This Cheese is Nuts!: Delicious Vegan Cheese at Home: A Cookbook

I have been a vegetarian for 22 years, but the reason I have never become vegan is cheese. I love cheese; to the point that when we could not find good selections locally; we could pay on special occasions to ship in products from a cheese shop on Brooklyn, half way across the country so we could enjoy it with some fresh bread, olives and wine – a perfect meal! However, the feeling the next day after indulging in rich, fatty, salt laden cheese is not a good one, so we have started exploring with simple cashew cheeses which have become a hit with friends and family, therefore this book has been on my radar for some time and now that it’s out, I finally have a plethora of ideas for vegan cheese! This book is loaded with ideas for plant based cheese as well as recipes you could incorporate the cheese in! It begins with a discussion around dairy and a plant based diet; followed by tools and techniques, and pantry staples. It is worth noting that a good blender is required; and some recipes do call for a dehydrator (for some of the harder and more “aged” cheeses) which I do not currently have, that said, there are plenty of options that I can make without one. Ingredient wise, nuts are of course a necessity but there are some weird and wonderful ingredients among the more mundane but a good health food store or Amazon are both useful sources to find these items. The recipes are great and many of them so simple. It begins with smoked almond cheddar and with just 5 ingredients and a food processor, you have a simple and delicious alternative to pimiento cheese!! It’s great for parties and ours was eaten so quickly, I am not sure people even knew the difference! There is an artichoke and spinach spread that makes a great dip and you are getting a good dose of healthy fats which will fill you up but without the fat and dairy! And best of all, it’s ready in under 15 minutes….so if we have impromptu guests I may not have dips at home but as I always have nuts and nutritional yeast, I can make this in no time! There are so many recipes: cashew truffle Parmesan, mozzarella balls, nacho cheese, cashew Camembert, even blue cheese – I cannot wait to try them all, particularly the burrata as I love that stuff and want to see how this version tastes (I will update as I make it). Then the recipes change to actual dishes: Mac and Cheese, Eggs Bennie with Hollandaise and coconut bacon! Even cheesecake!! The book is loaded with stunning photography on almost every page which helps you know what the result should look like. And the greatest thing about this book is the simplicity of the recipes which surprised me and the end result which are delicious and healthy. Love it.

You don't have to eat cheese anymore! These recipes are stunningly simple and delicious. All you need is a good blender and you too can have amazing creamy vegan cheese, creamy desserts, yogurt and so much more! The ingredient lists are short (and pronounceable). It's really stunning what nuts and lemon juice can become when you learn how to use them! The book is beautifully designed with artistic photos. These recipes range from simple blended spreads to cured cheeses, but you can start with the easiest ones and go from there! Whether you're vegan, paleo, keto, lactose intolerant, or a curious omnivore, these recipes will change your life! There's even a allergy-friendly section with recipes without nuts. These recipes make cutting dairy out of your diet easier than ever. The planet will thank you for it!

I'm very happy with this book. First of all, it is beautifully done. The pages are sturdy and the photographs are appealing. Take time to read the beginning as I appreciate the philosophy behind the heart of this book. If you would like to listen to the author talk about the book you can listen to The Rich Roll podcast #295. (No, I do not know them so I am not pushing anything here for them.) The podcast is very informative and helped me decide if I wanted to order the book or not. I see one reviewer here mentioned ingredients and that is addressed in the podcast. You don't always have to use the ingredients the reviewer mentioned or always use a dehydrator. There are a lot of choices. I noticed another Amazon reviewer said that the hipsters would like this book. Well, I'm a 60 year old church going retired school teacher. I don't think that makes me a hipster.:-) I'm just a lady who has decided to change my eating habits to focus on health, the environment, and kindness to animals. Now the pedal meets the metal.... Yes, I have tried a few of the recipes, and yes they are good! I am very excited to be on this journey

Wow!! This book is extraordinarily comprehensive with very accessible cheese recipes to make at home. I never though vegan cheese could be so simple and delicious! The photography is stunning and the book has a beautiful design aesthetic that makes you want to keep flipping through. This book is definitely a game changer and my all-time new favorite cookbook! Julie has truly created a gem here; it's a brilliant and groundbreaking solution for all of us cheese lovers who can't do dairy. Whether you are vegan or not, grab a copy of this book- these cheeses are fun to make and the taste and texture will blow your mind. Julie is on to something here!

