Recipe: Vegan Baked Almond Feta

I know for many people, including myself, cheese is a big deal. One of the most common things I hear from people while talking about diet is, “I could be a vegetarian, but never a vegan because I could never give up cheese.” I can completely relate to that statement, as there is something wonderfully magical about cheese; it’s comforting, tastes great, and seems to make everything it comes into contact with just a little more delicious.

You may or may not be surprised to learn that cheese is actually addictive! You can read more about that here. There are also some health risks associated with eating too much cheese.

So what if there was a healthier, animal free, dairy free, casein free option that tasted almost exactly the same or even better than the real thing? Amazingly, there is! There are a few great recipes out there these days, and some of them are absolutely exquisite. In fact, you can even buy cheese alternatives at many health food stores or even specialty nut cheese shops.

I want to share with you today a recipe for Baked Almond Feta. I was literally jumping for joy when I found this recipe from Maple Spice, and decided to try my own take on it. It is so delicious, you can use it as a cheese spread with bread or crackers, in lasagna, stuffed pasta, Greek salad, and pizza – anywhere you would use normal feta cheese – and the taste is divine. You really can be vegan, and eat cheese too!

Baked Almond Feta

Recipe:

1 ½ Cups Ground Almonds

¼ Cup Lemon Juice

2 Cloves Garlic, peeled and chopped

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Tsp. Dried Parsley

1 Tsp. Salt

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Line a small dish with about 3 layers of moistened cheesecloth.
3. Pour mixture into cheesecloth in dish.
4. Tie up cheesecloth, place in sieve over a bowl, and keep in the fridge overnight.
5. Remove cheese from fridge and cheesecloth, place in oven safe baking dish.
6. Preheat oven to 350 and bake for about 40 minutes. Place oven on broil for the last 2 minutes to achieve a nice golden colour (optional).
7.  Optional: Drizzle with olive oil and dill, serve warm with crostini, bread, or crackers.
8. Enjoy!

Much Love!