Cashew Ricotta

It was during the reintroduction phase of my first Whole30 all the way back in February of 2018 that I figured out that dairy and myself don't really get along.  It took a second round of Whole30 for me to cut down on my dairy consumption by about half, and finally a third round for me to cut it out of my everyday life.  I have a slice of pizza here and there and a couple times a year I have some ice cream and other dairy laden treats (and I pay for it) but it's no longer something I have on a day to day basis and keep in my house.

Cutting out dairy meant finding substitutes for some of my favorites.  Cashew milk is my new milk of choice.  Still on the hunt for a sour cream sub (let me know if you have one)  Nutritional yeast is not the same but still delicious for a salty cheese feel, and this cashew mix is a great dupe for ricotta.

Simply soak some raw cashews and allow them to plump

Then blend it together with seasonings, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast until smooth and creamy

The result is a delicious and creamy spread, filling, or dip.  I love to stuff it it in eggplant to make eggplant cannelloni.  It's also delicious as a spread on crackers or bread, or a dip for fresh veggies.  It's super versatile! Switch up the herbs and seasonings and you can make endless creamy dips and spreads without the dairy.

Cashew Ricotta

2 C. Cashews

1 Tb. Nutritional yeast 

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1 tsp. Granulated garlic (or 1 clove fresh)

1 tsp. Dried basil

Pepper to taste

Juice of 1 lemon

4 TB. Cashew milk (may sub almond milk or some of the soaking water from the cashews)

Soak the cashews in water for 8 hours or until plumped to about double in size (you can speed this process up if needed by boiling or microwaving).  Drain the water.

Blend the cashews with the seasonings, lemon juice, and cashew milk until smooth and creamy.  Scrape the sides of the bowl often to ensure everything gets blended evenly.