Another Vegan Block Cheese Recipe:

I haven't done any vegan cheese making in a while now, and I had a little extra free time on Saturday, so I decided that it was time to improve upon my last recipe for Vegan Block Cheddar Cheese.

I made a special trip to the produce store to buy raw cashews yesterday, but they were out. Still determined to make cheese that night, I decided to move on to plan B and use cauliflower instead. I've used it in cream sauces before, and it always turns out delicious. Cauliflower has a neutral flavor, so it picks up the flavors well. I also used a little sweet potato to add more depth in flavors. Another benefit to using cauliflower is that it's better on the budget than raw cashews, which generally cost an arm and a leg to buy, so it's not as scary to experiment.

This cheese grates and melts. I just used it to make a grilled cheese sandwich on ciabatta bread, and it was super delicious. This doesn't taste exactly like cheddar cheese, but it's definitely a good substitute. I'm waiting for rejuvelac to come in. I ordered it on Amazon yesterday. My next goal is to make something that tastes almost exactly like dairy cheese, and I've heard that because rejuvelac has a sour, fermented flavor, it generally does the trick. Be looking out for that recipe in the near future. I'm excited to try it out!

Ingredients:

2 cups cauliflower, cut into florets

1/4 cup sweet potato, cubed

1 cup water

1/2 cup plain unsweetened almond or soy milk

1/3 cup + 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast

4 cloves garlic, smashed

1 tbsp. sauerkraut 

1 tbsp. tahini

1/2 tbsp. coconut oil

4 tsp. agar powder

2 tsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. salt, divided

2 tsp. garlic powder

Dash of cayenne pepper

Dash of cumin

Dash of turmeric

Makes about 3 cups of vegan cheese.

Instructions: 

1. Bring the cauliflower, garlic, and sweet potato to a boil in a medium saucepan. Boil for 18 to 20 minutes. Drain, and return to pan. 

2. Next, stir in 1 tsp. of salt, the garlic powder, cayenne, cumin, and turmeric. 

3. Add the cauliflower mixture and the sauerkraut to your food processor. Add the almond milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and remaining 1 tsp. salt. Pulse until smooth, scraping the mixture off the sides as necessary. 

4. In a medium saucepan, bring the water and agar powder to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes, whisking almost constantly.

5. Once the agar  mixture is ready, pour it into the food processor and process until a smooth and creamy mixture has formed.

6. Grease a bowl or container, and pour the cheese mixture into it. Let it cool on the counter for at least 15 minutes. Refrigerate overnight. 

*(Do not use So Delicious Brand Almond or Soy Milk - for whatever reason, it doesn't turn out well when cooked).

Adventures in Vegan Cheese Making: Vegan Cashew Cheese Ball:

While making this "cheese," I set out to achieve that sour, cheesy flavor. It worked. To me, this cheese tastes a little like goat cheese, but with a little bit of a softer texture. This recipe would be perfect for a cheese plate at your next party (and it's totally acceptable to enjoy it all to yourself). 

Also, don't fret if you don't have a cheesecloth. You can always put it in a jar and eat it how you would any other cashew cheese. You don't even have to let it sit out overnight if you don't want to. The sauerkraut starter will still lend a sour flavor.

After letting the cheese sit out overnight, I placed it in the fridge for a few hours, and then I shaped it into a ball and rolled it in sesame seeds, fresh parsley, and a little bit of orange zest.

Needless to day, after taking these pictures, I quickly gobbled up half of this cheese with some cucumbers. It was a nice, healthy snack that made me happy. Hope it makes you happy as well!

Ingredients:

2 cups raw cashews, soaked for at least an hour 

1/4 cup water

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 to 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast

1 tbsp. coconut oil (you can use canola oil as well)

1 1/2 tbsp. sauerkraut starter (the juice from raw sauerkraut)*

2 tsp. sesame tahini

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt 

Dash of smoked paprika

Dried herbs (optional, to taste)

Toppings for the Cheese Ball:

2 tbsp. sesame seeds

2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 tsp. orange zest (or more)

Adventures in Vegan Cheesemaking: Vegan Muenster Cheese:

 I know you guys love vegan cheese recipes, so here's another! This is a mild cheese. It tastes a little like muenster cheese, or at least like muenster and provolone had a baby. Hope you like it.

