CASHEW CHICKEN

~ Once Upon a Chef

3/4 c. roasted, unsalted cashews
1/4 c. water
2 t. cornstarch
1/4 c. hoisin sauce 
1 T. soy sauce 
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 T. vegetable oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
8 green onions, white and green parts separated, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 T. rice vinegar
1/4 t. sesame oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

Place cashews in single layer on baking sheet. Toast in oven until fragrant, about five minutes, then set aside. 

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together, cornstarch, hoisin sauce, and soy sauce; set aside. 

Place chicken pieces in large bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then toss to coat evenly.

In a large, non-stick skillet, heat one tablespoon of oil over high heat. Add half the chicken to hot oil and stir-fry until lightly browned, but not cooked through, about three minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet, along with the other half of the chicken, garlic, and white parts of green onions. Stir-fry about three minutes, then return first batch of chicken to pan. Turn head to medium and add rice vinegar. Cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds. 

Add the sauce mixture to the skillet and stir until sauce has thickened and chicken is cooked through, about one minute. Remove from heat and mix green parts of green onions, cashews, and sesame oil. Serve immediately. 

Notes: I toast my cashews in a skillet on medium-low and serve the whole thing over brown rice. Spicy Asian zucchini slaw makes a good side dish and isn't actually spicy. 

PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE

~ East Meets Vegan: The Best of Asian Home Cooking, Plant-Based and Delicious, written by Sasha Gill

2 1/2 T. vegetable oil
7 oz. extra-firm tofu, pressed and crumbled
1/4 t. turmeric
1/4 t. black or regular salt
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1 inch ginger, finely chopped
3 c. cooked rice, chilled (preferably jasmine)
1 T. + 1 t. soy sauce
1 t. sriracha
2 t. sesame oil
1 1/2 c. pineapple chunks
1/2 c. frozen peas
cilantro leaves for garnish
roasted cashews for garnish

Pour half the oil into a wok or nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry tofu and turmeric in oil until dry and firm, similar to scrambled eggs. Add salt, then transfer to a plate.

Wipe pan clean. Add remaining oil and fry garlic, scallions, and ginger three minutes or until fragrant. Add rice and cook for two minutes, breaking up any clumps.

Stir in soy sauce, sriracha, and sesame oil. Mix in pineapple, peas, and tofu. Stir until well-combined, then cook for two more minutes to heat through.

Serve hot, garnished with cilantro and cashews.

Notes: Firm tofu works fine if that's all you have access to. If you've never pressed tofu, you need to remove it from the package, then wrap in lint-free towel or paper towels and place on cutting mat. Top with something heavy, like a skillet or baking pan, for 30 minutes to press out excess moisture. As always, I grate frozen ginger instead of chopping fresh. 

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CREAMY VEGAN SUN-DRIED TOMATO PASTA

~ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

1 lb. pasta
1/2 c. raw cashews
1/2 c. water
1 T. olive oil
5 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 c. sun-dried tomatoes (drained, if in oil), sliced
1 c. water
3 T. tomato paste
1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped
salt & pepper, to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, boil cashews in 1/2 cup water for 10 minutes or until tender; drain. Add cashews and 1/2 cup fresh water to blender and process until completely smooth.

Heat olive oil in large pan. Add garlic and tomatoes, then saute 1-2 minutes until garlic starts lightly browning. Reduce heat and stir in cashew cream, one cup water, tomato paste, and basil. Remove from heat as soon as it begins to bubble. Add pasta to sauce and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Notes: If all you have is dried basil, this still tastes good. If you want to kick it up a notch, use some extra cashew cream and sun-dried tomatoes.

LEMON LENTIL SOUP

~ Peas and Thank You: Simple Meatless Meals the Whole Family Will Love, written by Sarah Matheny 

4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3/4 t. coriander
4 c. vegetable broth
1 c. red lentils
1/4 c. lemon juice
3 T. raw cashews
1 1/2 c. chopped spinach
2 T. chopped parsley
salt & pepper, to taste

In a medium saucepan coated with cooking spray, saute carrots, celery, and coriander over medium-high heat for five minutes or until tender. Add broth and lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until lentils are tender, but not mushy.

Meanwhile, combine lemon juice and cashews in food processor or blender. When lentils are done, stir in lemon-cashew cream, spinach, and parsley. Stir until thoroughly blended. Season with salt & pepper.

Makes about six cups.

Notes: The lemon flavor isn't very strong, so we add some extra lemon juice.

QUINOA WITH CASHEWS

~ The Complete Idiot's Guide to Dairy-Free Eating, written by Scott H. Sicherer and Liz Scott

1 c. quinoa
2 T. olive oil
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 c. raw cashews
1 bay leaf
1/2 t. coriander
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. ginger
1/4 t. turmeric
1 3/4 c. water
2 T. finely chopped parsley leaves

Soak quinoa in cold water for five minutes. Rinse and set aside to drain.

