Cheez (Dairy-Free, Melts, Slices)

This recipe was one I recently made an reviewed. I liked it very much just the way the original author published it but I didn’t find it realistically salty enough. Especially when melted, I found myself grabbing the salt shaker to “finish” the cheese effect. I’m going to try this base recipe a few ways. Ideas include adding some olive brine for more salty flavor, a second trial of sauerkraut juice, and a final trial of adding miso as I don’t need the cheese substitute to be soy free.

INGREDIENTS:

• One (1) Pound Butternut Squash.
• 3 TBSP Butter
• 4 TBSP Gelatin
• 1/2 cup Anthony’s non-fortified nutritional yeast
• 1/2 cup organic Tapioca
• 1.5 tsp Real Salt

METHOD:

1. If you are using frozen butternut squash which has already been peeled and cubed, skip to the next step. Otherwise, peel and cube your butternut squash. Weight it. You want a pound per recipe batch.
2. Add squash to boiling water in a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring it back to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover. Simmer until the squash is very soft.
3. Drain the squash and transfer the drained squash to a high-speed blender.
4. Add remaining ingredients.
5. Blend, blend, blend (you don’t want the final result being grainy–so really blend it).
6. Use a silicone pan or line your pan with parchment paper. Give some thought to this as the pan shape will produce the resulting cheese sliced shape. This recipe fits 2 mini-loaf pans exactly. If you use a sandwich sized glass container you can get cheese slices.
7. Pour the mixture into the pan. There will be air bubbles so tap the pan or pans a few time to get out as many air bubbles as your time and patience level allow. Cool, cover, place in fridge at least 24-hours to get the best flavor.

Velveeta-Style Cheez (Dairy Free, Nut Free)

A RECIPE REVIEW:

Recently, I ran across a blog article from a cheesehead’s blog. She outlined her personal struggles growing up in a cheese-loving world but then becoming sensitive to cheese and really missing it. She invented a few trials at different recipes before deciding her favorite is this one I’m about to share, along with my thoughts about making and using it. You can read her story and her notes by visiting her Gutsy By Nature blog post here:

AIP Cheese (Dairy Free, Nut Free, Soy Free)

When I read the Gutsy by Nature post, honestly, I did not believe it. However, I’m adventurous and thought I am willing to “risk” the ingredients to give it a try. After making the recipe, I agreed 100% with everything she was saying: frozen butternut squash works just as well–save yourself the effort. Don’t eat it right away. Give it at LEAST a day to age! It gets better tasting the longer it is in the fridge, BUT that of course has to be balanced with the potential of any food in the fridge to mold. I struck a happy balance between the two and shredded/sliced and froze it. This recipe was labeled “Cheddar” cheese and it is more like velveta in its flavor, especially melted. It does have the tooth feel of biting into cheese and chewing it. Works with nuts, crackers, celery sticks, and especially sandwiches or wraps. I recommend using Anthony’s (or any other unfortified) nutritional yeast and the max amount of gelatin or agar agar if you’re making this vegan.

Serving suggestions:
* Shred, freeze, store, use as needed as a topping.
* Enchiladas with “tomato-free red” sauce.
* Breakfast sandwiches or wraps.
* Atop any style of burger (beef, bean, quinoa, etc).
* Fruit, veg, meat/protein, cheese tray
* As you would american cheese.

My books

Next blog post on my to-try list if I get time to do so? Coconut based “cheese” though I think it is hard to beat this butternut squash cheese. The only other flavor dairy lovers may enjoy is Feta There are vegan Feta cheese style recipes so I may have to give those a trial too.

Tempting Coconut-Based Cheese Recipes You’ll Love

Waffles (Yam, Squash puree, or pumpkin)

Savory or not. Your choice. Yield: 9-10 These can also be made using pureed pumpkin or carrot.

While preheating and using your waffle iron (or make pancakes if you don’t have a waffle iron available), be sure it is hot and brushed both sides with olive oil to make them crispy. Otherwise they get soggy. Likewise, when cooling them, cool on a wire wrack, not a plate, or they will get soggy.

Method?
Combine 20 grams of soy milk with 1 TBSP lime or lemon juice, set this mixture aside to allow it to curdle.

Make a flax egg by combining 20 grams of freshly ground flax seed and 60 grams of water.

Combine the purred sweet potato (200 grams; or substitute purred pumpkin, carrot, or another veggie puree like squash) with 120 grams of cassava flour and 40 grams of arrowroot or tapioca starch, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, and spices (recommended: 2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp sumac, 2 TBSP fresh coriander) with our previously made vegan egg/buttermilk. Cook in the waffle iron until crispy.

