Cashew Milk

"Cashews."

"Bless You."

Ok, bad joke but it is Wednesday morning on a very gloomy day and I was having writers block on how to begin this blog post and this dumb joke kept coming up into my head. My son thinks I'm funny!!

Anyway, cashews are one of the most consumed nuts in the marketplace. Not only are they great to add to trail mix or granola they are also being used in many vegan recipes.

In small amounts the health benefits of cashews are plenty, but it starts with their healthy fat content. Over 3/4 of the fat in cashews is unsaturated in the monounsaturated form. This means that cashews can offer your body protection from heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Cashews also provide your body with protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which all benefit your body on a cellular level leaving you healthier and with more energy.

Although I have yet to try cashews in soups or sauces I have been making my own cashew milk for some time now and I have also made it for friends and family and it has gotten rave reviews. Drink it on its own for a creamy dessert, a bedtime snack or use it in your coffee for a milk substitute.

However you decide to use this Cashew Milk, trust that you will make it again and again!

Cashew Milk

Ingredients

1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
2 cups filtered water for soaking
1 L alkaline or filtered water for blending
1 Tbsp Hemp Seeds
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
3 Dates

Putting it all together

Soak cashews in filtered water for 2 - 4 hrs.
Discard the water they were soaked in and rinse off the cashews until water comes clear.
Once rinsed combine all the ingredients together in a blender (I use a Vitamix) and blend on high for 2 minutes. There is no need to strain, just pour into glass jar with tight fitting lid and store in fridge for up to 3 days.

** Cashews, like all nuts can go rancid quite quickly and are quite expensive, so make sure you buy a small amount at a time and store them in an airtight glass container in the fridge.

Amy Bowers xo