Cashew Yogurt Plus

This is a great non-dairy version of Yogurt Plus that is made with raw cashews. It's thick and creamy, has a great taste and may turn out to be your new favorite yogurt. Cashews have lots of carbohydrates, which the microbes eat as a fuel source, so it is not as tart as some yogurt. You can let it ferment longer if you want a tarter taste. Cashews contain calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, and vitamin K, which may promote healthy bones and muscles. They are high in protein, healthy fats, fiber, and other nutrients and have many health benefits. Cashews contain 83 milligrams of magnesium per 1-ounce serving, which is 20% of the recommended daily value.

Due to their high magnesium content, cashews may lower bad cholesterol and help prevent heart disease. Getting enough magnesium is so important and may reduce your risk of ischemic heart disease and stroke, which happens when your heart doesn't get enough blood.

We use guar gum to thicken our non-dairy yogurts. Guar gum is also a prebiotic fiber that is actually a bean. It is high in fiber and helps to normalize bowel movements be it constipation or diarrhea. It also might help decrease the amount of cholesterol and glucose absorbed in the stomach and intestines. Guar gum is 100% natural and made from guar beans.

Equipment

Blender
Thermometer
Luvele Yogurt Maker or Instapot with yogurt setting or a Sous vide device will work too.

Ingredients

2 cups raw cashews soaked for 4 hours
2 cups cold water
¾ tablespoon Guar Gum this helps to thicken the cashews and is also a prebiotic
1 sachet Yogurt Plus

Instructions

Strain the cashews and place them along with the water in a high-speed blender. Blend for 90 seconds.
Add the guar gum and blend in the blender for about 15-20 seconds until the mixture thickens. It should be fairly thick. Check the mixture's temperature. It can get really hot in the blender. Let it cool until it cools to 100℉ or less.
Add this mixture to a bowl, preferably with a spout, and whisk in 1 sachet of Yogurt Plus starter culture. This distributes the good bacteria throughout the milk.
Place the milk in yogurt jar or jars without lids and incubate in your yogurt maker for 8-12 hours. The longer you let it ferment the more tart and sour it will taste. It likes the consistent, lukewarm temperature of 110°F. This is paradise for all the good bacteria and promotes their growth.
Remove the jars from the yogurt maker, place lids on the jars, and then place the jars in the fridge to cool and set for at least a couple of hours. As the yogurt cools, it will get even thicker! Store in the fridge.

Reculturing with the yogurt as a starter

To Reculture: To make a new batch, repeat these instructions but use 2 teaspoons of yogurt made with Yogurt Plus as your starter. You can do this again and again until it stops tasting sour.