Cashew Gravy

Boring picture. Yummy gravy.

Another classically cliche, vegan recipe that everyone should add to their repertoire is CASHEW GRAVY!

We vegans love our cashews and the creaminess they impart to sauces and such (unless you're like my friend Molly - she's a fabulous vegan cook, but has never made cashew-based gravy or sauce because every time she buys cashews she ends up eating them all raw before she ever gets around to cooking with them! Not that I blame her, I LOVE cashews! It's fine. When Molly wants gravy, she knows where to come for dinner.)

Molly, you really need to try this recipe though; in fact, everyone does.
It's super simple, full of creamy, vegan, earthy, cashew goodness and (IF you manage to stay out of the cashews) you probably have all the ingredients in your cupboard right now!

TIP 1.)    Don't skip this recipe if you've forgotten to soak your cashews!
Here’s a trick I learned from Isa Moskowitz: planning ahead to soak the nuts is a great idea, but how many of us are really organised enough to do that? You CAN make cashew recipes happen at the last minute. If you’re okay with the radiation (I am), put the nuts in a glass dish, covered with water and microwave for three minutes, then drain -  and you've saved yourself hours of prep time!

Gravy in pan. Boring.

TIP 2.)   The best thing about this gravy? I LOVE using it to replace those gloppy, not-vegan, canned "Cream-of-Whatever" soups in all your favorite 1960's-era casserole recipes. The texture is perfect!

Creamy Cashew Gravy

• 1 1/2 cups very hot water  (super-hot tap water, but not boiling, it'll help cashews blend smoother)
• 1 1/2 cups UNsweetened plant milk (I like rice milk here, the gravy is plenty creamy with the cashews)
• 1/3 cup raw cashews (soaked 1/2 hour OR overnight if you remembered, or see tip above)
• 1/4 cup rolled oats (quick or slow cooking but NOT the "steel-cut" ones)
• 3 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce or 1 Tbsp. Marmite/Vegemite
• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast 
• 1 1/2 tsp. onion powder 
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 pinch powdered sage 
• 1/8 tsp. salt or to taste

NOT boring!
My fabulous friend,
 Molly, who WILL
eventually stop eating
 all the cashews ahead
 of time, and attempt
cashew gravy! HAHA!

1. Put all the ingredients EXCEPT plant milk, in your blender or food processor. Blend until smooth (add a few more Tablespoons water if it's too thick to blend) - this could take several minutes depending on your blender. I have a cheap food processor, (NOT some fancy Vita-Bullet-Super-Power-Blend-It-All). It takes me about four minutes of blending, but the end results are still smooth and creamy. Pour mixture into a pan or medium cast-iron skillet.

2. Put the plant milk in the blender/processor. Blend again to make sure you got all the cashew mixture. Add this to the pan.

3. Warm over medium-low heat, simmering gently and whisking often (but not constantly as you do with other gravies).
Cook for about 5 - 7 minutes until it gets thick.
If it gets too thick, add a little water or plant milk. (I usually have to add another 1/2 cup water or so.)
Season with salt and pepper to taste.