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add celery, bell pepper, salt, and pepper, and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened.

Stir in cashews, bay leaf, coriander, cumin, ginger, and turmeric, then cook another two minutes.

Add quinoa and cook, stirring frequently, for two minutes until dry. Add water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed and grains are tender.

Remove from heat, add parsley, and fluff with a fork before serving.

Makes about 3 1/2 cups.

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VEGAN CREAM OF CELERY SOUP

~ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

1 T. olive oil
6 ribs of celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 c. vegetable broth
1 c. water
1/3 c. flour
1 bay leaf
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/2 c. raw cashews
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add the celery, onion, and garlic; saute 5-10 minutes or until celery and onion start to soften and become translucent. Add broth and water, then slowly pour in flour as you whisk the soup. Add bay leave, thyme, and cashews. Bring to a simmer and cook 15 minutes or until cashews are very soft.

Remove bay leaf, then transfer soup to blender in small batches and process until cashews are completely blended. Return soup to pot to reheat or serve directly from blender. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Makes about six cups.

Notes: We like the flavor of this, but change a few steps in the process. The point of adding the cashews to the soup pot is to avoid making cashew cream separately, but our soup is a little gritty that way (note the visible cashew pieces in the picture). Next time I'll make cashew cream separately and then add it or let the soup simmer longer. The other change we made was to put the flour in a bowl and slowly add some of the broth to it until it was creamy, then dump the mixture into the soup pot. Adding flour to a bunch of liquid always results in lumps when I do it, so I added an extra step in order to avoid flour chunks.

VEGAN NACHO CHEESE SAUCE

~ Produce on Parade

1/2 cup raw cashews
1/2 c. +  2 T. water, plus more for soaking
1-2 T. lemon juice
1/4 t. paprika
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. onion powder
1/2 t. turmeric
3/4 t. salt
1/2 c. nutritional yeast
extra water, as needed

Place cashews in enough water to completely submerge them. Cover and refrigerate for two hours.

Drain soaked cashews and place in blender or food processor with remaining ingredients. Blend on high until completely smooth.

Pour sauce into a small saucepan and stir over low for 5-10 minutes or until the sauce thickens to desired consistency.

Notes: This doesn't work as a cheese substitute for our family, but we do like the flavor. So skip it if you're wanting to satisfy a cheese craving, but whip some up and grab veggies, tortilla chips, or pretzels if you're just looking for something flavorful to dip things in. 

VEGAN CREAM OF BROCCOLI SOUP

~ Hummusapian

3/4 c. raw cashews
2 medium onions, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. broccoli (about 7 cups, packed)
6 c. water, divided
1 1/2 t. salt plus a pinch, or to taste
pepper

Place cashews in a small bowl and cover with water. Soak for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Add oil to a large pot and heat over medium-high. Once hot, add onion and a pinch of salt. Saute for three minutes. Add celery and carrots, then saute another five minutes. Add garlic and broccoli, then saute five more minutes.

Add five cups of water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, drain soaked cashews and place in blender with one cup of water. Blend until very smooth and creamy, without any clumps. Set aside.

When soup is done simmering, puree with immersion blender or in a regular blender working in batches. Once soup is pureed, stir in cashew cream.

Makes about 10 cups.

Notes: The veggies get browned pretty quickly, so you may want to add a little more oil, turn the heat down a smidge, or just keep a close eye as you constantly stir them. I make my cashew cream in a food processor and use an immersion blender in the pot for pureeing the soup. Use whatever appliances are most convenient for you.

FIG BREAD

~ Just a Pinch

1 3/4 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
1 t. baking powder
3/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 c. unsalted cashews, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 c. fresh figs (about six figs), chopped or pureed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cashews. In a small bowl, combine figs, eggs, butter, and vanilla. Gently fold wet ingredients into dry ones until just combined. Batter will be thick and chunky.

Pour into prepared pan and bake 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10-15 minutes, then remove from pan to finish cooling.

Notes: We like nuts, but not in our bread, so we leave them out of this recipe.

ASIAN SPAGHETTI & CHICKEN MEATBALLS

~ Better Homes and Gardens

1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 c. panko bread crumbs
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. finely chopped cilantro
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. grated fresh ginger
1 t. sesame oil
1 lb. ground chicken
1 T. vegetable oil
8 oz. uncooked angel hair
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into bite-sized strips
1/2 c. shredded carrot
1 c. green or Napa cabbage
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 c. roasted cashews, coarsely chopped
cilantro sprigs
Asian chile sauce
limes, cut into wedges

In a large bowl, combine egg, bread crumbs, soy sauce, cilantro, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Add chicken and mix well. Shape into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. In a very large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and cook 10-12 minutes, or until browned and cooked through, turning occasionally. Remove from skillet and cover to keep warm.

