Photo: @flouredfingers_
Recipe for vegan cream cheese dip with herbs by Yuliya Mihaylova
This is an easy recipe but it does take some planning as you will need to soak the cashews overnight. But if not, don’t worry as there’s a shortcut. You can boil the cashews to soften them, though if you wish to reap the benefits of raw activated cashews, this may not be the best method.
Either way, once the cashews are softened, the actual active prep time is just a few minutes -- the rest is waiting time.
*Note: The nutritional yeast gives the dip a special taste that resembles the flavor of cheese. But it is not a mandatory ingredient and you can skip it if you do not have it on hand.
See also: Recipe for vegan puff pastry twists with pesto cream cheese
Difficulty: Easy
Total time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
150 grams raw cashews
4 tbsp organic soy milk
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1.5 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 clove garlic
3-4 stems fresh parsley
3-4 stems fresh dill
6-7 leaves fresh basil
1/2 tsp himalayan salt
Black pepper and chili flakes to taste
Method
Prepare the cashews. Either soak it overnight or if this is a last minute preparation, boil it until it’s soft.
When the cashews are ready, prepare the herbs. Chop them as finely as you’d like on a cutting board and set aside.
Put all ingredients (except the herbs) in the chopper or blender, and blend on high speed for 3-4 minutes.
Depending on the machine, you might need to stop and scrape the sides with a silicone spatula and blend again.
Remove the blade. Transfer the mixture into a bowl, add the freshly cut herbs and mix well.
Taste it and if needed, adjust the flavor to your liking with more salt and pepper. You can also add chilli flakes.
The dip tastes best after it's been in the fridge for a while, as the time allows all the flavors to mingle together.
Store in an air-tight container for up to five days. 
