There are countless milk alternatives that can easily be made in the confines of your own kitchen. I’m not just talking about nut milks. Yes, homemade almond milk and cashew milk are delicious and great in coffee, but so are other plant-based milks like banana milk, pumpkin seed milk, and hemp milk. And if you’re on the constant search for more milk alternatives like me, there is one that you probably haven’t tried: quinoa milk.

We already know how incredibly nutritious this ancient grain is–it is a complete protein and contains all nine essential amino acids, which is quite rare for a plant food–so it’s only a matter of time before we start seeing jugs of the milk product loaded into grocery stores and popping up at artisan coffee shops. Quinoa milk is great also because despite being very quinoa-y in taste, it’s fairly neutral when mixed with coffee. It is terrific on its own as a base to add your favourite flavours like vanilla or cinnamon.

How to make quinoa milk at home.

The ingredients are simple, and the steps are very easy. And the best part? You don’t have to soak it overnight and wait twelve hours to make your milk.

What you need:

1 cup cooked quinoa

3 cups water

2 tablespoon maple syrup

Pinch of salt

How to prepare:

1. Wash the quinoa and cook as you normally would then add it to a blender.

2. Add water into a blender along with your sweetener of choice and salt. 

3. Blend on high for two minutes.

4. Use a cheesecloth of nut milk bag to strain the milk. This was by far the most tedious to strain out of all plant-based milks I’ve tried. So be patient! It’s worth it.

5. Store in a sealable container in the fridge for up to five days.

Have you tried quinoa milk? Loved it? Hated it? Share with us your favourite homemade plant-based milks!