Vegan Cream Cheese, two ways

I miss dairy. But I don’t miss how it makes me feel. So, I decided it was time to start making vegan version of my favourite dairy products. Of course cream cheese was right at the top of the list. I mean who doesn’t love eating a fresh warm bagel spread with delicious cream cheese? My mouth is watering just thinking about it. After searching for the best vegan cream cheeses out there, I found that there is one company that blows the rest of them away and even better, they are located in my own backyard (well, technically across the river in Quebec).

If you have never tasted Zengarry cheeses you need to stop everything right now and go try them. Oh my god! How does someone create cheeses that tastes so similar to Blue Cheese, Cheddar, Gruyere and Brie without using any dairy? Well, the secret is an ingredient called Rejuvelac, which you can make at home (Zengarry have classes that teach you how to do this). So I suggest you drop everything, run over to their website and order yourself some deliciousness to spread on fresh bread. By the way, the best vegan, gluten-free bread in Ottawa can be found in Westborough at the Strawberry Blonde Bakery.

Now if you don’t feel like waiting for a shipment from Zengarry and you just want to whip up some lickety-split, there is an easy way to do that in your own home, without Rejuvelac. Now you won’t be able to re-create the harder cheeses or get the same taste as you would from Zengarry cheeses or when using Rejuvelac, but it’s still pretty damn good. Even my kids love them! Plus, the good news is that once your cashews are soaked, these recipes only take 5 minutes to make. Know that for the best flavour and texture, it is best to use a cheesecloth and let the cheese sit in your fridge overnight before consuming them, however, I have made both of these without straining them or letting them sit in the fridge, and they were still excellent.

Garlic Herb Cashew Cheese

Print This

Ingredients

• 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight or for an hour in boiling water
• 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons filtered water
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs of your choice, finely chopped (I used chives, parsley and dill)

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients with the exception of the fresh herbs to a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the herbs. Now you can consume the cheese as is, or follow to the next step for optimal texture and flavour.
3. Line a fine mesh sieve with a cheesecloth. Place the sieve atop a bowl and twist the top of the cheesecloth to squeeze out any excess water.
4. Keep the cloth twisted at the top, and place in the fridge overnight to allow it to drain even more.
5. Unwrap the cheesecloth and enjoy the creamy deliciousness of your garlic cashew cheese.

Vegan Cream Cheese, two ways was last modified: January 15th, 2017 by Michelle