It’s time to share my third favorite vegan recipe for a full bodied vegan ‘cream’ cheese. This recipe uses fermentation, just like real cheese, to obtain that nice musty flavor. The main difference is that instead of using milk, we use cashew nuts. This cream cheese is bursting with flavor and has been tried and tested on quite a few vegans and none vegans alike. The result is always the same,, MMmmmm too gooood!
If you didn’t know this type of cheese is also rich in natural probiotics and is a natural source of vitamin B12. These probiotic bacteria are very good for your stomach and guts. They help to keep the bad bugs in check, and help maintain a healthy intestine and body. There aren’t that many foods that are rich in probiotics, and I much prefer having them in natural form than a pill.
Benefits of rejuvelac:
Promotes beneficial bacteria in the intestines.
A vegetarian/vegan source of B12.
Fights bad intestinal bacteria.
Aids in reducing inflammation.
Improves skin health.
Corrects digestive dysfunction.
Aids in producing and absorbing vitamins, enzymes and oxygen.
(SOURCE: http://naturalepicurean.com/move-over-kombucha-meet-rejuvelac/)
SO if you have never made any vegan type cheese before, fear not. It's quite easy but does take a few days in total for the fermentation to happen. Once it is made it will keep quite well in the fridge and only gets better with time (up to a point!)
Are you ready!?
Ingredients:
- 50g wheat seeds
- 250g cashew nuts
- Fresh herbs and spices (chives, basil, parsley, sweet paprika )
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Squeeze of Lemon / Lime
- Salt & Pepper to taste
What to do:
- Wash the wheat seeds well in water. Rinse and drain.
- Fill a glass or mason jar with the seeds to around 1/3 full
- Add clean filtered water until nearly full. Be sure to leave 2 inches of air at the top
- Cover the jar with either a lid with small holes in it OR a clean cloth with an elastic band
- Leave in a warm but shaded spot for 24-48 hours. If you live in a very warm place then less time is ok. You can tell when it is ready because the water will turn yellow and you will see a lot of bubbling. If you prefer a rich full bodied cheese then wait for 2 days!
- Wash the cashew nuts in clean water and drain.
- Blend / Grind the nuts into a fine powder
- Drain the water (now called Rejuvelac) from the glass jar and discard the wheat seeds.
- Add a little of the Rejuvelac water to the cashew nut powder and mix. Keep adding water until the mixture has a creamy / paste like texture. (best to add less as you can always add more later)
- Cover the mix again in a bowl and leave again in a warm place for 24 – 48 hours
- If the mixture looks a bit too stiff add some of the Rejuvelac water to loosen it up. You can also drink this water, which is very healthy! It does get some getting used to!
- Add chopped garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper and chopped herbs, paprika to taste.
- Refrigerate to firm it up a bit (optional)
Now grab some carrots, crackers, or even try making a pizza with it. I've tried all three and I have to say this Vegan Cheese is .. as I always say.. TOO GOOOD!!
ENJOY, and if you do try this please let me know how it turns out!