Monday, September 2, 2013

Pretty-Cheesy

It’s smelling a little funky around here… it must be the cheese!
















Let’s face it; cheese is delicious.  No, not the titty-suckling kind of cheese, I’m talking about cheese made exclusively from soybeans, nuts, seeds, and more delicious options!  I can’t even begin to explain to you how many times I have heard people say; “I could never give up my cheese”.  As for us Veteran Vegans, well many of us have been there.  From ooey-gooey grilled sandwiches, to brie covered crackers and the pungent smell and flavour that bleu cheese lends, there’s no end to the diversity.  Thankfully none of us Vegan-folks have to choose between our morals, ethics and empathetic evolution in order to enjoy the taste, texture and overall use of any cheese-centered dishes.  So for this blog post I won't be sharing any of my own creations, but instead gleaning and showing-off the shiny and all-too-delicious sexiness of other's delectable delicacies.  Scroll along and find what you like, as I've detailed which Vegan "Cheeses" are most suitable for different uses.  There really are options for everyone, and every style of food and different "levels" of a Vegan diet.  Try them all or try a few, but you can't go away thinking you don't have tons of options.

Vegan "Cheese" and some other stuff! - the packaged variety


Chocola Tree - Chocola Tree's Website
Try their Vegan Cheese Crumbles which come in Cheddar or Parmesan.  Sprinkle them over popcorn, salads, pasta, tofu, veggies and whatever else you want!  You could eat them out of the jar if you wanted.

Daiya Daiya's Website *Aubrie's favourite for using on pizzas!
Daiya is the perfect substitute for classics like pizza, lasagna and quesadillas because it melts, stretches
and tastes just like it should.  Whether you suffer from allergies or are committed to a vegan lifestyle, our products are the perfect addition to your favorite dishes.
*Aubrie's Tip: when making pizza, nachos, or almost anything with Daiya, I add a bit of extra oil.  Just a drizzle of your favourite oil over the top of a pizza or nacho's makes it melt and stretch more, and also gives you that full-on fat flavour that you tasted when eating cheese from mammals.
Dr. CowDr. Cow's Website *Aubrie's favourite for "just eating".
They have a variety of different Raw Cheeses.  Here's what they have to say about their "Cashew Nut Cream Cheese": Very fresh, very simple with a creamy texture. Traditional cheese maker style . Serve like cream cheese or sour cream. Try spooning it over freshly cut celery or cucumber. Smeared on sprouted bread or over crackers.

Food for Lovers Vegan Queso - Food for Lovers Website
Choose from their Mild or Original flavours. Our main ingredient is nutritional yeast. It looks a bit like flour but smells like cheese (in a good way). It's completely vegan and packed with Vitamin B. It's been a vegan go-to ingredient probably since the start of vegan cooking. We use this in addition to spices, tomatoes and green chiles to create an incredibly creamy, delightfully spicy dip. You'll understand everything you need to know about TexMex food after your first bite.

Go Veggie!Go Veggie's! website *Aubrie's favourite for "Parmesan"
They carry Slices, Blocks, Shreds, Cream Cheese Alternative's and Grated Topping's.  Grab one of each to use on different things!  Try the slices in a sandwich, the cream cheese alternative in brownies, and sprinkle the grated topping over salad, popcorn or pasta.
*Aubrie's Tip: to maintain "fully vegan" status, please only buy their "Dairy-Free" products, which do not contain Casein, a milk protein with addictive qualities (and not because it tastes good).

Nacheez - Nacheez's Website *Aubrie's favourite Nacho cheese/dip for chips
Try their Mild, Medium or Spicy flavours.  A delicious dip or sauce to pour over just about anything you want to add a cheesy flavour to.  I love it over nacho's, or I could really just drink it.  Yes, it's that delicious!

Nacho Mom's Ultimate Vegan Queso - Nacho Mom's Website
A delicious soy-free Queso's for dipping or dripping over nachos!  They have three varieties: Ultimate Vegan Queso, Fire Roasted Queso, and VooDoo Queso.  Grab one of these jars of goodness for the next time you need a little comfort food.

Parma! Parama's! Website
Sprinkle Parma! (or pour) on popcorn, pizza, pasta, ​soup, and salad.​​ It is also great on sandwiches, ​tortillas, beans, avocado, lightly steamed ​veggies, grains, ​and most savory food.

Delicious Parmela Parmesan style cheese cups add a rich authentic flavor to your meals.  Using entirely dairy-free ingredients, the nut based cheese undergoes a fermentation and aging process unlocking that rich savory flavor.  Parmela is perfect for a finishing touch sprinkled over your favorite dishes: pastas, stir-fries, salads, and sandwiches.

Road's End Organics Chreese Sauce Mixes - Road's End's Website
Comes in little packes that you mix with water or your preferred non-dairy milks to make sauces.  They offer Alfredo Sauce or Cheddar Sauce.  You can stir these into pasta dishes easily!  Try their Mac 'n Chreese, as well as their gravy.

Ste Martean Vegan Cheese Alternative - Ste Martean's Website 
Makers of Colby, Muenster, Pepper Jack, Olive and Smoked Gouda!  Grate these into a layer dip, slice and spread them into enchilada's, or chow-down on them with crackers and a sip of wine or your favourite spritzer.

And in keeping with a new tradition, I give you a cheesy-unicorn.  I'm not sure I'd want to eat this one, as it looks pretty sharp.  Get it? SHARP! Har-har-har!



TeeseTeese's Website
Teese Vegan Cheese, a 100% dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free alternative to dairy cheese, first launched in 2008. We created a product that tastes, melts, and stretches better than any other dairy-free cheese alternative on the market. Teese can be used just like regular dairy cheese in all of your favorite meals. Perfect for pizzas, mac 'n' cheese, grilled cheese, and nachos.


ToffutiToffuti's Website
One of the most popular, old Vegan brands!  They make Better Than Cream Cheese, dairy-free Slices, Sour Supreme, and Ricotta Cheese for your dining pleasures.  They also make Blintzes, icecream sandwiches, icecream cones, fudgecicles and pints of icecream.

Vegan Gourmet - Vegan Gourmet's Website
The makers of the amazingly popular "Vegenaise: better than mayo spread".  For their Cheeses, they make Fiesta, Cheddar and Mozzarella shreds.  Use them like you would any shredded cheese.  They also offer Salad Dressings!

Vegcuisine  - unfortunately they don't have their website up and running, but click HERE for a link to their outrageously tasty-looking Bleu Cheese

Vegcuisine (formerly Sunergia) strives to create innovative, delicious, and nutritious soy foods, and their Organic Soy Bleu 'Cheese' is no exception! Use any way you would use dairy bleu cheese - paired with bread, crackers, or fruit for an appetizer, crumbled into salads, or melted on pasta or other entrees. 


"We can't say it's cheese" spreads from Wayfare - Wayfare's Website *Aubrie's favourite cheesy-spread
There are many things in life that taste good; but few taste great…our cheeses are in the “great” category. It is not easy to recreate the flavor and rich taste of typical cheese, but our customers say we have done it. The good news is that we have done it without the casein, high fats and cholesterol. Ours even melts just like cheese. So next time you are wanting some nachos, mac ’n cheese or a quesadilla, look for WayFare!

They also make Ice Cream, Sour Cream, Pudding, and "Bacony Bits" -- all Vegan and all delicious!

Bon appetit!




Aubrie is an incredibly "Vegan- Cheesy" person. No seriously, it's everywhere I ever go.  It's like The Blob and wants to eat me.