Okay, I’ll admit it. For years, I frowned upon making my own almond milk (and nut cheeses, and sprouts). All I could think of was a mess of sprouted almonds fermenting in my kitchen, then being liquefied in a blender and strained through multiple layers of cheese cloth—surely, it would take days to achieve the smooth, creamy consistency I had become accustomed to with storebought versions. I mean, why bother with this catastrophe-in-the-making when I could pick up a quart of almond milk at Trader Joe’s for just a few bucks, and save myself from converting my kitchen into a real-life science experiment? No, thanks.

But then my life changed. A colleague offered me up a glass of freshly made almond milk, and I decided to try it. The glass of frothy milk looked pretty good, but how would it taste? Imagine my surprise when, after one sip, I was dumbfounded: It was amazing. It was like a cool, vanilla-flavored milkshake made sweet by Medjool dates and thick by a handful of ice cubes. Could something that I’d always imagined tasting like sour-nuts-in-bad-soaking-water taste this good? How could I not know about this? Let’s just say that I have been making (and drinking) my own almond milk ever since, and I am here to share with you this life-changing, universe-altering recipe for the most delicious beverage ever. And, at just 50 cents a glass, it’s friendly on the budget. Enjoy!

This post was originally published on VegNews.com.