Please enjoy this fabulous, great tasting alternative to cheese. Cashews are a guilt free, excellent source of healthy fats and vitamins.

Time Commitment: ten minutes

Ingredients:

• ⅓ cup water

• 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

• 1-2 garlic cloves

• A cup of cashews

• 1 Tsp Harissa

• Salt

• Pepper

• Olive Oil (optional)

Soak the cashews in water for at least two hours, although genuinely I have found this step negligible unless one insists on the texture of the cheese being very moist. Certain recipes call for the nuts to be soaked overnight, but you can experiment with how much moisture you like in the final product.

*The amount of lemon and garlic you put into your cheese will result in a tangier/more garlicky cheese*

Juice the lemon and chop the garlic into smaller pieces. Strain the cashews ( you can save the water for the recipe to reuse it) and combine it in a blender or food processor with lemon juice, water, garlic, salt, and pepper. You can use olive oil at this step although I usually go without. Add about a teaspoon of harissa.

Store it in a glass container in your fridge. This cheese is fantastic when toasted onto whole wheat bread in a toaster oven, or used as a dip for crackers or vegetables. Make sure to garnish it with some Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel spice, or some fresh cilantro or basil.

Ethical concerns about eating cheese vary, but also connect to health concerns as lactose intolerance is quite common in the US, and across the world. Many people can’t digest lactose, with the enzyme lactase, even though American culture has become deeply rooted in industries that depend on animal products. Enjoy your guilt free, healthy cheese alternative.