Oh, cheese!!!

[reb_granger]

Am I the only vegan who doesn't like nutritional yeast? In my personal opinion, it doesn't taste remotely cheesy. It has more of a strong, nutty flavor, actually.

Oh, lord. Are my taste-buds so radically different?

Well, anyway, I was experimenting with miso the other day, and I came up with a (yeast-free) concoction that had a pleasant, mildly cheesy flavor and a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. My only problem with the concoction was that I couldn't stop eating it, and it was downright decadent! REALLY fattening, and really yummy. I'm still experimenting with it, to make it a little less fattening...but then, good-tasting dairy cheeses are not exactly diet-food, are they? ;-)

I'll share the recipe if anyone's interested! :-)

[inkie]

I would love to have the recipe. It would be greatly appreciated on my part if you'd post them. Thanks!

[Erin Pavlina]

Rebecca,

I don't like nutritional yeast either and I don't understand people who think it tastes like cheese. ;)

Yes, please post the recipe, and also, submit the recipe at www.vegfamily.com/vegan-recipes/submit.htm so our recipe editor can share it with our magazine readers. We are sooo in need of something like this!

[reb_granger]

Sure thing!

But pls forgive me, this stuff's really, really fattening...I'm still working on it, though...

one-third cup plus one tbsp Earth Balance margarine
half package (5 to 6 oz) extra-firm silken tofu
1/2 to 3/4 tbsp *light* miso
1 to 1 1/2 tbsp jalapenos
few dashes garlic powder
few dashes onion powder

Blend all the above ingredients in a food processor. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. It's been some time since I last tasted cheese, but this smooth dip sure does silence any cravings I might have!

However, a few notes:

1. The miso imparts a salty, fermented flavor. Choose the right kind of miso...beige/yellow-beige/creamy brown in color (I use SHINSUICHI MIKOCHAN miso).

2. The jalapenos make the spread slightly spicy. If you're not fond of spicy stuff, use less jalapenos and a bit of the 'juice' (the liquid in which they are steeped), or try omitting the jalapenos altogether and use 2 or 3 tbsp of the juice. But the jalapenos do give a nice tang to the mixture!

[reb_granger]

Erin,

I wasn't able to submit my recipe to the recipe ed. at www.vegfamily.com/vegan-recipes/submit.htm

This was the error message that I encountered:

"Error: Bad Recipient
One of the recipients of the information on this form is not a customer of pair Networks. Sorry."

Did I do anything wrong?

[Erin Pavlina]

Oh!! Thanks for letting me know. I know what the problem is and will fix it immediately. If you can, please post the recipe again.

[reb_granger]

I forgot to mention that you have to try to squeeze most of the water out of the tofu before chucking it into the food processor.

I submitted the recipe again, and it got through!

:D

[Pooky1515]

Thank goodness I came upon this post. I thought I was a horrible failure as a vegan because I hate! nutritional yeast. It reminds me of chicken broth. I was so depressed because nutritional yeast seemed to be such a staple in so many vegan recipes and I have seemed to psych myself into being able to detect even the trace amount of it in a recipe.

Cheese is a substance I struggle to avoid on a daily basis. I know it sounds ridiculous but I think I may be addicted to it. I do great for a while and then I break down and relapse. Then I feel so guilty and disappointed in myself.

[reb_granger]

Hi Pooky,

I know exactly what you mean. Cheese was an enormous struggle for me too. Somebody recommended Joanne Stepaniak's Uncheese Cookbook, and while I really respect her as a person, I quite hated the recipes in the book. Not only were they *nothing* like the real thing, but they were also unpalatable to a nut. yeast hater.

So discouraged I was in my quest for good vegan cheese, that I used to relapse to cheese-eating on a regular basis. I used to purchase a whole block of Kraft cheese, and eat nothing but that the whole day, in the hope that I would sicken myself of the stuff and become a good vegan again. That didn't happen. The more I ate cheese, the more I liked it, and the more I missed it. I felt like such a hypocrite every time I transgressed, and hated myself for it...yet it was almost obsessive compulsive behaviour. I simply couldn't rid myself of my cravings.

And then I realised that it was due to the emphasis I placed on finding a good brand of vegan cheese. Every time I grew discouraged in my quest, I would guzzle down dairy cheese. Or even when I was depressed in general, and needed to do something really bad (something forbidden, just to end the awful day on an awful note, so that I could wake up the next day to a new sun, knowing that I'd left it all behind me). This happened especially on those days I binged uncontrollably, and just had to round off my bingeing spree with something sinful.

In the end, I had to admit that this couldn't go on. Either I give up veganism (which I didn't want to do), or I give up cheese. I had to tell myself firmly, "There's no good brand of vegan cheese and there probably never will be. No use even looking for one, when there are so many other things to eat. Cheese is something I'll have to leave behind me, like I left Kentucky Fried Chicken drumsticks, fried eggs sunny-side up, prawn crackers etc."

