When it comes to plant-based milk or non-dairy alternatives, almond milk often sits on top in terms of its popularity. It’s easy to see why, given its low-calorie content as well as various nutritious benefits such as vitamin D, E and calcium. Then, there’s cashew milk, which is known for its nutty sweetness and creaminess. Just like almond milk, cashew milk happens to be a nutritious powerhouse as well, with the likes of calcium and vitamin D. You can simply enjoy it on its own or try these 7 Delicious Ways To Use Cashew Milk.
1) Add It To Your Coffee Or Tea
Give your morning java or tea a creamy and nutty flavour by substituting the usual dairy milk with cashew milk for a change. Not to mention it’s a good non-dairy alternative, particularly for those who have dietary restrictions or are suffering from lactose intolerance.
2) Try It On Hot Chocolate Or Cocoa
Can’t handle lactose? No problem since cashew milk can do wonders to your cup of hot chocolate or cocoa. Given its creamy texture coupled with some nutty sweetness, cashew milk not only helps elevate the taste of the chocolatey goodness but also make your hot beverage deliciously thick.
3) Make Creamy Smoothies
Cashew milk and smoothies are like a match made in heaven. So, do give them a try. This is especially true if you blend it with frozen or fresh fruits such as strawberries, blueberries and mangoes. You can even add a ripe banana into say, a strawberry smoothie with cashew milk (preferably the unsweetened kind so you can adjust your preferred sweetness with the likes of honey).
4) Use It As A Base For Homemade Ice Cream
Fancy some dairy-free ice cream? Well, cashew milk happens to be one of the best non-dairy alternatives out there, especially given its rich and creamy consistency. Don’t worry even if you do not own an ice cream maker since you will still be able to make them anyway. The only significant difference is that with an ice cream maker, your cashew ice cream has a creamier texture. Now, all you need here is just a few ingredients:
- 2 cups of unsweetened cashew milk
- 1 cup of coconut cream
- 1/4 cup of water
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup of maple syrup (or honey)
By using a high-powered blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container and close it with a lid. Place the container in the freezer and allow it to freeze until solid for around 6 hours. When you are ready to scoop your homemade cashew ice cream, allow it to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. This helps to make the scooping easier after you run your ice cream scoop under hot water. You can enjoy it on its own or add toppings like whipped cream, chocolate sauce, chopped strawberries or shaved cashew nut bits.
5) Make Dairy-Free Alfredo Sauce
Apparently, whole milk isn’t the only one you can use to make alfredo sauce for your pasta recipe. Cashew milk works too since, again, it contains a nice, creamy consistency. And if you don’t mind the few extra steps, you can also use raw cashews. Simply prepare 1 cup of raw cashew and have them soaked overnight or for at least 6 hours. Drain and rinse them before adding the cashews and other essential ingredients (e.g. water, peeled garlic cloves, diced onion, salt & black pepper) into a high-powered blender. Blend everything until smooth. The cashew milk alfredo sauce goes well with any pasta of your choice, namely spaghetti, fettuccine or fusilli.
6) Go Dairy-Free For Your Mashed Potato Recipe
The usual dairy milk may be a vital ingredient for the mashed potato recipe. But if lactose doesn’t see eye to eye with your sensitive tummy, you can always substitute it with cashew milk. Then, add the rest of the ingredients as usual including the likes of butter, salt & pepper to taste and dried herbs such as chives, rosemary and thymes.
7) Add It To Your Overnight Oats
Full-fat, low-fat and almond milk may have been the usual choices for overnight oats base. But don’t forget about cashew milk either since the overall creaminess complements well with your oats and the rest of the ingredients. For instance, on top of oats (you can’t go wrong with the rolled varieties) and cashew milk, some of the ideal ingredients you can add include plain/Greek yoghurt and chia seeds. You can sweeten your overnight oats, say with a few drizzles of honey. Top your overnight oats with the likes of blueberries and/or strawberries and there you have it. Remember to chill the jar in the fridge overnight, allowing every ingredient to infuse all the flavours.