After I read this cover-to-cover, I decided to go for it. I bought everything: Springform pans. Cheesecloth. Dehydrator. Exact recommended high speed blender model. Pounds of every nut listed. Celtic Salt, Himalayan Salt, Agar, Tapioca, spirulina, lactic acid, Acidophilus, etc. All of it except the wine cooler. I spent 896 dollars total. Many of these cheeses have the same ingredients in different quantities and combinations, so I thought I was sure to get several winners. I had not read any other vegan cheese book before this one. My experience: Smoked Almond Cheddar spread: Grainy, very fibery from the almond skins, oddly sweet and the smoke flavor made my husband think of hot dog water. I threw it away. Next time I would blend it smoother in the blender, and replace the pimientos and smoke with ½ jar of chopped chipotles, maybe blanching half the almonds first. Quick form Sharp Cheddar: Maybe I overcooked it. I don’t know what it should look like in the pan when cooked enough. It immediately started sweating oil in the mold and got very spongy and rubbery. The flavor was a mild cheddar but in an off-putting way matched with the texture. I threw it away. Artichoke Spread: Made this in the blender. This was a winner, albeit very rich. Next time I’ll use ½ cashews and ½ white beans to cut the heaviness and calories. Quick Form Provolone: Maybe I undercooked this one because it became a spread, never holding shape. The flavor was pleasant but again, not appetizing with the texture. I threw it away. I made one more agar/tapioca starch quick-form cheeses and hated it, so gave up on those. A friend of mine tried the sour cream and said it was disgusting so I used the recipe from the high speed blender book which worked well for me. At this point I wanted to bypass any more spreads or quick agar/tapioca type cheeses and make a “real” sliceable aged cheese that I could pair with wine, fruit, nuts and crackers. Aged Gorgonzola: I followed directions exactly, aging in the fridge instead of a wine cooler. I salted the cheeses once and flipped them every day. After a day or two in the fridge it was similar to thick cream cheese texture and slightly pungent aroma/flavor. I was not interested in soft cheese so I kept aging. After 1 week: Soft, firming up slightly. More like a thick spread. Not ready to slice yet. After 2 weeks: Sliceable soft cheese texture. No longer a spread. Good, tangy taste with developing mild umami quality however it was very salty. I think salting the exterior (even only one time) causes salt absorption. I would cut the recipe salt to 1/4tsp next time. This cheese works for me and I’d serve it to a stranger/make it again. I plan to keep aging these up to 8-12 weeks to see what happens. Overall this book gave me a few keepers for my recipe files, led me to rationalize purchasing the premier high speed blender which I use often, and a dehydrator I use to make fantastic sundried tomatoes and dehydrated strawberries for granola. It inspired me to look around for other vegan cheese recipes, and for that I’m grateful. As a stand-alone book there are some recipes that are great as a springboard for learning and experimenting in the world of vegan cheese.

I was skeptical when buying this because of reviewers’ warnings regarding ingredients and equipment, but these recipes are delicious! The only special equipment we have is a Blendtec blender. So far I’ve made: -smoked almond cheddar spread: tastes almost like a pub cheese spread from the grocery store -warm queso fresco: a sweeter Mexican-type “cheese” -classic cashew cheese sauce: good on pizza or anything, really -sharp cheddar: this one tastes almost like American cheese if you use it right out of the pot and spread it on a grilled cheese -almond fettuccine alfredo: too rich for me but if you like truffle oil, you’ll love this

Few days after I received the book I prepared lunch for friends. All inspired from "This Cheese is Nuts!" with a few creative twists and incorporating items from my garden, I made the smoked cheddar cheese as an appetizer. Followed with pizza on Naan bread with raw tomato sauce, peppers, mushrooms, grilled onions and cashew cheese. Cooked briefly on a cast iron skillet on the grill. Greek salad stack was the salad portion of the meal. Desert? Mexican cheesecake. Soooo yummy and good. I had plenty of leftover cheese for future meals, as well as friend sampling. The friend sampling has been a big hit. Three of my friends have ordered this book too! It's never too late to take control of your own health and be like Popeye (you are what you eat!) Julie and her husband, Rich are kind of awesome folks. Follow them on IG to watch their journey, or listen to their podcasts.

If you are eating plant based or vegan this is a compilation of delicious recipes for vegan cheese, spreads, and several full dishes that will add variety and flavor to your meal planning. The recipes are broken down into simple steps and the photos are gorgeous and drool inducing. Piatt presents a strong case for a plant based diet in the introductory section, but even if you are not there yet the book is worth exploring just to add more healthy ingredients to your diet. There is a section of nut free recipes, otherwise people with sensitivities can just bypass the recipes that contain those specific nuts.

Haven't actually made any yet as need to find some of the ingredients (not easy on rural France to get some of them). Hiwever, this is the book I've been looking for for a long time! Cant wait to get started

Bought as a gift for my vegan mum. I'm allergic to nuts, so despite being vegan myself, haven't been able to taste test any of the cheeses she's made from this but they look great! Mum is delighted with the book. She's made a range of cheeses and other cheesey choices from this book and so far has raved about them. I don't think most are very complicated to make as she doesn't like complicated recipes or recipes which use hard to find ingredients. Remember though that you don't have to be vegan to enjoy a nutty cheese!

Ho già sperimentato delle ricette ed il risultato mi ha soddisfatta. Non sono ricette veloci ed in più alcuni ingredienti non si hanno comunemente in casa. Per chi ha scelto di non mangiare più formaggi è un buon aiuto: basta dedicare un po' di tempo alla preparazione e quello che si ottiene, anche se non ha molto a che vedere con i formaggi omonimi, è buono! sono contenta dell'acquisto.

Oh it just made life easier for vegans

This is a good cookbook.