Tag Archives: vegan cheese

Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil “Cheese”

by

13

I’ve been stockpiling raw food recipes lately; I love collard wraps so much but I’m getting bored with the combinations I already have. Since most raw foodist have perfected the collard wrap, I figure it’s about time I do the same. I don’t plan on going 100% raw anytime soon (yeah, like I have that kind of time in the kitchen!) but I’m dabbling. I guess you could say we already eat a pretty raw diet but I’m enjoying learning about the more traditional styles of real raw food… if that makes any sense. 😉

I found this recipe on a Choosing Raw and I had to make it. Not only is this one of the BEST nut cheeses I’ve ever tasted, it’s probably one of the best FOODS I ever tasted! I’ve been slathering it on so many things but I haven’t had a chance to take a better picture to represent all the glory of this beautiful “cheese”. Nevertheless, I had to post this so that you guys have a chance to make it yourselves. I plan on using it in collard wraps, salads, as a dip, I’ve been spreading it on my Pulp “Crackers” (post to follow soon – “crackers” made out of chia seeds and leftover juicing pulp… BRILLIANT!!!), eating it with a spoon, dreaming of putting it on pizza and well, dreaming of putting it on just about anything! This reminds me of sun dried tomato basil cream cheese, I bet it would be excellent on a warm toasted bagel! I haven’t had a bagel in so long…. hmmm….. 🙂

Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil "Cheese"

Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil “Cheese” (AKA Italian “Pizza Cheese”)

1 cup raw cashews, soaked for two hours or more
Juice of one lemon
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp white miso (optional)
4 sundried tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup basil

Throw nuts in a food processor and process the heck out of them! Then add salt, lemon juice and miso (if you’re using it). Scrape the sides of bowl and run your processor again, this time drizzling some water in. Keep doing this until the cheese reaches the consistency you like. I aim for mine to look like ricotta.

Ready, set, blend!

Smooth like ricotta

Add tomatoes and basil and pulse until they are well combined into the cheese.

Add sun-dried tomatoes and basil

Don't cut yourself licking the blade! 😉

DONE!! Now try not to eat the whole batch by yourself!!

Again, sorry for the terrible photo but I just had to get this to you sooner!!

Real-Deal Nacho Cheeze

by

12

I haven’t made this in awhile… not because it’s not THE BEST NACHO CHEEZE EVER but because making this leads to a large consumption of chips and other snacks type things we don’t really eat too often. Yes, I know people need to splurge every now and when we do it’s for this sauce and these nachos! I usually double this recipe and mix it in my VitaMix. I use my TVP Meat with Hidden Greens recipe for the “meat” part of our nachos… my family loves this for nachos, burritos, tacos and anything with a Mexican flair!

For a really good bean dip, add a single batch of this nacho cheese to this bean dip recipe and stir to combine. Serve in a small crockpot to keep warm – good with chips of any kind!

1 can refried beans
1/2 cup vegan sour cream
small can chopped green chiles 
1 packet taco seasoning – or a batch of the homemade taco seasoning 
1 green onion, chopped (optional)

P.S. I made this for my Grandpa and Uncle, SERIOUS MEAT EATERS from Colorado… they had no idea it was dairy-free!! They were confused when I told them… “what do you mean it’s cheese without cheese??” 😉

Real-Deal Nacho Cheeze

Real-Deal Nacho Cheeze

  • 1/4 cup raw cashews 
  • 1 1/2 cups cold water
  • 2 ounces pimientos (half of a 4 oz. jar)
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies (optional but SO GOOD!)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Soak cashews in hot water while combining the remaining ingredients (except chiles) in a blender. If you don’t have a high powered blender, soak cashews for an hour or two in hot water first.

2. Add cashews to blender and process on high for 1-2 minutes.

3. Cook in a sauce pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Add chiles and serve or use in other recipes that call for cheese sauce.

Blend ingredients except for cashews

Add cashews and blend for 1-2 minutes

Done blending

Heat and stir until thickened

Add green chiles (if using)

Ready to serve! Tell me that doesn't look like the real thing!?!

YUMMY NACHOS!!!

* Another good vegan cheese recipe for ya!

Related articles

Fat Free Smoky ‘Cheeze’ Spread

by

1

I’ve been wanting to make this for a while now so yesterday I finally did it! SO glad I did because this is really good! I ordered a pound of lima beans from NutsOnline.com just for this recipe, in addition to my regular order (love that site!). I sent a container of this spread to work with my hubby for his veggies sandwiches, he loves it! I toasted a piece of Ezekiel bread, spread this over it, topped with leftover Chipotle corn salsa and broiled for a few minutes. YUMMY!

Fat Free Smoky 'Cheeze

I made the beans in my pressure cooker after soaking them overnight – a definite learning curve because the manual didn’t say how long to cook them so my first batch was pulverized! My daughter likes to snack on lima beans, so I learned today when I threw some in a cup for her snack, just to see what she would do. Yay for new healthy toddler snacks!!

This recipe is from Melomeals, my favorite food blogger!(as I’m sure you know by now!)

Fat Free Smoky Cheese Spread

  • 2 cups (preferably warm) large lima beans
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 small red or orange pepper – I used a Habanero pepper and removed the seeds
  • 1 cup sauerkraut, drained of liquid (reserve liquid)
  • 2-4 tablespoons light miso – I used about 2 1/2 Tbsp
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon chipotle powder
  • pinch nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2-4 tablespoons brine from green olives (or sauerkraut liquid) as needed to thin mixture – I used about 3 Tbsp
  • Salt/pepper to taste
  1. In a food processor, process garlic first, then add the pepper.
  2. Puree completely, then add the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Let mixture sit for an hour or so, then taste and adjust seasonings.

Yummy!

Spread this on toasted Ezekiel bread, topped with leftover corn salsa from Chipotle and broiled. YUMMY!