Cashew Ricotta, where have you been all my life?! How did I not know of this awesome-ness? This cashew ricotta is so good, I like it better than any traditional ricotta I have ever tried in the past and my carnivore husband loves it, too! Healthful and very easy to make, this is it for me.
I read through some other recipes before creating my own and several of them suggested the need to soak cashews overnight before making the ricotta. Two things- 1) I am not that patient 2) especially when I am hungry. I did not soak my cashews overnight, but I did soak them while I gathered the other ingredients and set up the food processor (maybe 15 minutes?). Also, I used the water from the soaking bowl with the nuts in the food processor.
Of nutritional note:
Cashews are an excellent source of fiber, protein and "good fats". The fats found in cashews are essential fatty acids (aka Omega-6, or linolenic acid and Omega-3, or Oleic acid), which means that although we need them, a body cannot make them itself. We need to include these types of fatty acids in our diets for many reasons, one of which is maintaining heart health. Oleic acid helps to lower cholesterol in the blood, lowers LDL (bad cholesterol) and raises HDL (good cholesterol) levels. Linoleic acid helps to lower blood pressure and strengthen blood vessels.
- 2 cups raw cashews, plus soaking water
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon flax meal
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- scant 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend
Directions:
- Place cashews in a large bowl and cover with water. Soak at least 15 minutes.
- Whirl cashews and garlic in food processor adding a little of the soaking water at a time until the desired ricotta-type consistency is reached.
- Add all other ingredients and blend.
Of course, then you can spread it on lasagna noodles and enjoy!
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