Cashews have changed the game for vegan cheeses. They add a creamy, decadent flavor that cookbook authors and chefs have adopted in almost every new recipe I come across.
Vegan brands like Miyoko's Kitchen offer up artisanal flavors like Mt. Vesuvius Black Ash and Aged English Smoked Farmhouse as cashew-based options.
Unfortunately, if you have a sensitive gut _ or suffer from irritable bowel syndrome _ you may have a hard time digesting these nuts. Those who can't tolerate cashews are often sensitive to FODMAPs _ sugars and fibers that aren't digested by the small intestines. (If you find you also have a problem with onions and garlic, low-FODMAP options might be worth a try.)
My other irritation with cashews is they have to be soaked _ sometimes up to two hours _ before they can blend into a cheese sauce.
Extensive prep time is fine on a Saturday afternoon but not on nights when both my husband and I work late. Or, let's be honest, when I've decided we're having nachos for dinner and I forgot to soak the nuts in the first place.
Thankfully, there are nut-free recipes out there that are simple, healthy and delicious. "America's Test Kitchen" _ the Emmy-award winning cooking show _ includes a nacho cheese recipe in its new book, "Vegan for Everybody" (America's Test Kitchen, $29.95).
I was dubious when I looked at the ingredients alongside the picture in the book. I thought there was no way a mixture that blended boiled potatoes and carrots along with vinegar and nutritional yeast would come out anything like nacho cheese. Plus, the vinegar sounded gross.
I was completely wrong. The sauce came out smooth, tangy and with an unmistakable nacho cheese flavor and texture. Processing the potatoes released starch that gave it a gluey, stretchy consistency. Sauteed adobo peppers and onions added a Tex-Mex kick.
Use it as a chip dip or a topping on your taco salad. Reheat on the stovetop, or microwave in 30-second spurts, adding water when needed.
If you're in the mood for a mac-and-cheese style topping, check out the velvety cheez sauce in "Vegan Vittles," by Jo Stepaniak (Book Publishing Co., $19.95).
I got the original version of this cookbook in 2000 _ my first year as a vegan. I remember flipping through the pages on multiple trips to the college bookstore, trying to justify the $13 purchase on my 19-year-old budget.
This is still my go-to topping for macaroni almost 20 years later. Like the nacho recipe, it has a potato and carrot base that you blend after boiling. But this one adds firm silken tofu and lemon sauce to give it a creamier texture.
Be cautious when blending the potato, carrot and water mixture in both recipes. If the liquid is still hot, it can force the lid on the blender _ or food processor _ to pop open. I know this from experience. If you want to blend while the ingredients are still hot, only fill up the container halfway.
For a tangy salad topper or sandwich filling, try the Greek tofu feta recipe in Stepaniak's latest book, "Low-FODMAP and Vegan" (Book Publishing Co., $17.95).
The brine _ which mixes apple cider vinegar, water, miso and oregano _ takes about 3 minutes to make. Cut some extra-firm tofu into cubes and let it soak overnight. I ate the cubes solo, but crumble and toss on top of pasta to get a more realistic feta feel.