I decided that, whenever I craved cheese, I would instead eat something really salty and tasty. I bought a bag of Lay's Original ruffled potato chips, and gobbled them whenever I felt I needed cheese. When I needed something really decadent to top off a midnight binge, I would eat lots of veg. sausages and ham and chicken nuggets and burgers - processed foods which I don't eat on a frequent basis, but which are perfect "forbidden goodies" from a health perspective (hey, they can trigger constipation, ya know ;) )

It was a slow and painful process. I basically had to train my mind to say 'no' whenever I passed the cheese aisle, or saw someone eating Orange Julius nachos. I had to come to terms with the fact that I don't eat cheese, period. Now I automatically turn away when I see someone eating cheese and crackers. Partly because I've trained myself to do so, and partly because I can't bear not being able to eat what they're eating.

I'm sorry for the long ramble. I just wanted to tell you not to feel isolated! I've been in the same boat. Try to surround yourself with things that you *love* eating, as well as vegan snacks that you consider 'forbidden'. Gorge yourself on those whenever you feel the craving coming on, and perhaps you might gradually overcome the addiction.

Try making the dip that I suggested. It's salty, tangy (due to the jalapenos) and rich, so it may help. Use the margarine generously - it contributes to the cheesy flavor - and you might like to add a little paprika or red food coloring for a creamy yellow hue.

Best of luck! And remember, you're a wonderful person for perservering to remain vegan when so many people don't even want to try. A big hug to you, and all the very best.

P.S. I hope I haven't irritated you with my long ramble :D

[Erin Pavlina]

You all know about the great vegan cheese at www.imearthkind.com don't ya? It tastes good and melts and there isn't any nutritional yeast in it at all.

They've got three flavors currently, nacho cheese (spicy), caraway jack, and mozarella. I use the mozarella on my pizza and lasagna and am VERY happy!! You can make great quesadillas with it too.

They sell it in some stores, but you can order online. There's even a great coupon for it in my book if you want to cut your costs and get a great book at the same time (shameless plug).

But I really highly recommend it to you who hate nut yeast and are missing cheese. It's amazingly good. Melts so well that it will just run right onto the pan if you don't watch it carefully while making quesadillas. :)

[reb_granger]

Hehe, Erin! Yeah, I've finished reading your product reviews, and I must say, my mouth is really watering now. But unfortunately, I cannot get Angel's cheese, 'cos they don't ship overseas :(

And I can't get any of those yummy ice-creams either. I feel like one deprived child.

[Erin Pavlina]

Oh, man!! I would be very unhappy as well. I feel really lucky to live in Los angeles. We've got restaurants and stores that are all vegan. It's great.

[butterbean]

It is comforting to know that others have had the same struggle/love affair with cheese.

I also turn as soon as I see anyone with cheese and I try to avoid any situations where I might be tempted.

[Erin Pavlina]

I really thought I would miss cheese. My favorite meal was a grilled cheese on sourdough with fries and a chocolate shake. Ask anyone who knows me... grilled cheese was my best friend. I was amazed at how easy it was for me to give it up. I'm not sure what happened, really. But one thing I did was use my NLP technique (Neuro-linguistic programming).

I imagined the cheese big and bright, rotating on a plate, all melted and wonderful inside my grilled cheese sandwich. Then before I could take a bite, I would see this little black leg come out between the bread. Soon the whole cheese sandwich was swarming with cock roaches. That did it for me! Gone was my craving.

Every time the craving reared its ugly head, so did the image of the cock roaches. If I needed more than that, I made my mental image take a bite of the infested sandwich. Makes me feel all retchy just thinking about it.

Anyway, I highly recommend the technique if giving up cheese is something you really want to do. If it isn't, don't use this technique cuz it's a doozy!

[reb_granger]

Ooh, I can just imagine it on the menu.

GRILLED CHEESE CRUNCH.....................................$4.50
(grilled cheese on your choice of bread, sprinkled
generously with long-legged cockroaches)

Extra cheese................................$0.50
Extra cockroach...........................$0.75

NOW, doesn't that sound tempting?! :p

I had a similar experience with stuffed-crust pizza. I used to adore it, and eat the whole enormous pizza in two sittings flat. In fact, I would peel the thick layer of cheese off the pizza and gobble it, then I would peel the crust off to gobble the oily strip of cheese inside it. That's how I would eat a stuffed-crust. Discard the bread and scarf down the cheese.