Cook pasta to desired tenderness, then drain and keep warm. Meanwhile, add broth to the skillet, scraping up browned bits, and bring to a boil. Add bell peppers and carrots. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 3 minutes. Add cabbage, cover, and cook 1 minute. Add pasta and meatballs, tossing gently to mix. Divide among individual bowls and garnish with green onions, cashews, and cilantro. Serve with chile sauce and lime wedges.

Makes four servings.

Notes: The pasta and veggies are fine, but the meatballs are delicious! Sometimes I skip the pasta and veggies and serve the meatballs over rice instead. I've used all chicken or a 50/50 mix of ground turkey and ground chicken, regular bread crumbs or a mix of bread crumbs and oat powder (just oats that went through the food processor), and bottled lime juice instead of fresh, just because I like to make do with what I already have on hand. I've served it with spicy cilantro peanut slaw or spicy Asian zucchini slaw as side dishes, but the meatballs would would also be good with peanut butter pasta.

CREAMY SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP

~ Paleo Spirit

20 oz. frozen, chopped spinach
28 oz. canned or jarred artichoke hearts
1 T. olive oil
1 c. diced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 t. sea salt (adjust amount according to the salt in the artichokes and to taste)
1 t. onion powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. black pepper
1/4 - 1/2 t. cayenne
1 T. lemon juice
1 1/2 - 2 cups cashew cream

Defrost spinach and squeeze out excess water, then set aside. Drain and chop the artichoke hearts, then set aside.

Saute onion in olive oil until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in artichoke hearts, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, and cayenne until heated through. Add spinach and lemon juice, stirring until heated through. Stir in cashew cream and serve warm.

Notes: I used marinated artichoke hearts, regular table salt (which means cutting the amount in half), and two cups of cashew cream. I've served it with cucumber and bell pepper slices, and by "served" I mean that I gave everyone some and then I stood at the stove, where I'd left the pan on low, and proceeded to scarf a ridiculous amount of dip on cucumber slices. 

RAW CASHEW CREAM

~ Paleo Spirit

1 c. raw cashews
water

Rinse the cashews well and place in a bowl with enough water to cover them by an inch. Cover and soak 2-8 hours.

Drain cashews, rinse under cold water, and place in food processor or blender with one cup water. Process on high for several minutes, scraping down the sides when necessary, until it's creamy.

Makes 1 1/2 - 2 cups.

Notes: My suggestion is to start with a small amount of water and then add more until you reach the desired consistency. I vary the amount according to whether I'm using the cashew cream to replace sour cream, ricotta, or whipping cream. The original recipe says to use whole cashews and fresh, filtered water, but I use cashew pieces and tap water without a problem, and never cover the soaking cashews. The cream can be stored in the fridge for three days or freezer for six months. 

SPICY ASIAN ZUCCHINI SLAW

~ Grant Butler, undated Oregonian clipping

SALAD
1 large zucchini, julienned or shredded
1 orange bell pepper, cut into thin 1-inch long slices
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 c. bean sprouts
1/3 c. raw cashews

DRESSING
3 T. rice wine vinegar
1 T. tamari or soy sauce
1 T. dark sesame oil
1 t. grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 t. toasted sesame seeds
1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes

In a large bowl, toss the salad ingredients together.  In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together. Pour dressing over salad just before serving and toss to coat.  

Makes about six cups, though the size of the zucchini and bell pepper will cause that to vary a little.

Notes: I don't think this is spicy at all, but you can adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to increase or decrease the spice level to suit your taste.

THAI QUINOA SALAD WITH GINGER PEANUT DRESSING

~ Ambitious Kitchen

SALAD

3/4 c. uncooked quinoa

1 1/2 c. water

1-2 c. shredded red cabbage

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 c. shredded carrots

1/2 c. cilantro

1 c. edamame or chickpeas (optional)

1/4 c. sliced green onions

1/2 c. cashew halves or peanuts

lime wedges

DRESSING

1/4 c. all natural peanut butter

1 T. honey

2 t. freshly grated ginger

3 T. soy sauce

1 T. red wine vinegar

1 t. sesame oil

1 t. olive oil

In a medium-size saucepan, combine quinoa and water, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover, simmering until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and stir. Let cool for ten minutes.

While the quinoa is cooling, make dressing. Heat peanut butter and honey on stove top or in microwave until smooth and easy to stir. Remove from heat, if on stove, and add ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and olive oil. Stir until mixture is smooth and creamy. 

If you'd like the quinoa to absorb more of the dressing, mix together now.  If you'd prefer to let people dress their own portions, then set the dressing aside.

