Place the nuts, dates and a pinch of salt in a small bowl, and cover with an inch of water. Cover with a tea towel and let them soak on the counter for at least 12 hours.
After soaking, strain the nuts/dates and rinse under cold water.
Add the nuts, dates, vanilla bean, another pinch of salt and 5 cups of water to a food processer or high speed blender. Blend on highest speed for 2 minutes.
Use a fine mesh strainer and 2-3 layers of cheesecloth to strain the milk over a large bowl. Squeeze the pulp to get all of the milk out.
Store milk in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Use the remaining pulp in smoothies or other baked goods. It can also be dried out in an oven to make almond meal.