Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Cashew Cream
Last summer, toasted sourdough topped with cashew cream and thinly sliced nectarines was on my heavy rotation. The crunch and tang of the sourdough paired with the creaminess (duh) of the cashew cream and the freshness of the nectarine was just perfection.
Recently I was missing this mid-summer treat, so I decided to create a spring rendition, looking no further than the strawberries and rhubarb in my back yard. I knew that strawberries and rhubarb most def couldn't recreate the magic of nectarines if they were raw, so I cooked them on the stovetop and blended them into the cashew cream. And of course, strawberries and rhubarb are always soulmates, so this spread was a major win.
This spread is super versatile so feel free to go wild by adding basil, mint or honey into your blender along with the fruit. This would likely change the color, but it would be dang delicious. This spread also tastes absolutely bomb with graham crackers- it has kind of a "dessert hummus" vibe - and I'm sure it would taste amazing on toast topped with some prosciutto and chopped toasted cashews. Talk about yum.
Let me know what you think of the recipe and don't forget to follow the sustainability tips below!
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Active time: 15 minutes
Makes: About 2 cups of spread
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups raw cashew, soaked in water for 2-6 hours
2 cups chopped rhubarb
2 cups chopped strawberries
2 tablespoons sugar (granulated or coconut)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Steps
After the cashews have soaked, rinse them thoroughly with water and set aside. Place a medium saucepot over medium heat. Add chopped strawberries, rhubarb and sugar to the pot and cook for about 10 minutes, or until fruits are tender but still holding their shape. Strain liquid off of cooked fruits and place in a food processor or blender with the cashews and salt. Blend until smooth. Serve with toast, graham crackers, bagels and more.
Sustainability tips
Cashews: Forever and always buy fair trade cashews. Most cashews sold in the U.S. are grown and processed in Africa, India or Vietnam at operations associated with nasty practices and poor working conditions (think: acid burns and forced labor).
Strawberry and Rhubarb: Getting the strawberry and rhubarb from your own back yard is the most sustainable option, but local and organic fruits are likely your second-best bet. Local varieties will be easiest to find when they're in season, so be sure to make this recipe in the spring.
Sugar: I like to buy coconut sugar because it's easy to find fair trade varieties, but fair trade granulated sugar is another great option here. Read all about it in my sustainable cane sugars post!