Add cabbage, pepper, onion, carrots, cilantro, and edamame or chickpeas to quinoa and stir until well blended. Garnish with green onions and cashews, serve with lime wedges.  

Makes about eight cups if you use two cups of cabbage.

Notes: I mix all the ingredients together at the same time instead of saving some as garnish, include chickpeas that we previously cooked and froze, and use bottled lime juice instead of lime wedges. I think this salad is great as is, but I also love it served on a bed of spinach. You may want to cut back on the red onion, as many people find half an onion to be too much. We only use 1/4 of an onion.

ALTON BROWN'S GRANOLA

~ 4them - Sonlight Forums

3 c. rolled oats
1 c. slivered almonds
1 c. cashews
3/4 c. shredded sweet coconut
1/4 c. plus 2 T. dark brown sugar
1/4 c. plus 2 T. maple syrup
1/4 c. vegetable oil
3/4 t. salt
1 c. raisins

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.'
.
In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.
.
Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and mix until evenly distributed.

Notes: Really sweet and totally yummy! This can be made in the crockpot, cooked on low for about three hours. Just make sure to leave the lid cracked and stir periodically. Honey can be used in place of maple syrup.

SMOKED TURKEY SALAD

~ Bethany Weathersby

lettuce
spinach
smoked turkey, cubed
Monterey jack cheese, cubed
nectarines, chopped
raw cashews, toasted

Toast cashews and set aside to cool.  Chop the lettuce & spinach; combine in serving bowl.  Sprinkle remaining ingredients over greens and serve. 

Notes: Use as much or little of each ingredient as you like.

ORANGE-CASHEW CHICKEN & RICE

~ Taste of Home magazine - October/November 2009

2 c. instant brown rice
2 11 oz. cans mandarin oranges
1/2 c. chopped cashews
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. teriyaki sauce
1 1/2 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 T. canola oil
1 c. chopped bok choy
1/2 c. minced chives

Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, drain oranges, reserving one cup oranges and 1/4 cup juice. Save remaining oranges and juice for another use. In a small bowl, combine the cashews, broth, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, and reserved juice; set aside.

In a large wok or skillet, stir-fry chicken in oil until no longer pink. Add cashew mixture and cook one minute longer. Add the bok choy, chives and reserved oranges, then cooking, stirring often, another two minutes.

Fluff rice with a fork; serve with chicken mixture.

Makes about four cups of meat mixture.

Notes: This is even better with some ginger added to it. We never buy instant rice, so we just serve this with regular brown rice. If you're not sure what to do with all the unused bok choy remaining on the head you bought for this recipe, whip up a batch of bok choy with garlic & ginger to serve as a side dish to round out your meal.

WINTER FRUIT SALAD WITH LEMON POPPY SEED DRESSING

~ Karen Keathley

SALAD
1 head romaine, cut or torn into bite-sized pieces
4 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded
1 c. unsalted cashews
1/4 - 1/2 c. dried cranberries
1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1 pear, peeled, cored, and diced

DRESSING
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. lemon juice
2 t. minced onion
2 t. dijon mustard
salt, to taste
2/3 c. oil
2 t. poppy seeds

Whisk sugar, lemon juice, onion, dijon and salt together. Add oil in a slow stream while whisking. Stir in poppy seeds.

Combine all salad ingredients, pour dressing over salad, then toss to coat.

Notes: I like to toast the cashews before adding them to the salad and I never peel the fruit. Some of our family members don't use salad dressing and the rest use small amounts, so I only make half of the dressing recipe and usually still have some left over.

THAI CHICKEN AND COCONUT RICE

~ Waiting For The Day - Sonlight Forums

2 14 oz. cans coconut milk, divided
2 c. water
1 t. salt
2 c. uncooked long grain rice
6 T. creamy peanut butter
1/4 c. soy sauce
1-4 t. chili garlic paste (depends on how spicy you like things)
1/4 c. sesame oil
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed or sliced
6 green onions, sliced
2 medium red bell peppers, sliced thinly

Bring 2 cups milk, water and salt to boil. Stir in rice; cover and reduce heat. Simmer 20 minutes.

OR

Put 2 cups of milk, water, salt and rice in rice cooker and start cooking.

Meanwhile, whisk remaining milk, peanut butter, soy sauce and chili garlic paste until blended. Heat sesame oil in large skillet over med-high heat for 2 minutes. Add chicken and stir-fry 5 minutes or until browned. Add onions and bell pepper. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add peanut butter mixture and bring to boil. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Serve over rice.

Notes: If the coconut is super thick, then add extra water to the rice before you cook it. I leave the chili garlic paste out and let people add it to their individual servings instead. I like to add chopped peanuts as a garnish for some texture variety.