Tomatoes + Jalapeño Cream “Cheese”

By Diana Paez, February 19, 2014

This is one of the yummiest, quickest, and easiest to make raw vegan dishes, so it’s a common meal at home. Cashews are low in fat and by blending them with zucchini, you get a large amount of low fat, voluminous, creamy vegan cheese! Not only do cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts, approximately 82% of their fat is unsaturated fatty acids, plus about 66% of this unsaturated fatty acid content are heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, similar to those found in olive oil.

Great for Diabetic Patients
Studies of diabetic patients show that monounsaturated fat, when added to a low-fat diet, can help to reduce high triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are a form in which fats are carried in the blood, and high triglyceride levels are associated with an increased risk for heart disease, so ensuring you have some monounsaturated fats in your diet by enjoying cashews is a good idea, especially for persons with diabetes.

Ingredients:
3 Beefsteak or Heirloom Tomatoes
1 Head of Romaine Lettuce (or your favorite greens)
1 Handful of Sprouts (I used my homegrown alfalfa sprouts)
3 Stalks Green Onion chopped
1 Cup of Soaked Cashews (or 3 Tsp. of Cashew Butter)
1 Zucchini Chopped into large pieces
1/2 Cup of Nutritional Yeast (optional)
1/4 Cup of Sunflower Seeds
1/2 Tbsp. Spirulina Powder
1/2 Jalapeño
1 Tsp. Hemp Seeds
1 pinch of Himalayan Pink Salt (optional)

Note: You can also add a 1/2-1 clove of garlic. I’m not a huge fan of garlic, but for those that are, it will greatly increase the flavor profile!

Blend:
Soaked Cashews (or 3 Tsp. of Cashew Butter), Zucchini, Nutritional Yeast, Sunflower Seeds, Spirulina, 1/2 Jalapeño, Salt. Add a little bit of water if your blender has a tough time blending it, but make sure the consistency is thick and creamy.

Directions:
Slice Tomatoes and place individual slices over a bed of greens and sprouts. Pour the ‘cheese’ on tomato slices. Garnish with chopped green onion and hemp seeds.  Serves 2.

Serve and enjoy!