Whether for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a snack in between – cashew (cashews, cashew nuts) are already an indispensable part of the diet for many people. They are among the most popular types of nuts due to their mild, sweet taste and softer consistency. Vegans, in particular, enjoy their versatility and sometimes use the nut as a plant-based cheese substitute. Or do you turn it into a delicious cashew drink for your morning organic cereal? Today, we'll introduce you to 9 ways you can use cashews creatively and in a variety of ways.
Why cashews should not be missing from the menu
All types of nuts are rich in important nutrients and should therefore be incorporated into the diet. For several reasons, cashews are even considered a true superfood. They contain valuable vitamins, minerals, and trace elements as well as the very special amino acid L-tryptophan, which the brain converts into the happiness hormone serotonin.
The long-chain carbohydrates and fiber found in cashews help keep your blood sugar levels constant, keep you fuller for longer, and reduce snack drawer usage. Cashews are also an excellent source of vegetable protein with 18 g of protein per 100 g and are therefore ideal for sporty people who want to do without animal products.
What makes cashews different from other nuts?
Compared to other nuts, cashews contain the least fat and therefore fewer calories than other nuts. In addition, they are softer than other varieties and are therefore good for pureeing – as you will immediately recognize from some of our preparation ideas.
9 Great Uses of Cashew Nuts
It is clear that cashews are very healthy and should therefore definitely be part of your diet. But nibbling them as a snack in between can get boring in the long run. That's why we've rounded up 9 ways you can creatively incorporate cashews into your meal plan:
1. Cashews as a topping for your porridge or cereal
The easiest way to benefit from the healthy cashew nut at breakfast is to add a handful of them as a topping to your porridge or cereal. Some of our cereals already contain cashews, such as our two sport cereals.
2. Cashew drink – just make it yourself
Drinking cashews? What sounded completely absurd a few years ago is nothing unusual nowadays, because plant-based drinks are now made from oats, soy, almonds, rice, hazelnuts, and much more. By the way, cashew milk is most often recommended to newcomers to plant-based drinking of all varieties, as it is the most similar in taste and consistency to cow's milk.
If you are still looking for a zero-waste alternative to the cashew drink from the supermarket, you can also simply make it yourself. All you need for our recipe is cashews, a natural sweetener of your choice, a pinch of salt, and water:
Cashew milk
Accessories
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Strainer or Nut Milk Bag
Ingredients
- 100 g cashews
- 1 tablespoon dates, agave syrup or date syrup for sweetening
- 1 litre of water
- 1 pinch of salt
Preparation
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Soak the cashews in 3 cups of water overnight or for 8 hours.
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When the cashews are soft, mix the cashews with 2-4 cups of water, two dates, and some salt.
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Sieve the mixture through a strainer or a nut milk bag.
Nutritional values
3. Cashew smoothie bowl
As already mentioned, cashews are particularly easy to puree, as they are softer than other nuts. If you're already a big fan of fruit bowls, you can just mix in a few cashews. Not only do you mix in additional, valuable vitamins and minerals from the nut, but you also ensure that the smoothie bowl keeps you fuller for longer due to the fiber and long-chain carbohydrates contained in cashews. Here's a recipe for a true morning vitamin bomb:
Cashew Green Smoothie Bowl – no added sugar
Accessories
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Blender
Ingredients
- 50 g baby leaf spinach
- 100 g mango
- 1 Kiwi
- 40 g cashew
- 30 g oatmeal
- 1 tbsp cashew butter
- 80 ml water
- a dash of maple syrup to your liking
Toppings (at will)
- Cashew
- Verival Sport Muesli
- Flaxseed
Preparation
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Put all the ingredients in a blender and mix them well until a creamy mixture is formed.
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Then place the mixture in a bowl. If you want, you can also add toppings such as cashew, flaxseed, or Verival Sport Muesli to your smoothie bowl.
Nutritional values
4. Vegan pesto – with cashews
The popular Italian pesto is traditionally made with the hard cheese Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan), which in turn is produced with the help of rennet, obtained from calf stomachs. For this reason, unless plant-based rennet is used, pesto is not even vegetarian. If you want to do without animal products but don't want to miss out on pesto, you can also easily make the popular pasta sauce yourself. The taste of the cheese is imitated by cashews and yeast flakes – a deception that no one will notice.
5. Curry now only with cashews
Cashew nuts are relatively well-known and popular in curries. Here, they convince with a velvety touch and ensure a crisp bite. If the seeds are added to the sauce as cashew sauce, they give it a great creamy consistency.
6. Cashews as an ideal basis for vegan cheese
Did you know that cashews play a huge role in the production of vegan cheese? This is because the seeds are the softest of all nuts and can, therefore, be particularly well mashed or processed into creamy cheese alternatives. The very neutral, sweet taste also speaks for cashews as a base for cheese substitutes, making it relatively easy to conjure them up with spices and other ingredients.
7. Homemade cashew butter – that's how it's done
Cashew butter is produced quickly and is very versatile. Whether as a topping for your porridge, a thickener for curries, soups, or sauces, or as a secret ingredient for desserts – this mush not only gives a great taste but also ensures that the dishes are nice and creamy. Our simple recipe consists of only two ingredients:
Cashew
Accessories
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Blender
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Mason jar
Ingredients
- 250 g cashews
- Some water or rapeseed oil
Preparation
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Put the cashews in a pan for a short time and roast them briefly.
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Then put the cashews in a blender and mix them until chopped.
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Mix the cashews until a creamy mush is formed. If necessary, you can also add very little water or some oil. (We would recommend rapeseed oil.)
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Then transfer the cashew butter to an airtight container. This way, you can keep it in the fridge for a few days.
Nutritional values
8. Vegan béchamel sauce with cashews
Anyone who decides to eat a plant-based diet does not have to forgo their favorite dishes. Because many recipes can easily be "veganized" and often taste even better than the original. An example? Lasagna! The Bolognese can be prepared with lots of vegetables and, for those who like it, with soy granules. And the béchamel sauce – you've probably guessed it - is made using cashews. The duo of cashews and yeast flakes, already known from the pesto, also ensures a deliciously creamy and slightly cheesy lasagna with the béchamel sauce. Here's a great recipe for vegan béchamel sauce.
9. Delicious desserts with cashews
As already mentioned, cashew nuts are particularly characterized by their slightly sweet taste. This makes them ideal for desserts of all kinds. Chocolate mousse, vegan "cheesecake", pudding, nice cream, and many other sweets can be wonderfully prepared with the help of cashews. However, make sure to soak the seeds in water for a while beforehand so that they are easier to process into creamy desserts.
