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Nutritious and Delicious - Cashew Recipe

Cashew throughout the day: 10 recipes for a cashew-fueled day!

Breakfast

Power breakfast smoothie

This banana, cashew, coffee and cocoa smoothie is a nutrient packed quick start to your day. This smoothie will be extra smooth if you soak the nuts and oats in water overnight and drain before proceeding.

Makes: 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 banana, preferably frozen

2 pitted dates/ honey to taste

1/2 cup cold-brew coffee

1/4 cup raw cashews, preferably soaked overnight

3 tablespoons oats, preferably soaked overnight

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Pinch of ground cardamom (optional)

Pinch of salt

Preparation

Using smoothie or ice crush setting, purée banana, dates, coffee, cashews, oats, cocoa powder, cardamom, salt, and 1/2 cup ice in a blender until smooth.

Source: Epicurious https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/banana-coffee-cashew-and-cocoa-smoothie#

Cashew Nut homemade butter/paste

Servings: 2 cups

Ingredients

500g roasted cashews

½ teaspoon vanilla powder

½ teaspoon salt

Preparation:

• Add all ingredients into a food processor bowl and process until nice and smooth (Permit resting periods to prevent damage to the processor, as the cashews are hard)
• Process until nuts release their oils and turn into butter
• Do not add any other liquid
• Use cashew butter as a spread for bread.

Source: ComCashew Recipe Book.

Lunch

Chicken and cashew stir-fry

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1         bunch scallions

1 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 red bell pepper, chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes

3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup salted roasted whole cashews

Preparation:

1. Chop scallions, separating white and green parts. Pat chicken dry, then cut into 3/4-inch pieces and toss with salt and pepper. Heat a wok or 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over moderately high heat until a drop of water evaporates immediately. Add oil, swirling to coat, then stir-fry chicken until golden in places and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add bell pepper, garlic, ginger, red-pepper flakes, and scallion whites to wok and stir-fry until peppers are just tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Stir together broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, and sugar, then stir into vegetables in wok. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cashews, scallion greens, and chicken along with any juices accumulated on plate.
3. Serve with rice/ potatoes.

Source: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chicken-and-cashew-stir-fry-238402

Cashew Tatale with Beans

 

Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 overripe plantain fingers

1 full teaspoonful milled pepper

1 full teaspoonful ground onion

75g hard flour

50g palm oil

50g cashews

Salt to taste

Preparation

Pound the plantain

Grind onion and pepper and mix with the pounded plantain

Add flour and salt to taste

Add broken chunks of cashews

Put a little palm oil on fire in a frying pan until hot

Using a ladle, fetch the plantain mixture into the hot oil in bits and fry

Keep turning to prevent burning and serve when ready

Serving tip: Tatale can be eaten alone, with vegetable sauce, gravy or with beans and gari or served with roasted cashew at the side.

Source: ComCashew Recipe Book

Snacks

Dates and Cashew Vegan Balls

This energy booster is the perfect snack to nibble on. Loaded with the goodness of dates, cashew nuts and coconut, you can also throw in some seeds of your choice.

Ingredients

1 cup dates, deseeded

1 cup cashew nuts

¼ cup flaxseeds

1/2 cup grated coconut

A pinch of rock salt

1 Tbsp virgin coconut oil

Preparation:

1. Soak the dates in water for 1 hour. Drain and pat dry.
2. In a food processor, add the cashew nuts and grated coconut and blend until nice and crumbly.
3. Add the dates, salt and virgin coconut oil and pulse again until you acquire a sticky mixture.
4. Take small scoops of the mixture on your palms, and roll to form balls.
5. Place the balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, and refrigerate for atleast 1 hour.
6. Serve chilled.

Source: https://food.ndtv.com/recipe-dates-and-cashew-vegan-balls-846185

Garlic-Onion Cashews

Makes for a great savory snack or entrée for group dinners

Makes : 4 cups

Ingredients:

4 teaspoons onion salt

2 teaspoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cups salted cashews

2 teaspoons lemon juice

4 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

Preparation:

Mix onion salt, sugar and garlic powder.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add cashews, seasoning mixture and lemon juice; cook and stir 4-7 minutes or until cashews are toasted.

Stir in parsley.

Drain on paper towels; cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.

Source: Tasteofhome: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/garlic-onion-cashews/

Dinner

1.Ginger-Cashew Chicken Salad

Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup molasses

1/3 cup canola oil

2 tablespoons minced fresh gingerroot

2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)

For salad:

8 ounces fresh baby spinach (about 10 cups)

1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained

1 cup shredded red cabbage

2 medium carrots, shredded

3 green onions, thinly sliced

2 cups chow mein noodles

3/4 cup salted cashews, toasted

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Preparation:

In a small bowl, whisk the first 7 ingredients until blended. Pour 3/4 cup marinade into a large shallow dish. Add chicken; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.

Preheat broiler. Drain chicken, discarding marinade in dish. Place chicken in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Broil 4-6 in. from heat 4-6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 165°. Cut chicken into strips.

Place spinach on a serving platter. Arrange chicken, oranges, cabbage, carrots and green onions on top. Sprinkle with chow mein noodles, cashews and sesame seeds. Stir reserved molasses mixture; drizzle over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Extra tip:

To toast nuts, bake in a shallow pan in a 350° oven for 5-10 minutes or cook in a skillet over low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Source: tasteofhome: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/ginger-cashew-chicken-salad/

Creamy Broccoli with Cashews

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients

9 cups fresh broccoli florets

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup coarsely chopped cashews

Preparation:

Place broccoli in a steamer basket; place in a large saucepan over 1 in. of water. Bring to a boil; cover and steam for 3-4 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. Remove from the heat; stir in the sour cream, honey, vinegar, salt and paprika.

