Vegan Cashew Cheese

By David R Brooks

Ingredients:
2/3 cup cashews (raw is best, roasted is still great, and try flavored cashews too)
1/2 cup water (or slightly more)
1/4 cup red capsicum (raw or roasted)
1/4 small red onion (if you're cooking for a date, or more otherwise!)
1/4 cup yeast flakes
2 garlic cloves (see "red onion")
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp lite soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp sea salt (optional) if the cashews are unsalted

Put everything in a food processor and blend it until it's creamy. If it's too thick, add more water. If it's too watery, add more cashews. It should have a cream of wheat-like consistency, or just a bit thicker. For a pizza, spread it thinly over pizza sauce (it's very rich, so a little bit goes a long way), top it off with your favorite vegetables, and pop it in the oven. If the cashew cheese becomes golden-brown more than a few minutes before the pizza crust is done, cover the top of the pizza with foil. This recipe is plenty for a medium-sized pizza. I like making larger batches and keeping leftovers in the fridge.