Dairy free sour cream

Sometimes I wish I could freeze frame moments so that I can capture the look of incredulity on peoples faces when I tell them that I don't eat dairy or meat. It's really quite funny to see and they always ask the same question - so what do you eat? Then when I explain about eating a whole food, plant based diet, a shadow of concern clouds their faces - surely you can't survive on that??
There's so many different foods to eat other than meat or dairy, it's just our way of thinking that makes it seem impossible to not only survive, but to heal, become really healthy and energetic and generally feel much better than before. I guess I am lucky that I have a food intolerance to yeast and not wheat as it makes it much easier - at least I can eat cake! And eating a whole food plant based diet means that when I do have the occasional fried or greasy option, I not only enjoy it but don't feel any guilt about eating it, as I don't seem to put on weight any more either!
There are so many different plant foods to try, and a whole array of recipes on the internet, it's really a new adventure in cooking, which I find quite exciting (sad as it may be!). Plus on top of that, eating this way means I never feel really full and bloated, my chronic itching has stopped and my skin is looking great - in fact a friend said the other day it looked like I'd had botox! Cutting out processed foods and getting all the vitamins and minerals in wholefoods really does make a difference.
But finding dairy free alternatives is still a challenge. This week I experimented with dairy free sour cream, using it as a dressing on a beetroot salad I made for a party we had on Saturday night. It tastes pretty good, and lots of it was eaten, so I guess others thought so too. Obviously sour cream can be used with many dishes - I especially look forward to trying it with a veggie chilli which I'm planning on making later in the week. It is cashew nut based again, as that gives the creamy texture, so apologies to those with nut allergies.
I know there's lots of people who don't eat beetroot - either the taste is too earthy, or the after effects are too windy! But beetroot is incredibly good for you and worth a try. I was put off it by memories of horrible soft, vinegary deep red lumps that made your wee go a funny colour, but once I tried it freshly cooked and natural, it's a different experience all together. Being quite sweet, it goes well with something fresh and citrusy. And it is incredibly good for you, packed with vitamin A, B1, B2 B6 and folic acid as well as good amounts of magnesium, potassium, iron and those helpful little antioxidants. In fact, research has shown that beetroot can help reduce high blood pressure, lower cholesterol (all that soluble fibre), aid tissue growth, reduce the risk of osteoporosis (the silica it contains aids absorption of calcium) and even helps slow the progression of dementia. Now that's not bad going for one root vegetable.
Here is the recipe for the sour cream and the beetroot salad as it was really yummy!
Dairy free sour cream
1 cup cashew nuts
juice of 1 lemon or lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 - 1 tbspoon olive oil (optional)
Soaks the cashew nuts in water for at least two hours. Drain off this water and grind in a processor into a thick paste, adding a little water. I find I have to grind for 30 seconds or so, then stop, give it a scrape off the edges then grind again. Repeat and grind for a third time, adding water if you need to to get a thick creamy consistency. Add in the lemon juice and salt and blend again until it's combined. Taste and adjust to how you want it. To make it richer, add the olive oil (but remember this is a refined oil and not a whole food and the fat content will increase). If it's too thick, add a little more water. Then it's ready to go!

Beetroot salad
3 or 4 beetroots cleaned (organic if possible)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
salt and pepper
dairy free sour cream
chopped chives to garnish
Cook the beetroot until soft, but not too soft - I use the pressure cooker to save time, but boiling, roasting or steaming works just as well. Leave to cool. Dry fry the fennel seeds in a hot pan until they start to colour and emit a lovely smell. Turn off the heat and leave to cool. Chop the beetroot into small dice and place in a serving bowl along with the cooled fennel seeds, add seasoning and stir. Place a few good dollops of dairy free sour cream on the top and sprinkle with chives. That's it - eat and enjoy!

Creamy cashews

So many delicious recipes include cream, whether it's to top of a delicious roasted tomato soup, a creamy mushroom sauce for fish or just a simple pouring cream for apple pie or crumble. Thank goodness for the humble cashew nut which when ground down makes a tasty cream alternative, although I've had to put up with many sniggers from my teenage son and husband when I say it's nut cream!! Of course, if you have a cashew nut allergy, I'm sorry this is not for you.
Back in the UK, soya cream is readily available but always has a slight soya flavour and tends to be sweetened. I've not found it in the shops of Bangalore, so really wanted to find another alternative - this is so easy too. All you need, apart from cashews, is a food processor that has a small nut or coffee bean attachment. Luckily this are easy to find here, as traditional Indian recipes involve a lot of grinding and mincing. My food processor has been one of my best purchases here (my gorgeous coffee table being the best!) and probably used more than anything else in the kitchen. Apparently this also works with blanched almonds, but I've not tested that one out.
Cashew nut cream recipe
100g cashews
150-300 mls warm water
honey to taste, lemon rind - both optional

Place the cashew nuts in the grinder and whizz them until they form a fine paste. You now have two options - either transfer the paste to a separate bowl and beat in the water to form the desired consistency or, as I tend to do, add water gradually into the grinder and whizz on pulse until you get the thickness you want. I find this gets rid of any lumps really well, you just need to stop and check, scraping the paste off the side of the grinder.

If you want a sweeter cream, add some honey but I tend not to as cashews have a natural sweetness of their own and the honey can dominate the flavour. Same for the lemon rind if you want a tarter cream.
If you are using the cream for a cooked sauce, add at the end just before serving, warming it through but not boiling as the cream tends to separate a bit - this can happen with coconut cream or milk if you're not careful too.

Random cashew facts

Cashew nuts are biologically seeds, although we use them as nuts in cooking. Pub quiz fact - cashews are native to Northern Brazil but were introduced to India in Goa by the Portugeuse and they have since spread throughout South East Asia. We saw cashew nut trees on a trip to Goa. I had never really thought about how they grow so was fascinated (sadly so!) by their duality. First there is the flower which grows into a cashew apple; the cashew nut then grows at the end of the cashew apple in a harder case. Apparently the flesh of the cashew apple is really delicate so doesn't travel well - it's used in Goa to make Feni, a seriously strong, completely gross alcohol that must be guaranteed to give you gut rot! I tried it once, never again! The brown outer shell of the cashew nut contains chemical irritants so have to be handled carefully. Best get your cashews ready pealed in a bag off the shelf!!