Plant-Based Cheddar Cheese

Every once and a while you just want something that melts, with a sharp flavor to liven up a dish. And to be honest, the store bought vegan cheese is not nice! I've done some experimenting, and have found an excellent way to make a plant-based (vegan) cheddar style cheese. 

It takes a 15-20 minutes to set, but once it does it's easy to cut and use in sandwiches and baking. 

Meal: Snack
Cuisine: Plant-based, Vegan
Prep time: 2 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes (needs to cool for 15-20) 

Ingredients

• 120g cashews (pre-soaked)
• 350mL water
• 5 tablespoons agar-agar flakes 
• 80g nutritional yeast
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon onion powder (optional, I think it adds depth)
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, if you want it to have a kick)

Directions

1. Soak your cashews overnight, or for 10 minutes in boiling hot water
2. In a small pot, boil the 350mL of water and add the agar-agar flakes to it. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often. 
3. While that is boiling, add all the other ingredients to a blender. 
4. After the agar-agar solution has boiled for 5 minutes, add it to the blender and blend for 1 minute, until smooth. 
5. Pour the mixture into a small (lightly oiled, wipe with a towel so there isn't any excess) bread loaf tin, or bowl. 
6. Place it in the fridge to chill. Should take about 15-20 minutes. If you're in a hurry, pop it in the freezer for 10 to bring the temperature down faster. 

It doesn't shred, but it's great for baking, melting, and sandwiches. I'll keep working at it to find a way to get it to shred. Let me know what you think in the comments below!