Think you could never give up dairy cheese? Guess again. The year is 2016, and dairy is so out of vogue. There seems to be a new vegan brand or dairy-free fromagerie everyday. I’m allergic to cashews––the base ingredient for most vegan cheese––so I like to make my own using vitamin E rich sunflower seeds. Like cashews, sunflower seeds are creamy and rich when blended, and they provide a great backdrop for cheesy flavor additions. Unlike dairy cheese, vegan cheese is easy to digest, cruelty-free, cholesterol-free, and full of protective phytonutrients.
Like dairy cheese, vegan cheese can be cultured, aged, melted, hardened, molded, and spread. The flavor combinations are endless. This sunflower seed cheese is great for those with nut allergies and children. Eating vegan cheese is a terrific way to consume whole healthy fats, while satisfying your cheesy craving.
Pull out the crackers, pop open the wine, and indulge in some incredible vegan cheese.
- 1¾ cups sunflower seeds (soaked overnight, at least 6 hours)
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1½ tsp mellow miso or chickpea miso
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 jalepeño, seeded (optional) and minced
- 2 tbsp dill, chopped
- Place ingredients in a food processor and blend until creamy.
- Shape into a disk using a cookie cutter or plastic wrap.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate for 1 hour to firm.
- Serve with vegan crackers, bread, or veggies on a cheese plate.