After my 30 days to healthy living last year I was feeling so good and decided to continue avoiding dairy! But I didn't want to not eat the foods I loved so I started looking into dairy-free recipes. I found that for cream sauces, cream cheese replacements and other cheesy substitutes used CASHEWS.
I wish you could have seen my face the firs time I tried experimenting with this... you mean this container of nuts that I soaked all day is turning into something I am going to eat? I had no idea! Well since then Raw Cashews are a staple in our pantry and I use them for an AMAZING garlic cream sauce, stuffing for mushrooms and RICOTTA. I will share all these recipes at some point but for now... my Cashew Ricotta.
Also fair warning that you will either LOVE the way I am going to share this recipes or hate it! I'm more of a "measure to taste" so this is more of a set of guidelines to follow if you want to try out making your own ricotta from cashews. I plan on refining my measurements for next time I share a recipe!! But the good news this this one is you can't really mess this one up..
Cashew Ricotta
7.7oz raw cashews
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Apple cider vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Nutritional Yeast
3-4 cloves of garlic
Splash of non dairy milk
Step 1: the cashews need to soak.. I have done this a few different ways depending on the amount of time I have.
The preferred method is soaking your cashews for 4-6 hours in room temperature water. I just put them in a bowl and make sure the water covers them.
The second option is if you don't have 4-6 hours you can boil water and pour it over the cashews. With this method you need like 10 minutes.
This step is important for the texture when you blend it!
Step 2: Everything goes in the blender
I started with
a good amount of garlic powder
a good amount of onion powder
splash of Apple cider vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Nutritional Yeast.. 1/3 cup if I had to guess
3-4 cloves of garlic
Step 3: Blend.....
Step 4 : Check on it
If it looks like this photo you need a little bit more liquid. I added more apple cider vinegar and then some oat milk.
Step 5: Texture
Keep experimenting with liquid until it is a consistency you like. This is actually a little too liquid-y for how I prefer the ricotta ( which is why I will do a better job to measure next time!! ) But for the recipe I was making it was perfect.
Step 6: ENJOY!
This batch of ricotta went into my dairy free and gluten free eggplant parmesan!
More recipes to come and I will start measuring...
- Jennifer
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