Super EASY Cinnamon Cashew Milk (Vegan)
Easy, delicious, 2 ingredient homemade cinnamon cashew milk that doesn’t require any straining.
Hello, loves! Today I want to share with you a new recipe I’ve come up with that’s just about perfect. I understand – to say it’s “perfect” is saying a lot. But while all my recipes are made with clean, natural, and whole-food ingredients, this one is also vegan, paleo, gluten-free, versatile, slightly sweet, and simple. How simple? Two ingredients, two minutes, and a blender. That simple.
I know you’re health-conscious like I am, and if you’re like me, reading that this recipe meets the needs of most vegan and clean-eating food plans makes you sigh with relief. When someone offers me a new recipe online or in their favorite cookbook, I always wade in with some hesitation (quite a lot of hesitation, actually). I find myself cooking for a variety of friends with very specific food needs. It’s rare to find a recipe that meets all my requirements and is delectable and easy as well. So I’m excited to share my recipe for Cinnamon Cashew Milk with you!
Don’t turn away from this recipe because you’ve found making other nut milks messy, time-consuming, and complex. You may have engaged in the traditional process of making homemade nut milk because store-bought, processed nut milks aren’t always as healthy as you might think. Processed almond milk and coconut milk – even those labeled “organic” – often contain carrageenan, a sugar from red seaweed and algae. Sounds like it should be good for you, right? But studies by the National Institute of Health have found carrageenan degrades to a compound shown to increase inflammation. That degradation takes place when carrageenan is heated or comes into contact with stomach acid – so yes, making your own almond milk or coconut milk is the healthier choice.
But oh, that nut milk process! First, you soak the nuts overnight. Sometimes that step trips me up right from the beginning. I often get up the next morning ready to go and realize I forgot the very first step. So it’s back to square one. If you do remember to soak the nuts, once they’re properly soaked, blending them with water isn’t too bad – but then comes the straining through a nut bag or cloth. Despite my best efforts, that can get pretty messy. And this step is even more time-consuming. Altogether, making nut milk takes several hours (while making this Cinnamon Cashew Milk takes me about three minutes!).
And when I’m done straining other milks, I’m looking at all that lovely pulp – as you know, eating clean can be costly. I don’t like to waste anything, and I bet you don’t either. But finding a good use for that healthy, fiber-full pulp can be a challenge.
Enter Cinnamon Cashew Milk – the process of preparing it involves nothing more than blending the water, cashews, and cinnamon together. It’s easy, tasty, and you don’t lose all that great fiber since you don’t strain the milk. Plus, you retain the pulp.
This recipe is not just easy and delicious; it’s also nutritious. Cashews carry a lot of nutrition in that little crescent shape. They provide iron, magnesium, vitamin B6, protein, amino acids, and omega 3 fats. They even act as an antidepressant and mood elevator, and the zinc they contain is a boost to your immune system. Add to that the healthful properties of cinnamon, and you’ve got a tasty and wholly-nutritious treat.
Did you know that in ancient times, cinnamon was worth more than gold? If you’re a fan of the taste of cinnamon (and who isn’t?), you can probably understand why. But in addition to making Cinnamon Cashew Milk tasty, cinnamon brings to the party healing qualities that Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine have used for centuries to treat digestive and respiratory problems. Cinnamon has been shown to lower blood sugar, decrease cholesterol, and act as an anti-inflammatory. I have to say, I love knowing something that I have in my pantry all the time has such great benefits!
All this means you can feel good about giving your body a bit of love with Cinnamon Cashew Milk. But then comes the question: does it taste good? OMG, yes it does! Creamy, smooth, with that touch of sweetness cashews have and that sparkle of spicy cinnamon. This is the perfect creamer for your morning tea or coffee, perfect for cooking oatmeal in, and a great addition to a smoothie. Essentially, you can use Cinnamon Cashew Milk in any way you might be tempted to use a less healthy milk or creamer.
For a special treat, this makes a great Paleo companion for the Grain-Free Oatmeal with Stewed Berries I featured last month. With the new baby due soon, I’m looking to spend as much quality time with her as I can, so I’m keeping things as simple as I can which is why I’m loving that this recipe is super quick and easy!
Best of all, it’s so convenient! if you have cashews on hand, you’re just two minutes away from having a versatile, wholesome nut milk (because who doesn’t have a good supply of cinnamon?). Cashews are a pantry staple at our house, so as you can imagine, I generally have this milk in the fridge at all times.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. Let me know how you liked it in the comments below!
This creamy vegan cinnamon cashew milk is tasty, simple, SO good for you – and is ready in two minutes! #paleo #glutenfree #veganClick To Tweet PrintEasy Cinnamon Cashew Milk (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 4 cups filtered water
Instructions
- Soak the cashews in water for at least 4 hours.
- Rinse the cashews and pour into a blender with the cinnamon and 4 cups of filtered water.
- Blend on high for 1 minute.
- Pour into a jar and refrigerate.
ARTICLES REFERENCED
Dr. Axe, “What is Carrageenan? Is it Dangerous?” January, 2015
https://draxe.com/what-is-carrageenan/
J K Tobacman, National Library of Medicine/National Institute of Health, “Review of harmful gastrointestinal J effects of carrageenan in animal experiments.” October, 2001
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1242073/
Heather McClees, One Green Planet.org, “How Cashews Can Help With Stress and Anxiety.” March, 2015
http://www.onegreenplanet.org/natural-health/how-cashews-can-help-with-stress-and-anxiety/
Organic Facts, “15 Surprising Benefits of Cashews.” January, 2018
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/seed-and-nut/health-benefits-of-cashews.html
Madhavi Rathod, Vedic Healing. “Cinnamon: The Ancient Healing Spice.” January, 2013
https://vedichealing.com/cinnamon-the-ancient-healing-spice/
Sandee LaMotte, CNN. “Cinnamon: Pantry staple – and medical powerhouse?” March, 2018
https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/24/health/cinnamon-health-benefits/index.html