Transfer broccoli to a serving bowl. Add sour cream mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cashews.

Source: Tasteofhome: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/creamy-broccoli-with-cashews/

Desert

Stewed cashew apples

Preparation

Peel the fruits and cover them with a mixture of water and lemon juice for 2 hours. Drain the liquid and place in a pressure cooker with 1 litre of water and the sugar and cook for 5 minutes.

Open the pressure cooker, remove the lid and place the saucepan on gentle heat. Add the cinnamon and cloves and stir until the juice has reduced and lightly thickened.

Source: http://www.b4fn.org/resources/recipes/recipes/stewed-cashew-apples/

Drink

Cashew Apple Juice

Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 - 3 cashew apples

Pinch of salt

Pinch of white pepper

powder

Pinch of sugar

Preparation:

Wash and cut cashew fruits into pieces and put into a blender

Blend adding a little water at a time until a fine consistency is achieved

Add the salt, white pepper powder and the sugar

Strain the juice and pour into a glass

Serve chilled

Serving tip: A fruit juice extractor can be used instead of a blender. Cashew juice contains

vitamin c and other important nutrients that children require. Serve with slices of coconut

cashew banana bread, cashew meat pie or mexi-cashews as a delicious snack option for

children.

Source: ComCashew Recipe Book

Interview with Dr Adama COULIBALY - General Director, Conseil du Coton et de l’Anacarde (CCA)

Since the 2013 reforms, Côte d'Ivoire has systematically made positive efforts in the cashew nut sector. Please tell us about your main efforts that have improved the production, marketing and processing of cashew nuts and its by-products.

The political will of the State of Côte d'Ivoire to structurally transform high-potential commodity chains has led to the main results we have achieved. The main efforts made are as follows: (i) the establishment of a permanent support and advisory system for producers; (ii) the provision of jute bags adapted to the preservation of quality at the level of producers and exporters; (iii) the relaunch of research with the provision of high-yield equipment and techniques for rehabilitating old orchards; (iv) the sanitation of the marketing system through the approval of actors and a system of traceability of the physical flows of products and price control; (v) the establishment of mechanisms and measures to encourage private investment and the installation of processing units.

What are the main lessons learned since 2013?

The development of the sector requires political will. Moreover, a synergy of the various actions carried out for the benefit of the actors, particularly the producers, can allow the use of resources to be optimised.

What have been the impacts in the cashew industry?

- An improvement in producers' income with 300 to 500 billion euros distributed to them each year, compared to 222 billion euros in 2014.

- The creation of numerous jobs with more than 400,000 producers and nearly 2,500,000 indirect beneficiaries. An increase in production with nearly 900,000 tons.

- Also, an improvement in the quality of the product with humidity levels below 10%. In addition, more than 23 operational units are registered with an installed capacity of 295,000 tons in 2020. About ten units are under construction and will be operational in 2021 with an additional capacity of 166,000 tons.

Could you tell us 3 things you would do differently today if you had the opportunity (regarding cashew processing and marketing)?

i.    Encouraging greater direct state involvement in local cashew nut processing.

ii.   Deepen efforts on the creation of local cashew nut processing technologies.

iii.  Create a label or brand made in Côte d'Ivoire.

From your point of view, what could be the reason for the low consumption of cashew in Africa?

The cashew almond is a little known product and is not part of the African diet. The price of the product is high and seems to be reserved for one social class. Moreover, from a sociological point of view, old prejudices about the harmfulness of consuming cashew products have yet to be erased from people's minds.

The CCA is actively engaged in promoting the consumption and marketing of cashew nuts and cashew products. Could you share with us your experience as an example for other countries?

We have set up a platform for artisans of by-products and we promote it through national and international forums. At trade fairs, we rent space for by-products manufacturers.

Do you know of any policies that can inspire/encourage an increase in local consumption of cashew and cashew products?

There is a need to communicate the properties of the kernel as well as its health benefits including the absence of cholesterol, a perfect substitute for peanuts and an alternative for many other types of consumers, including vegans and vegetarians.

Côte d'Ivoire is a model when it comes to encouraging local processing, marketing and consumption. Please share with us some key experiences?

The secret of Côte d'Ivoire lies essentially in the political will and hard work of the actors from the edge of the fields to the export of raw and finished products.

 In terms of the impact of your efforts, what is missing so far or what needs to be put in place?

Our efforts have made it possible to clean up the market and the business environment through products and conditions adapted to all types of private investors with or without national capital. What needs to be done is perfect collaboration between producer countries to align certain agricultural policies and control production volumes and prices.

In your opinion, what is the role of the private sector, research and development partners in promoting the consumption of cashew nuts and its by-products?

I remain convinced that the private sector has an important role to play in the promotion of cashew nut products. It will be a question of involving them more so that these products gradually become part of our eating habits. As an example, we can imagine that in hotels and restaurants cashew kernels replace a certain number of dried fruits, most of which are imported.

What do you think of the global communication/exchange of knowledge on the health benefits of cashew nuts? How does this affect market dynamics?

It is so important that we make every effort to promote workshops and fairs to showcase the benefits of cashew nuts. To this end, every two years we organise the International Cashew Processing Equipment and Technologies Exhibition (SIETTA) to promote processing technologies and by-products value. At the research level, we organise the International Colloquium for Scientific Exchange on Cashew Nuts (CIESA) to promote scientific exchanges and the transfer of transferable knowledge to the popularisation.  

Do you have anything else to add?

We would like to thank the actors in the value chain, including our producers for all the efforts made to develop the sector. I would like to make a strong appeal to national and international private investors to invest in a profitable sector for which the state has taken numerous financial, fiscal and legal measures to facilitate their establishment. Finally, I hope that the International Cashew Advisory Council will play an important role in the life of the sector in terms of international cooperation.