Dairy-Free Nut Cheese Spread

Back in my meat and dairy days when I entertained friends, I was famous for my charcuterie boards. You know, the beautiful spread of cheese varieties, fruit, nuts, crackers and artisan breads. I’ve long yearned for those days and the creamy deliciousness of spreadable cheese. Until now. Meet my beautiful homemade nut cheese. The secret to achieving a creamy, savory flavor is in the seasonings. You can play around and create whatever flavor you have a hankering for. My love used to be for Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs cheese, so that’s what I had in mind when I developed this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups raw macadamia nuts

1 1/2 cups raw cashews

2 cups water, divided

1/2 tsp probiotics powder

1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp of your favorite herb blend such as Mrs. Dash - I used Penzey’s Buttermilk Ranch Dressing and Herb Blend (does not contain dairy products)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions:

Nut Prep

1. Soak the nuts in a bowl of cold water overnight or for at least 8 hours - be sure there’s enough water to cover by 1”

2. Drain and rinse nuts.

Make Cheese

1. Add nuts and probiotic powder to high powered blender and add 1 cup +/- water to get a creamy consistency much like a thick hummus.

2. Pour mixture into a nut milk bag or cheesecloth and place in a sieve over a bowl to drain. Place a medium weight bowl or saucepan on top of the mixture, this will promote draining. Depending on how much water you used, you may or may not have a lot of water draining.

3. Cover with a kitchen towel and place in a warm spot in your kitchen for 12-48 hours, depending on the tanginess you desire…I like tangy so I go the full 48 hours.

4. Scrape mixture into a glass bowl and mix in nutritional yeast, herb blend and garlic powder, adjusting the seasoning amount to your desired taste.

5. Spread the cheese in a Saran Wrap lined ramekin or other shallow dish and refrigerate for 24 hours to allow the seasoning flavors to meld in the cheese.

6. Remove from the ramekin and top with fresh herbs and serve with your favorite crackers or whole grain artisan bread. It’s also delicious spread into celery ribs.

7. You can store this in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Remember to experiment with flavorings such as smoked paprika for a smokey gouda flavor or taco seasoning for a Tex-Mex outcome.