Creamy Cashew Dressing & Sweet Coconut Cashew Cream [raw]

This deliciously creamy dressing has been our family’s go-to salad dressing for many years. I like to use it for coleslaw, green salads, and as a substitute for sour cream. Even if you’re not eating raw or vegan, it’s just one more way to lower your dairy consumption in a meal.

Creamy Cashew Dressing

• 1 cup raw cashews, preferably soaked overnight or for at least a few hours
• 2-3 Medjool dates [when not eating raw you could use a few TBS maple syrup instead]
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 TBS lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

Blend to a cream, adding water until the consistency you want is reached. For a sour cream substitute, obviously you want to use less.

Additions

• Italian-style creamy dressing: add a few handfuls of fresh basil and oregano or a tsp each of dried, as well as 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• Mustard: add 1 TBS wholegrain mustard [can add 1 TBS raw honey too, for a honey mustard dressing]

Sweet Coconut and Cashew Cream

1. Soak one cup raw cashews and 1 cup desiccated unsweetened coconut in water overnight or for at least a few hours
2. Pour out most of the soaking water and add 4 TBS maple syrup [or 6 Medjool dates if you’re keeping it raw] and 1/2 tsp almond extract
3. Blend with either a hand blender or standalone until creamy.
4. Store in fridge for up to five days.

Use as a dip with any fruit or as a raw icing.