Creamy Vegan Cheese Sauce

When going vegan, or trying to eat more plant-based it seems daunting to give up cheese… it’s so creamy, rich, and delicious. But dairy is filled with saturated fat, cholesterol, milk proteins (which have been shown to be linked to all different types of cancers), and can cause inflammation all throughout the body. I came up with the perfect recipe to replace all your dairy-filled cheesey cream sauces. This cashew cream sauce is not only an amazing alternative to dairy cheese sauces, but it’s also packed with nutrients that are good for you! 

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Soaking the cashews helps to soften them and break them down so they can be digested better as well as blend more easily. I used raw cashews, but you can use roasted if that is the only option available to you. Cashews can be found in most bulk sections of the grocery store, as well as packaged with the nuts and seeds. They contain healthy fats that are unsaturated, and are also packed with selenium, vitamin K, magnesium, and iron. 

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Cashews are neutral in flavor which makes this sauce the perfect base for lots of recipes!

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What I Eat In A Day | January 7, 2016

There is no better way to start back to blogging than with a What I Eat In A Day post!

For breakfast, I tried out something new and LOVED it! I toasted an Ezekiel English muffin with vegan Chao cheese, sautéed tempeh, spinach, avocado, and some sweet sriacha on top. The flavors were incredible, and it was a great way to start the morning with something savory rather than something sweet. I paired it with a glass of orange juice and black coffee.

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A few hours later I fixed a plate of bowtie pasta with marinara sauce and broccoli. I started reading Dr. Greger’s new book titled How Not To Die and I’m loving it so far! Such amazing research and information all explained so it’s easy to understand.

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After lunch I snacked on a delicious homemade vegan cookie. You can find the recipe here , I added walnuts and coconut in mine and used whole wheat and all purpose flour rather than gluten free flour. They turned out great!

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My Favorite Things: September

September is one of my favorite months, because it includes the start of fall, as well as my birthday! I guess I was enjoying it so much, it seemed to fly by! But here are some of the things I loved during the best month of the year!

Family time

I was able to go home twice this month, once for Labor Day and then again for a conference. It’s always so great seeing my family, and our new addition Toby!

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What I Eat In A Day | August 7, 2015

I was back at home, and out of my apartment for the week so today’s food was a little different than it typically is. For breakfast, I didn’t have my “usual,” but instead had two slices of (slightly burnt..oops!) Ezekiel cinnamon raisin bread drizzled with maple syrup and two bananas. I also had a cup of coffee, with some almond milk added to it. 

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My mom has a huge container of herbs, and the basil was growing super tall. I picked off several stems and started to dry them to make some dried basil. It’s really easy to do! All you have to do is pick some stems of an herb, then tie a string (yarn or twine works well) to the end of the stem, and then tie each stem to a coat hanger. Hang the hangers in a dark, dry closet for a few weeks and you’ll have some awesome/flavorful dried herbs! Super simple and inexpensive!

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Massaged Kale Salad

With kale being in season, I thought I would share with you all my simple, and easy kale salad recipe. This salad is great because it lasts in the refrigerator for almost an entire week, and is a great to pack for lunch or even a snack. It’s very easy to make, with simple/inexpensive ingredients.

Massaging the kale allows all the nutrients to get released, and also takes a lot of the bitterness out of the green. I love massaging my hearty greens, like kale, because it gives it a great texture and flavor. The quinoa in this salad can be taken out, but I highly suggest using either quinoa or rice to help make this dish a full meal and more filling. Also, either rice or quinoa will add protein and some complex carbohydrates to the salad. 

Kale and Quinoa Salad
7-8 servings

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