If you’re hankering for a savoury treat, herby cream cheese is a sure-fire winner. Whether slathered on a bagel or dolloped onto crackers, it can really hit the spot when you’re peckish.
And if you’re looking for a protein-packed plant-based alternative, TikTok user Anna Wilson (annaxoxowilson) has gone viral with just the recipe, and it’s surprisingly easy to make, reports the Express.
The secret ingredient? Cashews. They make a deliciously creamy and flavourful spread that you’d never guess was dairy-free.
Express journalist Nicola Roy decided to try making the viral spread and report back with what she found.
Mentioning to her readers that she was a vegan for five years in her younger days, she maintained that she was “already familiar with the concept of using cashews for creaminess”, but using them to make a spread for bagels was something she was “eager to try out”.
Ingredients
The first and most crucial step is to soak the cashews in boiling water, covering them with a tea towel for at least 15 minutes. This process softens the nuts, enabling them to blend into a creamy consistency.
Next, transfer them into a blender along with all other ingredients, barring the chives which will be incorporated later. Blend until you achieve a smooth mixture.
Nicola had to blend in two batches due to the size of her Nutribullet, but soon enough, she had “a gorgeous velvety-looking concoction that, in all honesty, resembled ice cream”.
At this stage, stir in your chopped chives. The quantity depends on your preference for their flavour – Nicola added a lot.
According to Nicola, the texture will look “slightly iffy” at this point, but the TikTok video suggests allowing it to set in the fridge for an hour. Nicola decided to leave it overnight, which meant that she could enjoy the spread for her breakfast the next morning.
The spread had set to a much more appealing texture, so Nicola loaded it onto a toasted bagel, topped it with tomatoes, Maldon salt and black pepper, and tucked in.
She said: “The flavour was immediately very impressive – hints of garlic, lemon and a nutty undertone from the nutritional yeast. But the creamy texture was what really blew me away, and we have the nuts to thank for that.”
Expressing how impressed she was, she continued: “The silken tofu also adds a kick of protein, making this a very filling topping for your toast or dip for your veggies”.
Anna suggests storing this in the fridge for about three to four days.
If you’re aiming to reduce your intake of ultra-processed food while still enjoying something lovely for breakfast, then this could be just the ticket.
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