for a couple of years during college I was a vegetarian, which turned into eating vegan, which did included a one month stretch of eating raw vegan.
hardest. month. of. my. life.
ok, maaaybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration but it definitely was not a way of eating that came naturally to me. there are however, many recipes and techniques from that time that I have permanently incorporated into my cooking style. isn’t that a pretty awesome way to live in general? trying something new and keeping what works and feels good, while leaving behind the things that don’t suit your lifestyle is a pretty solid strategy for continuously improving yourself and family.
this cacao, cinnamon and coconut spiked cashew milk is definitely one specific thing that I loved making during that stretch of my life that has stuck around for the long term.. the decadence of this recipe + nutrient bundle is a chart topper. an energizing mindful indulgence that’s almost too legit!
cashew milk is really easy and relatively mess free to make at home with any decent blender because unlike other home made nut milks, you don’t have to strain out the pulp using cheesecloth. because of the fine texture of cashews + a little pre-soak everything just blends up all perfectly creamy. added bonus: you’re not going to lose any of those extra helpful minerals & vitamins that our bodies looove. and when you add some cacao, cinnamon, and a bit of coconut oil into the mix? we are talking about a serious powerhouse of a drink. every time I have one of these as a snack I pretty much feel like I could conquer the world. one chocolatey non-dairy bevy at a time.
Printcashew milk with cacao, coconut & cinnamon
- Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: about 6 servings 1x
Description
a decadent but super healthy homemade cashew nut milk
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews (if you don’t have coconut oil on hand, or you plan to leave that ingredient out, add another 1/4 cup of cashews for a balanced consistency)
- 4 cups of water
- 6 tbs maple syrup
- 5 tbs cacao powder (can substitute cocoa powder)*
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3 tbs high quality coconut oil
- 5 ice cubes
Instructions
- soak cashews in a bowl covered with water for about 4 hours.
- after 4 hours, drain water from cashews and rinse well.
- put in blender with 2 cups of water and blend until there appear to be no more chunks of cashew.
- add the other 2 cups of water, maple syrup, cacao, cinnamon, & sea salt.
- blend on a high setting for about 30 seconds to one minute, depending on your the power of your blender. do a texture & taste test. sometimes I like to add a little more sweetener (if I’m in the mood for a treat!), cinnamon, or cacao. blend a bit more for a smoother consistency if necessary.
- once your milk is tasting like you want it to, add the five ice cubes, 3 tablespoons of coconut oil & blend again.
- serve immediately garnished with a bit of shaved chocolate, or reserve in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 4 hours
- Cook Time: 10 mins
*cacao is a raw, unfiltered and unprocessed ingredient, thus giving it a higher nutrient load and health benefit. cocoa powder can be substituted for a similar flavor, but it has been roasted and may have other additives. to achieve the fortifying energy boost that you get from this drink I would definitely recommend searching out some high quality cacao powder!
Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out! you can leave me a comment below, or snap a picture and post it to instagram with the hashtag #nyssaskitchen! xo
Plaga says
This was soooooooooo yummy!!! I loved every drop!!! Hooray!!!! Cashews for the wins….ALWAYS!
Nyssa Tanner says
yes always, always! so glad you loved it!
Ken says
I will most definitely be trying this sometime soon! Thanks for sharing Nyssa 🙂
Nyssa Tanner says
yes, awesome! I hope you enjoy it!!
Plaga says
It’s about that time…I’m starting to feel a cleanse coming on….which means RAW VEGAN! Yay!! Do you think a Cuisinart food processor (fairly new) can handle blending this to perfection? I don’t have a blender and have not yet invested in a Vitamix.
Nyssa Tanner says
yes! yay! I think it totally could handle it! the only thing you have to be mindful of is the liquid fill line. you may need to reduce the batch size depending on your food processor size. it should be on the side of the work bowl. it will be a big mess if you fill beyond that point.. happy cleansing!!