When dairy is out of the question, cashew cream takes center stage. It's a wonderful dairy-free base for sweet and savory recipes; the soft, subtle flavor adds creaminess and depth, without the hormones or additives found in many dairy products. Raw foodists often use it for desserts and "raw" sauces, and those who choose to cook with it find it's a perfect sour cream alternative, filling for ravioli, "heavy cream" for soups - the options are limitless. You've got to give this one a try! Cashews are healthy for you, too - high in copper, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin K.
Easy Cashew Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
Directions
- Put cashews in a glass bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for 4 hours.
- Drain cashews. Place in a high-powered blender or food processor.
- Cover with cold water and blend until smooth. Use less water for a thicker cashew cream.
For an extra creamy result, try non-dairy milk instead of water during blending phase.
Savory Cashew Cream
Add any spices, seasonings or mix-ins you wish! Try it as a spread on wraps or crackers, as a nacho cheese alternative or base for "creamy" soups, or add a little oil or vinegar to make a salad dressing.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- ½ cup water
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Splash of Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Sweet Cashew Cream
This sweet cream is the perfect addition to raw desserts. Try blending it into smoothies, mix with fresh berries, use it as the base for non-dairy ice cream - simply delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- ½ cup water
- 4 tbsp raw agave nectar or maple syrup (or a couple of pitted Medjool dates)
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract (or try 1/8 tsp organic vanilla bean powder)
- Dash salt
Follow the directions above, mixing in the additional ingredients once the nuts have been soaked and drained.
Recipes courtesty of mindbodygreen.com, found here.
