Before I was diagnosed gluten & casein intolerant in February 2009, I thought I knew a lot about the GFCF diet. What I didn't know was how utterly bewildered I'd be when I actually had to DO it. Armed with an adventurous palate and a foodie fiance, I've been doing pretty well. Still, there are those moments when all I can say is WTF?!?
I couldn't resist picking up some gluten-free, vegan "bleu cheese" I spotted at Fairway. Blue cheese is something I thought I'd never again be within ten feet of. Once home, I just had to steal a taste - the texture is more like very firm tofu, but the flavor is not entirely unbluecheeselike. I wasn't expecting miracles, after all. This definitely has potential.
Will report back when I can answer the all-important question: How does it taste with BACON?
We interrupt this foodgasm to bring you this special report:
Cashews are my new best friends.
I'd read about various ways of using cashews to sub for dairy - cashew cream, cashew "cheese", but I was a little skeptical. There's just a bit of "What the??" factor to the idea of making cheese from ... nuts. Maybe something for crazy hardcore vegan people, but me?
Then The Fast One bought some trail mix with raw cashews in it. I had to admit, those things were pretty creamy, all right. A bag of the curvy fellas soon found its way into my shopping cart.
Then, this morning, hours of procrastination kinda ruled out pancakes for breakfast. Inspiration hit. I had no inkling how awesome the results would be. Simple ingredients, no added sugar, full of nutrients, and omg delish. WIN!
Blueberry Cheesecake Smoothie Blender 1/3 cup raw cashews 1/2 cup orange juice 1/2 cup frozen blueberries dash salt fresh lemon zest 1 T. ground flax (optional)
The flax was added for nutritional purposes only. It made the texture grainy, but I think it's a fair trade-off. Salt is key; if you're not getting cheesecakey goodness, you probably need more.
This could be made with more OJ for a more drinkable consistency, or less for a more sorbet-like dessert. I made mine somewhere in the middle.
Also available in Cherry Lime Cheesecake
Now, imagine how good the results could've been if I'd at ALL known what I was doing? Certainly, further research into the wonders of the cashew is on my to-do list. Could I really enjoy a pasta cream sauce again???
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