Easy Rainbow Nut Milk Recipes by Sakara Life’s Danielle Duboise

These colorful rainbow milks are all nut-based, healthy, and super simple to make. But they're also part of a rocking self-care practice, says Danielle DuBoise, the cofounder of healthy meal delivery company Sakara Life, who created the recipes out of necessity, when her stress-o-meter hit the roof.

"In the eyes of most working women and health-crazed individuals, I’d probably be viewed as healthy, balanced, and successful," says the New Yorker. But when a cortisol test told her otherwise, DuBoise had a wake-up call and reassessed her day to day. "Turns out, I was running on empty, skipping meals, not sleeping much, working out too vigorously, and constantly stressed out," she admits.

After that, she vowed to chill out more and devote time to her own well-being. That included prioritizing a few wellness practices like sleep, morning breathing sessions, not killing herself at the gym, and making homemade Rainbow Milks. "I’ve recently promised myself a couple of hours each weekend to prepare for a healthy week ahead," she says, and these creative recipes, all built from one simple nut milk, are part of it.

"These recipes have made my life easier and tastier, but the process itself of creating an ultra-nutrient, beautifully vibrant jar of LOVE has turned out to be just what the doctor ordered," she says. "Now I'm getting an array of nutrient-dense, calming, and supportive superfoods in ways I never did before—like in coffee and soup, she says. "And I have those extra hours in the week for little old me." Here's how to get some of that for yourself. —Melisse Gelula

HOMEMADE RAINBOW NUT MILK 

You'll use this recipe to make all of the Rainbow Milk flavors that follow.
Makes 8 cups.

3 cup raw almonds, soaked for at least 4 hours (you can also use other nuts like walnuts, brazil nut, cashews and hazelnuts, etc.)
8 cups filtered water
2-4 pitted Medjool dates, to taste
Small pinch of fine sea salt
1 nut milk bag

Put almonds in a bowl with enough water to cover all the nuts and place the bowl in the fridge. Soaking them overnight is best, but 4 hours is fine.

Rinse and drain the almonds then place into a good blender along with the filtered water and pitted dates. Blend on the highest speed for 1-2 minutes. Place a nut milk bag over a large bowl and slowly pour the almond milk mixture into the bag. Gently squeeze the bottom of the bag to get all the milk out. Rinse out the blender and pour the milk back in. Add pinch of sea salt and blend on low to combine.

GREEN MILK

1.5 cups of almond milk base
1 Tbsp Chlorella powder
Shake together in a small jar

HOW I DRINK IT: This tastes so good with coffee and a tablespoon of coconut oil. Chlorella is one of my favorite superfoods—it's a beautifully simple way to get extra greens into your diet and helps your body fight free radicals.

GOJI  MILK

1.5 cups of almond milk base
1/3 cup goji berries, soaked for 30 minutes
Blend for 20–45 seconds and pour into small jar

HOW I DRINK IT: I love mixing this with granola. Goji berries are naturally pretty sweet, so it's super satisfying with your morning oats. Nutritionally, they're such an amazing little fruit—they contain all 20 essential amino acids, making them a complete protein, and are incredibly high in vitamin A.

CACAO MILK

1.5 cups of almond milk base
1–2 Tbsp raw cacao
1 Tbsp maple syrup
Shake together in a small jar

HOW I DRINK IT: I drink this one plain, but it’s also really tasty in a smoothie. Try throwing in a banana and ice if you don’t have much time. I love this recipe because I’m a choco-holic, and cacao is perfect for a morning jump. It’s very high in flavonoids and it contains theobromine, a caffeine-like substance that gently wakes up the system.

TURMERIC MILK

1.5 cups of almond milk base
1–2 tsp grated fresh turmeric (use 1 tsp if using dried)
Blend for 20–45 seconds and pour into small jar

HOW I DRINK IT: This recipe is not everyone’s cup of tea; turmeric is very earthy and somewhat bitter, but that’s why I love it. (It’s important to get bitter in your diet!). And funny enough, it’s perfect in a cup of chai tea. You can also use this as a soup base by heating it gently and adding sautéed veggies like shallots and greens.

Turmeric is a very potent root known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Less inflammation in the body means less fatigue, stress, weight gain and even pain.

BLUEBERRY MILK

1.5 cups of almond milk base
1 cup organic blueberries
Blend for 20–45 seconds and pour into small jar

HOW I DRINK IT: This is the thickest of the milks and is perfect for smoothies or just by itself. I grab this milk for breakfast if I’m short on time. When I have an extra 30 seconds, I’ll add a splash of all the other milks to it for a super-fied superfood morning.

Why do I love blueberries? I spent one summer eating a huge gallon tub of blueberries every week (thanks to my local CSA) and my skin was GLOWING. Blueberries are the perfect balance of sweet and tart. They’re high in antioxidants and have recently even been linked to improved memory.

For more information and recipes, visit www.sakaralife.com