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July 8, 2020This is about...
Cool Vegan "QUESO" Dip---YUM!
Cool Vegan "QUESO" Dip---YUM!
IF EVER THERE WAS A TIME TO EAT YOUR VEGETABLES, IT'S NOW! Summer farms are beginning to burst with all sorts of fresh options. So
here's a fresh option to dip them in. IT'S A VEGAN TAKE ON THE USUALLY WARM, CHEESY TEX-MEX QUESO. Unlike my extremely, highly caloric version, made with a hunk of melted down Velveeta, and a can of Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies stirred in---I know, I know, it's not traditional--
this mildly spicy "queso" is made with soaked raw cashews, nutritional yeast and a pinch of turmeric to mimic that yellow cheesy color.
IT'S NON-DAIRY, HAS WAY LESS CALORIES, AND IS SUPER EASY TO MAKE. And, since it's served cold, there's no extra prep required. The only challenge might be finding a few of the ingredients. They may not be in your regular supermarket, but you will definitely find them in any health food store.
Nothing is going to completely approximate the creamy, cheesiness of the original, but it comes damn close. And, I like the fact that you can eat a lot more of it. A HIGH-SPEED BLENDER IS A HELPFUL TOOL here to make it super creamy. Serve it with a rainbow of your favorite raw veggies, and a tumble of corn chips for dipping, and you'll get more than your recommended daily allowance of veggies for the day.
LESSONS Learned:
1. Make sure to get raw cashews, not the roasted, salted ones.
2. You'll need just one chipotle pepper in adobo. Since I don't use them very often, I freeze the left-overs.
3. You may not be familiar with nutritional yeast, so don't be turned off by the name. This yeast is a popular vegan addition grown specifically to be used as a food product. It has a cheesy, nutty flavor, popular in vegan dishes where you want to mimic dairy cheeses.
4. A high speed blender will make for the creamiest consistency.
5. Use it as a salad dressing too!
Cool Vegan "QUESO" Dip
(inspired by Josef Centeno)
Ingredients:
1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 8 hours or overnight in the fridge
1 chipotle pepper in adobo
1/2 -3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3/4-1 teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
for garnish: paprika, snipped chives or cilantro
Make the "queso":
Drain and rinse the soaked cashews, and place in a blender container with the rest of the ingredients. Start with the 1/2 cup of almond milk, adding more if needed to create a smooth consistency. Add more salt, if desired.
Transfer to a bowl, and sprinkle with paprika, chopped chives and/ or cilantro. Serve with corn chips and lots of sliced veggies. Store in the fridge for up to a week.
Makes about 2 cups. YUM!
IT'S NON-DAIRY, HAS WAY LESS CALORIES, AND IS SUPER EASY TO MAKE. And, since it's served cold, there's no extra prep required. The only challenge might be finding a few of the ingredients. They may not be in your regular supermarket, but you will definitely find them in any health food store.
Nothing is going to completely approximate the creamy, cheesiness of the original, but it comes damn close. And, I like the fact that you can eat a lot more of it. A HIGH-SPEED BLENDER IS A HELPFUL TOOL here to make it super creamy. Serve it with a rainbow of your favorite raw veggies, and a tumble of corn chips for dipping, and you'll get more than your recommended daily allowance of veggies for the day.
LESSONS Learned:
1. Make sure to get raw cashews, not the roasted, salted ones.
2. You'll need just one chipotle pepper in adobo. Since I don't use them very often, I freeze the left-overs.
3. You may not be familiar with nutritional yeast, so don't be turned off by the name. This yeast is a popular vegan addition grown specifically to be used as a food product. It has a cheesy, nutty flavor, popular in vegan dishes where you want to mimic dairy cheeses.
4. A high speed blender will make for the creamiest consistency.
5. Use it as a salad dressing too!
(inspired by Josef Centeno)
Ingredients:
1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 8 hours or overnight in the fridge
1 chipotle pepper in adobo
1/2 -3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3/4-1 teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
for garnish: paprika, snipped chives or cilantro
Make the "queso":
Drain and rinse the soaked cashews, and place in a blender container with the rest of the ingredients. Start with the 1/2 cup of almond milk, adding more if needed to create a smooth consistency. Add more salt, if desired.
Transfer to a bowl, and sprinkle with paprika, chopped chives and/ or cilantro. Serve with corn chips and lots of sliced veggies. Store in the fridge for up to a week.
Makes about 2 cups. YUM!