For those following a dairy free diet, you no longer have to miss out on beautiful smooth, creamy textures. This cashew cheese is simple to make, tastes delicious and is full of wonderful probiotics for good digestive health. Use as a dip for vegetables or biscuits, spread it on my zucchini flatbread, my nut and seed flatbread, gluten free toast or wraps, dollop on baked potatoes and salads. It is so versatile you can use it as a cream replacement in savoury dishes as well – garlic prawns, creamy pasta sauces, any savoury dish you would normally use cream in.

I haven’t given any amounts of the garlic, salt and lemon juice because it is important to flavour according to your own tastes. Start with small amounts and build up until you reach the flavour that suits you.

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups of raw, organic cashews

Filtered water

Probiotic capsule (any type)

Crushed garlic – start with ½ clove. Too much garlic can easily overpower the taste

Fresh lemon juice – start with ½ small lemon

Himalayan salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Cover the cashews with filtered water and soak for 4 hours.
• Drain and place cashews in a food processor or blender that can blend to a fine consistency. I use a nutra bullet. (You will need to blend in batches)
• Pour some filtered water to just cover the cashews and blend until super creamy and smooth. Depending on what sort of machine you are using, this can take quite a few minutes
• Transfer to a large bowl and add the contents of 1 probiotic capsule. Stir well and cover with a cloth. Sit in a cool spot in the kitchen, like a pantry.
• At this stage the mixture will taste a little sweet, and not very nice! Allow it to sit for 2-3 days, depending on the temperature and stir every now and then (if I am home I will stir it a few times a day). While it is sitting, the probiotics are fermenting it. It is the same principal as making kimchi or sauerkraut.
• Don’t add any of the other ingredients at this stage
• Each day, taste the mixture and when it has lost its sweetness and starts to taste a little sour, it is ready to add the other ingredients.
• Add a little of the garlic, lemon juice and salt, stir and taste. Keep adding the ingredients until you have reached the desired taste.
• Place in screw top bottles and store in the fridge.