September 6, 2018

6 Fun and Creative Ways to Enjoy Cashews Every Day

The humble but popular cashew is one of the tastiest nut varieties to snack on. However, enjoying cashews on their own can get a little old after a while, even if you do add some natural spices or include them in trail mixes. Thankfully, there are some fun and creative ways you can mix things up when it comes to enjoying cashews day to day. Here are some suggestions that should make eating these nuts a bit more exciting and delicious than just enjoying them by the handful.

As cashew milk.

Almond milk and other plant-based milks have been in the market for a long time now. They’re popular among health enthusiasts, vegetarians and vegans, as well as those who are lactose intolerant but want to enjoy the creaminess of milk. Cashews are among the many plant sources that have now been processed into milks, so now you can enjoy all of its health benefits in a creamy and refreshing drink form. Best of all, just like any other dairy milk alternative, cashew milk can also be used in any recipe or concoction that calls for dairy! Enjoy the taste of delicious milked cashews in a glass and see just what you’ve been missing.

As a tasty salad dressing.

Give your good ol’ salad an added kick in flavor and texture by spooning or dusting over it with a handful of ground-up cashews. This will give your greens that sweet-savory cashew aftertaste while also adding some much-needed chewiness to every forkful. If you want to have each bite crispier rather than chewier, make sure to toast the cashews before crushing or grinding them.

As a stew, soup, or curry enhancer.

If you’re making a stew or curry and you want to give your recipe a little something extra to surprise your guests, then you can harness the power of cashews. Simply soak half a cup of cashews in 3/4 cup of water for about 15 minutes, before grinding it into a thick paste. Add this paste to your curry, soup, or stew to give it a richer texture and an additional hint of nutty flavor.

As a rice enhancer.

Did you know that you can also use cashews to spice up simple steamed rice? Just stir-fry a handful of cashews in 2 tablespoons of ghee or butter, and tip them onto the steamed rice once they’re crispy and golden brown. This will give the rice a subtle flavor and extra chewiness, which goes well with a much more flavorful viand.

As an ice cream topping.

Cashews, just like many other nut varieties, go very well with sweet foods, desserts, pastries, and confectioneries. They can add texture to the dessert as well as give a delicate counterpoint to the sweetness due to their chewiness and subtle savory flavor. Ice cream and sundaes are perfect examples. The next time you’re having these for dessert, sprinkle some crushed or whole cashew nuts on top of the ice cream. You’ll notice the difference immediately; you might not even be able to switch back to just having ice cream on its own afterwards!

As an additional ingredient to vegetable stir-fry.

Toss in a handful of crushed or whole cashews into the wok the next time you’re cooking a vegetable stir-fry. The cashews add to the savory taste of the dish and gives it a bit more texture and crunch, especially if your vegetable mix has more leafy greens in it.

And there you have it! Try these simple changes and see if they work for your taste buds. You can even mix-and-match them if you want, like frying rice with cashews and vegetables for a nutty and tasty veggie fried rice. The possibilities are endless and guaranteed to be delicious!