Vegan Nachos & Nacho "Cheese":

Well, this is lame. I think I'm going to stay in, rent The Holiday, and watch it on repeat by myself all night. Haha. At least I ate well today. I made nachos with "cheese" sauce, jalapenos, diced tomatoes, and avocados. I also made sweet rolls with cinnamon buttery spread. ♥

Clearly, daylight savings time has become my arch enemy in getting good pictures these days. It has also been particularly gloomy for Florida lately. Needless to say, it's frustrating. Oh well, the  nachos tasted amazing anyways. You can also add in diced onions, black beans, bell peppers, and/or tempeh for more variety. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 ripe tomato, diced

 1 avocado, sliced

1 jalapeno, sliced

1 tsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. dried cilantro

Tortilla chips

1 cup nacho cheese (see recipe below) 

Hot sauce (to taste)

Instructions:

Lay the tortilla chips out on a plate or casserole dish. Toss the diced tomato with the olive oil and cilantro. Drizzle the tortilla chips with the cheese and hot sauce, and then top them with the tomato, avocado, and jalapenos. 

Vegan Nacho Cheese: 

1 1/2 cups plain unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 1/2 tsp. sesame tahini
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
1 tsp. chiles, minced
1/4 tsp. miso (optional)
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
A few dashes of cayenne pepper

Instructions:

1. Whisk the almond milk, tahini, nutritional yeast, chiles, miso, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and salt together in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in the flour.

2. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium, and let simmer until it thickens, another 10 minutes, whisking often.

3. Remove from heat, and let stand for 10 minutes. It should thicken a little more.

Vegan Crock Pot Tortilla Soup:

I know...I've been neglecting my blog a little for the past few days. I haven't been cooking all that much because I haven't been home during meal times, and I honestly haven't really felt like it. The past weekend was fun. I was able to relax a little, catch up with old friends, and make this delicious tortilla soup. (And Notre Dame won again. Woohoo). Anyways, more to tell later, and a few more recipes should be up tomorrow.

Ingredients:

1 (15oz.) can diced tomatoes + 1 can water

1 (15oz.) can corn, drained

1 (15oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup white mushrooms, sliced or diced

1/2 cup rice

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 to 2 tbsp. hot sauce

1 to 2 tsp. yellow corn meal

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Dash of cayenne pepper

Dash of paprika

Dash of black pepper

Toppings: 

Tortilla Chips

Vegan Cheese

Instructions:
Add all of the ingredients (minus the rice, vegan cheese, and tortillas) to your crock pot, stir, and turn to high. Cook for an hour, and then stir in the rice. Cook for an additional 2 hours or so. Top with grated vegan cheese (optional) and tortilla chips.

NOTE: Feel free to add Tofutti Sour Cream or avocados as toppings as well.

Other Soup Ingredients: You can also use bell peppers, onions, or black beans in this soup. (I didn't have any bell peppers and was feeling too lazy to cut the onions).

More "Cheese Making": Vegan Pepper Jack "Cheese"?

I know that you guys love vegan cheese recipes, so I figured that I'd put another one up. This cheese is really good. The chiles in it give it a nice, Pepper Jack-type flavor. Melt it on a grilled panini with roasted red peppers, and you're good to go!

Ingredients:
1 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
2 tsp. agar powder
3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least an hour
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 1/2 tbsp. sesame tahini
1 tsp. chile pepper, chopped (or more, to taste)
1 tsp, salt
1/4 tsp. roasted sesame seeds (optional)
1/4 tsp. thyme
Nonstick cooking spray

Instructions:

1. Add the almond milk and agar to a medium sauce pan. Dissolve the agar in the almond milk, and bring it to a boil. Boil for 7 to 10 minutes, whisking almost constantly.

2. Next, add the cashews, garlic, nutritional yeast, tahini, chile pepper, salt, sesame seeds, and thyme to the food processor. Briefly pulse. Pour the almond milk and agar mixture in, and process until smooth.

3. Taste the mixture, and add more ingredients to taste (chile peppers, tahini, salt, etc.).

 4. Grease a small bowl or container, pour the cheese mixture in the container, and let it cool uncovered for 5 minutes. Cover, and let set in the fridge for at least 6 hours.