Then I read Robert Cohen's essays, about how cheese can cause mucus to stick to the intestinal tract and all that. And then, I too began to use neuro-linguistic programming. I would imagine that the cheese covering the pizza was a layer of slimy mucus and gooey yellow pimple pus. I used to imagine melting light green mucus in a saucepan. Then squeezing my pimples into the concoction, stirring well and pouring it over a pizza crust.

When I last ate a cold pizza, the images of cold dried pus and partially dried mucus came dancing before my eyes, and that was it. I never ate a pizza again. But really, if I could get a vegan cheese pizza, I don't think I would hesitate in the least! ;)

[CarlaJ]

I went to order the cheese from Follow Your Heart. I was going to order two things of Mozerella and One large Veganaise and it would cost me 25 dollars shipping! Way too Much considering the bill was only 15. I guess I'll have to wait and hope they'll start selling it here soon.

[sophie]

I can relate to this discussion!
I was a big cheese fan, though I got used to not having it (pizza was the hardest I think), then early in this pregnancy I got massive cheese cravings, it was all I could think of, it was terrible. But I didn't succomb and the cravings are not so bad now. But get this- in New Zealand there is NO vegan cheese at all! The only soy cheese hasd casein in it. For a while there was an amazing coconut-based cheese made in Fiji that tasted like Feta, but I can't find it anywhere now. My vegan sister is in England right now and has been eating vegan cheese at every meal. I'm jealous!

[Teejay]

Dear Sophie and any other NZers

Can you get Kingland soy cheese from Australia there in New Zealand? Because it is vegan. I am pretty sure I have spoken to other NZers who say they can get it in (is it called) New World supermarkets (the ones we call Coles in Australia).

That is the only one in Australia, though, as far as I know -- all the others have casein in. And the British soy cheeses are the best I've ever tasted -- so much so that I don't understand why they can't make them like that in other countries.

For the record (since everyone is describing their cheese problems here) I am not a cheese addict and do not miss it, but I do find vegan cheese useful for making dishes people will recognise and eat -- so many people do miss it, or imagine they would. I agree that nutritional yeast is not like cheese but I do love nutritional yeast anyway (just lucky).

[Teejay]

PS. the lactic acid in Kingland soy cheese is apparently not from animal sources.

[sophie]

Thanks Teejay!
We get the Kingland soy yogurts here, up until they arrived we only had one brand of soy yogurt which was plain and not too tasty (though i use it like sour cream), so if we can get the soy yogurt, maybe we'll be getting the cheese.... I'll check in the New World supermarkets (actually, I'll check in every supermarket) in case it's there but I haven't noticed, though I do check fairly regularly. I live in the South Island, and sometimes the North Island gets things before we do, and even gets totally different products that never make it down here.
Thanks a lot for the info and i'll keep a close lookout!

[CarlaJ]

I wrote an email on the Kroger Site requesting they carry the Earthkind Cheese (mozerella especially!) and they called me the very next day! The lady was very nice and said that she is looking for a local distributer. She's even calling the only 2 stores in Michigan to see who their distributer is! From the sound of it, they weren't only considering carrying it at my local Kroger.

Isn't that great?! I hope it works out. I can't wait!

Carla

[Pooky1515]

reb_granger

Your post really touched me. The honesty with which you seemed to write has really helped and inspired me.
Thank you for sharing your experiences. I have read other website forums and they seem to feel that any slip is unexcusable and a sign that one is a weak person not dedicated to this lifestyle or what it stands for. It can be very intimidating for those of us who are new to this and/or do not have other support systems in place during this journey.

[infinity]

It's funny , I got a cheese board and knife set as a wedding gift a few years ago . In my thank you not I stated to the giver that it would come in handy "as cheese is a staple in our diet". This was obviously before becoming vegan. I loved cheese with popcorn, apples, pizza, grilled cheese, etc. After becoming vegan I read an article that suggested that one could be much more content if they tried not to "replace" the foods we liked before becoming vegan . That concept really helped my perspective on flavor. There is almost never a perfect substitue. I can honestly say there is nothing I miss as a vegan. I drink soy milk, eat sorbet or tofu dream ice "cream", I do like nutritional yeast but not as a cheese substitute. It has its own flavor that I came to enjoy when I stopped trying to think of it as cheese.

[duckie1978]

I agree with Infinity, it is a lot easier not to replace the foods you enjoyed when you weren't vegan. I loved cheese, chocolate and ice cream but after not eating them for a long time, I realized that I didn't miss them at all. In fact the last time I ate chocolate, a tiny bite, (a friend got chocolates imported from Belgium) I hated the taste and didn't miss it at all. I have also found that I enjoy my pizza more without cheese-all the veggies taste so much better. Plus it has been so ingrained in me that animal stuff is bad, that I can't imagine actually eating it. Everytime I meet new people I expect them to be at least a veggie-I mean are they living in a cage somewhere, don't they read about the health risks that they put their bodies through?