This recipe for salted caramel and strawberry cashew milks is one of the favourite recipes from a food workshop I held last week. The workshop was in collaboration with the Collected workshop series and covered unrefined sugars and raw foods.

We discussed which unrefined sugars are available in New Zealand, the definition of raw food and it’s benefits, how to soak nuts and make cashew milks, the benefits of smoothies with hints and tips for successfully creating your own blends.

During the workshop I demonstrated 6 recipes, two of which were these raw desserts: raw chocolate avocado mousse and raw chocolate and raspberry brownies. As well as one breakfast recipe (pictured below), two smoothie recipes from my Inspired Smoothies e-book, and these two flavoured cashew milks.

One of the best things about these types of workshop is everyone gets a taster once I’ve finished demonstrating a recipe and I get their feedback on the spot!

In case you’re curious, the winning recipes of the night were the raw cacao avocado mousse (they couldn’t believe how delicious it tasted despite containing avocado), the strawberry cashew milk (everyone agreed far better than any bought strawberry flavoured milk), and the green smoothie (they loved the refreshing hint of mint).

Natava Superfoods kindly contributed some of their amazing organic ingredients for the workshop, such as raw cacao powder, cacao nibs, raw cacao butter, coconut sugar, chlorophyll powder, chia seeds and virgin coconut oil.

Check out their online store here to see their full range, plus they have some great deals on shipping too.

All the workshop participants went home with a jam packed goodie bag full of gifts, special offers and edible treats, and a heap of new recipe ideas and inspiration.

Cashew milk is my favourite nut milk to make because it is one of quickest and easiest. Cashews only require 2-4 hours soaking, and because they absorb the water so well, they blend very easily into a smooth creamy milk that doesn’t require any filtering through a nut milk bag.

Cashews are a great source of magnesium, copper, zinc, manganese and phosphorus. Magnesium helps the proper growth and maintenance of bones, maintains normal nerve and muscle function and supports a healthy immune system. Copper plays a role in a wide range of physiological processes including iron utilisation, elimination of free radicals, the production of melanin and development of bone and connective tissue. So one could easily argue that cashew milk is just as healthy for your bones (if not more!), as traditional cow’s milk.

Fresh cashew milk has a mild creamy flavour that lends itself beautifully to other flavours. You can keep it simple and add a little sweetener e.g. a medjool date, pure maple syrup or rice syrup, and some vanilla for a creamy vanilla flavoured milk. Or you can go crazy with flavours like salted caramel, choco banana or strawberry mint! Use the recipe below as a guide and feel free to get creative with your own flavour combinations. Enjoy.

Cashew Milk (Base recipe)

2 cups raw cashew nuts
6 cups filtered water
1 pinch salt

Place the cashew nuts into a bowl, cover with water and stand for 2-4 hours. Drain off the water and rinse the cashews thoroughly. Place the cashews into a blender with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt and blend until smooth. Add the remaining water and blend to combine. The cashews should blend so completely that there is no need to strain this milk.
Store the cashew milk in a sealed bottle in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Strawberry Cashew Milk

2 cups cashew milk
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla powder/essence or scraped vanilla pod
pinch himalayan pink salt

Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend on high until smooth. This milk can be served immediately as the frozen strawberries chill it nicely. Alternatively store in a sealed bottle or jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Salted Caramel Cashew Milk

2 cups cashew milk
4 medjool dates, pitted
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp himalayan pink salt
1 tsp vanilla powder/essence or scraped vanilla pod

Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend on high until smooth. This milk needs to be chilled a little before serving to taste the best. Store in a sealed bottle or jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.

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