It always amazes me, how transformable simple things like nuts and grains are. Before I went vegan nuts were already my favorite snack, but I would have never imagined that it´s possible to make creamy and cheesy bread spread just by soaking them and adding some umami taste in form of yeast flakes and some simple spices. Or to blend them together with a splash of lemon juice, agave syrup and a pinch of aromatic vanilla extract just to be left with the most velvety and smooth “cheesecake” that doesn’t leave you feeling bloated and overstuffed. It´s pure magic really.
That makes me always wonder, how many unknown food combinations and flavors are still undiscovered and how generous our nature is by providing us with such a variety of edible things to choose from, so everybody can find something that suits him/her. This cheesy spread is definitely one of my favorites. I´ve already done it uncountable times before varying the ingredients every time, but this flavor combination is the one I always return to.
It pairs well with crusty bread slices for breakfast, it can be made for an appetizer plate or as a dip for crackers. It´s also awesome as a creamy filling for a savory tart and can be used instead of the tomato sauce for a pizza. Not to mention how good eggplant or zucchini rolls taste when you stuff them with this cheese. Plenty of possibilities. Make sure to soak handful of nuts overnight and pat yourself on the shoulder tomorrow for making your Monday´s morning so delicious. ;)
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Enjoy!
- 1 cup cashews
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- 100g. millet
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 4 Tbsp. yeast flakes
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- ¼ tsp. garlic powder
- 1 cup plant-based milk
- salt, pepper to the taste (I used 1 ½ tsp. of both)
- 1 tsp. olive oil (optional)
- 1/3 cup dried tomatoes
- ¼ cup dried olives (canned ones will be great as well)
- 1 tsp. mediterran herbs mix
Instructions:
- Soak the nuts and seeds overnight, drain well and put aside.
- Cook the millet for about 20-25min. until completely cooked and soft.
- Blend the nuts/seeds with the cooked millet and all ingredients listed above except the mediterran herbs mix, tomatoes and olives on high speed until smooth and creamy.
- When the mixture is creamy and smooth add dried tomatoes, olives and the herbs mix and stir well until combined.
- Keep in the fridge and serve cool. The cheese will firm up more in the fridge, so don´t worry if the consistency isn’t right directly after the blending.
Enjoy!