Vegan and Gluten Free Mini Cheesecakes❤

Yesterday, I promised that I would post a mini cheesecake recipe for today. These cute little cakes are absolutely delicious. Made with cashews and tofu, they're packed with protein and super filling. They're gluten free, and  I tried to limit the sugar, so they're healthier than your regular cheesecake. Did I mention that they taste exactly like real cheesecake? Well, they do. :)

NOTE: if you make these in cupcake tins, use aluminum liners so that the dough doesn't stick.  

So anyways, the recipe is below. Enjoy!

I've been devouring these precious little cheesecakes since they came out of the oven. (Clearly I shouldn't have been eating them at 10:31PM last night).

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

1/2 cup almond flour
1 1/2 tbsp. crushed walnuts (optional)
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. agave nectar
1 teensy tiny drop of oil (about 1/4 tsp. - just to bind the dough a little)

For the Filling:

1/2 cup tofu, mashed
1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least an hour
1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. coconut oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. white sugar
1/2 tsp. agave
 1/4 tsp. salt (maybe a little more)

For the Whipped Topping: (adapted from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook)

1/2 cups frozen berries (for garnish)
1 cup tofu, drained and mashed
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp, coconut oil (optional)
1 tsp.vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt

Makes 6-ish mini cheesecakes.
Total Cook Time: about 45 minutes.

Instructions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Add all of the filling ingredients to your food processor, and process the mixture until it's smooth and creamy.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together all of the crust ingredients until a dough is formed.

3. Heat the frozen berries in a small saucepan on medium heat until a sauce has formed, about 7 minutes.

4. For the whipped topping, add the 1 cup tofu, canola oil, coconut oil, almond milk, agave nectar, vanilla extract, and salt to your food processor, and process it until it's whipped.

5. Add  a spoonful of the crust mixture to the bottoms of each of the 6 aluminum cupcake tins or into 6 small ramekins, and pack it down to form a crust. Fill the remainder of the cupcake tins/ramekins with the filling.

6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let the mini cheesecakes cool on the counter, and then refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Before serving, top each cheesecake with the whipped topping and berry sauce. 

Avocado Panini Melts With Hot Pepper Salsa:

These paninis are so good! I could live off of them, and the avocado makes them so filling. You can also add chickpeas to them for some protein. I used the Smokey Cheddar Block Cheese that I made the other day. I've been melting it on everything. These are also really easy to make, and if you don't feel like running to the store to pick up pitas, you can just use bread and make these like you would grilled cheese. Anyways, I hope you like this as much as I do! ❤❤❤

AVOCADO PANINI MELTS:

Ingredients:

2 whole wheat pitas
1 avocado, divided in half
1 medium tomato, diced
1/2 cup red onion, sliced
1 cup vegan cheese (you can use Smokey Cheddar Block Cheese, Daiya Cheese, or Cashew Cheese)

Serves 2.
Total Cook Time: 20 minutes.

Instructions:

1. Lay the pitas out flat on two plates. Spread the avocado over one half of the pita, and top with the tomatoes, onion, and the salsa. Add the vegan cheese to the other half, and then fold the pitas in half.

2. You can now either: 1) Grill the pitas in a Geoge Foreman Grill or Panini Grill, or 2) You can make them in a pan like you would make grilled cheese. For the grill: grill on medium or high heat until the cheese is melted and the pitas are golden brown, about seven minutes. For the pan: cook on medium-high heat until the cheese is melted and the pitas are golden-brown, about 7 minutes (You may want to cover the pan while cooking. It should help the cheese melt).

3. Let cool for a few minutes, cut the paninis in half, and enjoy. ❤

HOT PEPPER SALSA:

Ingredients:

4 hot peppers, seeded and cut in half (you can use sweet peppers if you don't like spicy food)

1/2 cup red onion
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic
2 tsp. lime juice
1/4 tsp. coarse salt

Instructions:

Mix all of the ingredients in you food processor, and process it until it has turned into a salsa.

Adventures in Vegan "Cheese" Making Part 3: Vegan Block Cheddar Cheese

What vegan doesn't love a good cashew cheese? Well, this is arguably even better: Smokey Cashew Block Cheddar Cheese. It's delicious. Enjoy it on a grilled cheese sandwich, add it to your favorite vegan mac and cheese recipe, or eat it with wine and crackers. You can even grate it!

