Strawberry Smoothie with Cashews (vegetarian, gluten-free)

Help, my sweet tooth is out of control!  Thankfully I have some healthy alternatives that can quell the insatiable sweet-toothed beast that rages inside me.  Enter the fruit smoothie.  Kinda milkshake, kinda not.  Kinda sweet, kinda not.  Kinda just a healthy snack/breakfast/dessert and I can get down with.

This strawberry smoothie is a little different in that I use soaked cashews for added nutrition and a hit of sweetness.  The cashews also add richness that replaces the fat in the nonfat yogurt I like to use. If you don't have cashews try some almonds (also soaked in water overnight). And of course if all of this sounds like too much trouble the recipe is good without the nuts too.  But remember raw cashews are a good source of manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, copper and vitamin K. 

So if you've never heard of soaking nuts here's a little background.  Besides improving the texture of the nuts when blended and bringing out the sweetness and flavor of the cashew, soaking also has some health benefits.  Soaking nuts aids in the absorption of their nutrients by removing phytates, enzymes that hinder vitamin and mineral absorption.  It also initiates the sprouting process in raw nuts, which can release additional nutrients.  Soaking also helps remove possible irritants, pesticides and chemicals.

All nuts have different soaking times for best results. Cashews should be soaked for at least one hour.  I usually soak what I need for my smoothies the night before so they are ready for blending in the morning.  I set out a mug or bowl, add a half cup of cashews and cover with water.  Just drain the water in the morning and add the cashews to the blender. 

I also add ground flax seed to this smoothie.  The flax is unidentifiable when blended in with the strawberry seeds, so why not sneak in some more fiber.  I use unsweetened almond milk but I've also successfully substituted coconut milk and rice milk.  If you're craving a little more sweetness add a dash of maple syrup and you have something a little more on the dessert side of smoothie.  Also a variety of berries works superbly, try adding blackberries, blueberries and raspberries.


Recipe:
2 c. strawberries
1/2 c. soaked raw cashews
1/2 c. yogurt
1/2 c. almond milk
1 tbs. flax seed
1 tbs. maple syrup (optional)
6 ice cubes


Method:
1. Wash strawberries and remove the stems and green leaves.
2. Puree all ingredients in a blender until you have a rosy, sweet elixir. 

ENJOY!