Its been a while since I have done a product review and I’m so excited to be talking about a really delicious unsweetened almond milk from Califia Farms. Im very passionate about promoting a healthy plant-based lifestyle which includes cutting out or minimizing dairy as well as meat and other refined foods. As part of this review, I am also providing a delicious recipe for vegan no-bake white chocolate strawberry slice that is naturally sweetened and gluten-free. The recipe will be available at the end of this review.
What is it? Califia Farms is an American company based in California that produces luxurious plant-based milks and other plant-based drinks and products. The products have recently been made available in Australia. Although this review will focus primarily on the unsweetened almond milk variety, the company does also have other products like vanilla almond milk and cold brew coffees available for purchase. The company has a strong focus on lowering overall sugar consumption. It also values sustainability by working directly with farmers and using recyclable packaging. Personally, I absolutely love the beautiful packaging!
Benefits: The benefits of going dairy free or lowering dairy intake are numerous. Dairy is a huge problem food for many people, causing inflammation, digestive upset, and intolerance and has even been linked with things like depression and anxiety. As my area of focus is hormone health I personally know that dairy has been shown to interfere with proper hormone balance and can make period pain and PMS symptoms worse. Many women report no more period pain after minimizing dairy. More than this, plant-based choices are better for the environment. Plant-based foods require less water and land while polluting less than their animal-based counterparts. Switching to a good quality unsweetened dairy-free milk like Califia Farms unsweetened almond milk is better for our health and better for the environment. As an added bonus Califia Farms Unsweetened Almond is also free of any added sugars or sweeteners that can be so inflammatory for our health and our waistlines. The milk is also carrageenan free (a seaweed-derived additive that may cause health problems in some people at high doses)
Taste: Compared to other almond milks I’ve tried Califia Farms Unsweetened almond milk has a much smoother texture. It’s very silky and smooth and quite indulgent. Although it’s not sweetened, it has a natural light sweetness to it and a very pleasant silky almond taste. It is the best tasting almond milk I have tried to date.
Price: the price of Califia Farms unsweetened almond milk varies but can be found on shelf anywhere between $3.65-5.00, but some stores may be more depending on location.
How to use it: almond milk can be used as a replacement for regular milk in pretty much any form. You can use it for cereal, smoothies, coffee, tea, baking, cooking, and raw desserts. This particular almond milk has a very decadent smooth texture that can be used in anything. I personally like to use it in creamy hot chocolates or hot drinks (I don’t drink coffee but it would work great in coffee) as well as super creamy raw desserts.
Cons: As mentioned above this is the best tasting almond milk I have tried. The product is however fortified with calcium carbonate and potassium citrate. Personally, I try to keep the addition of synthetic vitamins and minerals in my diet to a minimum because my digestion has trouble absorbing concentrated doses of substances. Although often times fortification is necessary and advised, I personally look for whole food products to go easy on my digestion.
Where to Buy: You can find this product in Woolworths, Coles and selected IGA stores. I found mine in Woolworths in the refrigerated milk section.
| Califia Farms Unsweetened Almond Milk Review with Vegan White Chocolate Strawbery Slice Recipe | Print |
- BASE:
- 1 cup almonds
- ¾ cup shelled pistachio nuts
- 1½ cup dates
- 2 TBSP Califia Farms Unsweetened Almond Milk
- FILLING:
- 3 cups cashews (soaked for 3-4 hours or overnight)
- 1 cup cacao butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup Califia Farms Unsweetened Almond Milk
- drop vanilla extract
- ½ cup strawberries ( hulled)
- Break down almonds and pistachios in a food processor until a crumb forms. Add in dates and almond milk process until sticky.
- Press base mixture evenly into the base of a lined square tin and set aside.
- For the filling: Meltdown cacao butter until liquid over low heat and pour into highspeed blender. Add the cashews, vanilla, almond milk, and maple syrup and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Pour out half the filling over the base and set aside. The mixture should be soft but firm, not liquidy. If the mixture is too liquid, place in the freezer to firm for 15 minutes before adding the next layer. I did not have to do this.
- Add hulled strawberries to the remaining mixture in the blender and blend again until a light pink cream forms. Pour the pink layer over the white later and smooth out with a spatula.
- Place in freezer to set for 1-2 hours or overnight.
- Cut into squares, decorate with strawberries and crushed pistachios and serve.
