This recipe yields a delightful spread that can be used in some ways others would use cheese. This is a great foundational recipe that one can get mighty creative with adding various herbs and spices to devise spreads for seasons or festive occasions. Let your creative genius take you exploring.
Yield: about 2 1/2 cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup hot water
- 2 Tablespoons powdered or granulated agar (more for firmer, less for softer ‘cheese’)
- 1 cup blanched almonds
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
Directions
- Blend together hot water and granulated agar for a few seconds
- Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Pour into a container or mold. Cover and refrigerate until firm.
Chef’s Tips
- Lightly oil-spray the inside of the container or mold before pouring mixture into the container. This will make it simple to turn the ‘cheese’ out onto a serving platter.
- When firm, ‘cheese’ slices nicely for use in sandwiches or on crackers. It will melt when spread onto hot veggies.
- ‘Cheese’ freezes well.
- Freeze ‘cheese’ prior to shredding (use more agar for firm ‘cheese.’)
From Hans Diehl’s book The Optimal Diet: The Official Chip Cookbook.