Once upon a time I would’ve cringed at seeing this recipe. Peleeeeze, I would’ve thought, real cheese for those who can – and just abstain for those who can’t. Simple.
But it’s not that simple. You miss the foods that you’ve stopped because they cause digestive problems, or you have intolerances causing mega inflammation in the body… or they are ruining teeth or piling on kilos.
Luckily a lot of people can have the ‘no-go-to’ foods occasionally without any of the above effects – but loads of peeps can’t.
This recipe is for both groups plus those addicts who have absolutely no problem with their cheeses, but just love trying new, delicious food – that tastes like cheese!
It’s based on a favourite cookbook recipe – ‘My New Roots’ – however my version turned out to be a cream cheese (or thick dip!) rather than the cheese ‘log’ – even the second time around. Nonetheless, very delicious indeed. And keeping the GF/DF theme going, I spread it onto slices of cucumber, apple, and plantain bread).
Ingredients (for c 500ml):
280g cashews
175 filtered water
1 garlic, squeezed
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp fine sea salt
grated zest of an organic or unwaxed lemon
juice from that lemon
1 probiotic capsules
3 tbsp finely chopped dill or fennel
1 tbsp finely chopped dhives
Method:
Soak the cashews overnight, or at least 4 hours. Drain and rinse, then place in a food processor. Add the water and blend on the highest speed until the whole mixture is smooth. Add the garlic, sea salt, the nutritional yeast, lemon zest and juice. Blend until well mixed.
Place in a ceramic or glass bowl and empty your probiotic capsules into it. Stir with a wooden spoon and fold in the dill and chives. Cover with a clean tea towel and place in a warm place (warming cupboard or the like) and wait 12-24 hours depending on the heat.
The resulting ‘cheese’ should be a bit tangy.
At this point, if it’s mouldable, try rolling it into a log shape and then roll it again in some more dill or some cracked pepper and refrigerate.
Or, like my cheese, just refrigerate in your ceramic container, then use a knife or spoon to spoon it onto slices of whatever takes your fancy – cucumber, apple, plantain crispbread….
It’ll keep up to a week in the fridge (ours lasted one day because we loved it!)