Creamy Cashew Cheese {Non Dairy}

What if you love cheese but can’t tolerate dairy products? Or maybe you’re like me… you love cheese but like to try new things. You gotta try this. You can make a non-dairy “lick-the-bowl” creamy cheese from…nuts. Actually, cashews. I think cashews work well because they don’t have a chewy skin like walnuts and almonds do. But don’t hold me to that because I’ve never tried them in this recipe. Cashews just seem to be best nut to make this cheese alternative. There are cashew cheese recipes all over the internet, so I can’t claim I’m a genius or anything. Just resourceful (and curious).

You see we have a problem with real cheese in our family, and most dairy products, too. Why? Lots of reasons really…from intolerance and allergies plus a growing fondness for a vegan lifestyle. Oh, and I can’t forget the cute girlfriends both my sons acquired this past year that happen to be vegan and vegetarian. That helps too.

So I have been experimenting with lots of new recipes void of a la animals. Soon to be posted…black bean burgers. Or have you tried my Split Pea Soup? Both are awesome. And perfect for a meatless Monday night. So what to do with this cheesy wonderfulness? Spread on crackers, use as a dip with veggies, use in your lasagna recipes or in an omelet. The ideas are endless. The only drawback is you need a food processor.  I use this mini-food processor ($20 at Target) and it works great. Don’t try the blender….trust me.