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The Health Benefits of Eating Cashews and 4 Irresistible Cashew-Based Recipes to Impress Your Guests

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The Health Benefits of Eating Cashews and 4 Irresistible Recipes to Impress Your Guests

– by Joanna Beujekian-Steven

Many raw foodists and western dieters love cashews for their smooth creaminess. They are an invaluable ingredient in raw vegan desserts, nut cheeses, Asian inspired dishes, etc. But there is more to cashews than their delicious taste; they are also powerhouses of nutrition, providing a wealth of important minerals and amino acids. While some may deplore their fat content, it is important to look at cashews within the scope of a healthy, varied diet. When you eat a variety of vegetables, fruits and leafy greens, cashews will not hinder your health and could in fact fill in the gaps and significantly raise your nutrient intake – not to mention enrich your diet with healthy desserts, creamy nut milks, and more!

Protein:

Cashews, like most nuts, are rich in protein, but cashews are a bit different in that they are also a very good source of quality amino acids. The website Nutrition Data lists cashews as a “complete or high-quality protein” due to their high amino acid score.

Iron:

Iron is a very important mineral, and deficiencies will lead to dizziness, fatigue, and even anemia. Cashews are rich in iron, and they satisfy 10% of our daily requirements in just a single ounce.

Magnesium:

Magnesium is such an overlooked nutrient, and the wide majority of the U.S. population is thought to be magnesium deficient due to soil depletion and generally poor eating habits. But just one ounce of cashews will satisfy 20% of our daily needs, making it a delicious way to get enough magnesium.

Phosphorus:

One ounce of cashews fulfills nearly 20% of our daily needs. But what is the purpose of phosphorus in our diet? According to the National Institutes of Health, “The main function of phosphorus is in the formation of bones and teeth. It plays an important role in the body’s utilization of carbohydrates and fats and in the synthesis of protein for the growth, maintenance, and repair of cells and tissues. It is also crucial for the production of ATP, a molecule the body uses to store energy. Phosphorus works with the B vitamins. It also assists in the contraction of muscles, in the functioning of kidneys, in maintaining the regularity of the heartbeat, and in nerve conduction.” Another reason to include cashews in our food rotation!

Copper:

Copper is an important mineral similar to iron in some ways, as it plays a crucial role in the formation of red blood cells and is important for the health of our circulatory, nervous, and skeletal system. Cashews will satisfy in just one ounce more than 30% of our copper requirement for the day! According to the National Institutes of Health, “Lack of copper may lead to anemia and osteoporosis.”

Manganese:

Did you know that the word ‘manganese’ comes from the Greek word for magic? Indeed, manganese is a somewhat mysterious chemical, but it is absolutely crucial for brain health, sexual well-being, and skeletal health; it serves important anti-oxidant purposes as well. One ounce of cashews will fulfill nearly one quarter of our magnesium needs.

Raw? Not Raw?

Some have argued that cashews cannot possibly be raw, and that they are even poisonous in their raw state. Nothing could be further from the truth! Cashews themselves are not poisonous; only the shell is (and you would not want to eat it anyway!). Also, while nearly 100% of cashews sold in stores are indeed heated at high temperatures during the shelling process, ethical raw food stores will only sell hand cracked, hand polished cashews, which are indeed raw.

Try These Cashew Recipes to Impress Your Guests

“I’ll Catch You in My Cashew Dip” Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 1 ⁄ 2 cups raw cashews
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dill weed
  • 1 basil leaf, or more
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 4 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions:

Blend. Serve with veggies like celery, carrot, peppers and cucumber.

Raw Food Recipe: Carrot Orange Cake with Cashew Frosting

– by Russell James of TheRawChef.com

Raw Food Recipe: Carrot Cake with Cashew Frosting

This raw food recipe for Outrageous Orange Carrot Cake with Creamy Cashew Frosting is simply divine! It’s perfect for birthdays, the holiday season, or any special occasion! Enjoy with with a scoop of raw vanilla ice cream… if you dare!

