Hey lovely peeps!

I hope you're enjoying spring so far! Today, I have an extra special treat for you. The lovely Dreena Burton has shared her mouth-watering recipe for Wonder Spread with us! Plus, she's doing a giveaway of her awesome new book, Plant-Powered 15!! Winner will be announced on May 29th. To enter, please reply to this blog post and answer the question "What is your favorite thing to spread on toast?" And no, you don't get to enter twice when you change your answer to WONDER SPREAD after trying this recipe... ; ) xo and good luck!

Wonder Spread

From Dreena Burton's Plant-Powered 15

Dreena says: This recipe has such simple ingredients, that you might think it doesn’t taste particularly special. But it does! Be forewarned, this spread (or dip, sauce, mayo!) is addictive!

Tess says: As a cookbook author, I rarely get a chance to try other author's recipes. However, Imma have to make an exception for this one!! Seriously, does this not look amazing?! Plus, for those of you who follow my color-coding system in my books (and in the Get Waisted program), this is a go-go-GREEN recipe! WIN, babies. OK, enough talk. Here's the goods...

1 cup soaked cashews (soak in advance, see note)
1 1/2 tbsp chickpea miso (see note)
1 1/2 - 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (adjust to taste)
1 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 - 1/2 tsp pure maple syrup
1/3 - 1/2 cup water (see note)
Salt and pepper if desired, to taste

In a blender, puree all ingredients on high speed until very smooth. Season to taste with additional salt if desired. Spread on breads, use for sandwiches, wraps, baked potatoes, veggie burgers, or to mix into grains or vegetable dishes. Many serving options with this recipe, it is delicious! Transfer to airtight containers to refrigerate. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Cashew Note: Raw cashews take about 3-4 hours to soak, so I find it helpful to soak in batches and then freeze in portions until ready to use. To soak, place nuts in a bowl of water and cover for several hours. The nuts will become larger after soaking, as they swell from absorbing some of the water. Drain the soaking water, and rinse the nuts. Then store in the fridge for a couple of days until ready to use, or in the freezer for a few months.

Miso Note: Chickpea miso is something I discovered this past year. It has such a mild, mellow flavor and a very fermented, umami essence. If you cannot find it, use a very mild miso like a brown rice - and start with just 1 tbsp as it tastes stronger than chickpea miso.

Water Note: Using just 1/3 cup of water will give you a thicker spread. However, if you don’t have a high-speed blender, you may find it difficult to get a smooth puree. If so, use the full 1/2 cup of water. The mixture will thicken slightly with refrigeration.

Recipe from “Plant-Powered 15” by Dreena Burton. Dreena is the author of vegan cookbooks including Let Them Eat Vegan. For more recipes, visit www.plantpoweredkitchen.com .
Photo credit: Nicole Axworth, www.adashofcompassion.com