Hi all,
I am sorry to have been MIA for a full month now. Life has kept me away from my computer in general lately but I’m back and ready to share all the great recipes I have been making as well as share some of the vegan friendly places I have gone.
To start with I want to talk about Cashew Cream, oh Cashew Cream how I love thee!! Cashews are an amazing nut, although they are creamier than most nuts they are surprisingly lower in fat than many other nuts. They can be used as a cheese replacer in many vegan recipes but they are versatile enough to be used as an amazing cream in desserts too.
If you have been a vegan for a while you probably already know the many amazing uses of cashews for making desserts or sauces but if you somehow have never tried making this simple recipe you MUST try it, you will be hooked!
Making cashew cream is very quick and easy and the left overs can be stored for about 5-7 days in the fridge for future snacking or dipping. I especially love to make extra and then dip strawberries into it as an after dinner snack or while watching a movie. I make mine in a Vita-Mix blender but a regular blender or magic bullet will work but won’t get it as creamy and smooth as a Vita-Mix will.
Soaking the cashews (or any nut for that matter) helps to not only soften them but helps your body absorb more of the vitamin and minerals. Raw cashews still hold a ton of nutrients in them without soaking them and if you have a Vita-Mix you don’t have to soak them to blend them up creamy. Even 20 minutes of soaking will help them blend much better than no soaking at all. If I am in a hurry I will start by soaking the nuts while prepare everything else which almost always is at least 20 minutes then you just blend them up as the last step. If you do not have a Vita-Mix you will need to soak the cashews for at least an hour or better-overnight then rinse them so they will break down more easily. If you don’t have a Vita-Mix consider saving for one, they are AMAZING and not just a blender I promise.
As you will see from all the pictures listed below the color and texture can vary greatly depending on how long you blend and what/how much sweetener you use. Dates, vanilla and maple syrup are dark brown so the cashew cream can be dark yellow or even a light tan/brown color if you add a large amount. You could easily use agave nectar in place of maple syrup or dates to keep the color lighter if you want to but the maple tastes the best then dates second best.
Cashew Cream can be used in any dish you would want whipped cream. You can also substitute this for yogurt in parfaits for a nutrient dense food. I will post the recipes for most of these picture in the future but as you can see you can use it in strawberry shortcake, raw pancakes, crepes, fruit dip, dessert-flax cracker topping, topped with cinnamon on a raw pie and just to scoop with your finger! The possibilities are endless and all worth trying 
This cashew cream is RAW and clean. It is best not only for your health but for the taste to use raw nuts that are unroasted and unsalted.
Cashew Cream
1 cup raw cashews (If you do not have a Vita-Mix soak the cashews for at least an hour or better yet overnight then rinse well before blending.)
1 1/2- 2 cups water (amount depends on the thickness you desire-adjust as you go)
2-4 Tablespoons maple syrup (adjust amount to sweetness taste–can use a handful of dates, agave nectar or even sugar if you would rather)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (can omit if you don’t have it)
dash of salt
If you soaked your cashews, drain and rinse very well. Add them to your blender along with the lowest amount of water, desired amount of sweetener, vanilla extract and salt. Blend on high until smooth and creamy adjusting sweetener to taste and water as you go to desired taste and thickness.
You may use this right away or store in the refrigerator to thicken it even more and chill. If you care about the color you may add a 1/2-1 teaspoon lemon juice to keep it on the whiter side. ENJOY on everything you can think of !!!
Extra cashew cream stuffed inside of a hollowed out strawberry is a simple yet extremely satisfying treat.
I make these super quick strawberry short cakes then fill them up with tons of cashew cream and fresh-organic strawberries. We are hooked on these bad boys lately!
Raw banana pancakes filled and topped with cashew cream and blueberries. Served with Tofu Scramble.
I have been experiementing with raw flax crackers and these sweet ones turned out great. They are coconut, flax, agave, salt and water then dehydrated overnight. I topped them with an extra chunky cashew cream made with dates and the beautiful raspberries. They were scrumptious!
AMAZING whole oat crepes filled with sliced bananas, raspberry sauce made from raspberries, dates and water then topped with cashew cream. This cream was soaked about 20 minutes then blended in Vita-Mix with maple syrup, lemon juice (to keep it white), pinch of salt and small amount of water.
A touch of cinnamon added to the top of this raw pie. Pie crust was made with dates and almonds then topped with sliced strawberries and the cashew cream.
Blended in the Vita-Mix, when blended perfectly it looks like a whirlpool. Beautiful!
This one was soaked for 1 hour then blended with a small amount of maple syrup and agave to keep it whiter.
This one was only soaked for 20 minutes then blended with dates and maple syrup which is why is is more brown. The left over we stored in the fridge and tasted a bit like toffee or caramel and thickened up really well. I ended up dipping strawberries in it then finished it off with my fingers when I ran out of strawberries, OMG good!
Soaked over night to make it very smooth and creamy. If you want it thicker add less liquid. Made with maple syrup only (no vanilla added).
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Tags: cashew cream, raw cashew cream, raw dessert, Vegan Dessert, vegan whipped cream
