This Almond Cheese Spread is a great alternative to the Cashew Cheese Spread.
Cashews can be quite a costly item as well as being imported from who knows where, and fingers crossed, they haven’t destroyed rainforest habitat to make way for the farm they come from… With the future of our planet in mind, I decided to come up with a completely sustainable almond cheese spread that can be grown in our own “back yard”. This doesn’t firm up as much as the cashew cheese does when placed in the fridge, because it doesn’t contain coconut oil, but it really makes a great spread!
Almond Cheese Spread
Makes about 3 cups
Time to make: 15 minutes, Ferment for about 5 days
Ingredients:
- 2 cups blanched (skinless) almonds, soaked overnight. If using slivered almonds, only soak for a few hours.
- ½ cup sunflower oil for a spread, 1/2 cup coconut oil for something you can slice when chilled.
- ¾ cup Rejuvelac – see recipe below
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Rejuvelac Recipe:
Step One:
- ½ cup wheat berries (a variety of seeds can be used in place, but wheat is easy to come by)
- 1 cup water
- 1) 16oz jar for sprouting the berries
- 3) 16oz jars for culturing the water.
Soak the wheat berries overnight on the counter, covered with cloth or coffee filter.
Step Two:
The next morning, pour off the water from the wheat berries and cover with a cheesecloth or coffee filter and secure with a rubber band.
Tip the jar on its side allowing the berries to spill over so that enough air circulates and it doesn’t become moldy.
-This is the beginning of the sprouting process-
Step Three:
Everyday, once a day, rinse the sprouts until small tails form (should be about 2 days). Leave covered on the counter.
Step Four:
After small tails form at the bases of the wheat berries, rinse and transfer the sprouts into a large jar or split between two smaller jars. Add 6 cups of water and cover with a cheesecloth or coffee filter and secure with a rubber band. Allow to sit on the counter and ferment for 2 more days.
Step Five:
Pour off Rejuvelac from sprouts and keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two weeks. This is the fermenting agent, rejuvelac, for the cheese spread
HOW TO MAKE DA CHEESE
Place the cashews, rejuvelac, salt, nooch (nutritional yeast), garlic powder, onion powder and oil into a food processor or variable speed blender and puree until smooth.Place all ingredients into a food processor or variable speed blender and puree until smooth.
Pour the spread into a clean glass jar, leaving about 2-3 inches of headroom at the top.
Cover with a coffee filter, secure with a rubber band and allow to sit out on the counter for 2 days.
The spread will get poofy and air pockets will form throughout the jar. This is the sign of fermentation that you’re looking for to make sure you’re rejuvelac is working. This means it’s full of beneficial enzymes that are will keep you healthy.
After the final 2 days are up, put a lid on it and store in the fridge for up to two weeks.