Five years ago, I never could have imagined making a grilled cheese sandwich without real cheese. We actually had a drawer in our refrigerator that was dedicated to cheese and it was always FULL. To say our meals revolved around cheese would be an understatement. But then we were introduced to the idea that dairy may have been a contributing factor for my skin ailments, specifically psoriasis. We decided we needed to do a test and we emptied out the drawer.
I really did believe it was going to be harder to give up cheese than it was. We have found new and creative ways to make “cheese” using nuts, vegetables, and the miracle product that is called nutritional yeast. We haven’t felt the urge to refill our drawer but we did miss grilled cheese sandwiches.
This vegan grilled cheese is smooth and creamy. It melts in your mouth just like a great grilled cheese should. I’m not going to lie, you will be able to tell it’s not sharp cheddar but if you are anything like us, that won’t matter because you will see the immediate benefits from removing dairy from your diet.
My skin has NEVER looked this good and I have suffered from psoriasis since I was a child. And more importantly I feel better. I noticed an even bigger change in my energy level. If you have been contemplating removing dairy yourself, give this grilled cheese a try. It’s so goodand you may even realize like we did, that it’s worth emptying that drawer and making more room for fruits and vegetables.
- Cheese:
- 1 Cup Raw Cashews (Soaked Overnight or Boiled)
- 7 Tbsp. Tapioca Starch
- 4 Tbsp. Nutritional Yeast
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
- 2 Cups Hot Water
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- Dill Pesto:
- 1 Bunch Fresh Dill (stems Removed)
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Tbsp. Nutritional Yeast
- Pinch of Salt
- Oil
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- Preserved Lemon:
- ½ Lemon Sliced Thin
- 2 T Sugar
- Large Pinch of Salt
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- Additional Ingredients:
- Arugula
- 8 slices of Bread
- Vegan Butter
- Soak cashews overnight. If you do not have time to soak them, boil them for 15 minutes then drain. Set aside.
- In a small bowl combine the lemon slices, sugar and salt and stir. Set aside for at least 10 minutes, stirring periodically.
- In a food processor, combine all the ingredients for the dill pesto excluding any oil. Blend on low speed while slowly drizzling oil into the mixture. Stop when desired consistency is reached. Approximately ¼ cup of oil. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
- In a high powdered blender, combine all the ingredients for the cheese. Blend until very smooth. You do not want any visible particles (I usually blend for at least 2 minutes). When the mixture is blended thoroughly, transfer to a sauce pan. Heat over medium flame stirring constantly for 5-10 minutes. You are looking for the mixture to thicken up and for a texture resembling real melted cheese. Once desired consistency is reached, remove from heat and set aside.
- Butter one side of each slice of bread.
- On the non-buttered side of the bread spread the “cheese” mixture. Next add a layer of the pesto and then follow with a few slices of the preserved lemon on top of the “cheese”. Finally add a small handful of arugula and the other piece of bread, buttered side up.
- On a skillet over medium flame, cook each side of the sandwich until nicely toasted about 1-2 minutes per side.
- Serve immediately and ENJOY!
