cashew | where the green things grow

I love simple recipes. I love simplifying as much as possible, really. It makes this busy season of life a bit easier and stress-free. Thus, I have a collection going of easy-to-throw-together recipes and meal ideas. This cashew sour cream recipe makes the list. With only 3 ingredients (4 if you include the water) it is something I can easily blend up and serve with enchiladas or chili.

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews (soaked overnight or a minimum of 2 hours)
1/2 tsp sea salt
3 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup water

Directions

Drain and rinse cashews, then add to blender with the other ingredients. Blend until smooth.

Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. I only recommend products I use myself. Thank you for helping support this blog and our goals for a self-sufficient homestead!

Our family has been transitioning to a dairy-free diet. I can’t say that we are vegan as we still ingest organic eggs and honey, but we prefer to avoid consuming cheese especially.

One of our staples is homemade pizza. I like my veggies, but I desired something more creamy and nutty as a topping. Many of the vegan cheeses on the market are just not an option to us, and I like to control what ingredients go into my food, so I searched for a homemade alternative. I wanted something that would be adequately solid so that I can shred it. I have tried cashew pimento cheese sauces and was not impressed with the results.

After discovering the following recipe online and experimenting I am happy to say that pizza night will continue in our household!

Cashew Block Cheese (adapted slightly from Karen’s Vegan Kitchen)

1 tbsp agar powder
1 + 1/2 cup water
1 cup raw cashews
1 + 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
+ spices of your choice and/or chopped jalapeños

Lightly grease small bowl.

Grind cashews to a fine powder using food processor. Add lemon juice, sesame oil, nutritional yeast, sea salt, and spices and process until smooth.

Bring agar and water to a boil in saucepan. Continue boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add mixture from food processor. Mix until smooth and creamy. Pour mixture into greased bowl and allow to cool. Move to fridge and allow to chill.