Cashew Crema

If you are like me and passing on most things dairy I think you will appreciate this lovely creamy Cashew Crema! I like creamy things… but dairy makes me stuffy as all get out. When I have dairy in my life to any significant degree I end up with a stuffy nose, and generally feel a little bloated, so I have been working to limit my dairy intake to really special cheeses and replace all the rest with something plant-based.

My dairy replacements vary by usage. For sour cream, I might use coconut cream with salt and lime, but it can add a level of sweetness that I don’t always want. In the case of my paleo chilaquiles I really wanted to add pomegranate to the party. Instead of the coconut sour cream, I use this cashew crema. It’s only a few steps and you can make it ahead so it’s ready to use when you need it. Do try and use it all up within seven days though. It won’t hold longer than that,

Make sure and get unsalted raw cashews for this. You will want to be able to adjust the salt to your own taste and having pre-salted cashews will really limit your options. Toasted or roasted cashews while delicious will usually have an oil of some sort added. You really don’t want to have that oiliness in your final crema. Also since crema is very mild in flavor you also don’t want that toasted/roasted nut flavor coming through