Basic Raw Cashew Cream
Cashew Cream is typically used in raw vegan desserts. The high-fat content of the cashews (the good, heart-healthy kind) makes it uber-creamy, and since raw cashews are quite tasteless it takes on spices and flavorings well. Cashews are a good-for-you food, and are high in minerals such as iron, zinc, copper, manganese, potassium, magnesium.
Use it as a thickener for soups, a base for dressing and sauces, cold or warm, raw or baked. Stir it into overnight soaked oats, top sauteed veggies or a baked fish (picture below), as a dipping sauce for roasted cauliflower, as a topping for rajas, drizzle tacos…
For the Mexican skeptics, this is similar to nogada sauce used for chiles en nogada. Once prepped, it keeps in fridge up to 4 days, can be frozen.
Basic Cashew Cream Ingredients: 1 cup raw cashews, water to cover 1/2 cup water (less or more depending on how thick you want it)
Rinse cashews under cold water. Place in a bowl or container and cover with water. Let sit and soak overnight (between 8 - 12 hours), or at least 3 hours. Drain and rinse well. Place in food processor or blender with 1/2 cup of water, and blend until very smooth, at least a full 2 minutes or more depending on the strength of your blender. Add seasonings (see below, and notes).
Yields up to 2 cups of cream
Chipotle Cashew Cream: 1 cup whole raw cashews, soaked overnight and prepared as above 1/2 cup water 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon salt 2-3 chipotles in adobo sauce, or 1 tablespoon chipotle powder optional: 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (reduce water)
Follow instructions as above, adding salt, chipotle, and lemon juice in blender. Taste, adjust seasoning.
Savory: 1/2 teaspoon of miso, lemon juice, powdered chipotle, dried or fresh herbs, garlic, avocado, dash of tamari or soy sauce, sriracha sauce, cider vinegar, wasabi, olives, capers, mustard/dijon Sweet: vanilla extract, pinch of stevia, honey, maple syrup, a few dates, vanilla extract, cinnamon, banana
Ezekiel toast, chipotle cashew cream, avocado, red pepper flakes

Baked tilapia with a chile ancho sauce, roasted red peppers, topped with chipotle cashew cream

Smoked salmon avocado rolls, arugula bed, drizzled with chipotle cashew cream
