Replace Dairy Cheese with Vegan Cheese

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BRIE CHEESE

Yield: 1 wheel (about 2 ½ cups)

1 ½ Cup water

3  T agar flakes

½  Cup raw cashew pieces

½  Cup firm silken tofu

¼  Cup nutritional yeast flakes

¼  Cup fresh lemon juice

2  T tahini 

1 ½  tsp onion granules

1  tsp salt

¼  tsp garlic granules

1/8  tsp ground dill seed

1 - 2  T wheat germ or sesame seeds

Directions:

Place the water and agar flakes in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often.

Place the agar mixture in a blender with the remaining ingredients, except the wheat germ, and process until completely smooth.

Pour immediately into a 2 ½ cups round, shallow mold or pie plate that has been lightly oiled and dusted with the wheat germ or sesame seeds. Cool, cover, and chill several hours or overnight. To serve, turn out by inverting the mold onto a large round plate (the wheat germ or sesame seeds will now be on top), and slice in wedges.

DREAM CREAM CHEESE

2 cup Blanched almonds

2 T Agar flakes

2  tsp salt

2 T Lemon juice

3 ½ cup boiling water

Directions:

Blend until very creamy and smooth, Pour into bowl and chill until set.

COLBY CHEESE

Yield: one 3 cup brick

1 ½  Cups water

5  T agar flakes

1/2 cup pimiento pieces drained

½  cup raw cashew pieces or ½ cup soy milk powder

¼  cup nutritional yeast flakes

3  T fresh lemon juice

2  T tahini
2  tsp. onion granules

1  tsp. salt

¼  tsp garlic granules

1/8  tsp. ground dill seed (Optional)

½  tsp mustard powder (Optional)

½  cup cooked rice (Optional)

Directions:

· Place the water and agar flakes in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often, place in a blender with the remaining ingredients, and process until completely smooth.

· Pour immediately into a lightly oiled, 3 cup rectangular mold, loaf pan, or other small, rectangular container, and cool. For round slices pack into a small, straight-sided, cylindrical container. Cover and chill for several hours or overnight. To serve, turn out of the mold and slice. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator.

ZESTY HUMMUS TAHINI

2 ½ Cups cooked garbanzos 

½  Cup tahini (Joyva brand is best)

6  Tablespoons lemon juice

4 Cloves garlic 

1 tea salt 

1 ¼ Teaspoon onion powder

7 Tablespoons garbanzo broth or water

4  oz. can green chilies, chopped (optional)

Directions:

· Blend all together in blender, adding water in the amount needed to the thickness desired. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.

CHEESE SAUCE  This is my favorite!

1 cup hot water

½ cup washed raw cashews or ½ cup soy milk powder

1 ½ cup hot cooked millet

2 t salt

½ cup pimentos and juice 

1/3 cup nutritional food yeast flakes

3 T lemon juice

1 whole small hot peeled cooked potato

Directions:

· Blend cashews and water

· Add the other ingredients one at a time. 

· Blend until satin-smooth. If mixture is too thick to blend, add a little move water until a small hoe appears on top. Refrigerate up to two weeks

MOZZARELLA CHEESE

1 CUP Soymilk beverage plain

1 cup cooked brown rice

¾ cup water packed tofu

½ cup raw cashews

4 T Agar flakes

4 tsp fresh lemon juice 

1 ½ tsp salt

1 tsp onion powder

¼ tsp garlic powder

Directions:

· In a blender, combine all ingredients and process on high speed, stopping and stirring as necessary, until completely smooth and creamy (3 to 5 minutes), 

· The sauce will heat up and appear shiny. 

· Pour into a container coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate 2 to 4 hours until set. 

· To shred freeze before shredding.

RICOTTA STYLE FILLING

2 tubs water packed tofu, extra firm

3 T Fresh lemon juice

2 ½ Olive oil extra virgin

1 T Ener G Egg Replacer

2 tsp Basil dried

2 tsp Honey

1 ½ tsp garlic powder

1 ¼ tsp Salt

Directions:

· Press excess water out of tofu. 

· Crumble tofu in a large bowl until it resembles ricotta cheese. 

· Stir in remaining ingredients.

RICOTTA STYLE FILLING # 2

½  Cup water

½ Cup cashews

1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes

2 Tablespoon lemon juice

¾ Teaspoon garlic powder

¼ Teaspoon onion powder

2 ¼ Teaspoon salt

Directions:

Blend in a blender until smooth (may take 2 minutes)

2 12.3 oz packages tofu

4 Teaspoons dried basil

Directions:

· Mash in a big bowl tofu and basil

· Pour blended ingredients over tofu

· Ideas: Use as filling in Lasagna or Manicotti, sandwich filling.

