For the cashew cream
Soak the cashews in water overnight for 8-12 hours.
If you are short on time, you can skip this step. Aside from the nutritional benefits, soaking the cashews ensures the cashew cream will have a smooth consistency.
Rinse the cashews with water and then puree with 125 ml of water. Add more water if necessary until the cashew cream achieves a smooth, thick consistency.
Stir the thyme and nutmeg into the cashew cream. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in the shredded coconut.
You can vary the amount of salt and pepper you add according to taste. Ideally, you should use as little as possible.
The original recipe calls for ½ teaspon ground nutmeg. We recommend that you start with a pinch and then add more according to taste.
For the gratin
Peel the carrots and cut them diagonally into paper-thin slices. Peel and finely grate the ginger and combine with the agave syrup.
Preheat the oven to 180 °C (356 °F). Lightly coat the casserole dish with the oil and arrange the carrot slices in layers. Drizzle with the agave and ginger syrup.
Pour the cashew cream over the carrots and bake on the middle rack for approximately 30 minutes. The top should be lightly browned.
Mince the fresh herbs and sprinkle over the carrot gratin dish. Serve immediately.
Detailed Nutritional Information per Person for this Recipe
The majority of the nutritional information comes from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). This means that the information for natural products is often incomplete or only given within broader categories, whereas in most cases products made from these have more complete information displayed.
If we take flaxseed, for example, the important essential amino acid ALA (omega-3) is only included in an overarching category whereas for flaxseed oil ALA is listed specifically. In time, we will be able to change this, but it will require a lot of work. An “i” appears behind ingredients that have been adjusted and an explanation appears when you hover over this symbol.
For Erb Muesli, the original calculations resulted in 48 % of the daily requirement of ALA — but with the correction, we see that the muesli actually covers >100 % of the necessary recommendation for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA. Our goal is to eventually be able to compare the nutritional value of our recipes with those that are used in conventional western lifestyles.
In addition to being delicious, carrot gratin provides many important nutrients
Carrots and vitamin A: Carrots are a variety of vegetables that are low in calories. They are particularly rich in carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, to which they also owe their typical orange color. Vitamin A is important for our vision, but also for the immune system.
Tips
Storing carrots: Carrots will keep longer if you remove the green tops and any plastic packaging before storing in the refrigerator.
Alternate preparation
Creamy gratin: If you prefer a more creamy gratin, you might consider making a double batch of the cashew cream.
Herbal varieties: Instead of parsley and mint, you can use only parsley or other herbs according to taste.
Alternative sweeteners: You can also replace the agave syrup with honey (e.g., acacia honey).
