Available in either softbound or Kindle/Nook/etc. eBook at Amazon viviansharpe.com

NEXT MAIN MENU PREVIOUS Cashew Cream Cheese Who doesn’t love a good cashew cheese these days? It seems like only yesterday, vegans were smiling way too eagerly as we insisted that the plastic cheese-like facsimile we found at the grocery store was “just fine.” It wasn’t but, you know, we wanted it to be. Lo and behold, the solution to our cheese problem had been with us all along in the form of the humble cashew. Necessity is the mother of invention and vegans are nothing if not resourceful. Cashews have provided a great gateway for making delicious cheese. Cashews provide that creamy, thickening double punch that, along with a mild flavor, is a perfect canvas for flavorings, like nutritional yeast and miso paste, that combine to create something that is a perfect cheese sauce. You can use this for anything you’d normally use cheese sauce for: macaroni and cheese, over veggies, a chip dip, etc. Additional add-ins might be roasted red bell pepper, salsa, caramelized onions… the sky is the limit. Just don’t settle for icky cheese anymore when you can have this.   Cashew Cream Cheese 1 cup raw cashews or cashew pieces, soaked for 30 minutes to an hour* and drained 2 cups plain, unsweetened vegan milk 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon sauerkraut liquid 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder or granules ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika 1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder ¼ cup quick cooking oats ¼ cup nutritional yeast 2 tablespoons mild miso paste, like chickpea Salt and pepper to taste Blend until smooth. Transfer to a medium pan and cook over medium low, whisking frequently, until thickened, about 15 minutes. If reheating, you may want to add a bit more liquid. *Soaking isn’t necessary with a high-speed blender but is recommended with a regular blender to get it to a smooth consistency.   © 2013-2017, Vegan Street