge at home and at work all the time. YUM! :coffee:

I would recommend looking for recipes that use nutritional yeast in order to get b-12. Honestly, cheese really doesn't have nutrients but I can understand being worried about b-12. Although I've read it can live in your stomach (we store it) for up to 3 years and only long term vegans need to worry about it. If you go for regular physicals, you can also ask for a b-12 test.

Sea vegetables also have b-12 in them. One of my favorite ways to eat sea veggies is either through veggie sushi or faux tuna salad (made with chickpeas).

Well if i can adjust the almond milk has 50% B-12. Its just a matter of taste adjustment. Ill just have to make it into smoothies and other ideas. Thanks!

The plain milks are good with any kind of flavoring. My favorite is to make a watermelon- soy milk slushie using ice. My mom likes the strawberry ones. You can also add cocoa powder, nutmeg and vanilla to make chocolate milk, soy milk plus agave nectar frozen on a popsicle stick make good popsicles. Basically anything you used to do with milk you can do with soymilk or almond milk.

I really think people over worry about the B-12 issue. I take Deva Multivitamins (http://www.devanutrition.com/multivitamin.html)once or twice a week. As you can see it has WAY more B-12 then you need. Emergen-C (if you can stand the taste!) also has a ton of B-12. There's plenty of ways to get it. I don't even track it but make sure to take the vitamin on occasion, use nutrional yeast, buy non-dairy milk with it and my levels are fine - I had them looked at earlier in the year.

my point - don't over worry ;)

Almond milk fan with two Scandinavian inspired breakfast recipes:

HOT CEREAL
1 Kashi hot cereal pack
1 cup almond breeze (unsweetened/plain is my preference)
1 frozen/pre-chopped banana
1 Tbsp minced pecans
1 chopped prune
1/2 tsp cardamon (powder or crack a pod and fish out prior to eating)

Optional: I also add 1 cup water because I like my hot cereal more soup-like (preference and for my volumetrics plan).

You may sweeten with your preferred sweetener.

Alternates(mix and match): 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp almond extract, 1/2 tsp vanilla

Cooking: Kashi's instructions are for the microwave but I cook this over the stove for about 7 minutes or so until banana and prune are soft enough to mash. I mash these both to add to the thickness of my high liquid content hot cereal "soup".


MICROWAVE BREAD PUDDING

In giant microwavable ceramic bowl:

1/2 cup eggwhite
1/2 cup almond milk (plain, unsweetened)
1 roll (I use a local Portuguese sweet bread), chopped
1/2 tsp cardamon powder
sweeten to taste if needed

In a large microwavable ceramic cereal bowl, mix the liquids and a spices/extract, sweetener. Add chopped bread and mix so that all bread pieces are wet thoroughly. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. I usually take a couple forks, cut the bread pudding in half, flip over in the bowl, and microwave 1'11'' min/secs.

NOTES: Because I have found the liquid spills out, I've reduced the amount of almond milk to the first cooking but add in at the end and microwave again for about a minute. It really depends on the size of the bread you use. If it's a large roll, you'll be able to use 1 full cup of almond milk with 1/2 cup of eggwhite. I'm always looking for a full cup of milk in the morning.

Alternates(mix and match): 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp almond extract, 1/2 tsp vanilla

Fatchick, I just recently started on multi vitamin but im not happy coz its 3x a day!!!! and I cant stand pills! But, once these are up im going to look for another pill I wont have to take to often.

Also considered adding a protein powder to the milk and make it into a shake. Im not sure on the nutritional content of whey protein powder. But I guess thats another discussion!

I really don't like soy milk but i'll drink it if there is nothing else around but almond breeze is by far my favorite "milk".

I have been drinking a cup of almond milk for breakfast for months, long before I decided to go veggie. My favorite almond milk is Pacific brand low-sugar vanilla. The Almond Breeze vanilla is great too. I have yet to try chocolate.

As far as the B-12 goes, I take a lozenge under my tongue to make sure I get it in.

I really think people over worry about the B-12 issue. I take Deva Multivitamins (http://www.devanutrition.com/multivitamin.html)once or twice a week. As you can see it has WAY more B-12 then you need. Emergen-C (if you can stand the taste!) also has a ton of B-12. There's plenty of ways to get it. I don't even track it but make sure to take the vitamin on occasion, use nutrional yeast, buy non-dairy milk with it and my levels are fine - I had them looked at earlier in the year.

my point - don't over worry ;)

You know, the only reason I worry is that I read an article about a study (and I haven't researched the study) that mentioned that vegans have a higher incidence of memory loss as they age. As I'm older, I get concerned about stuff like that. I should probably do more research into it, but I keep forgetting to do that. :)

I used to HATE soy milk until found Soy Silk,now I love it and I like rice milk too. Its all a acquired taset that's for sure.
I bought a Soyajoy machine and tried to make my own soy milk. How many ways can one say YUCK, nasty stuff that's for sure, never never liked the taste, so it ended up in a yard sale for some other unsuspecting soul.

I use Almond Breeze, I get the unsweetened and use it for smoothies usually with a small banana or strawberries or raspberries. I can't have soy, and find I like the Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla , 40 calories for 8 Oz.

You can also get tested for B12. I went searching for info about vegans and memory loss and the only thing I could find is that a lack of b12 can cause memory loss, not that vegans are prone to memory loss.

I have to say my memory has actually gotten better since going vegan. I used to be horrible and although I'm still not great, it is better.