Here is the recipe for our special Valentine's day item we had at the cafes on Wednesday!  If you missed it's one night only appearance at Cafe Gratitude, then try making a special meal with this rawesome recipe here!

Ingredients:

If you're like me, you love cheese. Between watching cheesy romantic comedies and eating cheese, I like to write cheesy blog posts. I love cheese on everything! With the below recipe, you can have your cheese and eat it too! Lots of it! I Am Present is full of versatility and life, and cheesiness, of course. Enjoy!

FARMER-STYLE CHEESE
Makes approximately 1 1/2 cups

1 1/2 cups soaked cashews (soak for 8 hours and rinse before using)
1 tablespoon miso
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon coconut oil
3/4 cup fresh water

Place the soaked and rinsed cashews in a blender along with miso, salt, oil, and half the water. Start to blend on low, turning up the speed slowly. Add more water as necessary to keep mixture pulling down to the bottom of the blender. When a smooth consistency has been achieved, taste your creation. This cheese can be used as is or hung in a double layer of moistened cheesecloth to ripen and drain., making a slightly firmer and tangier cheese.

Note: You can change the flavor or color of this cheese very easily by adding one or more of the following: cumin powder, turmeric powder, parsley, cilantro, bell or black pepper. Be inventive and let your creative juices flow! (Just remember if you're going to be using cilantro, parsley, or bell pepper, chop them first and add them from the beginning so they have a chance to be well incorporated.)

Sometimes the simplest, smallest and seemingly most tangential recipes are the most important. A dish composed of many ingredients might need just a dash, splash or hint of a spice, seasoning or topping to pull it all together and make it delicious. Just think of what salt and pepper can do...or Parmesan cheese! 

Try this on your favorite salad, sandwich, pasta, or other savory snack!

By Heather Haxo Phillips

Makes 2 cups

·         2 cups almonds

·         1 cup Rejuvelac (or 1 cup water with 2 capsules of probiotic powder)

·         ½ teaspoon salt

·         1 tablespoon lemon juice

·         2 teaspoons miso

·         a pinch of nutmeg

·         dried or fresh herbs and spices to garnish such as  basil, parsley, rosemary or cracked pepper

 Directions:

1. Blanch the almonds by bringing approximately four cups water almost to a boil and turn off the heat. Add the almonds and allow to sit for 3 - 5 minutes. Drain and rinse the almonds in cool water, then slip off the peels.
2. Place the almonds and Rejuvelac in a high-speed blender and process until smooth, adding more Rejuvelac if necessary to form a smooth, creamy texture. 
3. Pour the mixture into a nut milk bag or cheesecloth-lined strainer (such as a strawberry basket or colander). Allow to strain and ferment for 12-36 hours, until desired tartness is achieved. 
4. Remove the cheese from the strainer and add the salt, lemon juice, miso and nutmeg.  Adjust the salt and lemon juice to your liking.
5. To create a typical chevre-style log, place your cheese as a ball in the middle of a large piece of wax paper.  Roll the sides of the wax paper until you have created a tube shape with your cheese.  Place your cheese, in its wax paper, in the refrigerator 8 – 24 hours so that it can set and thicken.  Just before serving, sprinkle the herbs/spices on all sides of the roll until well covered. Then roll it off the wax paper and onto a plate.  Cut and serve as desired.
6. To mold the cheese into a thick chevre-round, place a nutmilk bag or cheesecloth over your favorite round mold.  Firmly push the cheese into the mold.  Refrigerate the cheese until ready to use, 8 – 24 hours is best.  Plate it by turning over the mold and removing your cheesecloth.  Decorate with your herbs and spices.

Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, the “Chevre” will last for up to one week.