Yogurt Making

Cashew Yogurt

By Cathe Olson

Cashew yogurt is delicious alternative to dairy or soy yogurt. It is a good source of protein, iron, magnesium, and zinc as well as beneficial bacteria and enzymes. It just takes a few seconds to mix up. The incubation period is 8 to 24 hours depending how warm you keep it.

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews
1 cup water

Place cashews in blender and grind to a coarse powder. Add water and blend until smooth. It should have a consistency of heavy cream. Pour mixture into a jar and place in warm location (70°F to 100°F). Cover with a light towel or napkin. Start checking the yogurt after 6 hours. First you should notice bubbles forming. When it has formed thick curd with a layer of liquid (whey) on the bottom, cover and transfer to refrigerator. Chill for at least one hour. When ready to eat, stir the whey and yogurt together. Add a little agave nectar, maple syrup, molasses, fruit, or jam if desired. Yogurt will keep refrigerated up to a week.

Makes 2 cups

Note: Choose a place where the temperature will remain constant to incubate your yogurt. I like to fill a small cooler with warm water and place the jar in the water (make sure the water is below the level of the jar). Another good place is on top of the pilot light in a gas stove. As long as the temperature in your house is at least 70°F, you can place the jar anywhere. Keep in mind, the lower the temperature, the longer the incubation. At 70°F, it will take about 20 hours.

Cathe Olson is the author of the new nondairy ice cream cookbook: Lick It! Cream Dreamy Vegan Ice Cream Your Mouth Will Love, as well as Simply Natural Baby FoodSimply Natural Baby Food and The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook. Visit Cathe's Web site at www.simplynaturalbooks.com and her blog at http://catheolson.blogspot.com.

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