Healthy desserts: Raw Vegan Cashew Cake Batter Pudding

Looking for a way to satisfy your sweet tooth that won’t leave you feeling like a bad yogi? Go raw. “Raw living foods provide us with abundant energy and life force. They are easier to digest and will help your yoga practice take flight” says Christa Orecchio, nutritionist and founder of The Whole Journey. But you don’t have to become a strict raw foodist to reap the benefits of a raw diet. Next time you want a sweet treat, try Christa’s raw, vegan, and sugar-free Cashew Cake Batter Pudding recipe below.

Have your cake and eat it, too:

Soak your nuts, pardon?

You won’t need to turn on the oven for this tasty dessert, but you will need to plan ahead and soak your cashews for at least an hour before hand. By soaking cashews, enzymes are activated, making their protein more bio-available and diluting fat content. 

Batter up

Try Christa’s easy six-ingredient Cashew Cake Batter pudding for dessert tonight.

• 1 heaping cup raw cashews, soaked for one hour and then drained
• 1 cup pure water (or unsweetened almond milk or coconut water)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean
• 3 tablespoons coconut butter (found near the nut butters in the baking aisle of health food stores)
• ½ teaspoon dark-liquid stevia
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor. Refrigerate and serve cool. For added pleasure, combine with raw cacao nibs before refrigerating. Top with organic raspberries.

Why cashews are king

Cashews are already lower in fat than most nuts and 75% of their fat is unsaturated. They are also rich in magnesium, needed for strong bones, and also contain copper, which is vital for the function of enzymes involved in combining collagen and elastin. Chrsta says this translates to providing both substance and flexibility in bones, something we yogis can all appreciate.