Hemp "Nacho Cheese" Recipe

I am a raw vegan. We were addicted to cheese when we started. I mean really, really, really addicted. It was hard for me to imagine a day without something covered with it. It's funny, though, that once you cut these things out of your life for good, after a little while you forget why you ever liked them or even what they taste like.


There are really nice alternatives to cheese as a vegan. You can make a "nacho cheese" from hemp seeds, I've served it at parties with veggie platters and people can't tell that it's not really cheese, I also use it to make nachos. It's sooo delicious. If you are looking for a more crumbly cheese you can make a "Parmesan cheese" out of cashews. If you want cheese flavor to sprinkle over something try buying nutritional yeast, it's very healthy and has a cheesy flavor.


This is the recipe I use. 

CHEEZY HEMP NACHO SAUCE

By Kristen Suzanne of KristensRaw.com

Yield approximately 1 1/2 cups

1/3 cup water
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 red bell pepper, seeded, rough chopped (approximately 1 cup)
1 cup hemp seeds
2 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 tablespoon chili powder*
2 teaspoons tamari, wheat-free
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan crystal salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder

Blend all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy. This can be stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
*My favorite is by Simply Organic 

Serving suggestions:
· Use this for dipping fresh veggies or corn chips (Raw or not - it's up to you!)· For those eating cooked vegan foods, this is an awesome sauce on top of veggie burgers
· This also makes a delicious Raw vegan dressing on a hearty salad with romaine lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and cucumbers. You could even sprinkle on some Raw vegan taco meat and Fun Corn Chips for a tortilla type salad.

The hemp cheese works awesome as a cheese for mac and cheese, actually the first time I had heard about this kind of cheese was for mac and cheese.t's a little pricey to make because hemp seeds cost a lot and are hard to find, but once you find a place that sells them (we buy ours at a bulk health food store) it makes about a weeks worth of cheese. We use it on everything from veggies and noodles to quinoa and potatoes.


-Jade2010