What good is all this bread-baking if there isn't something delightful to spread on generously? Meet our Vanilla-Cashew Dream Cream. Plant maven and Sakara Health Coach, Sasha Pagni, reinvented her favorite baked-good-topper by sprucing up the standby with vibrant nutrition.
The recipe first calls for cashews—a solid source of selenium and copper, two minerals important for muscle and collagen formation. Ideally, the cashews soak overnight. This helps them blend easier, but there are critical nutritional differences between soaked and raw nuts. The process breaks down the cashews' phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors, important so the seed doesn't sprout prematurely. Too much phytic acid in the body, however, can halt proper nutrient absorption and digestion. Letting them soak ensures better digestion and eliminates the risk of bloat. Once the cashews are soft and blended, add vanilla bean, cinnamon, and the not-so-secret verdant ingredient: Protein + Greens Super Powder. The all-in-one greens mix gives the spread an otherworldly upgrade. It imparts long-lasting energy with four whole-food sources of plant protein, then adds to the all-important greens quota with a blend of algae and grasses. Healing foods deserve to be a pleasurable experience, and this cashew cream ticks all the boxes. "It should be thick, lightly sweet, and taste like a vanilla frosting," Sasha says. She suggests slathering it on a slice of banana bread, pancakes, or pairing with apples and strawberries for a protein boost.
Ingredients (Serves 1-2):
- ¾ cup cashews, soaked overnight
- 1-2 scoops Protein + Greens Super Powder
- 1 tablespoon salt (for soaking cashews)
- ½ tablespoon sweetener of choice (maple syrup, honey, or 1 Medjool date)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean extract
- Optional: a dash of cinnamon
Directions:
- Soak cashews until soft with water and 1 tablespoon of salt, preferably overnight for about 8 hours. If you do not want to soak them, you can choose to pour boiling water over the cashews and let stand for 30 minutes.
- Place cashews in a blender, blend on low, scraping down the sides for 5 minutes.
- Blend on medium for another 5 minutes. The cashews should become very creamy and smooth with no large cashew pieces. Depending on your blender, you may need to slowly add water or plant-based milk—a tablespoon at a time—until the mixture becomes smooth. Do not add too much liquid or it will alter the consistency of the cream.
- Once the cashews are at the desired consistency (thick, smooth, and whipped), add in the sweetener of choice, vanilla, cinnamon, and Super Powder.
- Blend until well combined and smooth.
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