Raw Caprese Salad

I started my day in the mood for Italian food, specifically the cool, fresh taste of a Caprese salad. You know the kind. Fresh slices of red, ripe tomatoes layered with Buffalo mozzarella and tons of fresh basil.

I have plenty of tomatoes growing in my backyard garden as well as more fresh basil than I know what to do with. I just needed to replicate the cheesy texture using raw foods. I don’t think fresh mozzarella cheese has much flavor. It was just the cool, squishy texture I was looking to recreate. Raw cashews were the answer. Once soaked, they come pretty close to the cheesy consistency I was looking for.

My Raw Caprese Salad comes together extremely quickly. It is best to let the salad marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours to allow the cashews to soften in the tomatoes’ juices and the flavors to merge. This salad can easily be made the night before and packed for a healthy lunch the next day.

Raw Caprese Salad
makes 1 large salad or 2 small if you’re willing to share

2 large tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup raw cashews
1 Tbsp cold-pressed olive oil
salt and pepper

• Dice tomatoes and chop basil. Transfer to a medium bowl.
• Add in cashews, oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine.
• Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 2-3 hours before serving.

Variations
Try adding in coriander, parsley, chili flakes, and/or garlic.