Almond milk is becoming an easy shell

Look out, soy, there's another milk in the refrigerated case.

Soy milk has always been the most popular milk alternative - but its dominance may be challenged by milk that is not exactly new, but is being newly discovered: almond milk.

A number of factors may be conspiring to spark its growing popularity: negative publicity about soy and its estrogenlike compounds; an increase in allergies to soy; and, perhaps most importantly, a glowing recommendation from Lisa Lillien, the food blogger behind the Hungry Girl empire, who has been singing the praises of almond milk since 2006.

Lillien has continued to rave about unsweetened Blue Diamond Almond Breeze, which she uses in her coffee and oatmeal, and which, at only 40 calories a cup, is a good milk substitute for her calorie-conscious foodie followers.

Almond Breeze and a couple of other almond milk brands have long been buddies of hemp and oat milk at stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. Now they're moving to the fridges of big supermarket chains. Over the summer, the entire refrigerated nondairy beverage category has seen rapid growth, with almond milk and coconut milk leading the way.

Last month, Whole Foods launched its first store-brand refrigerated organic almond milk. (The vanilla is spot-on, evoking the taste of a malted vanilla milkshake.)

And Silk, known for soy milk, recently released three varieties of almond milk - original, vanilla, and dark chocolate, now available in the refrigerated section of most major grocery stores.

But, wait, you may be thinking. How do you get milk from almonds? Easy. When almonds are pulverized with water (you can do it yourself with a blender), a frothy, creamy, milklike liquid rises to the surface.

(The National Milk Producers Federation, however, would take issue with this liquid's being called "milklike." In April the NMPF petitioned to ban dairy terminology on what it calls "imitation dairy products.")

Silk's almond milk is a bit richer than Almond Breeze's and has a more pronounced almond taste, which can add depth of flavor to quick breads and soups. Silk's flavored choices are also great, and I would argue, much preferable to Silk's soy milk.

If you drink them plain, the unsweetened versions can be a tad, well, almondy. The slightly sweetened varieties tone down the nutty flavor and enhance the creaminess; they're very drinkable and go well with cereal, the sugar adding only about 20 calories per cup.

There are also several rich chocolate almond milk varieties that would easily fool kids and adults alike, each with the potential to become a cook's new best friend.

In general, use almond milk as a replacement for milk in hot drinks, baked goods, and soups. It can't always provide the necessary thickness needed for, say, a cream-based soup.

And for vegan bakers: Unsweetened Almond Breeze is a staple ingredient for Isa Moskowitz, host of the public-access television show The Punk Rock Vegan Kitchen.

Muffins take favorably to almond milk; it thins out the batter nicely while adding a subtle nutty flavor. You might want to throw some tart, end-of-season blueberries into the mix.

But, if you're determined to keep the oven off as the heat persists, try a refreshing almond-milk smoothie.

Makes 2 servings

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1/3 cup raw almonds

2 cups water

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1. Blanch the almonds in 1 cup of boiling water. Drain through a mesh strainer. When cooled, rub off the papery skins, which will easily come off.

2. Put the blanched nuts and 2 cups of cool water in the blender. Blend until you've crushed all the nuts, and the milk is white and thick. Hold the strainer over a container, and pour the contents of the blender through the strainer. Discard the almond pulp, and enjoy the almond milk left in the container.

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Makes 6 muffins

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1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup almond milk

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup blueberries

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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, mix maple syrup, almond milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla until well blended. Work the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and add in blueberries. Be careful not to overmix.

2. Pour batter into prepared muffin tin, making roughly 6 muffins. Cook for 23-25 minutes.

Per muffin: 277 calories, 4 grams protein, 38 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams sugar, 12 grams fat, no cholesterol, 236 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.EndText

Makes 2 servings

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2 bananas (peeled sliced, and frozen)

1 teaspoon honey

1 cup almond milk

1 cup organic low-fat yogurt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

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1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve dusted with a little grated nutmeg.

Per serving: 304 calories, 9 grams protein, 55 grams carbohydrates, 37 grams sugar, 7 grams fat, 7 milligrams cholesterol, 81 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber.EndText