So, this isn’t cheese or even cheez, but if you’ve eliminated dairy and you have sad, lonely, naked crackers or crudités longing for a topper—this is certainly it.
1 cup raw almonds
2-6 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup fresh herbs or arugula or 2T dried herbs
2 T lemon juice
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional)
2 T olive oil (optional)
1/4-1/2 cup water
Topped with finishing salt to taste
Soaking your almonds for 15 minutes and using your hands or a towel to slip off the skins will produce a more smooth and creamy product— but the skins will make your spread have a nuttier taste and provide fiber, antioxidant flavonoids, and polyphenols (think anti microbial, anti viral, neuroprotective and prebiotic benefits when combined with the vitamin E in the almond meat ~https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6523744/).
Toss everything except oil, water, and salt into your food processor and pulse until creamy. Adding oil and water alternately until you come to the consistency you like for a spread. The pictured product has no oil added. If it’s your first venture and you like salt— add 1/4 t to the mixture when processing other wise you’ll find a finishing salt is sufficient and tasty. I used a black truffle salt that came from a local grocer.