TANGY CHEESE SAUCE

1 Cup Water

2 Tablespoons Sesame seeds

3 Tablespoons Nutritional yeast flakes

½ Cup pimiento

2-4 Tablespoons lemon juice

¾ Cup raw sunflower seeds

1 ¼ Teaspoons Salt

½ Teaspoon Garlic powder or 1 clove fresh garlic

¼ Cup rolled oats

½ Teaspoon dill weed

Directions:

· Blend the oats and seeds until powdery

· Add all other ingredients and blend until very smooth

· Put into saucepan and heat until thick, stirring constantly

CRACKER BARREL CHEDDAR

½ Cup sesame tahini

¼ Cup lemon juice

4 Tablespoons Nutritional yeast flakes

½ Cup Pimiento

1 ½ Teaspoon salt

1 Teaspoon onion powder

½ Teaspoon garlic powder

3 Tablespoons Agar flakes dissolved in ½ cup hot water

Directions: 

· Bring additional ½ cup water to a boil

· Place all ingredients, including the agar and boiling water, into a blender

· Blend thoroughly, until mixture is smooth and creamy.

· Pour into a sprayed mold and refrigerate. A small bread pan works great for a mold.

· When thorough chilled and set, turn out onto a dish.

AMERICAN CHEESE

½  Cup pimiento

½ Cup unbleached, white flour

½ Cup Nutritional yeast flakes

1 Cup water

3 Tablespoons sesame tahini

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 ½ Teaspoons salt

Directions:

· Pour into a small coated bread pan

· Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until firm-looking in the center.

· It will settle and firm as it cools.

· Refrigerate.

· When cold, run knife around other edges of pan and turn cheese out onto a serving plate.

· Slice before serving

FRESH MOSTARELLA

2 Cups water

½ Cup nutritional yeast flakes

1/3 Cup quick cooking rolled oats

¼ Cup tahini

4 Tablespoons arrow root or cornstarch

3-4 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 Tablespoons onion granules

1 Teaspoons salt

Directions:

· Process all the ingredients in a blender for several minutes until very smooth.

· Pour into a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until very thick and smooth.

· Pack into a lightly oiled, 3 cup rectangular mold, loaf pan, or other small, rectangular container, and cool. For round slices, pack into a small, straight sided, cylindrical container. Cool, cover, and chill overnight. 

· To serve, turn out of the mold and, because of its soft consistency, slice carefully or use as a spread. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator.

GOODA CHEESE

A dome shaped cheese with a creamy texture and lovely golden color. Slice into wedges for an impressive snack or appetizer.

1 ¾ Cup water

½ Cup carrots, chopped

5 Tablespoons agar flakes

½ Cup raw cashews pieces

¼ Cup nutritional yeast flakes

3 Tablespoons tahini

3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 Teaspoons onion granules

1 Teaspoons salt

½ Teaspoons garlic granules

½ Teaspoon turmeric

¼ Teaspoon paprika

¼ Teaspoon ground cumin

Directions:

· Place the water and carrots in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and sir in the agar flakes. Bring to a boil again. Then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 more minutes.

· Pour the cooked carrots, water, and agar in a blender and add the remaining ingredients. Process until very smooth.

· Pour immediately into a lightly oiled, 3 cup bowl or mold with a rounded bottom. Smooth the top. Cool, cover, and chill several hours or overnight. To serve, turn out of the mold and slice into wedges. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator.

NUTS AND SEEDS:

Nuts and seeds interchangeable in these recipes. Nuts that are most versatile are raw cashews and almonds because of their mild flavor and light color. If almonds still have their skin on then they will leave brown flecks if the product is blended to a cream. If this is undesirable then blanch the almonds. (To do this drop whole almonds into boiling water for not more than one minute or they will discolor. Pour into a colander and rinse under cold water. Drain. Pop off skins and discard.) Raw sunflower seeds are economical. They are not quite as mild in flavor as cashews and almonds nor are they quite as light in color so the recipe will be a shade darker but they are very acceptable to use. They are an advantage to use if recipe calls for chopped nuts as sunflower seeds need not chopping. Other nuts, such as, walnuts, pecans and brazilnuts are delicious in many recipes but because of their strong flavor it is usually best to leave them out of cheeses, dressings and spreads. Nuts supply tenderness and flavor, often in place of oil.

OF THESE YE MAY FREELY EAT A Vegetarian Cookbook by JoAnn Rachor

SLICEABLE JACK CHEESE

2  Cups cashew nuts

3/8  Cup agar flakes

1 ½ Cups boiling water

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

2 Tablespoons yeast flakes

1 Tablespoons salt

1 Teaspoons onion powder

½ Teaspoon garlic powder

1 Cup cold water

Directions:

· Place all ingredients in the blender except the 1 cup cold water. Turn on and blend for 1 to 2 minutes or until very smooth.

· Add 1 cup cold water, blend briefly and pour into containers of your choice to chill and slice when firm.

Hint: This recipe makes a white cheese resembling Jack Cheese. If you want half of it to resemble American cheese in color, pour half of it into a 1 pint mold and blend the rest with ¼ cup pimientos and 1 tsp. paprika. This can be frozen, so you might want to make a double recipe and keep it handy for future use. Frozen, it shreds very nicely if you do it while still frozen, and makes a great topping for Pizza. To thaw, set out at room temperature for an hour. Don’t try to thaw it in the microwave-it will melt and not be sliceable.

PARMESAN CHEESE

½ Cup yeast flakes

½ Cup ground sesame seeds

2 Teaspoons garlic powder

1 Teaspoon onion powder

1 Tablespoons chicken like seasoning

1 Tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:

· Mix together all ingredients and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator

Hint: The best way to grind sesame seeds is in a small, electric seed or coffee mill.