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Do you love rich foods that have heavy cream in them? Do you hate the added calories, fat, and cholesterol? If you do then maybe you should give cashew cream a try. I love to make food swaps that reduce the bad, like cholesterol, and give you things that are good for you instead, like protein. This recipe is also very heart friendly. This recipe is a perfect example of making healthy food swaps.
It’s a great option for all kinds of traditional dishes that you might want to transform into vegan dishes that would typically have heavy cream in the recipe. It can be used for main dishes, soups, and even desserts, in almost anything that you would use heavy cream. It is simple to make and can be modified to accommodate whatever you are making.
It has TWO, YES 2 ingredients! If you need it thicker add less water, if you need it thinner add more water. Easy peezee.
This is a great option to use in recipes even if you aren’t vegan or vegetarian because it is 68g less of total fat than heavy cream, 80mg less in sodium, and has 0 cholesterol compared to the 320g in heavy cream. It also has 10g of protein whereas heavy cream doesn’t have any.
This table is based on using raw cashews which are the best option here. For the nutritional facts, I used WebMD’s food calculator.
| Cashew Cream | Heavy Cream |
Calories | 360 | 800 |
Total Fat | 28 g | 96 g |
Cholesterol | 0 mg | 320 mg |
Sodium | 0 mg | 80 mg |
Total Carbs | 16 g | 0 g |
Fiber | 6 g | 0 g |
Sugars | 4 g | 0 g |
Protein | 10 g | 0 g |
There are endless possibilities of how you can use this in your recipes.
Recipe
This recipe takes 25 minutes in total time.
The yield is 1 cup.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup cashews
1/2 cups water
You will also need water for soaking your cashews.
Directions:
Put cashews in a pot with enough water to completely cover them and boil for 20 minutes. Check on them from time to time to ensure there is still enough water to cover them while cooking.
Boiling the cashews makes them easier to digest, gives them a more natural flavor, and gives a creamier texture. You can also soak them overnight if you would prefer for the same results. If you do not have a high-powered blender, this will also help them be smooth and creamier after blending, but a high-powered blender is the best option to use if you have one available.
After completely cooling the cashews, rinse, drain, and add them to your blender with 1/2 cup of water. Blend on high speed for about a minute or so. The length of time depends on your blender. I have a Vitamix and I run it for about 1 minute. You may need to stop your blender and scrape the sides to ensure that everything gets blended well.
That is it! You can store it in a glass jar for up to 5 days or add it to whatever you are making. You can add different flavors to your cashew cream depending on your needs.
A quick note about your cashews: You do not need to use large whole cashews here. Because it will be blended you can use smaller pieces and save money. Check out Organic Cashew Pieces for savings. I have bought cashew pieces from this company for years, which are good quality. Get 10% off on your first purchase with them by using code THIS JOYFUL LIFE.
Options:
♡ Try adding a garlic clove for a savory flavor.
♡ Add a teaspoon of honey or your favorite sweetener for a sweet option.
♡ Sour Cream? Add a pinch of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice
The options are only limited to your imagination.
What is your favorite way of using cashew cream?
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