Recipe: Cashew Cream

This homemade pizza is made by toasting the top of a naan bread, then adding pizza sauce, sliced sauteed mushrooms, thinly sliced baked tofu (to give the texture of cheese), spoonfuls of Alfredo cashew cream, and dried herbs. I then heat a pan with a little oil, put the pizza inside and cover with a lid. After 10 minutes on very low heat, the bottom crisps up, and the topping gets warm.

Cashews that have been soaked, drained, then blended with water or non-dairy milk produce a wonderful, creamy sauce. I made a batch of cashew cream the other day and have been able to apply it to a number of dishes.

When I make cashew cream, I first soak the cashews for at least 4 hours. If you want to make 1 cup of cashew cream, soak 1/2 cup of cashews, which you'll blend with 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water or non-dairy milk. From there, you can flavor your cream sauce in a number of different ways.

Plain cashew cream is a great substitute for heavy cream. I use plain cashew cream in my Curry Pumpkin Soup. I also use it when I make my vegan cheesecake (recipe to come in the next day)

Curry Pumpkin Soup

When I want more of a cheesy taste, I blend the cashew cream with a little salt and 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (found in the baking aisle and not the same as bread yeast) or vegan Parmesan.

I microwaved washed asparagus in a bowl for 2 minutes. I then drizzled warm Alfredo cashew cream sauce over the top. I lightly salted the asparagus and added black pepper prior to adding the sauce.

Over some whipped organic mashed potatoes, I added sliced sauteed mushrooms, a pan-fried vegan "chicken" cutlet, and some Alfredo cashew cream sauce. I served asparagus alongside the potatoes.

Along with the vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast, I also had the juice of half a lemon, a little nutmeg, black pepper, and one garlic clove (or some garlic powder). This produces a sauce similar to Alfredo.

So, if you're a new vegan, make sure to have raw cashews around. They'll add creaminess and depth to your soups, sauces, and desserts.