How to Make Homemade Soya Milk

Soya milk is a very healthy addition to anyone's refrigerator. It is filled with nutrients and a great beverage for work, school, or anytime. Store-bought soy milk can get pretty expensive especially compared to regular cow's milk. Soybeans, on the other hand, can be found for a much better price and can even be bought organically. I will show you how to make your own (organic) soy milk and the great thing is you don't even need to spend money a soy milk machine. Soy milk is very simple and easy to make and can be used in many other yummy, healthy desserts, too.

Step 1: Ingredients

To make about 2 quarts and 1 1/2 pints of soy milk, you will need:

• 1 cup of soybeans (I bought my soybeans for $0.89 a pound- so this recipe would only cost about 2 quarters :)
• 11 total cups of water (this will be added two to three cups at a time)
• 1/4 cup of sugar (this probably will be adjusted according to your tastes- not pictured)

Some equipment is also needed but nothing you can't find in your kitchen :)

• A blender
• A pot (should be fairly big and be able to hold at least 11 cups)
• Multiple bowls
• A cheesecloth (this is for straining the mixture so other items could be used in place of this, like a strainer)
• A wooden spatula for stirring
• A container for holding the finished soy milk

Step 2: Preparation

Pour the soybeans and 2 of the 11 cups of water into one of the bowls (make sure there is enough room for the soybeans and 1 cups of water and the water covers the top of the beans). Soak the soybeans for at least 8 hours (if I have the time, I would even soak it overnight). Be sure to add more water if the water level falls below the level of the soybeans.

Step 3: Blending

Pour the water the soybeans were soaking in into the blender. Then pour all the soybeans into the blender. Add four cups of water and blend until smooth.

Step 4: Straining

Then pour the soybean mixture into the cheesecloth and hold over the pot. Squeezeout as much liquid as you can. After, pour the leftover soybean pulp back into the blender and add 3 more cups of water and blend until smooth. Repeat straining the mixture through the cheesecloth. Pour the pulp into the blender again and add 2 morecups of water (this brings you to 11 total cups). Strain the mixture again.

Step 5: Boiling

You have now made raw soy milk! Put the pot on the stove top and turn the heat to high. Stir the mixture until it comes to a boil. Make sure to keep the soy milk from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Skim the top to get some of the foam off. Boil the mixture for 2-3 minutes.

Step 6: Flavoring and Finish :)

Add about 1/4 cup of sugar to taste (1 teaspoon per cup). Other flavors can also be used to flavor soy milk. Some ideas are:

• Vanilla
• Chocolate
• Fruits (like strawberry and blueberry)
• Honey

Congratulations you have now finished making soy milk! Soya milk can be enjoyed either hot or cold. It can also be used for baking but is very delicious by itself. Leave a comment and tell me how yours came out!