Raw vegan Parmesan

Giving up cheese is one of the hardest part for me, when eating vegan.  Several years ago while looking for vegan cheese recipes I came across an easy and rather healthy way of replacing Parmesan sprinkled over pasta dishes and salads.  This vegan Parmesan is salty, flavourful and tangy; and it is great in raw dishes.

I do not have exact proportions for this recipe - I usually go by feel and taste. Vegan Parmesan will last almost indefinite in the fridge.  I like to make a fairly large batch and store it in an airtight container for a month or so.

What you need:

(All amounts are approximate.  Feel free to adjust according to your taste)

2 tbsp light miso
2 tsp nutritional yeast
4 tbsp flax seeds or a mix of flax and sesame seeds
1/4 tsp garlic powder - optional
1/2 tsp onion powder - optional
1/2 tsp spices (basil and oregano work great in this recipe) - optional

What to do:

• In a medium bowl mix thoroughly miso and seeds.

• Add nutritional yeast and stir well.  You should have a crumbly mix, resembling grated Parmesan.  If the mix is very sticky add more seeds - 1/2 tsp at a time.

• At this point your basic vegan raw Parmesan is ready.  You can use it as is or give it a little bit more flavour by adding garlic and onion powders and/or dried herbs.

• I recommend you try cheese after adding each ingredient.  You might find my proportions too generous or you might go for a more herby flavour.

Sprinke over your favorite dish and enjoy!