Can you say YUM? I bet you wil!
This dairy free cream-cheese is packed with pro-biotic punch and full of go back for more flavour! I started experimenting with this cashew cream-cheese when a vegan friend was visiting over Christmas from out of town. I wanted to make something that was a gift to this friend for the season that was creative and thoughtful. As I put out the spread of other dairy cheeses and crackers and table snacks, I had to slow down the non-vegan guests from devouring this cashew spread before my vegan friend had even arrived! It was all I could do to save it for him! Let’s just say, it didn’t last the evening! Even if you aren’t vegan or dairy free, take this one out just for fun! It doesn’t require much effort, just a couple of days to culture and it is worth the time!
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Refined sugar free
- Vegan/vegetarian
- Cultured
- Cleanse program friendly
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, Soaked overnight
- 1/2 cup filtered water
- 5 pro-biotic capsules
- sea salt
After culture is complete:
- 1 TBSp nutritional yeast (also called red star yeast)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried minced garlic
- 1 tsp dried minced onion
- 1 tsp dried chives
- 1/2 tsp dill weed
- Cracked pepper to taste
Directions:
- Start by soaking your cashews in water over night. You can also flash soak them with boiling hot water for 20 minutes minimum, however, you need to take time with this recipe, regardless, so ultimately, over night soaking is preferable.
- Rinse and drain cashes when ready to get started.
- This next step is critical. Sterilize everything you are about to use! This includes your blender, glass container for the cashew culture and a spatula. Use glass to ferment this culture as metal can interfere with the process and plastic can hold on to undesirable bacteria. I recommend glass pyrex storage containers. Simply use boiling water and pour into or over all surfaces and let sit for 1 minute. Dry with a clean tea towel or let air dry. Wash your hands between every step and with everything you touch.
- Place your soaked and rinsed cashes in the blender with 1/2 cup water and blend until completely creamy, use your spatula to wipe down liquid into the mix.
- Pour into a glass container.
- Add 1/2 tsp salt and empty contents of the pro-biotic capsules into cashew blend.
- Stir with sanitized spatula and cover to let sit for 24 hours in a warm place.
- Open, stir and sprinkle a fine layer of salt across the top and cover for another 24 hours.
- Repeat over 3 days.
- Culture should get thicker, more pungent in smell and tangier in taste each day.
- When the culture is complete, add remaining ingredients of nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, onion, dill and chives with some cracked pepper to taste.
- Place in fridge for a few hours to let flavours meld. Enjoy on crackers, with veggies, on pita, in wraps or however you enjoy your cream-cheese spread!
Want more amazing cashew recipes?
Lemon Cheesecake – Vegan and Gluten free
or learn more about cashews here…