Nice with curry, stew or with hummus on it.

Product Review: Pictsweet Farms

This PictSweet Farms brand has a ready-chopped bag of veggies which is versatile in many recipes, but it is still cheaper to purchase your own ingredients in bulk and fix your own frozen veggie packs. Nevertheless they are available locally and worthy of a trial to see what goes great with them.

PROS:

• Night-shade Free.
• Soy free.
• Versatile.
• Tasty mix of onion, butternut squash you don’t have to peel, and Brussels sprouts.
• Available Locally.
• Makes a quick meal with any combo of seasonings and a protein source of choice added to round out the meal choice.

CONS:

• A bit pricey.
• Inconsistent quality control–sometimes its mostly (onions, or other times squash, or some times Brussels sprouts) but it is always delicious.
• Frozen onions aren’t nice. I would rather chop my own fresh onion than have cooked, previously frozen, onion.

Cooking Ideas for Quick Meals:

Add about a pound of your favorite protein, seasoning of choice, and you’ve suddenly got a meal. Proteins I’ve tried: Kidney beans, black beans, 1 lb ground (or left over) beef, turkey, turkey sausages, hot dogs (vegan or kosher) or kielbasa, tofu.

Spice ideas: Pick one of the following to switch up flavor combos. Za’tar, Lemon Pepper, Greek seasoning, cheese sauce, nutritional yeast + horseradish powder, black pepper with celery salt and garlic, BBQ seasoning, Italian Seasoning or Pizza Seasoning, a drizzle of olive oil salt and pepper. Stir ins: Feta Cheese (if reintro) and spinach with chopped whole garlic cloves are a nice combo.

It is the wrong season yet, for me, to try baking but I bet these would also make a great roasted veggie side dish or be useful in soup too.

Soaking (Seeds & Nuts)

Pickle (Just about “Anything”)

Vegan “Egg” Seasoning Mix

This mix can be easily combined, ahead of time, to quickly use in making your vegan dishes have a more authentic “egg” taste or look to them. Use as a seasoning any where you would enjoy egg flavor, but without the eggs.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 Cup Nutritional Yeast
• 2 1/2 TBSP Kala Namak (Black Salt)
• 1 1/2 TBSP Tumeric
• 1 1/2 TBSP Onion Powder
• 1 TBSP Garlic Powder
• 2 TSP Black Pepper

METHOD:

Mix everything up. If desired use a food processor or spice blender to pulse everything together. Store in an air-tight container to have on hand as desired.

TIPS:

1. Use in Tofu Scramble Use 1-2 TBSP mix per 16 ounce block of tofu.
2. Use in casseroles or salads where “egg” flavor is welcome.
3. Use in making dressing/mayo.

This is an example of this spice. This is a meal typically known as “keto crack” where a bag of shredded cabbage (or cut your own) is stir fried with a protein of choice (seitan, tofu, etc) combined with garlic, ginger, and green onion, soy sauce if desired, and toasted sesame oil to taste. However, this time, while making this meal we added some vegan egg seasoning and it tasted like eating egg noodles/egg foo young style meal.

Beet (Dip)

While I don’t think it is a good idea to use aluminum while roasting (there are better options!) this recipe is interesting. It turns the humble beet, with a few flavor enhancers, into a dip. Vegan options are available.

Roast 3 medium-size beets until tender (370 for about an hour). Run under cold water to remove the skin. Add to a blender along with: clove of garlic, handful of walnuts, dollop of yogurt or silken tofu, handful of parsley and a bit of tahini and blend to make dip.

Make your own Tahini:

Toast sesame seeds. Blend. Add olive oil to form the right consistency.

Popcorn Chickpeas

Other flavor option ideas:

1. za’atar
2. garlic powder and salt
3. ranch dressing mix
4. greek seasoning
5. onion and sumac
6. cinnamon and maple syrup
7. pumpkin pie spice and maple syrup

Black Bean Soup (Vegan)

Easy. Quick. Delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Cans Black Beans (don’t drain the liquid)
• 2 Cups Veggie Broth
• 1 large (peeled) carrot
• 1/4 Onion
• 1 TBSP Olive Oil
• 2 TSP Cumin
• 1 TSP Garlic Powder
• 1 TSP Lime Juice
• Black Pepper
• Salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

Blend on HIGH in a high-speed blender until hot and ready to enjoy. NOTE: this generally takes about 10 minutes