Cheeses

The dairy industry has taken over many products we love....especially CHEESE! As I have learned more about dairy and how and why it was introduced into our nation (politically and money-driven) as well as seeing how many people are dairy intolerant....which is NO surprise since our body was never created to handle the casein in dairy products, it has made me look for alternatives. Did you know that many of our diseases in our country come from dairy consumption? And if you think the government has our back when they put their stamp of approval on food...think again. They could really care less. If there's one movie I would advise you to watch that is scientifically-based, it's "Forks Over Knives". I wouldn't be able to do it justice by writing about it.

These cheese recipes are delicious and ones that I have used over and over again. I don't buy soy-based cheeses since soy can affect the endocrine system in women. You can use these cheese on pizzas, as a dip for veggies, on a piece of sprouted grain bread, etc.

Instant Cashew Nut Cheese (makes 1 quart) - I use this for my raw pizzas.

3 cups cashews
2 cups spring water
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (this is what gives it the cheesy flavor - expensive, but you'll get a lot of uses out of it)
1/8 small red onion
1 tsp. raw honey
1 tsp. Himalayan rock salt (I use sea salt also)

Blend everything together in a power blender until completely smooth. (I have a Vita-Mix, which makes it really creamy.)

from Rawlicious

Cream Cheese

2 1/2 cups macadamias (I'm sure you could use cashews too)
2 cups spring water
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. raw honey
1 tsp. Himalayan rock salt
4 probiotic capsules

Blend all ingredients except the probiotics together in a power blender until the nut cheese is completely smooth. Empty the contents of the probiotic capsules into the mix and blend through on low speed. Divide the mixture into three jars of approx 1 1/2 cups each. Leave one jar plain and put it in the refrigerator. Add 1 tsp. black peppercorns to another jar. Blend briefly and refrigerate. Add 1/2 tbsp. mixed herbs and 1 clove garlic to the next jar, blend briefly and regrigerate. Allow all to ferment in the refrigerator for at least 24-48 hours and use within a week. Experiment with other flavors such as cumin and cilantro or chili-flavored cream cheese.

from Rawlicious

Nut Cheese (this hardens in the fridge and is great for spreads)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup Nama Shoyu
1/4 red bell pepper
2 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 to 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, macadamia nuts, pine nuts or a combination (I always just use cashews)

Blend all ingredients in a blender until creamy.

from Rawvolution

Just some tips with your nuts....it is preferable to soak them for a couple of hours in spring water. If you do this, you are breaking down the enzymes which is better for digestion. It also can help make your consistency creamier if you are using a standard blender rather than a Vitamix.


Enjoy all these different varieties of cheeses. You may even end up like me and say, "I really don't miss dairy." Good luck and if you have any comments or questions, post them.