HookedOnPlants

When getting hooked is a good thing

vegan sauce

Easy Vegan Cashew Cheese Sauce | 7 Ingredients

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The good ol’ days of broccoli and cheese sauce are making a comeback, this time in the form of this next-level raw vegan cashew cheese sauce.

Totally nostalgic…who’s with me on that?

In the attempt to get me to eat those veggies in any way possible… cheese sauce, and sometimes mayo, made it onto the plate beside those greens.

It worked like a dream, just like this new & improved eat-yo-veggies cashew cheese hack will.

Something special happens to broccoli when it’s paired with a creamy, tangy, cheesy sauce. Dip away with all the other veggies, and you’re easily munching away on greens like their goin’ outta style.

All you need to do for this recipe is soak the cashews, blend it all up, and then drizzle, spread, dip, scoop…

I’m all about the sauce.

If you’re looking for a veggie-based cheese sauce option, check out this Mind-Blowing Nut-Free cheese sauce recipe I posted not too long ago.

Either one is perfect for a colourful side dish for a holiday like……. Easter!

Benefits:

  • Cashews are packed with healthy fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) to help the absorption of the fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and vitamin K) found in the nutrient-dense greens. Plus, these healthy fats help brain development and memory!
  • Nutritional Yeast (NOOCH) is a vegan’s best friend. Not only does it taste cheesy, but it also is packed with Vitamin B12 (which comes from microorganisms in soil), the one nutrient that you might be lacking in on a vegan diet.
  • Turmeric is a magical ingredient. Not only does it change any recipe into a smashingly colourful dish, but it’s also one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory ingredients out there. Add a bit of pepper to increase the bioavailability of the curcumin in the turmeric by 2000%!


Easy Vegan Cashew Cheese Sauce
 
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Answer that cheese craving with this super easy vegan cheese sauce, ready to be best friends with anything that calls for cheese. Pizza, pasta, veggies, nachos, you name it!
Author:
Recipe type: sauce, condiment, snack
Serves: 5
Ingredients
  • 1 cup raw cashews (soaked at least 30 minutes and rinsed)
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • ⅛ tsp sea salt + pepper
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • ¼ cup + 2 tbsp plain unsweetened plant based milk (I used almond)
Instructions
  1. Blend all ingredients in high-speed blender until smooth! You might have to turn it off and scrape down the sides with a spatula every now and then...
  2. Use it for dipping, drizzling, spreading... anything! Pizza, pasta, cracker plates, or saucin' anything up!

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Creamy Cashew Sour Cream | Raw Vegan | 5 Ingredients

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It’s not all about carrots and celery (all though… dip those in this and you are winning).

This creamy, easy recipe is living proof that ‘vegan comfort food’ is NOT an oxymoron.

With just 5 ingredients and a blender you will have yourself a decadent, tangy, sour cream-like sauce for your tacos, stuffed taters, lunch wraps, to drizzle on roasted veggies, and… and… and…

You should probably have a jar of this in your fridge at all times. It makes life better.

Just sayin’.

Sauces are the spice of this plant-based life. So get a few recipes in your repertoire and keep stocking that fridge of yours with your faves!

Benefits:

  • Avoiding dairy (in the form of sour cream, cheese, milk, ice cream, whey, butter) means your avoiding IGF-1, hormones (naturally occuring and sythetic), antibiotics (in some cases), carcinogenic casein, addictive casomorphins (opiate-like substances formed by consuming dairy, that leave you craving more), steroids, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers, veterinary medications, synthetic preservatives, additives, cholesterol, saturated fat and white blood cells (aka pus).
  • Cashews are packed with vitamins B6, E, and K, minerals like copper, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, iron, and the antioxidant, selenium. The magnesium in these kidney-shaped nuts helps regulate calcium and balance your muscles and nerves. The monounsaturated fats in cashews are great for your heart health and blood sugar regulation.
  • Lemon helps to create an alkaline environment in your body. If you’re alkaline, and not acidic, your chance of disease, sickness and cancer is extremely low!


Creamy Cashew Sour Cream | Raw Vegan | 5 Ingredients
 
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A delicious, creamy, vegan sour cream for your tacos, potatoes, and bowls! By the way make sure you soak your nuts before you start!
Author:
Recipe type: sauce, condiment
Serves: 5
Ingredients
  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked 8 hours, then strained (or Quick Soak: boil water, pour over cashews, let sit 2 hours)
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ cup + 2 tbsp water (or unflavoured, unsweetened almond milk)
  • **optional, chopped chives for topping
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients to high speed blender or food processor (works best with the smallest container attachment)
  2. Blend!
  3. And done! Top with chives 🙂

 

What else happened this week?

We paddled a river, hiked 8 hours, slept on top of a mountain, and round mountain bikes.

All in between eating delicious plant-based meals 😉

For more of this, follow my daily adventures on instagram:  @hookedonplants and @juliamurrayski 

Having so many amazing trails around Whistler to ride on makes me so happy. #Fuelledbyplants 😉

 

Literally walking in my backyard. Holy #grateful. Loving my Maloja clothing for hikes and adventuring!

 

Taking the Elaho Kahuna Paddle Board for a river rip.