Diary-Free, Vegan "Cheese" Recipe Series- Part 1
To Kick off my 3 part dairy free, vegan "cheese" alternatives series I am sharing this decadent cheese sauce alternative!
I've developed three dairy-free, vegan "cheese" alternative recipes, just in case you're not sure where to start. The first "cheese" is this Cauliflower & Cashew "Cheese" Sauce (part 1). The second "cheese", is a Vegan "Parmesan Cheese" (part 2). And finally, a shreddable, sliceable, melty Nightshade & Dairy-free Nacho "Cheese" (part 3).
This recipe is nutrient dense, lower carb, grain free, gluten free, dairy free, egg free, nightshade free, paleo, primal, Whole30 compliant, keto friendly & has a vegan option!
What Makes this High-Vibing Food?
First and foremost, putting your own love, gratitude, time and energy into making foods at home will automatically raise the vibration of the foods/meal. This will also help to balance your sacral and heart chakras. Putting your love into the food you prepare will literally raise the vibrational frequency as love is the highest vibration out there!
You are what you eat and what your food eats. Using organic, GMO free, free/pasture raised, wild caught, minimally processed ingredients lead to an overall higher vibrational frequency. Basically, eating organic provides us extra energy currency!
This dish is rich in protein, which is grounding and protective. It also supports the root chakra.
This dish is rich in collagen (if using), which is grounding and protective. It also supports the root chakra.
Contains zinc, which is needed for thousands of chemical reactions in your body involving protein, so it is also supportive to the root chakra.
This recipe is heavier in water, which supports the sacral chakra.
Contains nuts, which is both grounding and flowing, and thus supports both the root and sacral chakras.
Contains yellow/tan/golden colored foods, which help raise the body’s frequency to that of the solar plexus, helping to balance it.
Contains cruciferous veggies, which are especially balancing to the heart chakra.
This is a sauce/dressing recipe, linking earth and water elements, while also connecting the other chakras together with the throat chakra.
A Short Note on Swaps or Ingredients:
*While I cannot guarantee that using these swaps will yield the same flavors I have create in this recipe, these swaps should generally work well! *
If you don't use the brand of collagen I suggest below, Primal Kitchen, be sure your collagen peptides are grassfed. If you want to learn more about this amazing protein click HERE to read my article all about it!
Nutritional yeast are flakes of yeast that have a very cheesy like taste and is full of B vitamins. It is a great nondairy alternative to add a cheesy taste to any dish!
Equipment Needed to Create this Recipe:
sheet pan
parchment paper
measuring cups/spoons
high-powered blender (I use my vitamix)
Cauliflower & Cashew "Cheese" Sauce
(gluten free, dairy free & paleo, with vegan option)
Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 30-40 minutes Yield: 6
Ingredients:
~1-2 cups filtered water (amount will depend on how thick/thin you want the sauce)
~ 1 cup nutritional yeast
~1/2 cup raw cashews
1 scoop collagen peptides (omit for vegan option)
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp .garlic granules
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. onion granules
black pepper to taste (omit for nightshade free version)
Cauliflower prep:
~ 2 cups yellow or white cauliflower florets, frozen (if using fresh, adjust cook time accordingly)
1-2 tsp. avocado oil
sprinkle of garlic granules and sea salt
How to Create this Recipe:
Pre-heat oven to 350 ° F, Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and add the cauliflower florets to it. Then drizzle the oil and seasonings onto the cauliflower, toss and put it into the oven. Cook for 40 minutes (if frozen- for 30 minutes if fresh) and cook until browned/charred and cooked through. Remove from oven.
Place the cauliflower into your high powered blender ( I use my vitamix) as well with all the remaining ingredients. Blend on high until a smooth and creamy sauce is formed.
Remove the contents from the blender and store in a glass, air tight container for up to a week!
NUTRITION
Serving Size: 1 (based off of 6 servings total including the collagen)
Calories: 170
Fat: 4 g
Carbs: 12 g
Protein: 20 g
*All nutritional information are estimations and will vary.