Being dairy free, I tend to use a lot of coconut milk to replace dairy. I use coconut milk regularly in smoothies, baking, and even savory dishes. Last night, for example, I made lamb and liver bolognese and used coconut milk in place of dairy. Gave it a nice richness, mmmm, and doesn’t taste at all coconutty for those who take issue with that.

I came across a cashew cream recipe and decided to give it a go to replace coconut milk every once in a while. HOLY WOW IT IS DELICIOUS. I intended to use it for my morning smoothie, but I ate so much of it I’m not hungry anymore (please let me be hungry soon so I can eat more). You can use this as a base for dairy free cheesecake (just make it thicker), cream cheese, or top desserts with it.

Here’s what to do:

Dairy Free Cashew Cream

• Soak 1 cup of raw cashews overnight in filtered water (refrigerate overnight).
• Drain, then put in blender with ~1/2 cup filtered water, ~1/2 tsp vanilla, dash of cinnamon, touch of honey if desired (I think it’s sweet enough as is).
• Blend. You could really add any sweet spices you like (cardamom, nutmeg, etc).
• Add more water if you want it thinner. I like mine thick.

Great substitution for any dairy cream. I’ve made this with almonds too. You can make it savory by adding the juice of a lemon and a splash apple cider vinegar. Let me know if you make it and how you use it!