Fantastic dairy substitutes

from Beverly Bennett's new book

Vegan Chef Beverly Lynn Bennett's new book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Cooking is packed with delicious vegan recipes. Beverly's recipes are very likely to become standards in your kitchen, especially if you have food allergy restrictions.

Here are two dairy alternatives that are sure to please. For more I recommend investing in this book. Despite it's lack of visual appeal it is definitely worth it to your taste buds!

Raw Parmesan Cheese

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

You can easily and quickly whip up this cheesy, slightly nutty-tasting Parmesan-style seasoning with the help of a food processor.

• 3/4 cup whole raw almonds
• 3 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
• 3/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes (see Note)
• Pinch sea salt

Place almonds and sesame seeds in a food processor fitted with an S blade and process for 1 or 2 minutes or until finely ground. Scrape down the sides of the container with a rubber spatula.

Add nutritional yeast flakes and salt, and process for 1 more minute.

Use as a condiment to add flavor to salad dressings, sauces, vegetables, pasta, and other dishes. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Variation: You can substitute other varieties of nuts, such as walnuts, cashews, or pine nuts.

Note from Beverly: Nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast, which differs greatly from the types of yeast used for brewing and baking, and has a surprisingly nutty, cheeselike flavor. It contains a wide assortment of minerals and B vitamins and can be a reliable source of B 12 for vegans. Look for in prepackaged and in bulk in grocery and natural foods stores.

Raw Cheddar Cheese Spread

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

This mock cheddar cheese spread is made with raw cashews and sun-dried tomatoes and requires no cooking.

• 1 1/2 cups plus 1/3 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
• 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 tablespoons raw tahini
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Bragg Liquid Aminos
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Combine 1 1/2 cups water, cashews, and sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl and set aside to soak for 2 hours. Drain off soaking water and discard.

Transfer cashews mixture to a food processor fitted with an S blade. Add remaining 1/3 cup water, tahini, lemon juice, liquid aminos, garlic powder, and paprika. Process for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the container with a rubber spatula and process for 1 or 2 more minutes or until completely smooth. Transfer mixture to a small bowl.

Serve as a spread for raw veggies, fruit, crackers, slices of bread, or for sandwiches. Store spread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Variation: Turn this spread into a mock cheddar cheese sauce by blending it with an additional 1/4 cup water or more, and use it as a sauce of dip for raw or cooked vegetables. For extra flavor, add 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes.

Fantastic dairy substitutes