Outrageous Orange Carrot Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups carrots,
    finely grated
  • 2 cups pecans,
    ground in a food processor
  • 1/4 cup raisins,
    roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
  • 1 cup softened dates
  • 1/2 cup orange juice

Pumpkin Pie Spice (aka “Mixed Spice” in the UK) is a blend of cinnamon, coriander seed, caraway, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. First create a date paste by grinding 1 cup soft dates and 1/2 cup orange juice in a food processor until smooth. Next, thoroughly combine date paste with the rest of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Shape into individual cakes or press into one large cake, ready to be cut at the end.

Place on a dehydrator sheet and dehydrate at 115 degrees F for 8 – 12 hours. If you don’t have a dehydrator you can simply place the cake into the fridge to set.

Creamy Cashew Frosting

Ingredients:1 1/2 cup cashews

  • 1 1/2 cup cashews
  • 1/2 cup water1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons agave
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth. Place in fridge to achieve a thicker consistency. Spread creamy cashew frosting on cake when you’re ready to serve.  Garnish with nutmeg, et voila! Enjoy! For more free recipes and raw tips by Russsell James, or to purchase one of his rawkin’ raw recipe books, check out his website at TheRawChef.com!

Recipe for Corn Bread

Love corn bread but can’t find a great raw corn bread from your local store?  Make your own at home with our recipe for corn bread, using corn, walnuts, cashews and flaxseeds!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups raw walnuts
  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 1 16oz bag organic frozen corn
  • 1/4 cup raw agave nectar
  • 2 tsp Celtic salt
  • 1 cup flaxseed meal (grind whole flaxseeds in a coffee grinder)

Directions:

Place walnuts in a blend with just enough water to make the nuts cream. Blend. Add 1 cup cashews; add a little more water to blend. Add corn, agave and salt.  Blend again until creamy. Transfer to a bowl.  Add powdered flaxmeal and mix well by hand. Spread batter ¼ inch thick onto a teflex sheet.  Cut into 25 squares. You will have enough to make two loaves. Dehydrate at 104 degrees for 5 hours.  Flip and remove teflex sheet and dehydrate for another 5 hours.

Cranberry Grape Cheesecake Recipe

This is a  dessert you could serve in addition to your raw pumpkin pie.  It is a Cranberry Concord Grape Cheesecake with Cranberry Date Compote. The filling gets extra silkiness from the cacao butter, and the textured compote topping has a nice tartness to contrast the sweet filling. A nice combination!

Crust:

  • 1 cup blanched almonds
  • 1/3 cup ground oat groats
  • 3 tablespoons maple sugar
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

In a food processor, grind the almonds into fine crumbs.
Add the remaining ingredients except the oil and blend to combine. Add the oil last, and pulse to incorporate. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 6″ or 8″ spring form pan (depending on how thick you want it). Set aside.

Filling:

  • 2 cups fresh cranberries
  • 1 1/2 cups cashews
  • 3/4 cup grape juice
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup or agave
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 drops stevia
  • 5 tablespoons melted coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter
  • 2-3 drops orange essential oil (optional)

Directions:

Blend all but the oil and butter in a high speed blender until smooth and creamy. Add these remaining two ingredients and blend to incorporate. Pour the filling over the crust and tap the pan to release air bubbles and even out the surface. Chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours.

Cranberry Date Compote:

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/3 cup fresh cranberries
  • 1/2 cup pitted dates, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons fresh grape or orange juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, or 2 drops orange essential oil

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a food processor and grind together, keeping some texture. Spread over the chilled cheesecake.

You could always make a mini tester for yourself before you serve it to the guests.

Bio:

About Heather Pace of Sweetly Raw

Heather Pace’s passion for food led her to the completion of a two year culinary school program at the age of 21. She used her valuable skills and experience to create healthy vegan, and later raw vegan versions of traditional foods. Heather has worked in various restaurants, bakeries, and as a personal chef. She is the author of 6 raw dessert e-books, owns a small catering company, teaches raw food classes, and works as a certified yoga instructor. Find her books and recipes at SweetlyRaw.com.

References:

Nutrition Data: Retrieved February 3, 2010 from: http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3095/2

National Institute of Health – Phosphorus: Retrieved February 3, 2010 from: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002424.htm

National Institute of Health – Copper: Retrieved February 3, 2010 from: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002419.htm