Cheese and Sauces

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​Easy Cheesy Vegan Parmesan   (karissasvegankitchen.com)
Ingredients:

• ⅓ cup raw unsalted cashews
• 1 ½ Tbsp nutritional yeast
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Using a food processor or spice/coffee grinder, blend all ingredients together into a powder.
2. Store in the fridge for up to 3-4 weeks

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Non-Dairy Parmesan Cheese   (Five Loaves Deli & Bakery)
Ingredients:

• ½ cup yeast flakes
• ½ cup ground sesame seeds
• 2 tsp Garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 Tbsp chicken like seasoning
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:      Mix together the ingredients and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

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Pesto Feta Cheese  (Native foods celebration cookbook)
Ingredients:

• 1 cup silken tofu, extra firm & crumbled
• ½ cup silken tofu, firm & crumbled
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• ½ cup basil pesto
• 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Mix everything together in a bowl.
2. Chill for 30 to 35 minutes before serving.

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Smoky Jalapeno Cheddar Cheese  (mydarlingvegan.com)
Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup raw cashews, soaked 4-6 hours
• 3 Tbsp sun dried tomatoes, soaked 30-60 minutes
• ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 Tbsp tahini paste
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp spicy mustard
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• ⅓ cup almond slices, crushed

Instructions:

1. Drain & rinse cashews.
2. Place them in a food processor along with tomatoes, nutritional yeast, tahini, vinegar, mustard & spices.  Blend until smooth.  With the motor running, slowly add coconut oil until completely incorporated.
3. By hand stir in the minced jalapenos and transfer to an airtight container.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until the cheese is form enough to mold.
4. Shape the cheese into a ball or rectangle, coat it in crushed almonds, and serve
5. Store in the fridge up to 5 days.

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Vegan Nacho Cheese  (karissasvegankitchen.com)
Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup potatoes peeled and cubed
• ⅔ cup carrots peeled and cubed
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ¾ cup plant based milk (soy or almond work best)
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 ½ tsp arrowroot flour or corn starch
• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp salt or more to taste

Instructions:

1. Add potatoes and carrots to a pot of water.  Bring to a boil, and let boil for 10 minutes.  Strain and add to a blender.
2. Blend together the potatoes and carrots.  They don’t have to be perfectly blended - just break them down a little.
3. Add remaining ingredients for the nacho cheese and blend until smooth and creamy!
4. Drizzle over tortilla chips, in a bean burrito, or whatever your heart desires and enjoy!

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Roasted Jalapeno Vegan "Queso"   (from minimalistbaker.com)
 
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (180 g) raw cashews, soaked for 6 hours or overnight in cool water or 1 hour in very hot water
• 1-2 small jalapeños (2 for spicier queso, 1 small pepper for less spicy)
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup (20-30 g) nutritional yeast (for cheesy flavor + yellow color)
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) filtered water
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• Optional: dash of hot sauce or red pepper flake

​Instructions

1. Be sure to soak your cashews overnight in cool water or in very hot water for at least 1 hour before starting this recipe. Drain and then proceed with recipe.
2. Preheat oven to medium broil and add jalapeños to a baking sheet. Broil on the top oven rack for 4-7 minutes or until slightly blackened on the outside. Wrap in foil to steam for a few minutes. Then carefully peel outside skin away and remove any seeds/stems. (Note: Be sure to wash your hands after peeling to avoid getting any lingering heat on your skin or your eyes.)
3. Add soaked, drained cashews and jalapeños to a blender along with nutritional yeast, water, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and hot sauce (optional).
4. Blend, adding more water as needed to create a creamy, pourable cheese sauce. Scrape down sides as needed.
5. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more nutritional yeast for depth of flavor and cheesiness, remaining jalapeńo, chili powder or hot sauce for heat, cumin for smokiness, salt for saltiness.
6. Serve immediately. Will be fine at room temperature for several hours. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Makes about 2 cups

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Authentic Homemade Pasta Sauce (Fresh)   (wellnessmama.com)

Ingredients:

• 5 lbs fresh tomatoes, peeled and seeded (to peel, cut a small “x” on the top and drop in to boiling water for 10 seconds and drop into an ice bath.  Skin will easily peel off)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 medium onions, diced
• 8 cloves of fresh garlic (or more to taste), finely minced
• ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried)
• 1 sprig of fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried oregano)
• 2 bay leaves (remove when done)
• 2 sprigs of parsley (or 1 tsp dried)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 carrot (½ should be grated and added to sauce, the other half should be added at the end of cooking and then removed)
• Optional: 1 Tbsp honey

Directions:

1. Pour the olive oil into a large stockpot over medium heat.
2. Add diced onions, garlic and grated carrots.
3. Saute for 6-8 minutes or until onions are translucent and tender.
4. Add tomatoes, chopped basil leaves, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, parsley and salt.
5. Simmer on low heat for 2-3 hours or until cooked down and starting to darken.
6. Add carrot piece for the last 20 minutes to absorb acidity.
7. Remove sprigs of herbs ad piece or carrot.
8. Optional: Use an immersion blender to puree sauce until smooth (for a thicker sauce, skip this step.
9. Use fresh or store in the fridge up to 1 week, or can it according to your canner’s instructions for tomato products.  

Serves 6-8
 

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Simple Gravy   (adapted from 7 Secrets Cookbook)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw cashew nuts
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp Chicken-Like or Beef-Like Seasoning
• 1 Tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos (omit for chicken like gravy)
• 2 Tbsp nutritional food yeast flakes
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 4 oz. can mushrooms after blending, or blend for 1 second just to hop coarsely (optional)
• Water to make 4 cups total mixture

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in blender and blend on high for about 2 minutes until smooth.
2. When the mixture is so smooth that no graininess is felt in a drop of it between your thumb and finger, pour into a saucepan.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly as it thickens to keep at from lumping.  As soon as it thickens, remove from heat and serve.

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Walnut-Portobello Gravy  (ChefMarkAnthony.com)
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Ingredients:

• 5 medium Portobello mushrooms chopped
• 1 cup walnuts
• ½ cup diced onions
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra water, if needed
• ¼ cup tamari (soy sauce) or to taste
• ¼ cup olive oil, or as needed
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast

Directions:

1. Saute the mushrooms, walnuts, and onions in the olive oil for 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the vegetable stock and simmer until the walnuts are tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes.
4. Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Makes 4-6 servings.

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Slow Cooker Apple Pear Butter   (reciperunner.com)

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs apples  (5-6) peeled, cored and cut into about 1 inch chunks.  Galas, Golden Delicious, and Granny Smith can be use
• 1 lb ripe Bartlett pears (3-4), peeled, cored and cut into 1 inch chunks.
• scant ¼ cup water
• 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground cardamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Place all of the ingredients in a slow cooker, and then stir to coat them evenly in the spices.
2. Cover the slow cooker and set it to low.  Cook the apples and pears for about 6 hours stirring them a couple times and mashing the fruit with the back of a spoon.
3. When the fruit is very soft and the mixture has thickened, use an immersion stick blender or regular blender to puree the fruit until it is smooth.
4. Cool the butter before adding it to jars or an airtight container to store in the refrigerator or freezer.
5. If you choose to can the apple pear butter, follow proper instructions to prevent contamination.

Makes about 2 ½ cups

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