Cashew Blue Cheese

Yes, this is real! This vegan version of blue cheese is made with cashews. It's soft, spreadable, and tangy perfect for serving on crackers with grapes on the side. The "moldy cheese" look is achieved by mixing some of the cashew cheese with dry herbs and spirulina, for a true blue color. This appetizer is guaranteed to blow your guests away.

CASHEW BLUE CHEESE [VEGAN]

INGREDIENTS

• 2/3 cup cashews
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon ume plum vinegar or make your own by combining 3/4 cup white rice vinegar plus 1/4 cup sugar plus 2 teaspoons salt, then store the rest in the refrigerator for later
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 2 teaspoons marjoram
• 1 teaspoon of spirulina
• A pinch of salt

PREPARATION

1. Soak the cashews for a minimum of 4 hours.
2. Put the cashews, salt, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, ume plum vinegar, and water in the blender and blend until smooth.
3. Remove 3-4 tablespoons of the mixture from the blender and add it to a bowl. Add the marjoram, oregano, and spirulina. Mix well with a spoon.
4. Prepare a cheesecloth in a small bowl. First, add the white cheese mixture, then add the colored/herbed mixture. Use a toothpick to marble the mixtures together. Once everything is marbled, tie up the cheesecloth and then spear the top part, through the cheesecloth only, with a large skewer. Use this to suspend the cheese over a bowl, to allow excess water to drain.
5. Refrigerate overnight.

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/cashew-blue-cheese/