Roasted Garlic and Sun Dried Tomato Vegan Cheese
Roasted Garlic? That’s not raw! No, it isn’t. But in this post I am going to show you one of the ways I incorporate cooked elements in my raw recipes to make over the top delicious bites to dine on. For me, food isn’t just about putting nutrients into your body. Food is about delighting your senses with wonderful, healthy edibles.
Cashew cheese is a great entry recipe for making raw, vegan cheese. It takes a couple of days but the actual “hands-on” time is minimal. You just have to be a little patient. I love using rejuvalac to make my cheese because it works great and is very cost effective. But you can substitute a probiotic powder if you don’t want the hassel.
You can make this recipe with roasted garlic (not raw) or raw garlic, which would keep it’s raw status. But I encourage you to live a little and try the roasted garlic version.
I have had a lot of people asking me for recipes that use left over nut-milk pulp. So, I am including a raw recipe for BBQ crackers (shown), which I made with nut-milk pulp.
My favorite nut milk is an almond and cashew blend. I use it 95% of the time. The nut milk pulp I used was this blend. Pure almond pulp would be fine also. Just make sure you are using pure nut milk pulp…with nothing else (ie dates) added. I will note that raw crackers made with nut milk pulp tend to have a little chewier and tougher texture than the ones I make from ground nuts. But they are still tasty and a worthy way to use the pulp.
You can find truly raw cashews here: Raw Cashews
*A note about the pulp. I collect my nut milk pulp over the course of a month or two. When I make the milk, I just throw the pulp in a glass container in the freezer to batch dehydrate (dry) later or immediately dehydrate it and store it. When I have enough saved up and dried, it gets a quick whirl in the high-speed blender and presto! Nut milk pulp flour.
Roasted Garlic Sun Dried Tomato Cashew Vegan Cheese
Cheese
- 2 cups cashews, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup rejuvelac (recipe here)
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, diced (you want softened tomatoes)
- 1 head roasted garlic* (2 cloves if using raw)
- Himalayan salt and pepper to taste
- Blend cashews and rejuvelac in blender until smooth. Spoon mixture into cheese cloth lined strainer, cover and let sit on the counter overnight. It may release liquid so have something to catch that.
- Remove cheese to bowl. Squeeze garlic cloves out of their skin and stir the cloves along with the sun dried tomatoes into the cheese mixture.
- Form into desired shape and refrigerate 12-24 hours to set. (You can use a ring mold
for this step.)
- If a rind is desired, dehydrate at 115 for 3-4 hours.
*To roast garlic, cut the top off of a garlic bulb. Pour in a little olive oil and wrap the bulb in foil. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until garlic is soft.
BBQ Nut Milk Pulp Crackers
- 3 cups nut mik pulp flour
- 1/2 cup ground golden flax seeds
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon BBQ spice mix (make sure yours doesn’t have sugar in it)
- Himalayan salt and pepper to taste
- Mix all ingredients together. Let “dough” rest for 10 minutes.
- Roll out 1/4 inch thick on non-stick dehydrator sheets and score.
- Dehydrate at 145 for 30 minutes, then 115 until dry (8-10 hours) removing the crackers to a screen half way through the drying.
Alena wrote on October 25, 2013
Hi! I want to make this very soon.. was wondering if the rejuvelac was necessary or if there was something else that could be used as a replacement? Thanks!
Susan wrote on October 26, 2013
You can replace it with probiotic powder. You would probably need a teaspoon but I have not formulated it yet.
Simone wrote on October 24, 2013
This recipe is sooooo yummy!! My hubby made sure I put some in his lunch… Thank you Susan!
Claudia wrote on October 11, 2013
This is wonderful! Can I make it with walnuts and water with probiotic? Thank you… would I have to remove the skin from the walnuts?
Mark wrote on October 11, 2013
Hello, any advice for scaling the rejuvelac and cheese recipes? Can you make larger amounts at one time is what I am asking – we have made your recipe as per your instructions but, wish to give to others. Thank you.
maria wrote on October 7, 2013
Hi, I am on a paleo diet.. do you have any grain free substitutions for rejuvelac? thank you!
Cathie wrote on September 18, 2014
My family too is on a paleo diet but can not do gluten, grains, dairy or eggs. Susan answered this question for someone else earlier, maybe because they weren’t paleo and said that you can substitute the rejuvelac for 1 tsp. probiotic plus the liquid (1/2 cup). Hope this helps. We all have different reasons for eating the way we do and should not be judgmental. I was very unhealthy eating any other diet but paleo. I have reversed many health conditions after switching.
Susan wrote on October 7, 2013
Maria, Since this is a raw / vegan site, I don’t have a paleo substitution. Sorry.
Kathryn wrote on September 22, 2013
I’m allergic to cashews and pistachios, so finding vegan recipes for cheese and other things is really difficult. Have you tried this with other nuts? What could I substitute?
Diana wrote on September 6, 2013
No need to roast garlic anymore; there’s a good chance this raw vegan’s approach works! Haven’t tried it yet and it is labour-intensive, but I’ve found 23 years after finding this lifestyle is that anything is possible!
Lots of dehydrating time and there’s basting to do but, if you’re like me, it sounds like it’ll be worth it!:
http://jarohoney.com/cool-roasted-garlic-raw-vegan/
Something to try this weekend, I think! Cheers.
Clau wrote on August 12, 2013
I also baked it in the oven at 340F for 20 min until the top “cracked a little bit” , since I dont own a dehydrator. I hope this helps others who dont own one either.
Clau wrote on August 12, 2013
I finally made this today! AND IT WAS AMAZING. I used almonds instead of cashews so it didnt come out as creamy but it is sooo good. Thank you susan for all the help and for such amazing recipes!