1-1/2cupswater (filtered or spring)plus more for soaking
2tspagar agar powderOR 2 tbsp agar agar flakes
1/4cupnutritional yeast
1/4cuplemon juice (fresh)
1tbsponion powder
1tspsmoked salt(omit for low-sodium diet)
1/2tspgarlic powder
Instructions
Soak the cashews in filtered water (covering with an extra inch or so) at least 4 hours or overnight. Rinse and drain the cashews.
Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan and add the agar flakes or powder. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Turn down the heat to simmer and cook another 5 minutes, stirring constantly until the agar is dissolved completely.
Put the drained cashews into the blender with all the remaining ingredients. Pour in the agar mixture, put on the lid and hold down the lid with a hot pad or towel. Blend on high until very smooth.
At this point you can stir in other flavorings like minced dill, jalapenos, or cracked pepper.
Pour into a glass dish that has been oiled or sprayed with vegetable oil. Refrigerate until firm. Remove the cheese by running a knife or spatula around the edge and it will pop out of the container. Store in an airtight glass or plastic container in the refrigerator and use within 5 days, like any fresh food.
Grate this cheese using a box grater. It’s soft, so it might not hold up to grating in a food processor.
Notes: Do NOT try substituting gelatin for the agar. According to one of my readers, bad things happen. Find agar powder online from a cooking supply store. You can use other nuts as well. Try almonds or hazelnuts (remove the skins after soaking).
Notes
Per serving:
45 calories
3 g fat
1 g saturated fat
2 g monounsaturated fat
1 g polyunsaturated fat
0 g trans fat
0 g cholesterol
126 mg sodium (1 mg sodium with salt omitted)
59 mg potassium
3 g carbohydrate
1 g fiber
1 g sugars
2 g protein
1 Weight Watchers Points Plus
You can substitute agar powder for the flakes. Use 2 teaspoons (5 g) of agar powder instead of the 2 Tablespoons of agar flakes. Reader tested and approved by Meaghan! If you can't find agar powder (also known as agar agar) in your local store, you can buy agar powder here. Do NOT try substituting gelatin for the agar. According to reader Amanda W., bad things happen. Try to find it online from a cooking supply store. There are lots of questions and ideas in the comments, so be sure to look there if you have questions. I had to close the comments because of spammers, but if you have a question that is not answered in the post or the comments, feel free to email me.