Will This Be Your New Favorite Cashew Milk Recipe?

Will This Be Your New Favorite Cashew Milk Recipe?

cashew-milk-recipe-hero

Nut, soy, and coconut are just a few options out there, but not all dairy replacements are made equal. This cashew milk recipe is sure to become a favorite! At Clean, we love nut milk for its creamy texture and nutrient density, and since it’s so simple to make, we prefer homemade versions over store-bought. It’s great to use some as a base for our Daily Shakes!

Soaking nuts to access nutrients

Many traditional cultures have soaked nuts for centuries, but this practice has been lost in modern society. Raw nuts, seeds, and legumes contain small amounts of enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid. Phytic acid helps protect nuts and seeds so they can grow and germinate. Enzyme inhibitors bind nutrients, preventing them from sprouting too early. This serves the nuts well, but when consumed by humans, they can be hard to break down without light processing, like soaking.

Without this process, you may notice digestive irritation, and your body won’t pull out all of the nutrients nuts contain. We include it in this cashew milk recipe because it’s an inexpensive and easy process that can help you find even more benefits from these nutrient powerhouses.

Easy to make cashew milk recipe

Unlike some other nut and seed milk, cashew milk is made with the whole nut. While we think all homemade milk is worth the extra effort, cashew is particularly simple since no straining is required – just a quick blend, and you’re done! Making it at home also means that all of the nutrition is consumed since you aren’t draining the meat out, so you get all the fiber with your milk. Fiber is crucial for maintaining digestive health, warding off chronic disease, and improving skin conditions like acne by helping remove toxins from your system.

Rich with heart-healthy nutrients

Cashews are dense with minerals like copper and iron, antioxidants, and vitamins like K, E, and B6. Cashew contains a compound called arginine that protects our artery walls – this is just one of the reasons why this cashew milk recipe contributes to a healthy heart. The iron and copper in cashews work in partnership to help our systems form red blood cells, helping to keep our blood vessels functioning properly.

Cashews for satiety

Cashews are full of good-for-you poly and monounsaturated fats as well as four grams of protein per ounce, and including them in your snacks and meals will increase satiety, so you feel satisfied. They also help sustain your energy longer between meals and snacks, so you won’t find yourself mindlessly snacking or starving by your next meal.

Cashew milk recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup raw cashews

3-4 cups filtered water

2-4 Medjool dates, pitted

1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of sea salt (and optional 1 tablespoon for soaking)

Directions:

cashew-milk-recipe-ingredients

Place cashews in a bowl and cover with 1 inch water (with optional 1 tablespoon of sea salt to further break down phytic acid). Let soak for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

cashew-milk-recipe-soak

Drain and rinse cashews well.

cashew-milk-recipe-rinse

Place cashews, three cups water, dates, vanilla, and a pinch of salt (if you used salt when soaking, you can leave this out, if you like) in blender. Blend for 60 seconds, or until completely smooth. Test thickness of cashew milk, and if you prefer thinner consistency, add up to one cup of additional water and blend until smooth.

cashew-milk-recipe-blend

Pour cashew milk in sealable container. Stored in refrigerator, it will last up to a week.

cashew-milk-recipe-bottle

Recipe and photography by Kaitlyn Noble