This raw, vegan tower of power helps you go the distance on healthy meals that are undeniably photo-worthy. The texture of the cashew “cheese” is soft, pillowy, and moist, just like the real deal. You’ll want to use big, juicy garden-fresh tomatoes here.
Soak it up
Psyllium husk is the magic ingredient that turns cashew paste into a mozzarella-like consistency. It’s a dietary fiber that can suck up several times its weight in water. It’s also a great egg replacer in vegan baking. To replace a single egg in a recipe, mix 1/4 cup water with 1 tsp psyllium powder.
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Cashew Cheese Pesto Caprese Stacks
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Ingredients
Cashew cheese
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 2 Tbsp unflavored psyllium husk powder
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Pesto
- 2 cups packed arugula
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and chopped
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 inch medium tomatoes sliced into 3/4rounds
- 8 tsp balsamic vinegar or 4balsamic syrup
Instructions
- In bowl, place cashews, cover with water, and let soak for at least 2 hours.
- To bowl, add psyllium and 1/2 cup water, stir well, and let sit for 10 minutes until very thick and gel-like.
- In blender container, place drained cashews, psyllium gel, 1/2 cup water, nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, lemon juice, and salt, and blend into a smooth paste. If needed, add water, 1 Tbsp at time, to help with blending. Transfer mixture to shallow container and spread it out into an even layer about 1/2 inch thick. Chill for at least 2 hours. Slice into 2 x 2 inch squares.
- In food processor, combine arugula, basil, sunflower seeds, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Process until well mixed but still chunky. With machine running, drizzle olive oil through top tube, until combined.
- To make each caprese stack, top 1 slice of tomato with 1 slice of cashew cheese and 1 Tbsp pesto. Repeat with another slice of tomato, another slice of cheese, and additional pesto. Top with third slice of tomato. Drizzle on 2 tsp balsamic vinegar or 1 tsp balsamic syrup. Top with freshly cracked black pepper.
Recipe Notes
Per serving: 416 calories; 11 g protein; 35 g total fat (6 g sat. fat); 25 g total carbohydrates (7 g sugars, 8 g fiber); 305 mg sodium
