Cashew Cheese

I've found that sometimes I really struggle to get enough protein in my diet and this is something I've been trying to address.  Sometimes I also really crave that lovely savoury flavour you get from proper cheese.  I've tried various non-dairy cheeses available in the shops and they've always disappointed - tasting artificial and nothing like cheese.

So it was with some trepidation that I tried this recipe,  but lo and behold, I'm hooked!

You genuinely wouldn't realise this was dairy-free!

It is a soft not hard cheese, and it's delish spread on rye or spelt crackers. Best of all, once you've soaked the nuts, it only takes a few minutes to make!

You will need:

• 1 cup raw cashew nuts

• 2 cups filtered Water

• 1/2 Tsp Himalayan rock salt (for soaking)

• 1 Tbsp Lemon juice

• 1 Tbsp Olive oil

• 1/2 Tsp Dried onion (sometimes called onion granules)

• 1 Tsp Rosemary (or herb of your choice, dried or fresh - chopped)

• 1/2 Tsp Himalayan rock salt

• Black Pepper (to taste)

First, soak your cashew nuts in the 2 cups of water and 1/2 tsp salt. They need at least 2 hours but if possible leave them overnight. Drain them and rinse and then pop into a blender with the rest of the ingredients. Blend for a few minutes until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste and then serve!I found this a little on the salty side for me so the next time around I didn't add salt when soaking the cashews. You can use whatever flavours you like - chilli would be a great addition, as would some sage or even maybe some olive tapenade for something a little different. If you up the liquid slightly you can also make a lovely dip too - perfect for Saturday nights in front of the TV  with some delicious homemade sweet potato crisps :)