Ideal for EatingEating ethically while eating great!

I've been wanting to try walnut cream to replace cashew cream in some recipes. First, I love walnuts. Second, walnuts are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which vegans have a hard time getting not eating fish. Flax seeds are the best vegetarian source. (Fish don't actually make omega-3 fatty acids. They get it from microalgae. We can take microalgae supplements for a direct source of DHA and EPA.)

I had a request for a substitute for cashew cream from a reader who is allergic to cashews but not to walnuts. So, I finally decided to give it a try.

Just like in making cashew cream, soak in the fridge overnight 2 cups of walnuts in enough cold water to cover the walnuts. When ready to use the walnuts, drain and rinse in cold water. Put walnuts in Vita-Mix. Pour in just enough water to cover. Blend on high for several minutes. Makes about 3 cups of walnut cream. (If you don't have a Vita-Mix, you'll need to strain the walnut cream in a fine sieve strainer. This is probably a good idea even if you are using a Vita-Mix.)

On its own, walnut cream is just lovely. It is mild tasting and not at all overtly walnut-y.That's one of the reasons to use cashew cream. Raw cashews are almost flavorless. Raw walnuts are not quiet flavorless, but they are very mild.

The other big reason for using cashew cream is for the high fat content. Cashews contain 12 g of fat per ounce. Walnuts have even more fat: 18 g per ounce. And yet, surprisingly, the corn chowder made with walnut cream was not as rich as the corn chowder made with cashew cream.

Now, I was happy with both versions of the soup. My 15-year-old daughter preferred the cashew cream version. And my husband preferred the walnut cream version. 

One issue with walnut cream is the skin. Raw cashews are totally bare. Raw walnuts have a thin skin on them. To overcome this issue requires an extra step: filtering or skimming. I did not filter/strain the walnut cream before adding it to the chowder. So a light walnut foam developed at the top of the soup. I just skimmed this off with a little hand strainer.

The other issue is the color. Cashew cream is a very pale cream color. Walnut cream is light brown. I totally don't mind beige chowder. But, if having cream colored chowder is important to you, then you'll want to go with the cashew cream. Corn chowder with walnut cream results in a beige colored soup. Again, nothing wrong with it at all. It's just probably not what you're used to in a chowder.

I have yet to try walnut cream in desserts. When I do, I'll get back to you.

Until then, I do recommend trying walnut cream as an alternative to cashew cream and to dairy. The corn chowder was absolutely delicious. Knowing that it now contains some omega-3 fatty acids made it even better.

Enjoy!