When we first became vegan it was out of necessity for our youngest daughters food allergies. We had been vegetarian for years but cheese was the thing I 100% swore I would never give up. I loved cheese despite it not loving my back. My husband went vegan before I did and I refused, becauseI was a dairy addict and could not imagine a world without cheese and crackers.
When our daughter first started showing signs of food allergies I prayed it was wheat. Bread Is possibly my second favorite food, but I could give it up far more easily than cheese. At the time we did not have nearly the amount of store bought dairy alternatives easily available at regular grocery store or restaurants. What I had tried was super gross and expensive . But, because I love my kids more than food, I had to give dairy up ,and it did not take long for me to realized how awful dairy had been making me feel for more than 30 years.
I quickly had to scramble for a solution because I still missed cheese and found my recipe ideas limited if I could not include some kind of convincing dairy. That is when I learned about agar agar powder and how EASY it is to make cheese at home. Not only easy, but CHEAP. Vegan dairy product tend to be pricey, bu you can very affordably make a variety of vegan cheeses using a few simple ingredients like canned coconut milk, vegan gelatin, and coconut oil! Y’all, sooooo easy, and quick too! This vegan cheese will slice, shred, and melt! It’s nearly magic as far as I am concerned! For around $5 you will get 3xs the vegan cheese you could buy in the store, and it’s delicious.
Also. don’t be intimidated by agar agar. You can buy it online on amazon or in many Asian markets. It’s just a gelatin made from seaweed that helps the cheese solidify! The agar coupled with coconut oil makes for a perfect cheese texture that slices, shreds and melts beautifully! I am also often asked if the cheese taste like coconut. It really doesn't! I use refined or filtered coconut oil to cut back on some of the coconut flavor, and all the other ingredients like the nutritional yeast and spices help mask the flavor.
So, don’t be scared to try making your own vegan cheese at home! It’s so quick, easy and affordable. You will also likely impress friends and family with your new vegan kitchen skills! But most of all you will be able to enjoy cheese again!! Because I don’t want to live in a world where I can not eat some kind of cheese!! And now, nobody has to!
INGREDIENTS:
1 can of full fat coconut milk or cream
2 tablespoon of lemon juice
2 teaspoons miso paste
1 teaspoons of salt
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 melted cup triple refined coconut oil
2 tablespoons agar powder
3 tablespoons arrow root or tapioca starch
2 teaspoons dried dill
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
In a food processor or high speed blender, add all of the ingredients EXCEPT the milk, and agar.
Pulse a few times to mix it all up.
Now add the milk, and agar to a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture thickens to the constancy of a thin pudding.
Add the milk mixture to the ingredients in the food processor, and mix for about a minute. The mixture will quickly begin to thicken as agar begins to solidify at room temperature.
Transfer to the mixture to a few ramekins or small bowls. You should be able to fill 2 or 3 small bowls.
Allow the cheese to harden in the refrigerator uncovered for about several hours.
Once the cheese is set, store in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week.