It's actually way easier than you'd think to make vegan block cheese. I used to be so intimidated by it, but now, I can whip it up in less than a half an hour (minus the refrigeration time). The biggest issue for people who don't usually make their own vegan cheese is getting a hold of all of the ingredients. However, if you don't have a nearby health food store, you can get nutritional yeast and agar powder on Amazon, and all of the other ingredients can be found in your local grocery store.

For amateurs, I'm going to provide a basic overview of the ingredients that I used:

The Low Down on Vegan Cheesemaking:

1. Water: Well, you need water to dissolve the agar in.
2. Plain Unsweetened Almond Milk: I used this to give the cheese a more authentic flavor, but you can always use water instead.
3. Agar Powder: This is a sea vegetable that will help the cheese harden.
4. Coconut  Oil: Aids the agar. You can usually find it near the other oils or in the baking section (near the flour) of the grocery store - optional.
5. Raw Cashews: Versatile, and though awesome in their original form, can be turned into even more amazing and tasty cheese, spreads, and dips.
6. Tahini: made from sesame, gives the cheese a harder and more convincing flavor. Find it in the grocery store (I can't remember what aisle).
7. Liquid Smoke: I used this to achieve a smokey flavor, but it's entirely optional. Find it for a dollar near the barbecue sauce.

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup plain unsweetened almond or other non-dairy milk
4 tsp. agar powder
1 tsp. coconut oil
1 cup raw cashews, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (maybe more)
3 tbsp. sesame tahini
1 tsp. salt
Lawry's Seasoned Salt (optional)
A few drops of liquid smoke (optional)

Makes a sizable block of cheese.
Active time: 15 minutes.
Refrigeration: 5 to 6 hours. 

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water, almond milk, agar powder, and coconut oil to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes, whisking almost constantly.

2. Next, add the cashews, nutritional yeast, tahini, salt, and liquid smoke to your food processor. Pulse for 30 seconds, then scrape the mixture off of the sides and add 1/3 to 1/2 of the agar mixture from the saucepan. Continue processing the mixture, adding the remaining agar mixture and scraping the sides down as needed until a smooth and creamy mixture has formed.

3. Grease a bowl or container, and pour the cheese mixture into it. Let it cool on the counter for at least 15 minutes. Refrigerate for 6 hours or so. (I refrigerated mine overnight).

Vegan "Mac & Cheese" Pasta Salad:

This is delicious and really filling. It's comforting and pretty healthy at the same time. I added most of the vegetables raw, but you can cook them a little before if you want. I would've loved to have put this salad in a casserole dish, topped it with breadcrumbs, and baked it in the oven. I just didn't have the time. Needless to say, that's another option as well.

Get creative with this and add whatever veggies you like the most. I think broccoli would compliment this perfectly, and if you're going to cook the veggies, onions and garlic would add a whole new layer of flavor.

 
Ingredients:

1 box macaroni or rotini, cooked

"Cheesy" Goodness :)

1 1/2 cups roasted butternut squash (directions for roasting below)
1 (15 oz.) can black-eye peas, drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved or sliced (I ran out, so I didn't use them, but I recommend them!)
1 cup kale
2/3 cup portabello mushrooms, diced
2/3 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
2 tbsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread (Optional - use less for less fat)
1 tbsp. tahini
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
Dash of salt (to taste)

Serves 4.
Total Cook Time: 30 minutes (if the squash is already roasted), 60 to 90 minutes if you have to roast the squash.

Instructions:

1. If you haven't roasted the squash yet, cut it in half, removed the seeds, spray it with oil, and place it on a baking sheet. Bake it at 400 until it's very soft, about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on its size. Once it has cooled enough to touch, scoop out 1 1/2 cups of the squash.

2. Cook the pasta according to pasta directions. Drain and set aside.

3. Steam the kale in a wire colander over a saucepan with 2/3 cup boiling water.

4. Next, add the butternut squash, almond milk, Earth Balance, tahini, salt, and nutritional yeast to your food processor. Process the mixture until it's smooth and creamy.

5. Add the mixture to a medium saucepan, and heat on medium heat until the Earth Balance is melted and the flavors have soaked in a little, 7 to 10 minutes.

6. Once the pasta is ready, mix the squash/"cheese" mixture in with the pasta. Mix in the black-eye peas, bell pepper, mushroom, yellow squash, kale, and grape tomatoes.

For dinner, I added homemade vegan mozzarella and more butternut squash.