Lemon Jalapeño Asparagus Cashew Salad Sandwiches

Tofu salad sandwiches - like this one - are my vegan substitute for a classic "egg-salad" sandwich. Well now I have a soy-free alternative to tofu salad... Cashew salad sandwiches!

This fluffy, light Cashew Asparagus Lemon-Jalapeño mixture has a creamy, nutty, spicy flavor with a zesty fresh lemon pepper accent. This recipe is perfect for spring (asparagus season!) and can be used in a variety of ways. Dip it. Spread it. Dollop it. Or stuff it into pitas or wraps. Enjoy it raw with veggies, on salads and bread or add it to pizza or lasagna and bake as a "ricotta cheese" alternative. You can even bake in a dish for a cashew cheese dip.

But today I used it to make tiny tea sandwiches. Rustic. Easy. Totally perfect when paired with a tall glass of iced tea and eaten in an afternoon sunbeam. Get the recipe..

Farmer's Market goodies from my weekend..

Cut off the crusts if you want to be "elegant tea party-approved"..

Luscious cashew-asparagus mixture...

Baked cashew mixture (cashew cheese) spread on a homemade vegan cheddar jalapeno biscuit (recipe coming soon!)..

Pair with some iced tea or spa-ahh water..

Raw Veggies. I had forgotten that asparagus - fresh and crisp from the Farmer's Market - can indeed be eaten raw - crunched on just as you would a carrot stick. Remove the woody thick lower stem of the spear and crunch away. So I decided to Vitamix some raw asparagus into this cashew mixture. The result seemed like a cross between a bean dip and tofu salad. So I slathered this stuff between two fluffy fresh slices of grain bread. So easy. And quite tasty.

And yes, if you want to steam, boil or lightly saute your asparagus before blending go for it! That would also be yummy. I just really love adding the raw asparagus because it gives it such a fresh taste and it is EASY! 🙂 I'm all about easy right now. Aren't we all.

Also, see my list of 7 Veggies You Can Try Raw over on Babble's Family Kitchen.

Ecorazzi Feature. I was happy to be featured on Ecorazzi.com this week - one of my favorite websites ever. I shared a recipe and a few photos. Nelly was very excited to make it in one of the photos since she loves reading Ecorazzi's animal features. 🙂 Check it out here!

And psst.. I have some news coming up later this week - so stay tuned!!

Now soak some cashews and make this recipe!..

Lemon Jalapeño Asparagus Cashew Mixture
makes 5 cups - about 10 servings

3 cups raw cashews
⅓ cup water (+ more if needed)
2 tablespoon garlic-infused extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried jalapeño (fresh will work too)
10 spears asparagus (remove woody stubs of stem)
*about 4 cups chopped raw asparagus
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
a few dashes garlic powder
4 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon lemon zest

Nutrition info: per serving based on 10 servings per recipe
Calories: 270, Fat: 20g, Protein: 8g, Fiber: 2g, Iron: 20% RDA, VitaC: 10% RDA
*estimated - from caloriecount.com

Directions:

1. Soak 3 cups of raw cashews in 6 cups of water and a pinch of salt. I use very hot water since I find it speeds up the soaking process. Allow to soak for at least four hours. Overnight is best since the cashews will get nice and soft.
2. Drain your cashews and add them to a high speed blender or food processor. I used my trusty Vitamix.
3. Add in the water, oil, asparagus, spices and lemon. Blend on low to get started and then move to a high speed. Use your plunger or scrape the sides with a spoon to blend. If your mixture is too thick and not blending through, add in a few more splashes of water.
4. Once your mixture is noce and creamy - yet still chunky - like a chunky guacamole consistency - do a taste test. Add more salt and seasonings if desired. You can even add in more asparagus if you'd like.
5. Transfer to serving dish for dip or slather on bread for sandwiches. You can serve right away or chill the mixture in the fridge. If you want to serve your dip right away but want it to be chilled - chill your water and cashews before blending.

For baked cashew cheese: add to an oven safe container and bake at 250 degrees for 2 hours. Or until you like the consistency. It should be dry on top and still slightly moist in the center.

Enjoy!

ps.. This recipe is super easy in a Vitamix - check out the Vitamix website to peruse the features, versions and deals - plus get free shipping by using my link!