Let me introduce my latest love: cashew-yogurt cream.
Why? Because yogurt has a very distinct taste. It’s excellent if you want yogurt. It’s not excellent if you just want something creamy. And when we’re talking about nondairy yogurt, that can be triple true.
And cashew cream is never what I want it to be. I can never get it creamy enough, or sweet enough, or simply without that ~raw cashew~ aftertaste.
Cue the cashew-yogurt hybrid.
Considering how long I pondered over this recipe, I was stunned at how well this turned out. Of course, it is not the beautiful deep-fried, thin, crispy pastry tube, which is half the appeal of the beloved cannoli. There is no way that baked oatmeal will ever replicate crispy, deep-fried pastry. But it’s irrelevant . . . because this is delicious.
The cashew-yogurt cream has a stunning resemblance to the inside of a cannoli. But way healthier. Cashews + yogurt? Yes please.
The recipe listed makes more than what you’ll need for the Cannoli Baked Oatmeal, but have no fear: I have another recipe coming later this week for you to use the rest. Or you could just eat it with a spoon because it’s crazy good. If you can’t wait for Wednesday’s recipe, here’s a list of other ideas for using up your cashew-yogurt cream:
- Put in on top of your favorite oatmeal recipe
- Use it in place of yogurt in Strawberry Shortcake Oatmeal, or the baked version
- Use it in Tiramisu Oatmeal or Tiramisu Oatcakes
- Use it in Brownie Baked Oatmeal Parfait
- Use it on top of a breakfast cobbler
And don’t forget to participate in the contest to become December’s Oatmeal Enthusiast!
All you have to do is leave comments. See details here.
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What you'll need:
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 2-3 tbsp milk of choice
- 1 6 oz. container So Delicious greek-style plain coconut yogurt, or similar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or extract
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp milk of choice, or water
- 1/3 cup's worth of chopped, peeled zucchini
- 1/3 cup quick or rolled oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract)
- pinch of salt
- chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
How to make it:
- Cover raw cashews with water. Soak overnight or for at least four hours. (I soaked mine on the counter, uncovered.)
- After soaking the cashews, drain the liquid and add cashews to a food processor. Pulse until it forms a sandy consistency. Add 2 tbsp milk and blend again. Your goal is for the cashews to form a thick, creamy consistency. If your blender is struggling to get it there, add the third tablespoon. You don't want it to be too runny, so only add enough liquid to help your processor/blender puree the cashews.
- Add yogurt, vanilla, and maple syrup to food processor and blend until combined.
- Place in fridge until ready to use.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and spray a ramekin with nonstick spray.
- Add all ingredients for the baked oatmeal to a food processor and pulse until it forms a thick batter.
- Transfer to the ramekin. It will not fill the ramekin all the way. Use a fork to form a concave shape by pressing down on the center and letting the batter be higher on the sides (this will create a "dip" for the cannoli cream). It should be shaped like a pie or tart crust.
- Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes.
- Allow to cool for about 5-10 minutes. Add a couple spoonfuls of the cannoli cream and top with chocolate chips. Enjoy!
Just an FYI:
Alternatives to the cannoli cream: plain yogurt, coconut whipped cream, coconut butter. The cannoli cream makes more than one serving. Feel free to make multiple batches of the baked oatmeal to use all the cannoli cream at once. Otherwise, be sure to use it within a week.
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