Cheezes from Ani's Essentials

This is the base recipe for raw vegan cheeze. Try using your favorite nuts and seeds -- such as almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and macadamia nuts -- to add variety to your flavors and textures. Makes about 2 cups.

1 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups of your favorite nut or seed
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
1/4 cup water, as needed

Place the garlic and salt in a food processor and process into small pieces. Add the nuts or seeds, and process into small pieces. Add the lemon juice and water; process to mix well. Add more or less water to reach your desired consistency.

Will keep for 4 to 5 days in the fridge.

OPTIONS: Add fresh or dried herbs such as basil or rosemary, or pitted olives and sun -dried tomatoes, to create new flavors of cheezes.

CHIPOTLE CHEEZE: 1 recipe Basic Cheeze, made with cashews or pine nuts, with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon powdered chipotle added.

JALAPEÑO CHEEZE SAUCE: 1 recipe Basic Cheeze, with 1 tablespoon jalapeño pepper (with or without the seeds), to taste, and 1/2 to 3/4 cup water, as needed to make a sauce consistency.

CHEDDAR CHEEZE SAUCE: 1 recipe Basic Cheeze, made with sunflower seeds, with 1 tablespoon turmeric, for color (optional), and 1/2 to 3/4 cup water, as needed to make a sauce consistency. OPTION: Spread your Cheddar Cheeze Sauce on a lined dehydrator tray and dry at 104°F for 6 to 8 hours, until dried. Crumble and use like Parmesan.

From: Ani's Raw Food Essentials by Ani Phyo.