This cashew cream smoothie is both chocolate, vanilla and strawberry flavored, and presents as a healthy classically colored Neapolitan ice cream treat.
Neopolitan Cashew Cream Smoothie.
I remember an ice cream truck that used to stop at our swimming pool during the summer. Standing in line, dripping and freezing in my blue team bathing suit with my sister, I remember so well ordering the "Nifty Neapolitan shake" every. single. time. I would actually dream about it those summer nights before swim class, haha. It was frosty, sweet, pink, chocolaty, sprinkled with candy rainbows and full of fun!
Also full of sugar and dyes and chemicals that they use to make tires, haha. So, not so healthy. Of course it is easy to replicate as a vegan plant-based recipe, free of dairy, gluten, refined-sugars and, of course, free of chemicals that they use to make tires!
How, you say? Well, if you visit my blog often, you probably aren't asking how because I chatter on incessantly in many recipes about cashew cream. If you are asking however, read on!
How Healthy Are Cashews?
First off, you know we are talking about raw cashews, right? Stay away from those cooked in oil, roasted or salted. You want raw, raw, raw, in all nuts.
And cashews are considered among the top 5 healthiest nuts. Full of protein, antioxidants, vitamin E, and minerals including the infinitely valued magnesium and zinc. They are also high in heart-healthy fats. Healthy but still caloric so the healthiest amount of nuts that one should eat per day according to experts is 30 gms. This translates to about 15 cashews, just under ¼ cup of them. (And just FYI, 30gms of nuts also translates to 20 almonds or 8 walnuts if you were wondering.)
How to Make a Cashew Cream Smoothie
First, soak your cashews. Why? By soaking, you are breaking down phytic acid which can interfere with digestion. Also soaking neutralizes enzyme inhibitors which can block nutrient absorption. We are using clean healthy ingredients so we certainly don't want all those healthy nutrients to be blocked, right? PLUS soaking makes the cashews extra creamy for extra creamy cashew cream! A win, win.
Now, next question you might have is how long to soak. Well, some say at least 4 hours, others say 12 hours, some say just boil them. The debate rages. To allow for the creaminess in this recipe, however, I'd soak at least 4 hours. They go bad pretty quickly after soaking though so be ready to make your smoothie as soon as you have rinsed your soaked cashews.
The dates also need soaking but only so they become softer. Once the cashews and dates are sufficiently soaked, rinse them both, pit the dates and blend up the ingredients for the cashew cream base. Split into three portions, add the chocolate bar to one, the berries to the other, and keep the third as vanilla.
How Healthy is A Cashew Cream Smoothie?
There you go - a Neapolitan sweet cream creation! I would chill it for an hour and then drink, but that's just me. You might not have my patience.😍
So you see, sweet cream smoothies are easy to make, healthy and fun. I fully recommend this recipe for a breakfast if you are in need of extra energy, and substance. Remember, chocolate has magnesium which will help reduce stress and increase value of sleep, raspberries increase antioxidants and fiber, and the cashews fill the smoothie with all the nutrition I listed above.
I hope this dessert for breakfast idea is useful! You might want to try my Fudge Ripple Cashew Cream parfait, very similar recipe only vanilla with a ripple of melted fudge!
I invite you to keep up with me on: Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Food Gawker | Twitter
Don't miss a thing, subscribe here to get recipes delivered to your inbox!
If you try my recipes, please leave a comment and rating below and tag me on your Instagram or Facebook post with @greensmoothiegourmet and #greensmoothiegourmet so I can see and share your remakes!!
Neapolitan Sweet Cream Smoothie
Ingredients
Sweet Cream
- 2 cups cashews soaked
- 2 dates pitted
- ¾ cup dairy-free milk (more or less for texture)
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- pinch salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips melted
- ½ cup raspberries squashed with a fork
Instructions
Prep
- Soak the dates and cashews in water overnight in the refrigerator or for at least 4 hours to soften.
Make the Smoothie
- Add all ingredients to a high speed blender except for the milk. Add milk ¼ cup at a time, blending creamy in between each addition until you reach a creamy consistency - you can decide the texture you want to achieve - liquidy so you can drink with a straw, or spoonable like soft serve ice cream. Split the mixture into three jars. I used three measuring cups. Set aside while you melt chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate chips in a glass pyrex measuring cup in the microwave at 60 seconds. Stir the melted chocolate into one of the smoothie cups.
- Add the crushed raspberries to the second cup of smoothie. Stir them in or take the time to blend them up although it's such a small amount, it might be hard to blend.
- Swirl all three flavors together to build your smoothie! Store refrigerated for one day for best nutrition.
Nutrition
Petra
I made this today! I used maple syrup instead of dates. We ate it for dessert and went way over our cashew quota lol!
Dee | Green Smoothie Gourmet
Glad you liked it Petra! Balance, right? Dee xx