Going dairy free was not easy at first. Not until I found Treeline Cashew Cheese and the very versatile Cashew Coconut Cream. The recipe is simple. You can freeze extra for future use. Cashew Coconut Cream can be morphed into mayonnaise, buttermilk for pancakes, cream for soup, whipped cream and creamy salad dressing.
Cashew-Coconut Cream
Here is the base recipe
Makes 1 quart
1 cup raw cashews, preferably soaked 6 hours
15-ounce can unsweetened light or regular coconut milk
Place the cashews and coconut milk in a food processor or vitamix and process until very creamy and smooth, about 3-4 minutes. Stop once or twice to scrape down the sides. Place in a container and refrigerate until chilled and thickened, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
5 Transformations
Buttermilk substitute – Add 1 tsp of lemon juice per 1 cup cashew coconut cream, and use instead of buttermilk in pancake recipe. See my recipe below
Whipped cream substitute – Add 1/8 cup maple syrup per cup of cashew coconut cream; or add 10-15 drops stevia to 1 cup. Use with fresh fruit.
Mayonnaise substitute – To 1/2 cup cashew coconut cream, add 1/2 tsp herbamare or salt; 1 tsp each garlic and onion powder, 1 T mustard, 1-2 T pickle juice, preferably Bubbies pickle juice which has ferment, and 1-2 T olive oil.
Cream substitute – Try cashew coconut cream instead of cream in soup and sauces. I love using cashew coconut cream in this awesome Smoked Trout Chowder recipe.
Creamy salad dressing – To 1/2 cup cashew coconut cream, add 1 minced clove of garlic, 1 Tblsp olive oil, 1 Tblsp apple cider vinegar, 1/2 lemon juiced, 1/2 tsp herbamare, black pepper to taste, 1 tsp dried herbs (dill, oregano, thyme, rosemary).
Rebecca’s AMAZING Low-Allergen Pancake Recipe
Makes 9-10 pancakes
1 cup coconut/cashew cream, 1 tsp lemon juice
1 cup hemp or oat milk
1 cup Bob’s red mill GF flour (or ½ cup chickpea, ¼ cup rice, ¼ cup sorghum)
2 Tbsp ground almonds or almond meal
2 Tbsp coconut/palm sugar or maple sugar
1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1 tsp aluminum-free baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 Tbsp ground flax in 3 Tblsp water (or 1 egg)
2 Tbsp melted coconut oil
Blend all dry ingredients. Blend wet ingredients except coconut oil add to the dry ingredients. Melt coconut oil and add to the mix. Stir well. Warm coconut oil in nonstick pan. Pour batter into 3-4 inch pancakes on hot pan. Flip and enjoy.