Just used my new soyapower this morning...review!
So, I had some beans soaking last night, so first thing this morning I tried out my new Soyapower soymilk maker. It was very easy to use. I put in the water (I used hot water from my filtered faucet), I put the top on, added the soaked and rinsed beans, and 2 tablespoons of oatmeal (as suggested in the recipe book for thicker milk) and hit the start button. It was a lot quieter than expected. It really wasn't noisy at all. It only makes noise for a few minutes off and on and is quieter than running a dishwasher. After about 10-12 minutes, it was done and it let me know with a beep. I poured the VERY hot soymilk into a glass pitcher and added a pinch of salt, and I added 2-3 tablespoons of brown rice syrup for sweetener. I am going to experiment with different sweeteners...stevia, agave, regular raw sugar, to see what I like best, but I started with the brown rice syrup. Then I went to clean the machine. The filter is pretty easy to clean, it comes with a brush to help, and it isn't a big deal at all, nor is the inside of the canister. The blades are scary though. They are kind of right there and I am so slow cleaning it because I don't want to cut myself...that's the only weird part. Other than that, easy peasy....but I live in a household where I am going to have to do two batches one after another so the cleaning might get annoying in between. Anyway, on to the taste. The soymilk was VERY hot, but I wanted to try it, so I poured a little bit in a cup and stuck it in the freezer for 10 minutes and then threw some ice cubes in there. It was good. I was worried because I had read that homemade soymilk was gross...but it isn't. It tasted slightly sweet, very clean. I will probably try sweetening with agave next, then raw sugar, then stevia. I really like how the power plug comes completely apart from the machine, so you can store it elsewhere in a drawer and it doesn't get in the way. The machine also fits neatly on my countertop. My only complaint cosmetically is that I wish it was a different color. The machine is a really dirty looking off-white, yellowish color. I wish it was just plain white, or black or something instead of the color of "dirty". Either way, I recommend it, it is fast, fairly easy clean up, and makes good soymilk. Instead of paying $3.00 for a 1/2 gallon of soymilk, I will be paying about 45 cents! It will pay for itself in no time, and I won't have to lug all of those containers of soymilk everytime I go to the grocery store....we go through about 7-8 1/2 gallons a week! YAY!
Now you make me want one. A lot. That sounds awesome.
Now you make me want one. A lot. That sounds awesome.
You should order one! I got mine straight from the company and it was 129.95 and free shipping, and the shipping was QUICK! I ordered it Sunday night and on Wednesday it was at my front door.
I spent $250 bucks on a dehydrator this weekend and I have to have some cash on hand for Cat's cremation when it's time. Maybe I'll ask everyone in my family to pitch in towards it for a Christmas present.
;D Hee hee, and yet another satisfied customer!
I glad you like it, and cleaning it gets faster as you get used to it. To make a batch of soymilk I don't use hot water and it takes about 20 minutes.
You said something about cleaning it between batches of soymilk made back to back. Is that necessary? Yes, dump out the okara and maybe give the filter basket a quick clean, but the whole thing? I just figure that cleaning is really only necessary for when it sits, and the stuff can dry, then it cements onto the heater things and becomes impossible to clean off.
I haven't done the soy-oatmeal yet. I have been doing soy-barley. I made a batch of soymilk last night. I am getting it down. I can make a batch now in about 30 minutes, that includes clean up and everything.
If you make the okara burgers, let me know if those are good. What are you doing with your okara? I just hate to throw that stuff away, seems such a waste! Lots of nutrition in that stuff.
Gots a question for you lucky soymilk maker owners. When you make your second batch right after the first, do you use the soymilk from the first batch? So it's extra soy-licious?? I read that somewhere. Just wondering!! ;)
I guess you could, but it is really rich and creamy as it is, that may be going overboard, I think. Worth a try though.
;D Hee hee, and yet another satisfied customer!
I glad you like it, and cleaning it gets faster as you get used to it. To make a batch of soymilk I don't use hot water and it takes about 20 minutes.
You said something about cleaning it between batches of soymilk made back to back. Is that necessary? Yes, dump out the okara and maybe give the filter basket a quick clean, but the whole thing? I just figure that cleaning is really only necessary for when it sits, and the stuff can dry, then it cements onto the heater things and becomes impossible to clean off.
I haven't done the soy-oatmeal yet. I have been doing soy-barley. I made a batch of soymilk last night. I am getting it down. I can make a batch now in about 30 minutes, that includes clean up and everything.
If you make the okara burgers, let me know if those are good. What are you doing with your okara? I just hate to throw that stuff away, seems such a waste! Lots of nutrition in that stuff.
well, i have only made one batch so far, and i threw the okara away. I knew that I wasn't going to do anything with it right away, and I have never used the stuff before, so it's kinda scary (cooking with something new and all) so I just threw it away. Kinda like how I was scared of tofu for so long, that I wouldn't cook with it, but now it's no big deal. I am not sure how long it would keep anyway, maybe a few days? I am definitely going to try to start using it, but I haven't worked up to that yet. I guess you are right about not having to clean it thoroughly after the first batch before making the second. I didn't really think about it, but yeah, just dumping the okara out of the filter should be sufficient. I'll definitely do that. Right now, I want to drink up the rest of the storebought soymilk that is in the fridge before i make any more batches of homemade. I have about 5 1/2 gallons left, but that will only take a few days to go through. I also have to go to my HFS to get soybeans...they sell them for 1.19 a pound, and if you go on the last saturday of the month, everything is 15% off so that would make them roughly a dollar a pound. I am guessing that's a good deal? I just have to make sure that they are non-gmo.
