"Let me show you healthy can taste good."

Let's get Cheesy!

Here are a couple great cheesy recipes that would also be perfect for a gathering, cough, Superbowl, cough. I have heard many times from people, "I could go vegan, but I can't give up cheese." The good news is, there are ways to make cheesy foods, without actual cheese. You'll find cashews & nutritional yeast as common ingredients in cheesy dishes.

I gave away a copy of The Cheesy Vegan by Jon Schlimm last month. When the copy for the winner arrived, I flipped through it & knew I need to pick up my own copy. So far I have only tried one recipe, smoked cheddar. It slices, shreds & melts wonderfully. This smoked cheddar was served on New Years Eve.




















If you're unfamiliar with agar powder, I highly suggest looking for it in the Asian section of the store, or an Asian market if you have access to one. They charge ridiculous amounts at natural markets but you can get a container for around $2 which makes 2 batches of this cheese.

Olive or canola oil for oiling loaf pan
5 teaspoons agar powder
1 1/2 cups filtered water
1/2 cup raw, unsalted cashews
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 small jar sliced pimientos, drained
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard

Lightly oil a loaf pan measuring 3x7 or 4x8 (I used a 5x5 square). In a small saucepan, over medium heat, whisk together the agar & water. Stir often until mixture comes to a boil, then lower heat to simmer. Let the mixture bubble gently for 3-5 minutes, stirring often to dissolve agar completely.

Meanwhile, add cashews, nutritional yeast, pimiento, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder & mustard into blender. When agar has dissolved, pour it into blender container. Blend mixture on high speed until very smooth, stopping to scrape sides with spatula if needed.

Pour mixture into loaf pan. Transfer to refrigerator & chill until firm, at least an hour. Will keep in fridge for at least 1 week in a sealed container.




1 comment:

  1. I have been wanting to try a dairy free cheese. This one sounds terrific. Thanks for the recipe.

    ReplyDelete