How to Make Vegan Cheese

When faced with the prospect of going vegan, many people find it difficult to give up cheese. The good news is you don't have to go without. Cookbooks overflow with recipes for vegan cheese, and an astonishing variety of vegan cheeses are also available at health food stores. However, take a moment to manage expectations--just as you would not expect an apple to taste like a orange, you should not expect vegan cheese to taste like cheese made from an animal's milk. It is an entirely different food. Appreciate all foods for what they are. Here's an easy, tasty vegan cheese recipe to whet your appetite.

Things You'll Need

• 1 and 1/2 cups water
• 5 Tbsp agar flakes
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/2 cup macadamia nuts
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp tahini
• 1 Tbsp good quality soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric (adds color naturally)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Fresh ground pepper (optional)

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Instructions

• 1

  Coat a 3-cup plastic or glass container with rounded bottom with cooking spray. Set aside.

• 2

  Mix water and agar flakes in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until the flakes are totally dissolved (about 5 minutes).

• 3

  Put the remaining ingredients in a blender or a food processor, along with the dissolved agar. Process for a few minutes until totally dissolved. Scrape excess mixture from the sides as needed.

• 4

  Pour into your prepared container and cool, uncovered, in the refrigerator. When cool, cover and chill overnight. To serve, turn over onto a plate or board and slice. Serve on crackers or bread, or slice and use to make a grilled cheese sandwich. This should keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.