I've wanted one for awhile, but have been buying the enriched store bought because of my daughter and the extra nutrients that are in it. But is the homemade worth not having the extra nutrients for her in the enriched store bought?
I've wanted one for awhile, but have been buying the enriched store bought because of my daughter and the extra nutrients that are in it. But is the homemade worth not having the extra nutrients for her in the enriched store bought?
My kids (2 and 3) take a good multivitamin every day. For the calcium, I am going to buy some calcium carbonate powder to mix in with the homemade soymilk, so I can make sure they get all the calcium they need. I was concerned about the calcium too, but even with buying the calcium powder, it is still so much cheaper....and healthier..because you make it yourself and you know what's in it. I am glad I went ahead and got one.
I made soymilk a couple times when we lived in Peru, using nothing more than a blender, cooking pots, and a lot of cheesecloth (and I made a hell of a mess, too... trust me, it's a mess to do by hand).
I DID use the okara to make veggie burgers and a sloppy joe-ish concoction and found it mild, slightly green-beany tasting, and delicious. It was really easy to use, kind of a fluffy grit with a bit of cling to it. I think I bound it together with pureed leftover-cooked vegetables (including potatoes) and crumbs of some kind, but can't remember. It's been a long time. I recommend experimenting with it, as it is super healthy and ... well, commercially made okara burgers are expensive, which irritates me.
One warning: okara will give you gas, unless you are an alien or I am an alien or something. Hoo boy.
Boy, do you guys make me want a soymilk maker.
Boy, do you guys make me want a soymilk maker.
Me too! But the kitchen in my apartment is about 1/4th the size of my kitchen in Michigan. I'd have no place to store it.
I've wanted one for awhile, but have been buying the enriched store bought because of my daughter and the extra nutrients that are in it. But is the homemade worth not having the extra nutrients for her in the enriched store bought?
My kids (2 and 3) take a good multivitamin every day. For the calcium, I am going to buy some calcium carbonate powder to mix in with the homemade soymilk, so I can make sure they get all the calcium they need. I was concerned about the calcium too, but even with buying the calcium powder, it is still so much cheaper....and healthier..because you make it yourself and you know what's in it. I am glad I went ahead and got one.
Thanks Virginah! I guess I'll be asking for one for christmas and finding a good vitamin for my daughter. Is the vitamin you give your kids a chewable? I haven't even looked into it so I have no clue. I am assuming that I was normal and most people don't learn to swallow pills until they are much older.
Thanks again.
I've wanted one for awhile, but have been buying the enriched store bought because of my daughter and the extra nutrients that are in it. But is the homemade worth not having the extra nutrients for her in the enriched store bought?
My kids (2 and 3) take a good multivitamin every day. For the calcium, I am going to buy some calcium carbonate powder to mix in with the homemade soymilk, so I can make sure they get all the calcium they need. I was concerned about the calcium too, but even with buying the calcium powder, it is still so much cheaper....and healthier..because you make it yourself and you know what's in it. I am glad I went ahead and got one.
Thanks Virginah! I guess I'll be asking for one for christmas and finding a good vitamin for my daughter. Is the vitamin you give your kids a chewable? I haven't even looked into it so I have no clue. I am assuming that I was normal and most people don't learn to swallow pills until they are much older.
Thanks again.
Yes, there are lots of chewable vitamins for kids. They make gummy ones too, but those are obviously not vegan and are also filled with sugar. Next time you go to the store, check em out. They are with the adult vitamins, and store brands are just as good as the name brands.
How is the soymilk maker going?
I made a batch of soymilk this morning, this time I used a mixture of soybeans and almonds. Just curious to see how it tastes. It was still too hot to drink when I left for work. I will try it tonight.
I haven't done anything else with the okara yet, except make "cheese" cake, which I LOVE. I am thinking of trying something different with it this weekend. I find that I am using a lot less tofu because I have the okara instead.
Yes, there are lots of chewable vitamins for kids. They make gummy ones too, but those are obviously not vegan and are also filled with sugar. Next time you go to the store, check em out. They are with the adult vitamins, and store brands are just as good as the name brands.
Thanks VAH. I will check them out the next time I am at the organic market.
Reading these posts I am getting excited about getting one. Wow, a "cheese" cake snowqueen! I haven't had "cheese" cake in at least 2 1/2 yrs and I loved them. I don't know why I didn't have some before going vegan. I can't wait until sweet pea is alittle older and more into cooking, we are going to cook up a storm! :P
I am still using my soymilk maker. I have to make 2 batches about every day or every other day. It depends on if I baked anything, etc. I am going to try some almond/soy milk in it this weekend. I decided to stick with sweetening it with regular sugar. Agave is pricey and I am on a budget, so is brown rice syrup. Sugar is pretty cheap. ;)b