Cashews, generally categorized as nuts, are in fact seeds grown on the cashew apple tree. Mildly sweet, delicious and just the right amount of crunchy, cashews make a delicious treat for people who like to enjoy natural food items. Originated from the tropical Brazilian rain forests, cashews are now grown across the globe in one of the hottest regions of the world.
Also known as Bombay nuts, cashews have an abundant supply of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and a lot of other healthy nutrients. They can be tossed in pretty much any food you like. Even if you are a vegan, cashews can actually be a staple part of your diet.
As a vegan, let’s discuss how cashews can be incorporated into your vegan diet:
Make Some Cashew Milk
Although cashew milk can be found in stores, as a personal opinion, we don’t think they give enough value for money. In fact, store-bought cashews only provide you 1 or 2 grams of protein per cup. Au contraire, cashew milk made at home can give you 6 grams of protein per cup – not a bad deal at all!
To make this delicious recipe, all you have to do is purchase some fair trade cashews and blend them to extract milk. Steps to make your own cashew milk:
- Soak a cup of cashews overnight
- Remove them from the soaking liquid
- Take 3 fresh cups of water and the soaked cashews
- Blend it with a pinch of salt
- Keep your mixer at high speed
- Process for 30 seconds
- The thickness of milk can be controlled by adding more or less water depending on how you like it.
Cashew milk is rich in:
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Vitamin K
- Copper
Drink it plain or add a new flavor to your morning coffee/cereals with this home-made cashew milk that definitely has zero non-vegan additives.
Enjoy Cheesy Goodness with Cashews
Vegan food trends are always evolving. Although there are vegan food items present in the grocery store, making items from scratch is a trend that allows you to eat your food naturally with no additives. Fortunately, vegan cheese has been on the trend recently and what better to convert into cheese than your favorite nut – cashew. Whether you want creamy spreads for your bread or you just want a firm block of cheese as a food topping, cashews can be converted into different kinds of cheese, such as:
- Vegan cashew cheese
- Cream Cheese with coconut and cashews
- Garlic herb cashew cheese
- Pepper jack cashew cheese
The list just continues to grow. You can get all the benefits of cashews by incorporating them into delicious cheeses. If you are on keto, cashew cheese might not be a good idea for you.
Cashew Cream for Your Desserts and Spreads
Who doesn’t like a hint of delicious and mildly sweet cream as a topping for their desserts (or sometimes burgers?) Cashew cream can be an amazing addition to your fruit platters and pies. You can easily make cashew cream with the following steps:
- Soak 1 cup raw cashews in water overnight (discard the water next day)
- Add half a cup of water (or any other non-dairy milk)
- Blend until smooth.
- Add two tablespoons of your favorite vegan sweetener
- Add half a teaspoon of vanilla.
- You can use other means of flavoring as well.
Cashew cream can be easily used in mousses, tarts, cakes, pies, or literally anything you can get creative with. If you don’t have a sweet tooth – don’t worry. With the same ingredients, you can make savory cashew cream.
- Soak 1 cup raw cashews in water overnight (discard the water next day)
- Add half a cup of water (or any other non-dairy milk)
- Blend until smooth.
- Add lemon zest, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and some kosher salt for flavoring
Savory versions of cashew cream can be used in different main courses and appetizers like quiche, savory tarts, pasta, and fritters gnocchi.
Cashew Soup
Who doesn’t like a thick creamy soup every now and then? Bursting with flavors, soups are a great way to enjoy a comforting meal. In fact, you can add more richness, flavor, and texture to your soups by adding ground cashews or even some homemade cashew butter. Not only will it add a desirable thickness but it will also allow you to benefit from the nutrients present in cashews (good proteins and minerals like copper). From vegan chowder to mushroom soups, you can incorporate a dash of cashews in every other soup.
Cashew Butter
Everyone loves peanut butter, but when you’re up for a change, try some cashew butter. It’s rich, creamy and a little more mature than peanut butter. You can buy some cashew butter jars, but it’s so easy and more economical to make it yourself. Learn how to make homemade Cashew Butter and then try this Vanilla Maple Cashew Butter or Cashew Butter with Coconut and Melted Chocolate Chips. Make these Vegan Ginger Chocolate Cups with Sesame-Cashew Butter and Caramel with your homemade cashew butter.
Tired of your old peanut butter? Try cashew butter. Cashew butter is an upgrade to your regular peanut butter with more richness but a milder flavor. Even though you can purchase cashew butter, it is way more convenient and budget-friendly to make it at home.
- Soak 1 cup raw cashews in water overnight (discard the water next day)
- Blend the cashews until they are smooth
- Add a one-eighth tablespoon of oil (coconut, olive – whatever tickles your fancy)
- Blend it until smooth
Conclusion
Cashews are a great treat. Many people love to enjoy this delicious nut in different variants. You can make different dairy products with fair trade cashews at home and enjoy a more nutritional, more organic, and definitely more budget-friendly product.
From cheeses to butter and a flavor booster for soups, cashews can be added in pretty much whatever you like. Just make sure to stay within the recommended serving size which is 1 Oz daily or else you might experience weight gain. People on keto should also consult their nutritionist before eating cashews.