Vanilla Bean Cashew Cream
Have you tried making cashew cream? It’s as easy as soaking cashews in water to soften them up, then whizzing with water in a powerful blender. The cashews transform into an addictive dairy-free cream that has dozens of uses. Add a dash of salt, a splash of maple syrup and the scraped bits from a vanilla bean and you have Vanilla Bean Cashew Cream, an alternative to whipped cream that tastes great and is actually good for you.
Cashew cream is dairy-free
Transforming cashews (and other nuts) into creams to replace dairy products is a foundation of vegan cooking. It’s also a key technique in cooking for brain health. When you swap in a cream made from cashews instead of dairy products, you replace saturated fats with more healthy mono- and polyunsaturated ones. Cashew cream adds a silky texture anywhere you would normally use cream.
Eat less dairy, more nuts, for enhanced brain health
Cutting back on dairy products is a wise strategy for brain health. Full fat dairy products are high in the type of saturated fat that can cause blood cholesterol to rise. Both elevated blood cholesterol and eating a high fat diet are factors associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Low fat dairy products aren’t much better. Not only are they usually loaded with added sugar, without fat, the beneficial vitamins in dairy products are not easily absorbed.
MIND diet and Mediterranean diets emphasize less dairy
The two most brain healthy diets, the Mediterranean diet and the MIND diet, emphasize eating more nuts and less dairy products. In fact, the MIND diet recommends limiting cheese intake to less than 2 ounces per week (the amount in two 1-inch cubes), and butter intake to less than 1 tablespoon per day. The Mediterranean diet allows small amounts of dairy products every day, preferably fermented cheeses and yogurt.
Naturally sweet, packed with antioxidants
Cashews are a great source of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant when consumed in a whole food form. Cashews also contain brain boosting zinc and magnesium — minerals that are important for sleep, memory and mood. And although cashews are high in calories (about 200 calories in 1/4 cup) all those healthy fats are more satisfying.
Cashew cream is also incredibly delicious. Because these nuts are naturally sweet, just 1 teaspoon of maple syrup is all that’s needed to turn them into a rich-tasting dessert topping.
“Better Than Whipped” Vanilla Bean Cashew Cream
My Brain Health Kitchen cooking class students declared this cashew cream “better than whipped cream.” I agree. There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of whipped cream now and then, but cashew cream has a far more interesting flavor and is so filling that just a small amount satisfies a craving for something sweet.
For a savory cashew cream, try this Basil Cashew Cream.
Prep Time | 2 hours for soaking the cashews |
Cook Time | 5 minutes |
Servings |
people, with extra cashew cream
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- 1 cup organic raw cashews soaked in water for at least 2 hours or overnight
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract or scrape the contents of half of a vanilla bean
- pinch kosher salt
Ingredients
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- Drain the cashews, discard the soaking liquid, and place in a blender with the maple syrup, vanilla, and salt.
- With the blender on low, add just enough water (about ¼ cup) to make a thick paste, about 30 seconds. Blend on high and slowly add water by the tablespoon until completely smooth, another 1 to 2 minutes. The cashew cream should have the consistency of whipped cream.
- Taste; add more maple syrup, if you like, to adjust for desired sweetness. Place in a bowl and chill.
- Serve with fresh berries or in any other way you would use whipped cream.
The secret to making velvety, smooth cashew cream is to crank up the blender as high as you dare. A powerful blender works well, but if you just have a regular one, extend the blending time by 1 minute or until the cream is completely smooth.
Store leftover cashew cream in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to 5 days.
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